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WHITE WYANDOTTES TO DATE.
Cocxere| and Pullet in First Prize Pen at the Boston Poultry, Pigeon and Pet Stock Exhibition, Januarv 1898
as bred, owned and exhibited by Arthur G. Duston, Marlboro, Mass.
ORIGINAL AMERICAN PRODUCTIONS.
STANDARD-BRED WYANDOTTES,
Silver Laced, Golden Laced, White, Buff, Black and Partridge.
THEIR PRACTICAL QUALITIES; THE STANDARD
REQUIREMENTS; HOW TO JUDGE THEM; HOW
TO BREED AND MATE FOR BEST RESULTS .
CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE BEST KNOWN AND MOST EXPERT BREEDERS AND
JUDGES IN AMERICA.
aes eal ey eee ey Oi ny ALTE Ey Ie):
PRICE FIFTY. CENTS.
PUBLISHED BY
THE RELIABLE POULTRY JOURNAL PUBLISHING COMPANY,
QUINCY, ILLINOIS,
THE LIBRARY OF
CONGRESS,
Two Copies Recelved
APR 2 1903
Copyngnt Entry
4-1/4 03
CLASS Q XXc. No. |
Shey
DIRECTORY OF
RELIABLE WYANDOTTE BREEDERS.
N THE back pages of this book will be found a
directory of the best known American breeders
of one or more varieties of the Wyandottes. The
breeders whose names and business announcements
are printed therein are up-to-date and reliable. They
are the kind of men readers of this book will find it
safe and profitable to patronize when they wish to
buy stock or eggs. Every breeder whose name
appears in the list is believed by us to be square-
dealing.
Fraternally,
RELIABLE POULTRY JOURNAL
PUBLISHING CoO.
COPYRIGHTED BY
RELIABLE POULTRY JOURNAL PUBLISHING CO,
SEPTEMBER 15, 1902.
SILVER LAGED WYANDOTTES.
Some General Advice to Beginners—Inbreeding—Standard Requirements Discussed Section by Section—
Shape and Correct Marking of Feathers Illustrated by Original Charts—Method
of Judging or Scoring—How to Cut for Defects.
BY THEO. HEWES.
N taking up the Wyandottes to give them a thorough
| and complete write up, I realize the importance of
i the undertaking, and its value to the amateur as an
educator and to the professional breeder as a work
ofreference. Myaimisto describe the different vari-
eties of this popular fowl, justasI understandthemand as I be-
lieve the present standard intends all breeders to understand
them; also by illustrations and explanations, to make the
matter of scoring more clearly understood by all, and to
make the selecting of show birds and breeders less a matter
of guess work. The standard of 1898 has but few changes
from the standard of 1893. To the few changes that have
been made I will call special attention when the sections
that are affected by the changes are under consideration.
The illustrations in this book, so far as feathers are con-
cerned, are, with a few exceptions, made from photographs
from the varieties under discussion, and are just such feath-
ers as are found by the judges at all big shows, and I believe
are the best ever shown in book form. There is a sameness,
to a certain extent, about some of them, but by paying close
attention to the defects you will find they all enter largely
into a proper understanding of the breed.
Like will produce like, is an old saying, but it does not
hold good in poultry breeding every time, nor any great
number of times. If we were to mate a male to a female
that was in every way his equal in breeding we might with
good reason look for like to produce like; but where we
mate males and females together with no regard for the
breeding back of them we will in nine cases out of ten meet
with disappointment. It is seldom if ever that we meet
with two birds that are just alike in all sections. They may
look much alike from outside appearances, but on close
inspection you will find one inferior to the other. And so
long as outside crosses are continually resorted to we shall
always find this varying difference.
Why do wild birds look so near alike that it is next to
impossible to tell one from another? Look to nature for an
answer. It is a case of a survival of the fittest and the very
closest kind of inbreeding. We also can, by judicious
inbreeding, using nothing in our yards but the very cream
of our flock’S in shape, health, and color, come to that point
in a few years where a majority of our birds will look as
much alike as wild birds do, both in shape and color.
The loose, careless breeding that is followed by so many
cannot possibly lead to permanent good. It is true we will
ge: some good specimens from almost any kind of mating,
but the few good ones are just as liable to breed poor birds
as good, for there is too much poor blood in their make-up
to hold out when bred with mates that have only a shallow
foundation with which to start.
To be successful in poultry breeding we must at all
times have a definite object or ideal in view and must follow
it up with careful matings and a close attention to details
until we establish something we can look to as a secure
foundation. It is not necessary to raise a great quantity of
anything to be called a success in any line of fancy stock
breeding, but we must produce quality, and quality once
produced must have a foundation upon which we may build
again and again.
How often we meet an amateur in the show room with
a string of birds he has purchased, or has raised from eggs
purchased from some old and careful breeder, and hear him
tell all the secrets of breeding and the way, the only way, to
make it a success! Watch the same breeder the next year,
or after he has mated his own flock, and note the results.
You will not only find the ribbons on the other coops, but
you will see him doing a lot of quiet thinking and not nearly
so much talking as the year before. This is how successful
breeders are made.
Judicious Inbreeding.
The question of inbreeding is an important one. It can
only be understood by a careful study of nature and of
nature’s laws. That we can go too far with it, is absolutely
certain, but how many have done so? Few, very few, indeed.
Many claim they have when they have not gone half far
enough. The facts are that bad results from other causes
are many times charged to inbreeding, and for this very
reason I say, study nature. Often breeders will use some
especially finely marked bird, but undeveloped in size and
vigor, and because he breeds a lot of weak chicks, inbreed-
ing is blamed as the cause. If left in a wild state no mate
would have chosen this undersized weakling until he could
hold his own with the best that came along. In other words,
the poor little hen with less than twelve months of life has
learned more of nature’s laws than men of mature age.
To make clear the value of inbreeding so that amateurs
may see how far they may go with no bad results, I will
point to a case with which I am well acquainted, where a
breeder of Barred Plymouth Rocks introduced new blood in
his flock only once in twelve years, and came near ruining
his flock by doing so! He was winning every year while
inbreeding and his birds were making a record for him in
the yards of the best breeders in the country at the heads
of their flocks. Do not understand that he was mating
brothers and sisters together every time, although this was
done many times, but he was breeding birds directly related
all the time, and I give you my word that ten and eleven-
pound cockerels were no uncommon sight in his yards.
My honest opinion is that with plenty of room to handle
a flock right, a strain of birds can be bred in line for fifty
years without bad results.
The Future of Poultry Culture.
Breeding poultry for fun is one thing; breeding it as a
source of profit sufficient to furnish a living for a family is
quite another matter. If we are in the business for pleasure
alone we can afford to spend money liberally, and to give to
our fowls every luxury they may want, and no account need
(ory RIGKTED
oie Slee
—
Rehr apie Pou ltry Tourna i
STANDARD WYANDOTTE MALE CHART.
Chart No. 1—Copyrirhted Chart, Designed Expressly for this Book by Franklane L. Sewell, Showing Standard Wyandotte
Male Shape (all Varieties); also Standard Striping and Lacing for the Different Sections (Hackle, Breast,
Wing, Fluff, etc ) of Silver and Golden Wyandotte Males,
THE WYANDOTTES. ii
be kept of the expense. We may have fine houses and
expensive runs, and keep our poultry plant so it is really an
ornament to the place, but when you look to poultry for
profit the case is different. You want good, comfortable
hcuses—they are essential, and the more room you give
fowls in their runs means just so much money saved in food
and general care. But fine houses, with gable roofs, and
Queen Anne windews are entirely out of place and of no
more value io you than French plate mirrors would be. The
hen does not know how to appreciate them, and it is better
she should not. What she wants are warm, comfortable
quarters, and the cheapest way to furnish them is a point
you should study if you would save money.
