Hen.—The neck-hackle should be composed of clear, silvery-white feathers, each plainly striped near the end with greenish-black. The back, breast and body should be clear white, each feather distinctly spangled with a large, round and greenish-black moon, as large as possible without the spangles running together and giving a mossy or black appearance in places.
The half-moon spangle should be avoided with much care in all feathers except the wing-secondaries, where it is allowable in both sexes. The wing-coverts, greater or lesser, should be clear, silvery-white, terminating in a large, greenish-black, round spangle, and forming two parallel bars, distinctly marked, across the wing. It is difficult to find a perfectly spangled tail without some black or smutty color in the main body of the feathers; this is not so persistent a defect in the hen as in the cock, and can be bred out of both, if proper care is taken. The feathers on the thighs should be as distinct as possible, care being taken to prevent a mossy or laced appearance.
Nothing can be more beautiful than a finely-spangled Silver Hamburg, and when a perfect spangling is once attained, it is easily continued in the progeny. Laced or half-moon feathers are a great eye-sore to the fancier, and are often very troublesome, although perhaps not more so than the indistinct markings on the tail, once so common, but which is now being replaced by clear, well-spangled tails—another evidence of skillful breeding.
Other Points.—The comb in Silver-Spangled Hamburgs should resemble exactly that described in our section on Black Hamburgs. The ear-lobe should also be the same, but is more easily bred to perfection in the Spangled than in the Black variety, being naturally rather smaller and smoother; but, on the other hand, more liable to red edges. There is the same tendency to white in the face in Silver-Spangled as in Black Hamburgs, although in a lesser degree, and there surely is no excuse for its cropping out here, if ordinary care is taken to prevent it.
The carriage of Silver-Spangled Hamburgs is graceful in the extreme and constitutes one of their chief attractions; indeed, we think they are among the most stylish birds we have. The legs should be slender, neat and clean, of medium length, and in color, blue or slaty-blue. We have already described what constitutes good symmetry in a Hamburg; let it suffice to say that the Silver-Spangled are essentially Hamburg in this respect.
The disqualifications to which this variety is liable are absence of the wing-bars, markings wholly crescent-shaped or of the half-moon character, solid black breasts, laced feathers, squirrel tails, red ear-lobes, and the absence of spike in comb, cocks hen-feathered.
The beak should be horn-color, and the eyes a dark hazel. Care should be taken to avoid a black fluff in either sex, as it is an especial abomination to the intelligent fancier.
Points in Breeding Silver-Spangled Hamburgs.—We are obliged to acknowledge that unless you have a thorough knowledge of the strain you are breeding from, there is considerable guess-work necessary in choosing a Silver-Spangled Hamburg cock for breeding; for the reason that, unlike most fowls, there are frequent cases where a finely-marked cock will fail to throw a good percentage of well-marked chicks in his progeny. So, if you fail to procure a good breeder at first, you must try again. In the first place, select a cock with good comb and ear-lobes, as much spangling in back and saddle as possible, good wing-bars, and clear tail; in fact, a good, deep-colored show cock, and put him to the very best hens you can get.
Care must be taken to avoid any grave faults on either side, such as smudgy markings, poor ear-lobes, or overhanging, coarse combs. Now see what you can do with this mating. If you get a fair proportion of well-marked chicks, stick to this pen as long as they will breed, or the eggs are fertile, for it is not every lot that breeds well together. If you find that you are not getting a good proportion of fairly-marked birds, you must change the cock, procuring one from another strain, and try your luck with him, persevering until you get what you desire. In all varieties of fowls there are some strains that will produce better cockerels than pullets, and vice versa, and Hamburgs are no exception to the general rule. You may, therefore, find it to your advantage to breed from two different yards, provided you have sufficient room and the means of procuring the proper birds. If a pen breeds excellent cockerels but poor pullets, keep that pen for cockerel breeding, as it is far better to breed good birds of one sex than middling birds of both sexes, even if you have but one pen. When you have a good pen of cockerel getters, begin to look about for a yard which will breed fine pullets. A little patience and perseverance will be amply repaid when at last you find yourself successful; and when you do get what you want, stick to it!
Our instructions for mating Silver-Spangled Hamburgs are in toto as minute as ever have or can be given, for the simple reason, as we have said, that your first matings (unless you know the strain well) must be greatly influenced by chance.