Profitable poultry

by W. B. Tegetmeier

Game Fowl.—This variety, formerly so extensively reared for the cock-pit, is still bred by many on account of its beauty and utility. The game cock is distinguished by a long head with a strong massive beak, and a single upright comb; the chest is prominent and fleshy, the whole body muscular, the carriage bold and erect, and the feathers particularly close and firm; the hens are remarkable for their neat appearance, and are characterized by a large erect fan-shaped tail. In colour this breed varies greatly, amongst the most esteemed strains are those known as the black breasted reds, the brown breasted reds or gingers, the various piles, a term applied to such as have a proportion of white in the plumage, duckwings, blues or grays, and white and black. Game fowl fly well, and a good grass run is absolutely essential to their well being; the hens usually lay about five and twenty buff colored eggs before wanting to sit, and are unsurpassed as mothers and nurses; both sexes are good foragers, supplying themselves with a great portion of their food. As table fowls they are small, though plump, the quality of the flesh being very superior. The pugnacious disposition of the cockerels is much against them in a profitable point of view, and it is desirable to cut off their combs and wattles at the age of five or six months, otherwise, from fighting, much suffering and loss of blood ensues, this operation is usually performed with a pair of sharp scissors, and the application of a little green vitriol dissolved in water will be found immediately to check the effusion of blood.

Hamburgh Fowls.—There are two very distinct varieties of these birds, the spangled and the pencilled; where fowls are kept mainly for the production of eggs, no breeds are so advantageous; and as they are comparatively unknown in many parts of the country, I have entered rather fully into their description. I am indebted to an amateur, an extensive breeder of the spangled variety, for the following account of their merits.

“Gold and Silver Spangled Hamburghs.—These very beautiful varieties have not hitherto attracted the attention which their intrinsic merits so justly deserve. Indeed, except in the northern counties, they have been until lately almost unknown.

“I will endeavour, as briefly as possible, to put before my readers, firstly, the origin, habits, and economical merits, and, lastly, the desired points of beauty of these dandies (par excellence) of the poultry yard.

“Firstly as to their history and origin—Unlike the pencilled Hamburghs, which are imported wholesale from Holland, the spangled birds are never so obtained, and although similar in some of their habits, they are infinitely more hardy than their pencilled rivals, suffer less from cold, lay better in winter, and are far less subject to roup; they also attain to a considerably greater weight and size. I am myself rather inclined to consider them, as they have for years undoubtedly been, natives of our northern counties, more especially Yorkshire and Lancashire, although they are said to be common in Russia and the northern countries of Europe. The Spangled Hamburghs, or Pheasant Fowls, as the north country breeders call them, are, in my judgment, the best and most regular layers I can recommend; but in this respect the gold and silver varieties somewhat differ. I have generally found that the pullets of the former variety commence laying at about six months old, and, if the season is moderately warm, they continue to lay about nine eggs a fortnight, until their moulting time the following year—I should say that on an average they lay about 200 eggs per annum. They are everlasting layers, in the strictest sense of the word, never sitting, and recommencing their labours of production about two months from the commencement of their moult. Their eggs are of a fair size, of a very light pinky brown colour, and excellent flavour. Indeed, in the latter quality the eggs of the Hamburgh fowls generally are not to be surpassed.

“It is the birds of silver variety, however, which I regard and recommend as perfect miracles of egg-producing constancy. They commence laying, if in good health and with a good run (an essential to the well-doing of both the varieties), at five months old, and generally lay at least six days out of the seven, until the moulting season arrives—in all probably some 250 eggs. They very quickly get their new plumage—and in six weeks recommence their labours with the same praiseworthy diligence, until another season passed warns them that moulting time is again at hand. After the second year I do not consider it advisable to keep them for laying purposes, although I think the best chicken are bred from them after that period with a young yearling cock.

“Like their golden relations they never sit, and rarely evince the slightest desire to undertake the task of incubation. I feel quite confident that no fowl produces so much egg stuff with so small an amount of food. Give them a good run, a clean, dry, warm house at night, and one quarter of the food you bestow upon Cochins, and you will have no further trouble with them. They feather early and quickly, and may safely be hatched early in April.

“I must not, however, omit to state one drawback which there is to the keeping my spangled pets—they fly like pheasants, and know not bounds. They are great enemies to flowers, fruit, vegetables, indeed, anything they can lay hold of; and although capable of being made as tame as any other fowls, in their instincts they seem almost more like game than domesticated poultry. However, as a balance to this, there is no fowl so capable of taking care of itself, of finding its own food, of avoiding danger, and of repaying its owner handsomely for the slight care it demands at his or her hands. Indeed, I cannot recommend to a beginner in poultry-keeping a more beautiful and interesting, or a more profitable selection.

“There is much difference of opinion about the desired points of beauty in these birds. For the exact requirements in the north country shows I must refer my readers to the Rules of the Yorkshire Societies, and I will therefore confine myself to a brief and general description of what I consider requisite for perfection in these birds, and firstly as to the golden variety; although, with the exception of a few observations which I shall make about the cocks, the same points are almost requisite in both varieties.

“In the cocks, the comb should be flat, rose, stretching far back on the head, and ending in a pike—at least an inch and a quarter in width, and as square in shape as possible; the ear lobe white; the neck hackle in the golden variety, of which I am now speaking, black fringed with gold; the back, breast, and legs, regularly spangled, and the larger and brighter green black the spangles the better; the saddle feathers small and spangled; the tail long, full, and of a brilliant green black; the legs light grey blue; toe nails white. The same description applies to the hens, who should have a flat rose comb, not lopping, but upright; the ground colour of the plumage should be a rich red gold or burnt sienna colour. One great point of beauty also, both in the cocks and hens, is that the wing should be regularly laced, as in the spangled Polands. The great difficulty in breeding the cocks is the tendency they have to come with black breasts and red backs—and for show such birds are valueless, although it is said more likely to throw good pullets than the spangled breasted birds which are sometimes termed hen-feathered. The silver spangled cock should not be hen-feathered, the hackle, and saddle feathers should be white, the latter very long, the tail spangled black and white, the breast regularly spangled up to the throat, and in colour the clearest white for the ground, and the brightest green black for the spangles is requisite. The lacing of the wing in this variety is quite a sine quâ non, both in the cocks and hens; and in the latter the tail should be clear white, with three or four large circular spangles upon it, but no other dark markings whatever. The neck, back, breast, rump, and legs, should be regularly spangled, and there should be a total absence of patchiness in the markings. In both varieties great distinctness of colour is requisite, and from the delicacy of the plumage the slightest approach to breeding in and in is sure to make the produce utterly valueless. In conclusion, the carriage of the cocks should be lofty and upright with the breast thrown forward like the Polands; the weight of the male birds from 5lb. to 6lb., of the hens from 4lb. to 5lb., or a little more.”