I can remember, and it was not so very long ago, either.
when the number of people in this country who made their
entire living from the breeding of fancy poultry was very
small. But to-day if all the people who depend on the fancy
side of poultry culture for a living were mustered together
they would make a fair-sized army. I know of some poultry
plants where five men are employed the year around, ard
of quite a number where from one to three men find steady
employment, and this does not include market poultry
plants, where several in the west, east and south have as
high as twenty men on the pay roll. With the steady in-
crease in the business, there is plenty of room in this line
of work for any intelligent, pains-taking man or woman
who will engage in it and plan and strive for profits as they
would in any other line cf business. Do not expect that an
investment of a few dollars will make you rich in a year.
Do not begin at the top and go down, but invest cautiously
at first, learn the business, then make your larger invest-
ments and you will reap your reward.
As for myself, I do not claim perfection, neither do I
think I have learned it all. I am watching at every turn
for new and better methods of breeding, and I take advan-
tare of every opportunity that is offered. When I find
breeders who have made a success of handling one or more
varieties of poultry, and who show by their stock that they
are working along lines of genuine improvement, I make it
a point to get every bit of information from them I can,
and in that way am enabled not only to help myself but
those with whom I come in contact. This is not my ccuntry,
nor your couniry, but our country, and it is our duty to help
one another, and to strive to make it what it should be. the
grandest, the most progressive country on earth.
I will new take up the varieties of Wyandottes and
handle them in sections as we do in the show room, begin-
ning with the Silver Wyandotte male. As the shape of
all varieties is alike, the shape as illustrated and described
for this variety (se? chart No. 1) will answer for all. The
charts here used to show ideal outlines for the Silver Wyan-
dottes will do for all varieties of Wyandottes. The outline
for the female is taken from a living specimen of the White
variety, a bird owned by Mr. Arthur G. Duston, one that
was in his first prize pen of White Wyandottes at the late
Boston show.
Symmetry, or Typical Carriage.
In scoring a Wyandotte this section is valued at eight
points. and if found perfect it would mean an ideal bird in
every sense of the word, so far as typical shape is concerned.
Every section must not alone be perfect of itself, but must
be so joined to every other section that the entire outline is
perfectly symmetrical and typical of the breed. In chart No. 1
is shown such a specimen, or at least as near one as any
artist can delineate perfection. I am sure it is one that
comes as near the proper shape of the breed, as described
by the standard, as any ever made. I offer this as my ideal
of shape in a Wyandotte male, and while it may not suit the
eyes of all critics, I should be willing to pass such a speci-
men without a cut in symmetry, if any breeder were lucky
enough to produce one.
The fault usually found in this section of the male is 2
poor joining together of the different sections, the specimen
having a “thrown-together”’ look, as we call it. The sec-
tions of the body that go to make up symmetry are usually
good of themselves, not perfect, but good for a livine speci-
men—but they are so joined together that the symmetrical
outline or breed type is broken, and the bird receives a
severer cut than the sections alone would indicate.
There is an old song that has been sung by Mr. Felch
and others for years, to the effect that symmetry is a two-
edged sword which cuts a specimen twice. This is sprung
on the judges at nearly every show and the claim is made
that if such and such a bird had not been cut on symmetry
he would have won first. The exhibitor might just as well
make the claim that if he had not been cut at all he would
have scored one hundred voints. There is just as much
sense in one claim as in the other. The facts are simply
these: The American Poultry Association set aside eight
of the one hundred points for symmetry, and the man who
consistently cuts this section is cutting on the basis of eight
points for syinmetry and is making out a score ecard that
means something to the amateur and professional breeder
alike. I claim that a judge who ignores this section in scor-
ing is not posted on what the standard aims to teach. He is
only allowing ninety-two points for perfection instead of
one hundred and his footing up should be on that basis. If
this were practiced during just one show you would see
where these judges stand, and there would be such a fa!l
that others would be glad to let the American Poultry
Association rule instead of setting themselves up as the
Great I Am,
A judge has no more right to ignore symmetry than he
has to ignore comb, wings, or any other section. The
breeder who wants an intelligent idea of a proper score card
should figure the symmetry cuts solely on a basis of eight
pcints. When your bird loses one point in this section he
is one-eighth bad. If he loses two points he is one-fourth
bad, while if he losés one-half point he is only one-sixteenth
bad. This same rule should be carefully studied in all sec-
ticns, and thus you will scon find what per cent of perfection
you have attained in any and all sections. However, in
many of the sections you must figure on both shape and
color and note what ver cent is allowed for both.
In scoring symmetry if the specimen is too narrow and
fails to round out in breast, back, and body, with a neck
and tail too long, as is usually the case with these narrow
birds, the cut should be from two to three and one-half
points, according to the degree. Where the specimen is good
in breast, tail and neck, but shows a back and body a
trifle too long, the cut is one-half. If the specimen is good
in all other sections except breast, and this section shows
too flat, and fails to round out, the cut is from one-half to
one. Where the neck and tail are too long and the tail is
carried too high, with the neck straight and the hackle
short, failing at junction with back, the cut is from one-
half to one and one-half. Where the legs are too long, or
stand too close together, giving the bird a stilty appearance,
the cut is one-half to one. There are several minor defects
that detract from the symmetrical outlines of a specimen,
which are discounted by good judges, but I think those here
described will be sufficient to give the amateur ‘an intelli-
gent idea of measuring defects in this section. ;
Standard Weights.
The standard weights for all varieties of Wyandottes
are the same and are as follows: For cocks, eight and one-
8 THE WYANDOTTES.
half pounds; for cockerels, seven and one-half pounds; for
hens, six and one-half pounds; for pullets, five and one-half
pounds. The standard gives no credit for overweight, but
it is always best to have your birds a trifle overweight at
exhibition time, as they in-
variably lose a few ounces
when cooped for exhibition,
and any loss under the stand-
ard weights will be _ dis-
' counted, and these are points
thrown away. In scoring this
section, the discount is two
points for every pound, or in
For example, a bird that is one pound short of
that ratio.
standard weight would be cut two points; if one-half pound
short it would be cut one point, if one-quarter pound short
it would be cut one-half point and if two pounds short, four
puints, and so on.
Condition.
Condition is valued at six points, and all that goes to
make up a perfectly healthy specimen is considered when
scoring this section. If the bird is roupy, or shows signs of
swelled head, or has watery eyes, the cut is from one-half
to one. If feathers are broken or dirty, the cut is from one-
quarter to one. If the legs are scaly, one-half to one. If
the comb or wattles are torn from fighting,
one-half to one. Frosted combs are usually
cut in this section and a check mark made
on the score card to show in what section
condition was cut. This check mark should
always be made on the card for the benefit
of breeders who might chance to be away
from the show. For example, the bird might
be cut one point on condition and the fol-
lowingsectionsbeatfault: Legsslightlyscaly,
and wattles torn, etc. In such cases both the
legs and wattles should have a check mark
the same as condition, so that breeders may know just what
sections the judge considered defective.
It will not be necessary to call up this section again in
the female of the Silvers, nor in connection with any of the
other varieties, as the foregoing willanswer the purpose forall.
THE WYANDOTTE MALE.
The Comb.
The comb is without doubt one of the most important
of the fancy sections of a Wyandotte. Commercially it has
no value, and to a commercial buyer it will not make one
cent’s worth of difference whether the specimen has an ideal
comb or a lump of meat on his head. But with fanciers it
is vastly different; they will hardly accept as a gift a speci-
men with a comb like Fig. 3, while a bird otherwise good
and showing a comb like chart No. 1 would be doubled in
value.
