Now for pullet breeding (if you are able to have two pens; if not, choose the above mating), it is absolutely requisite that in addition to the above qualifications, or as many of them as can be obtained, a cock be found which has a brilliant luster to his plumage. As we have intimated, it is very difficult to find a cock with this brilliant plumage without a touch of red in hackle. If you can obtain him, well and good; if not, bear in mind the red feathers, but use him, for color in cock you must have above any other consideration for breeding pullets. The Rev. Mr. Sergeantson, whom we have before quoted, and who had greater success than any other English breeder with this variety, entirely agrees with us in this. He says: “I would much rather choose for the purpose a red-hackled cock, if good in other respects, than a dull-colored one. I have often bred beautiful, lustrous pullets from hens with very little color, when mated with a bright cock; but never from a dull-colored cock, however lustrous the hens with him might be.” Moreover, in this pen, choose birds with small or moderately sized combs, as there is a general tendency in combs of pullets to lop over, if bred too large.
Do not be discouraged, if you cannot obtain all these points at once; get as near to it as possible; and every succeeding year will find you drawing nearer and nearer to that desired goal—perfection.
THE SILVER-SPANGLED HAMBURG.
This variety is probably as well known and generally bred as any variety of fancy poultry we have, and its continued popularity is conclusive proof of the high estimation in which it is held by fanciers throughout the land. To the counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire the Silver-Spangled Hamburgs owe their present state of perfection, although American breeders have done more in twenty years to perfect their combs, ear-lobes and face than English fanciers have been able to accomplish in twice that time. The plumage is essentially English, and to English fanciers is due the credit for perfecting their beautiful markings. In fact, they were brought to a high standard of excellence in Lancashire long before the first poultry show; and this standard was clearly defined and adhered to by fanciers, who were chary about admitting innovations as to their ideas.
They were originally called Silver Pheasants in Yorkshire, and Silver Mooneys in Lancashire. These latter, while the most numerous and best bred, admitted only hen-feathered cocks, and were brought to a high state of perfection. Mr. Beldon says: “Some of the old Mooneys were absolute perfection in point of feather; the spangling, so large, round and rich in color, was really something to be wondered at, and shows a skill and enthusiasm in breeding which, in the absence of public shows in those days, has about it something of the marvelous.”
When poultry shows first came into fashion these Mooneys received the lion’s share of the awards at all the exhibitions, until it came to be considered utter foolishness to pit any kind of fowl against them, and they enjoyed their exalted position for several years unmolested. At the expiration of this time, however, breeders of the Mooneys were thrown into confusion by the sudden and unanimous decree of the judges that these “hen-feathered Mooneys” were all humbug, and not “the correct thing,” inasmuch as so many of these “hen-feathered” cocks proved unprolific or imperfect that long-tailed birds were secretly used to keep up the breed. There was so much evident truth in this that the struggle, though sharp, was of short duration; the judges triumphed, and the reign of the Silver Mooneys as show birds was over, while the star of the Silver Pheasants steadily rose, until nothing was recognized but the full-plumaged cocks, though the hens still lacked the nice spangling which had rendered the Lancashire birds so much admired, the spangles being small and indistinct. It may be well to state here that the Yorkshire birds were the original variety, the excellence in spangling attained by the Lancashire fanciers being the result of judicious breeding. The Yorkshire birds had better symmetry, whiter ear-lobes, smaller combs and clearer tails, and it is from them that our modern Silver-Spangled Hamburgs are descended. They are fully up to the other varieties in productiveness, and possess all the good traits of the breed, while their exceeding beauty renders them remarkably attractive.
Plumage.—Of course the spangling in the Silver-Spangled Hamburg is of primary importance, and should be regarded with the utmost care. As the spangling differs in the sexes, we shall be obliged to describe them separately.
Cock.—The neck-hackle should be abundant, descending well over the shoulders, and in color, silvery-white (any approach to a yellowish tinge to be carefully avoided), the longer feathers ending in a small diamond-shaped spangle, and presenting a beautiful rayed appearance about the shoulders.
The back and saddle should have the same general style of feathers, pure white in color, except the small spangle near the end as in the neck-hackle, avoiding any appearance of the yellowish tinge.
The breast feathers should be pure silvery-white, each feather ending with a well-defined, round, large-sized greenish-black spangle or moon, showing as little white on the tip as possible, the spangles increasing in size in proportion as the feather increases in size. The body and wing-feathers must have a similar moon-shaped spangle. There is a tendency to indistinct or smutty markings in the tail, which should be avoided. The moons on the breast-feathers should be just large enough to give the breast a spangled appearance, by allowing a little of the white beyond each moon to show. The moons, if too large, give the breast a mossed or black appearance, which is a defect. The spangles on greater and lesser wing-coverts form two distinct bars across the wing, which is very requisite in a well-marked bird. Care should be taken to avoid clear white feathers in back and saddle, as they are very liable to appear in light-colored birds.