CHAPTER VIII
POULTRY

Materials.

Either pictures or specimens of the different breeds of fowl.

General Information.

Under the term poultry are included chickens as well as turkeys, pigeons, ducks, geese, etc. Chickens are most generally raised, since they do not require such special conditions as the others. In this exercise only this form of poultry is considered.

The hen has been domesticated from prehistoric times, being probably derived from the so-called jungle fowl of India (Gallus bankiva), which is still to be found in its native habitat. Through constant attempts to improve the domestic fowl along the lines of greater egg-production, size, etc., there have been developed a great many different breeds of fowl. These may be divided into seven groups, as follows:

  1. The American Class.
  2. The Asiatic Class.
  3. The Mediterranean Class.
  4. The English Class.
  5. The Dutch Class.
  6. The French Class.
  7. The Ornamental and Exhibition Classes.

The American Class includes fowls raised both for egg-production and for eating. It includes the following well-known breeds: the Plymouth Rocks, the Wyandottes, the Rhode Island Reds, and the less-known breeds of Javas, Dominiques, and Jersey Blues. These all lay good-sized brown eggs, are good winter layers, and stand confinement well. The standard weight varies from six and one half pounds to seven and one half pounds for the hen, and from eight and one half pounds to nine and one half pounds for the cock, the Plymouth Rocks being the heaviest of the breeds.

There are three principal varieties of Plymouth Rocks—the Barred Rocks, with grayish-white plumage regularly crossed with bars of blue-black, the White Rocks, and the Buff Rocks. All have single upright combs, which, with the wattles and the ear lobes, are bright red, a large bright eye, and yellow legs.