This section is valued at eight points, and to be perfect
must be, ‘‘Rose, low, firm on
the head, top oval in shape
and its surface covered with
small points or corrugations,
the former preferred, termi-
nating in a small spike at the
rear; the entire comb and
spike curving slightly to conform to the shape of the skull.”
In chart No. 1 is shown an ideal comb, one that fits the
standard description to the letter. Such combs are scarce,
but we do meet with them once in a while, combs that are
almost as good as the one shown in drawiug. By careful
breeding we can in time reach a point where poor combs
FIG. 4.
will be equal to the good ones now. In Fig. 1 is shown a
comb that is good in shape and outline. At one time this
comb was much admired, but it lacks the corrugated points
that make a comb so handsome. This style is now nearly
extiact, except on an occasional female. Such a comb as
Fig. 1 should be discounted
one point.
Fig. 2 shows a comb that
has several objections. First,
it is too narrow and is too
high in the center. It also runs
on a straight line until it
reaches the back of the head
and then falls off suddenly.
The corrugated points are un-
even—in fact this comb is a
trifle wrong in every way.
Still it is not a bad comb to
look at, and is one we often
meet in the show room. Such a comb should be discounted
one and one-half points.
In Fig. 3 we have a comb that is but a poor excuse at
best and it will produce only poor combs so long as you
breed from it. It is hollow in the center and falls all over the
head. It forms a lump behind, then winds up with a make-
shift of a spike that barely saves the bird
from disqualification. To score this comb
properly it should be cut one point for being
loose on the head, one-half point for being
too wide, one-half point for poor corruga-
tions, one and one-half points for the hollow
through the center and one-half point for
shape of spike.
In Fig. 4 is shown a comb that is very
Ss good except the natural absence of spike,
which, under the new standard, is a disquali-
fication. This comb I had drawn to show
the breeders what to guard against, as this is a new rule in
the standard and breeders must be careful in making up
their show pens, as this comb will throw the specimen out
all together.
In Fig. 5 is shown a neat comb, resembling in many
respects the comb on chart No. 1, but this comb is too nar-
row, and is shown here as a guide to breeders, as birds with
combs of this character will almost invariably throw a per
cent of single combs in their offspring. If you have a bird
of otherwise extra merit, but with a comb of this kind, be
very careful to what style of bird you mate it, as careless
mating here may give you no end of trouble.
: The Eyes.
The standard scale of points does not make a separate
column for eyes; they are in- : so
cluded in the head section.
But in scoring the specimen it
has been found to be to the
interest of breeders to make ,
a separate line on the card so ~
that they may know for what
this section is cut.
The standard says in the
description of eyes, “A bright
bay in color.” This color of eyes is an important matter, and
it is to the best interest of the breed that we watch them very
closely, for weak or pale eyes are a sure indication of a weak
constitution, and the stronger and clearer in color you can
get them the better for the breed and your individual strain.
In scoring the head section the eyes are an important
part, but I will score them here separately from the head
Fic, 3.
Fic. 5.
THE WYANDOTTES. 9
proper, and will not refer to them while on head. If slightly
off in color but still showing a good trace of bay the cut is
one-half. If pearl in color, or, as I dub it, ‘dead fish” in
color, the cut is one and one-half. If one eye is good and
the other one pearl, the cut is one. If one eye is blind, cut
one. If the eye has run out, leaving a hollow, sunken scar,
the cut is one and one-half, one for loss of eye and one-
_ half for off shape of head.
The Head.
This section is valued at six points; it is seldom found
defective. But in order to put the amateur right I will
describe a few of the defects that are sometimes found. The
. 11
be black with a narrow edging of white running entirely
around the outer edge of feather similar to that of the
hackle, with the exception of center of feather, which should
have a narrow white center in the form of a diamond, see
Fig. 11. By referring to the chart you will see those feath-
ers just as they grow on the living specimen, and in what
prcportion the size of the diamond centers are at different
parts of the saddle.
In Figs. 12, 18 and 14 are shown three defective feathers,
such as are met in every show, and which are hard to breed
Fig. 12 is very good on the surface, but is too light
underneath, aud shows a white This kind of
a back should be eut one point. is better
out.
under-color.
Fig. 14
neath, but fails on the outer edge and in the diamond shaped
eceuter, feathers like this give the bird a kind of smutty
under-
Fic. 12, FIG
DEFECTIVE BACK FEATHERS—WYANDOTTE MALE.
the surface and should be discounted
12 is a blurred feather, both on surface and
and is one that should be guarded against at all
The white and black mingle and give the feather a
sort of brown cast underneath, and a mossy color on the
appearance on one
point. Fig.
underneath,
times.
surface. Such a back should be discounted two points. In
regard to shape, if the back is too long the cut is from one-
half to one and one-half; if too narrow or pinched, giving
the specimen a narrow consumptive look when viewed from
the top, the cut is from one to two points, according to the
If it is roached in the center the cut is one, if scant
the cut is one-half to one,
degre Loh
in saddle
The Tail.
The tail is valued at eight
four for color.
points, four for shape and
In color, it should be black with no trace of
white in the tail proper. In scoring this section the color
cuts are easily understood, as you should cut for white in
such proportion as it appears; if solid white the cut will be
four, if half white the cut will be two, and if one-fourth
white the cut will be one. In shape the tail should be well
developed, well spread at the base, and of medium length
Here again you find the word medium, but as this has been
explained in the neck section it will not be necessary to go
over it again. By being well spread at the base the tail
carries out the full outline of the broad back, and with the
tail coverts long and well developed makes the nice concave
sweep from middle of back to end of tail, as shown in chart
13. Fic. 14
The sickles should extend over the end of tail and
Such tails
No. 1.
curve nicely over the top, as shown in the chart.
what
the broad, short back
are searce indeed, but they are just you wani, and
when you get them you invariably get
so much admired.
Those
like Fig. 15 are quite often met-in the show room, but we
In Figs. 15 and 16 are shown two defective tails.
are glad to say that such tails as Fig. 16 are seldom se®n and
is too high
and not well spread, and the sickles are too long and too
straight.
they will soon be a thing of the past. Fig. 15
Such a tail should be discounted one and one-half
points. Fig, 16 is what is termed a squirrel tail, as it is
12 THE WYANDOTTES.
carried past the perpendicular line and is supported by the
back. tail is an abomination, and it should be cut
two and one-half points.
The Wings.
A pitfall was placed in this section by the framers of
the old standard, that has brought much disappointment to
the breeders of both Silver
Golden Wyandotte
In many cases the
un-
some of our
‘Turn-
Such a
and
males.
wording could not be
derstood by
up-to-date breeders.
ing to your old standard
you will find in the de-
seription of wing coverts
the following: “Upper web
black, lower web white
with a narrow black stripe
along the edge which
widens as it approaches
the tip, forming a double
Fic. 15—TAIL 100 HIGH, spangled bar acrozs the
(Not well spread.) wing.”
A double spangled bar across the wing! Just think
what kind of a job we are asking nature to perform when
we demand anything of this kind. We are asking nature
to spangle a wing, and lace a back, breast and body. In
other words, we are asking nature to work against herself.
The standard of 1898 has eliminated the word spangle and
the lescription of the feather that formed the spangle, and
it has inserted the word laced and described a laced feather.
Now look again at chart No. 1. Here every feather that
is shown has the lacing, and by adding the second row of
feathers to the bar (it is omitted here in order to show the
whole length of the feather) you will have as fine a barred
wing as was ever seen and at the same time you will be
Fic. 16—SHOWING SQUIRREL TAIL.
With this chart before you it is unneces-
sary to go much into details, and I shall only describe this
following nature.
section in such parts as are not shown here.
These are old
I shall
consider any part of them except the wing bow and flights.
This part
I call your attention to Figs. 17 and 18.
cuts used in a former work 6n this breed, and not
The wing bow is sometimes called the shoulder.
of the wing should be silvery white and free from brass and
sunburn, and the white should run down to the wing bar
and break even across the entire wing. The flights should
be black on the upper web and white on the lower web,
see Fig. 18 In Fig. 17 is shown a wing with the white
running across the shaft and showing in that part of the
feather that black.
19 is shown a feather that has
should be Such a wing should be dis-
Fig.
eounted one point. In
the white on the extreme upper edge of the feather, and like
Fig. 17 it should be cut one point. If the feathers that form
the bar are not distinctly laced and fail in showing the bar
as described, the cut is from one-half to one and one-half.
If the shoulders are mixed with black or copper, and fail in
the white, as shown in the cuts, the cut is from one to two
points. In Fig. 20 is shown one of the old style spangled
It should be discounted one point.
The Breast.
another important especially as we
claim much for this breed as a market fowl. It is valued by
the standard at ten points and is divided, five for shape and
five for color. In shape it should be broad, deep and well
rounded; in color, black, the feathers having large white
centers and dark In the chart you will
find both the the
standard description.
This chart might be just a trifle deeper in front of the
thighs and improve the shape some, but it is so near right
bars.
Here is section,
slate under-color.
color and the shape as referred to in
FIc. 1J—WYANDOTTE WING—SHOWING DEFECT OF WHITE IN FLIGHTS.
that I will not attempt to improve it. In scoring the shape
we pay particular attention to this section, and it is cut as
severely, if not more severely, than any other section of the
body. If the breast is too narrow or too flat, the cut is from
one-half to two; if is wedge-shaped, failing to
show the nicely rounded out abpearance, the cut is from
one-half to one and one-half, according to the degree,
The breast bone is usually cut in this section, although
it properly belongs to the body, but inasmuch as it is usually
cut here I will call attention to it now and omit it in the
body section. If the breast bone is slightly turned at the
end the cut is one-half;
front, the cut
the breast
if crooked so as to turn the entire
is from one to two.
F1IG.18—WING OF WYANDOTTE MALE—SHOWING CORRECT
BLACK AND WHITE IN FLIGHTS,
The feathers should be black. with white centers, the
centers large, following the form of the feathers and free
from any outside white edging. The chart shows these
feathers just as they should be with the right proportion of
white and black. One of the common defects in this section
THE WYANDOTTES. 13
is a frosting on the outside of the black, and small cres-
centic markings up near the throat. Fig. 21 shows one
of the defective feathers quite often met in the show room.
It should be cut one point. If a white edging appears on
the outside of the black lacing the cut is one point. There
is another defect that is quite common in this breed, even
among the best laced birds, namely, a wide band of white
down where the breast joins the body, caused by the feath-
ers failing to lace up properly.
When this defect appears it should
receive a cut of from one-half to one
and one-half points.
Body and Fluff.
This has been rather an unim-
portant section and it was seldom
eut for color or shape, but the new
standard calls for a male bird laced
on the thighs and foliowing well
round under the vent. So it will in
the future be considered of consid-
erable importance, for in order to get good
other sections it is of importance that we get every feather
laced as perfectly as possible.
By referring to the chart you will see that the male in
beth the silver and golden varieties is destined to be a
much handsomer bird than formerly, and the breeder who
has been giving this body lacing attention will reap a bene-
fit by the improvement called for by the new standard. In
shape the bird should be deep in body and wide, deep
enough to give the specimen a rounded out appearance, and
broad enough to give plenty of room between the thighs.
If the specimen is narrow or contracted, the cut is from
one-half to one and one-half; if shallow, not extending well
down, the cut is from one-half to one. If the feathers fail
to lace up properly and show only an occasional laced
feather the cut is one point; if the lacing is crescentic in
shape, or the feathers show an outside lacing of white, the
eut is one. If no lacing appears on the body or fluff the cut
is one and one-half.
lacing on
Legs and Toes.
In looking at the chart one will think the legs on the
specimen are too large, and not in proportion, but those
legs were made to represent a large, well-balanced bird, and
to my eye are one of its chief charms. When I can get
a good sized bone in the leg of my Wyandotte I am sure of
getting a strong, vigorous bird, and I consider it of vast
importance that we breed entirely away from the small
Leghorn style of shank that has become quite common in
our Wyandotte families.
The thighs should stand well apart, and show up strong,
with an abundance of meat on them. If narrow and con-
Fic. 20—WHITE FEATHER SHOWING OLD STYLE SPANGLED BARS,
tracted the cut is one point; if standing too close together
the cut is one-half point; if the toes are crooked or deformed
the cut is from one-half to one and one-half. If the thighs
are not laced as shown in the chart, but show only a dark
slate color the cut is one point, if partly laced one-half
point. If the shanks are spotted or shade to willow the cut
is from one-half to two. Remember that any trace of feath-
ers or down on shanks or toes disqualifies the specimen.
THE WYANDOTTE FEMALE.
I present in connection with this
Wyandotte female a chart that for correct
the
color
description of
standard
Fic. 19—FLIGHT FEATHERS FROM MALE—SHEOWING DEFECTIVE WHITE ON EXTREME UPPER EDGE,
of the Silver variety has never been equaled. In shape this
chart does not suit me so well as that of the male, because
this cut is a little too long, in fact it is a trifle overdrawn.
But should you get as good a living specimen you need have
no fear of not being amorg the winners in the best of com-
pany. This chart was made from a sketch of the first prize
White Wyandotte pullet at bred by
Mr. Arthur G. Duston. It only’ represents the
correct standard color, but it is the color can
depend on in the Silver variety to give you first-class
exhibition females if good judgment is used in the selection
of the male. In Wyandottes, as well as in most of the other
varieties, the males are the more valuable so far as a money
consideration is concerned. But in producing first-class
exhibition specimens of either the Silver or Golden varieties,
it is considered by breeders to be more of an honor to get
the female right, in fact, a breeder who gets in the money
class with his females at the big shows is indeed a lucky
exhibitor. In scoring the female here I shall omit -the
yolden variety, as the same color is called for in bath the
Silver and Golden, with the exception of substituting the
word gold for silver. Our aim is to make this book plain
and easily understood without going any further into
minute detail than is absolutely necessary. For this reason
I nave adopted the form of questions and answers which I
feel will take the place of long descriptions and be of more
practical value to the reader.
I will now ask you to turn to chart No. 2 and study it
carefully. Remember the color here illustrated is consid-
ered perfect, and it is so shown on each section that you can
see at a glance just what kind of color is required ii all
sections. Do not overlook the important point that you
must have as much under-color as shown here if you expect
the bird to hold its color and not fade.
Question—What do
you mean by fading’
Answer — In all
parti-colored specimens
there is a constant
drain on the system to
supply the coloring
maiter, and the natural
tendency is to grow lighter. If we do not look carefully
after our birds when they molt we shall find that the feath-
ers will come in nearly white, or with a crescentic marking
instead of a lacing, or as poultrymen term it, they have faded.
Q.—How would you avoid this fading?
A.—By breeding only from specimens that show a good
Boston, owned and
not
you
Fic, 2I—DEFECTIVE BREAST FEATHER.
14
COPYRIGHTED BY
THE
RELIABLE
PovitRy
OURNAiM
1895
CHART No. 2-STANDARD WYANDOTTE FEMALE.
Copyrighted Chart, Designed Expressly for this Book by Franklane L. Sewell, Showing Standard Wyandotte Female Shape
(all varieties); also Standard Striping and Lacing for the Different Sections (Hackle, Breast,
Wing, Fluff, Etc.) of Silver and Golden Wyandotte Females.
THE WYANDOTTES. 15
slate under-color, and whose feahers show a rich metallic
luster in the black instead of a dead or dirty brown or black,
as is often the case. £
Q.—Cannot the black be carried too far in mating as
well as the white?
A.—Yes. There is just as much trouble in one direction
as in the other.
Q.—How much of each color is correct?
A.—What does the chart show? There you see fifty per
cent white and fifty per cent black, and that is just what
you want.
Q.—The chart shows more white
than black, does it not?
A.—No. The outside of the feath-
er is larger and makes the feathers
look that way at a glance, but
if you will study them a moment
you will see there is as much of
ene color as the other.
Q.—Does this equal proportion of
coler come in all sections?
A.—WNo, only in the neck, back, breast, body and wing
coverts.
Q.—How about the tail and wings, what per cent of
color do you want there?
A.—The tail proper should be black, the tail coverts
black edged with white (see chart). Now do not get mixed
up on this description of tail coverts. Notice particularly
where the feathers lie that show this white edging. They
are not a part of the back or cushion, but form a row of
feathers that fit in between the tail and cushion the same as
in a Brahma. The wing bow or shoulder is half black and
half white the same as the back, but the primaries are black
edged with white (see chart), while the secondaries are
black on the upper web and white on the lower web—about
equally divided in color.
Q.—Does not the neck of the female show more black
than white?
A.—-No. In addition to the white outside lacing (which
should run entirely round the lower end of the feathers and
not blunt off as is often the case), there is a narrow inside
lacing, which the standard allows, and which you must have
if you expect to breed well-laced feathers on all sections,
Q.—Can you show us some of those laced feathers?
A.—Yes. But I shall pass them by for a time and call
them up in their proper place and fully describe them. I
shall now take the bird section by section and give a general
idea of the defects and a proper valuation of the same.
Symmetry, or typical carriage, weight and condition
have been fully described in writing of the males, so it will
not be necessary to refer again to them as the cuts are the
same in the female as in the male and when defects occur
the percentage of discount is the same,
The head is the same as that of the male, except it is
neater and more in keeping with
the sex. There are some defects
shown in the cuts of combs, but L
shall pass them now and call atten-
tion to them a little later.
The Comb.
From a fancy point of view there
is no section on a Wyandotte of any
color that is so uniformly defec-
tive in shape as the comb. In ten
years of judging I believe I could
count on the fingers of one hand all
the Wyandotte combs that I have passed as perfect. Breed-
ers are not entirely to blame for this, as we have tried to
Fie. 1a.
produce something contrary to nature in many respects,
and it is only in the past few years that our breeders have
decided on a type that they are willing to consider proper.
From now on we may look for more improvement. I can
notice in my own yards that the low, flat
comb coming to a point in the rear, is
gradually doing away with many of the
defects that gave me trouble in the past.
From a fancy point of view, there is
nothing that adds so much to the beauty
of this breed as a well shaped, well bal-
anced comb and I am glad to see the
effort that is being put forth to improve
this section. The standard description
of this section is plain and easy to understand. It is the
same as for the male, only the female comb is much smaller.
“Rose, low, firm on the head, top oval in shape and the sur-
face covered with smal] points or corrugations, the former
preferred, terminating in a small spike at the rear; the
entire comb and spike curving slightly to contorm to the
shape of the skull.”
Fig. 1 A shows just such a comb as the standard
describes and so does chart No. 2. The head of Fig. 1 A is
a little too shallow, that is, not quite deep enough through
from top of skull to eyes. You will find this section better
illustrated in chart No. 2, in fact I consider the head in the
chart to be the best one Mr. Sewell has ever given us. Fig.
2 A shows a comb and head that are both defective and they
are joined to a poorly shaped neck and have as an ornament
a poor pair of ear lobes and wattles. The head is bullet
shaped, with the lower mandible too short, giving a poor
curve to the beak. It should be discounted one point in
scoring the head section. The comb is uneven and irregular,
with a poor spike at the back, and the spike turns up at the
end instead of following the shape of the skull.
Q.—What would you discount this comb?
A.—Two points.
Q.—For what defect or defects?
A.—One point for the hollow in the center of comb, one-
half point for uneven edges and the blunt portion where
it terminates in a spike, and one-half point for ill-shaped
spike.
In Fig. 3 A is shown another form of defect that is
often met in this breed and one that if the standard is prop-
erly applied makes a severe
cut or discount. As is usual in
combs of this kind it is car-
ried on a poor shaped head
and neck, in fact one follows
the other almost as surely as
day follows the night. The
head is too high at top of
skull and falls in front of the
eyes, in fact it reminds one of
a half-witted brute that only knows enough to eat. Such a
head should be discounted one point. The comb is tco nar-
row, has a hollow in front and seems to break in tyvo in the
middle. The front end has a slight showing cf pc nts o2
top, but the back part is smooth and high in the center.
Q.—Whait would you discount such a comb?
A.—Four points.
Q.—Please explain such a heavy cut as that. You are
cutting away fifty per cent of the comb when you cut four.
A.—Yes, I am cuting away fifty per cent and it is a
question if I should not cut more. In the first place the
comb is one-half cut for poor outlines, one out for hollow
in the center at front, two out for the break in the middle,
and one-half out for smooth surface on top.
FIG. 3a.
16 THE
WYANDOTTES.
When we find what we term
a bull neck, such as is shown
in Fig. 2 A, the cut is one, In
color the neck should be sil-
very white, each feather hav-
ing a black center with a
narrow outside white edging
running entirely around the
lower end of feather, and the
standard says it may have a
white shafting. You can see
the white shafting in chart
No. 2. If there were even
more of it I should consider it
better.
In Fig. 22 is shown a feather
with a good outside white
edging and it is considered a
good feather for the center of
neck, but it fails in under-
color. It is one of the defects
to which I have before refer-
red and it should be discount-
ed one point. In Fig. 23 1s
shown a better feather taken
from the same part of the
Fic. 22. FIG. 23.
HACKLE FEATHERS—SILVER WYANDOTTE FEMALE.
In Fig. 4 A is shown still another type of head and comb
and one that I am glad to say is not so often seen, still we
find them once in a while, so I show it here and give it a
valuation. This is what we call a game or snake head, and
you will notice that everything about it is in harmony—
beak, shallow skull, narrow, pinched comb
Such a head should be discounted one
and one half points and should never be used in the breed-
The comb in Fig. 4 A is one that has
done a great deal of harm in the breeding pen, as
long, straignt
and scant wattles.
ing pens.
neck, and one that in justice
to the bird could not be dis-
counted. Fig. 24 is another
good feather taken from the
neck, where that section joins the back. It is one of the
best I have found with one exception, the white center is
not large enough. I should prefer more white in the shaft
of the feather. However, you could not discount this feather
by the standard.
Fic.
The Back.
Here is the most important section in a Wyandotte, not
alone in shape but also in color. Unless this section is
it is almost sure to produce a lot of single combs.
It is hollow in front, is smooth on top and is too
long and snakey for its width. Such a comb should
be cut two points—one point for being narrow and
up
With the illustrations of the perfect
and defective combs before you I do not believe it
one point for the hollow in front and curved
spike at rear.
will be necessary to go further with the description
of this section.
Wattles and Ear Lobes. |
This section has been fully described in the
discussion of the male, and it will not be necessary
to call it up again, as the cuts for defects in one sex
fall just as severely on the other.
The Neck of the Wyandotte Female.
Here is a section that in the female is usually
good with the exception of the lacing on the lower
part of the feathers, which will insist on running
blunt at the point and showing us a dark, smutty
ring where it should be silvery white.
ten
This section
divided, four for
In shape it is almost in-
variably the specimens are matured.
Once find few minor defects in
shape, but not often. Where the neck is too long or
is valued at and is
points
shape and six for color.
when
while
zood
in a we a
ir ats,
sel
gamey thecutisfrom one-half toone. Whereit breaks
at the junction of the back on account of the feath-
ers of the hackle not being full the cut is one-half.
25-2
FIGS.
Showing light under-color, which should be avoided.
'6—BACK FEATHERS—SILVER WYANDOTTE FEMALE.
es THE WYANDOTTES. 17
FIGS, 27-28-29—FEATHERS FROM BACK OF SILVER WYANDOTTE FEMALE
Fig. 27 should be cut for splotches. Fig. 28 may be called perfect.
Fig. 29 shows too much white.
fairly good you can never hope to make yery radical
improvements in your breeding. In shape it should be
“short, bread and flat at shoulders, slightly cushioned;
plumage abundant.” In color it should be “under-color
dark slate. Web black, with medium white centers; the
black to be free from white, outside lacing; the white must
be free from black or brown penciling; the black lacing to
be sharply defined.’ Remember that the instructions to
judges compel them to cut one point for white edging in all
seclions where it appears.
Referring to chart No. 2 you will notice the way these
feathers overlap and what a handsome color you get from
such lacing. When you go to the extreme in this
section you get a back that resembles the four
feathers that are illustrated just back of the laced
feathers, and then you have what is called the
open or Sebright lacing. In order to get this Se-
bright lacing you must sacrifice under-color and
when you do this the first thing you know your
color has faded as will hereafter be shown, and
you have to go back again to black blood for help.
I have no desire to injure the breeding of this
Sebright color, but I warn young fanciers and
especially amateurs, from going too far with it.
It is not standard, and in order to get it you
must sacrifice one of your very important breed-
ing points—-under-color. It is dangerous for an
amateur to experiment. What I say is especially
true of the Silver variety, as the Golden seem to
hold their open lacing with less show of fading.
This is accounted for in a measure by the fact
that the sun does not have the same effect on the
ground color of gold as it does on the silver.
In shape I should_prefer a back a trifle shorter
than the one shown in chart No. 2, in fact this
breed is one of the shortest for its depth that we
have in the standard, and when we get them that
Way we ave getting a standard fowl and one that
is strikingly beautiful. I do not know of a single
breed that possesses so many good qualities for
their weight as the Wyandotte. If a back is too
long or too narrow the cut is from one-half to one
sweep so much admired in this breed, the cut is from one
to one and one-half.
Q.—You spoke of faded feathers in the back. Will you
show us feathers of this kind so we may better understand.
A.—Yes. I will call your attention to Figs. 26, 27 and
29. In feathers 26 and 29 you see the white has faded out
at the edges, making a sort of crescentic or half-moon lacing
and in feather 26 notice the light under-color that is almost
sure to follow the extreme in mating. It is the color
against which I have warned you.
Q.—What about feather 27?
A.—This is a sample of a mixed feather, such as you
will find in these open laced birds. It is neither white nor
black, but a kind of dirty brown, and it is offensive to the
eye of a fancier.
Q.—What would you discount feathers 27 and 29?
A.—I should discount feather 27 two points, one point for
the brown penciling inside the white and one point for indis-
tinct colorin the black, thatis, brown where it should be black.
Q.—What would you discount feather 267
A.—One point, one-half for white under-color and one-
half for white running to the edge of the feather at the sides.
Q.—What would you discount feather 25?
A.—One-half point for light under-color.
Q.—What about feather 28?
A.—I should pass that feather as perfect, because it has
the right per cent of white and black, and is clear cut and
distinct. That is the kind of a feather we want on a Wyan-
dotte female’s back.
Q.—What would you discount feather 30?
A.—lIf all the feathers in the back were that color, I
shonld discount it one point, as there is too much black
there, in fact, it is nearing the other extreme.
Q.— What would you cut feather 31?
A.—I should discount this feather
one and one-half
and one-half, according to degree. Where the back
is deficient in cushion, making it look long and
straight, and it fails to make the nice concave
Fics, 30-31—DEFECTIVE BACK FEATHERS—SILVER WYANDOTTE FEMALE,
has too much black. Fig, 31 has black and white poorly divided.
Fig. 30.
THE WYANDOTTES.
are neither white nor black, but a mixture of
Fics. 32-33—BACK FEATHERS SILVER WYANDOTTE FEMALE—SHOWING IMPERFECT MARKINGS,
points, one point for penciling in the white center and one-half
for the light under-color. Feather 31 has about the right per
cent of white and black, but the colors are poorly divided
and it makes a poor showing when compared to feather 28.
- Q.—Kindly explain about the long feathers up near the
tail that are called tail coverts. Can you give us some idea
how they should be before we leave this section?
A.—First let me call your attention to feathers
Here are two feathers that are both defective
and which would receive the same discount though
they have different markings. Fig would be
cut one and one-half points for black penciling
and too small a center, one point for the pencil-
ing and one-half point for the small center. Fig.
would be discounted one point for the black
penciling, and one-half point for the white run-
ning to the edge on the right hand side. Feath-
evs 34 and 35 are good feathers for this part of
the back. They are not quite well propor-
tioned as they should be, but the black and white
are clean cut and I should not discount either of
them.
29
32
and
92
vo.
99
os
99
oo
sO
@.—You spoke of the other extreme in color
and too dark mating. Will you show us a few |
feathers that will illustrate what you mean?
A.—Feathers 36, 37 38 and 39 show just what
may expect if you carry this dark mating
you
too
black and brown. When you find a back like
this it should be discounted three points.
Feather 36 should be discounted one and
one-half points, one point for small center
and one-half point for penciling inside the
white.
| I believe that I have now explained this
' section so the amateur can readily under-
stand it. By referring to the feathers from
| time to time you will have no trouble in mat-
ing or in selecting your best bird for show.
There are several sections almost like the
back and I shall not go deeply into them, but
I shall refer to this section from time to time.
| The Breast.
This section is also a very important
| one, and you may consider what was said of
the back applies to this section also. There
are, however, some defects common in this
section that are different from those of the
| back and in order to give you a clear under-
standing of them I will describe them now.
You want a clear, open center in the breast
{ feathers, that is, you want more white than
black, in fact, you should get just as much
white as you can so long as you get the
clear outside lacing of black. You will find
this is not a hard task so far as the large
centers are concerned, but there are many
other defects that you must guard against at
the same time. One of the worst of these
is the outside edging of white, and since the
standard cuts one point for it we must do
our best to get rid of it if we expect high
scores on our laced Wyandottes. Another
point to consider is this: We have three
distinct kinds of feathers in the breasts of
our females, and each kind has its own peculiar defects.
The first one is the short laced feathers under the
throat, which will insist on lacing round like the
hackle feathers, and quite often the white will run
out to the edge. blurring the feather and making
this part of the breast look splotchy. Just such a
feather as I mean is shown in Fig. 36, and it should be dis-
counted one point, that is, it should receive this cut if only
far. Fig. 39 is only a white shaft and it
shonld discounted and one-half points.
and 38 are no good at all, as they
be
Feathers 37
one *
FIGs.
36-37-38-39—FEATHERS FROM SILVER WYANDOTTE BACK (FEMALE),
Showing Result of Extreme Dark Matings.
THE WYANDOTTES. 19
Fics, 34-35—MEDIUM GOOD BACK FEATHERS—SILVER WYANDOTTE FEMALE.
the short feathers of the upper breast are affected.
entire breast were like that the cut should be three points,
In Fig. 41 is shown a perfect feather for this section and a
comparison of the two shows how important it is to get this
section right.
As the feathers approach the center of the breast
they become longer and broader and the centers
widen out in proportion to the size of the feather.
Figures 42, 43 and 44 are three feathers from this part
of the breast. Feather 48 is what I should term
standard or perfect, and it would pass without a dis-
court, while feather 42 should receive a cut of one
point for outside edging of white, and feather 44 a
cut of one for the penciling of black in the
white.
Along the lower part of the breast near the body
is found still another form of feather which has its
own peculiar markings and defects. These feathers
are much longer than the others and the white centers
are nearer the outer end of the feathers. It looks as
though nature were proud of this lacing and pushed it
out where it could be seen to better advantage instead
of covering it up, which she would do if the white
were in the center of the feathers. Feathers 45 and
46 are taken from the lower part of the breast.
Feather 45 is very good and it would pass as standard
while feather 46 shows the defect so common in this
section, that is, the white runs out at the side, making
a kind of half-moon lacing. It should be discounted
one point.
The shape to be perfect must be broad, deep and
well-rounded. Chart No. 2 is perfection in this sec-
tion. If the breast is flat or narrow, giving the bird a
sort of consumptive look, the cut is from one to two
according to degree. If it is not deep enough through
from point of back to keel bone the cut is one. If the
breast bone is crooked, the cut is from one to one and
one-half.
This section has in the past had too much impor-
tance attached to it by the standard, in fact as many
points were ailowed to this section as to the back, but
at the last revision this was changed and the body was
given a valuation of six points and the two points
formerly given to it were placed on the more impor-
tant section of back. In shape it is usually good.
However, we sometimes find too narrow a body be-
tween the legs and the discount is one p@int. When
the body is too long the cut is one; if scantily feath-
ered giving the specimen a scanty appearance when
viewed from behind, the cut is from one-half to one.
The body should be black or dark slate, with narrow
white centers. So should be the feathers that
cover the thighs and that run back into the fluff.
Feathers 47 and 48 are two good feathers, with the
black and white properly proportioned. As the feath-
ers begin to mix with those of the fluff proper they
gradually lose these centers and are a sort of pepper
and salt color, or, as we term it, a black powdered
with gray.
The Wings.
While this is a very important section in the
breeding of this variety, Artist Sewell has done his
work so well in chart No. 2 that it is useless for me
to go into a lengthy description. Every point is
shown to perfection in the chart. There is a perfect
wing with every feather as it should be and just as
you will find them on a well-bred specimen. If you
are striving for the laced wing bars on your cockerels,
referred to by me in the description of male, you can get
them by using just such a wing bar on your females as here
illustrated.
Remember the flight feather should be black on the
upper web, and white on the lower web, see the one feather
Fic. 4{U—DEFECTIVE BREAST FEATHERS—SILVER WYANDOTTE FEMALE.
One has too much white; the other too little.
20 THE WYANDOTTES.
protruding from the wing.
The secondaries are white
on the lower web, with the
exception of a narrow lac-
ing of black (see cut), and
black on the upper web.
Fic. 41—PERFECT BREAST FEATHER, Should white appear in
SILVER WYANDOTTE FEMALE. :
the upper web of flight
feathers the cut is from one-half to one and one-half. Should
black appear in the white of secondaries, making a sort of
pepper and salt color, the cut is from one-half to two. Should
there be an edging of white on the outside of the wing
coverts, or should the centers be penciled with black, the
FIGS. 42-43-44—FEATHERS FROM CENTER OF BREAST—SILVER LACED
WYANDOTTE. Fig 43 shows a perfect type.
cut is one point. The feathers on the upper part of shoul-
ders are small and gradually grow larger as.they approach
the bar or center of wing. Feather 49 is a feather such as
you will find on the upper part of a wing, while feather £0
is one you will find down near the center of ‘the shoulder,
where Mr. Sewell has just laced the outside edges.
The Tail.
This is an easy section to understand, so far as color is
concerned, as the tail proper and greater coverts
are (or should be) solid black. Feather 51 is one
FIG. 49—FEATHER FROM UPPER PART OF WING—
SILVER WYANDOTTE FEMALE,
but I will take up the question of mating and in as few
words as possible give some ideas about the course my judg-
ment and experience has taught me is the best to pursue.
MATING WYANDOTTES.
First, good birds of both sexes can be produced from a
single mating, but it is a question if as many good ones can
be produced from it as from the double mating. Let it be
well understood that no matter how good your matings are
you will find more or less poor birds will result from them.
My own experience has been that a light hen, that is, a bird
with rather open centers in its feathers, will give me my
best pullets if mated
to a male whose
breast feathers have
open _ centers, but
who has a rather
dark back. The cock-
erels from this cross
have never been
quite so good, but
I can by mating a
dark hen to a med-
ium light colored
male get good cockerels with a small per cent of good pul-
lets. A real dark mating will give a good per cent of good -
males, while the females are of little value.
My own experience in mating has convinced me that the
best results from a single mating may be expected from a
male and a female a trifle apart in color but not extreme. I
should select a male with a good shape and a good eye above
all else. Then get a good clear stripe in back and hackle
with good diamond centers in the back, and a breast that is
Fic. 50—wInG FEATHER, NEAR SHOULDER—
SILVER WYANDOTTE FEMALE.
often met in scoring this variety. It shows a
white lacing at the lower end of the feather and
such a tail should be discounted one point.
Feather 52 is a defective feather often found in
the greater coverts. It has a dirty brown color
and should be discounted oneand one-half points.
Legs and Toes.
Not one time in a hundred is a Wyandotte
female discounted for shape of legs. They are
invariably that r The
trouble we have is to get them yellow enough
almost good in spect.
without getting the black or green spots which
are so characteristic of tne American class. In
and black
or green.spots appear on them the cut is from
one-half to one-half. If the les
in bad condition from frosted or
color they should be yellow, when
one and are
sealy or miss-
ing toes, the cut is from one-half to two.
I believe the average breeder can form a
very good idea of the defects in the Silver and
Golden varieties by a careful perusal of these
pages, and I shall not dwell longer on them,
Fics. 45-46-47-48 -FEATHERS FROM SILVER WYANDOTTE FEMALE,
Nos, 45 and 46 are from breast; 47 and 48 from top of thigh.
THE WYANDOTTES.
at least two shades darker than the female. To this male I
should mate a female as much like chart No. 2 in color as I
could find, and as good in shape and comb as possible. I
should use for a mating like this, a female with a comb that
is a trifle coarse if I expected good males and females both.
When I say coarse I do not mean an ill-shaped comb
FG. 52—GREATER TAIL COVERT—SILVER WYANDOTTE FEMALE.
The dirty-brown color shown here is a common defect.
but a comb a trifle larger than we would want on an exhibi-
tion specimen. From such a mating as this you may rea-
Fic. 51—TaIL COVERT—SILVER WYANDOTTE FEMALE, sonably expect a fair per cent of both males and females.
Discounted for lacing of white. THEO. HEWES
COPYRIGHTED
BY THE
RELIABLE Pourrry JOURNAL
———
STANDARD WYANDOTTE SHAPE—MALE.
“A Composite Ideal From Live Models’”—As Submitted by the Reliable Poultry Journal for the Criticisms of Judges and Breeders,
WYANDOTTE SHAPE--MALE.
Criticisms of Foremost Poultry Judges and Prominent Breeders on ‘‘Composite Ideal Wyandotte Male Shape, from Live
Models,”’ as Drawn by Artist Sewell.
HE RELIABLE POULTRY JOURNAL, published
in December, 1896, and January, 1897, a pair of
drawings made by Mr. Franklane L. Sewell, the
world’s greatest polutry artist, showing to the
best of his ability, correct Wyandotte shape,
male and female, as required by the American
Standard of Perfection. For the benefit of the
beginner, permit us to say that all Wyandottes,
including the Silver, Golden, White, Buff and
Black varieties, are required to be alike in
shape; hence what is perfect or standard shape
for the one variety is also for the other vari-
eties. Exact proofs of these drawings were then
sent by the Reliable Poultry Journal to the best
known poultry judges and the foremost Wyan-
dotte breeders of America, with the request that
they approve or disapprove of same, according
to their interpretation of the standard. Nearly
seventy of the judges and breeders favored the
~ Journal with replies. After reading these criti-
cisms, Artist Sewell, by previous arrangement,
modified his drawings, so that the corrected
drawings, shown in this book, more nearly rep-
resent the accepted ideas of correct standard
shape for Wyandottes than any previously pre-
sented.
Following are the criticisms of the judges
on the drawing of the male, as first submitted:
W. 5S. Russell, Ottumwa, Iowa: “The draw-
ing of the male I would accept as ideal with the
foliowing alterations: Hackle should be a little
more abundant; from the drawing it appears
broken, or not developed; the comb extends out
on the beak a little too far.”
H. S. Babcock, Providence, R. I., judge and
breeder: ‘My criticism upon the male Wyan-
dotte illustration can be summed up in three
words, not blocky enough. There is too much
of the V shape in the figure. This V shape we
expect in Langshans, but the Wyandotte has
won and retains its reputation upon the block-
iness of its build. Take that away and its repu-
tation will be dissipated.”
Theo. Hewes, Trenton,
breeder: “In regard to the Silver Wyan-
dotte cuts I would say that if Mr. Sewell
would place their heads against a solid wall and
hit them in the rear with a pile driver he would come nearer
to getting my idea of a Wyandotte. Why he wants us to ac-
cept as a Wyandotte a bird that is long enough for a Java,
I cannot understand. I will ask you to reproduce the cut
of the cockerel ‘“‘Cloyd.’”’ This bird was sketched from life
by Mr. Sewell and pronounced by him to be one of the best
he ever saw. If that outline pleased him I am at a loss to
Mo., judge and
know why he introduces a bird so much longer in body and
back. I would add just a trifle to the lower part of the
breast of Cloyd and a few feathers to the neck (where you
can see they are missing) and use it as an ideal in prefer-
ence to the one Mr. Sewell has given us here.
“The color is much overdrawn. The standard calls for
SILVER WYANDOTTE COCKEREL “CLOYD.”
This is the cockerel referred to by Mr, Hewes in his criticism on Mr. Sewell’s ideal
cut presented herewith. The bird was bred by Mr, Hewes and sketched
from life by Mr. Sewell.
a bird with a light breast or large open centers growing
smaller from front to rear. Those Sebright lacings are not
standard and there is nothing in the standard that can be
taken to mean that they are. We do not want any doubt
about this variety. The standard requirements must be
plain as day. This is the Wyandotte section of America.
To-day I saw Mr. F. W. Hitchcock score two pullets at 95
points, and there are lots more very near that mark. If the
23
24
LZ
CopyrRignTED
BY THE
RELIABLE Pourrry yourRNaAL
STANDARD WYANDO
Dk oer 2
TTE SHAPE—MALE.
Changed to Meet the Criticisms of Judges and Breeders,
boys down east want hot competition let them bring their
birds to some of the large western shows. We might not
win, but they would know that they had company.”
Charles McClave, New London, Ohio, judge and breeder:
“The symmetry of the male is good; comb is good, but a
trifle too far over the beak, covering the nostrils; head is
good; ear lobes are too small; wattles are all right. Shape
of neck is perfect; back is good enough; breast has a true
Wyandotte shape; wings are all right; tail is good, but a
trifle long; the shanks are good; middle toe is too long. The
general outline is that of a typical ideal Wyandotte male.
In this work Mr. Sewell has certainly produced a Wyandotte
male reaching very near the 100 point mark. I consider this
the greatest drawing Mr. Sewell has executed. This line of
work is attracting wide-spread attention.”
F. H. Shellabarger, West Liberty, Iowa, judge and
breeder: ‘In most respects the male cut is grand, but we
think the back is a trifle long—the standard calls for a
short back on a Wyandotte. If the tail were set forward on
the back three-eighths of an inch, the back and saddle would
then be long enough, and the wing would look longer. We
believe it would make the proportion of the cut better, as
the body would appear shorter, which is in accord with the
standard, which calls for a short body.”
F. J. Marshall, Sunnyside, Ga., judge and breeder: “‘The
drawing of the Wyandotte male sent suits me to a dot, and
Iam not going to find fault with it just for the name of the
thing. I like it very much, and I think if we could breed
50 per cent of our stock like it we could make money out of
it, the first year anyway.”
C. A. Emry, Carthage, Mo., judge and breeder: ‘Comb
is too full in front and is set too far forward on the beak
and head. The fluff is too scant.”
F. B. Zimmer, Gloversville, N. Y., judge and breeder:
“We consider the illustration of the Wyandotte male a good
one, and if a breeder could breed them as near perfection in
shape as this illustration, his birds would be considered
‘clinkers’ and score ‘well up in the nineties,’ providing the
color was as good as shape. It seems to me, however, that
the comb lies too flat on the base of beak and spreads (like
combs we have often seen) over the nostrils. Again, to us,
the bird illustrated has the appearance of being narrow be-
hind the legs, in other words, that part is not in proportion
to the breast and the tail is plenty large for the breed.”
D. T. Heimlich, Jacksonville, Ill., judge and breeder:
“Mr. Sewell has done himself proud in these Wyandotte
drawings. Perhaps Wyandotte breeders may find faults in
them, but I do not know where to look for them. The two
are in perfect harmony and in accord with the best speci-
mens met in the show room, and they show what the Wy-
andcette may be bred to.”
L. P. Harris, Lincoln, Neb., judge and breeder: “I think
the comb is set too far forward, the breast is not deep
enough and the tail is carried too low.”
George O. Brown, Baltimore, Md., judge and breeder:
“The male’s tail is too low, comes out of the back too
straight. Shape from tail (outline) is too much wedge-
shape, fluff is not quite prominent enough. The cut is a
trifle too full on the lower breast; legs are too stout for size
of cut and a little short; upper part of neck is too thick. To
THE WYANDOTTES. 25
me there is a wrong shape of the tail which I do not seem
able to explain.”
H. B. Savage, Belton, Texas, judge and breeder: “The
Silver Wyandotte male, in my opinion, has very few defects.
I should like the eye a little higher in the head; the spike
of the comb to curve with the neck a little more; ear-lobes
to be a little smoother; tail rather more upright, giving the
back a shorter appearance. Fluff is too scant, and middle
toe too long in proportion to the others. Otherwise the cut
suits me.”
A. B. Shaner, Lanark, Ill., judge and breeder: ‘The
Wyandotte male is too long in the back and not quite full
enough in lower breast. Thighs and shanks are a trifle long
and the fluff should be a little more developed.”
G. A. C. Clarke, LeMars, Iowa, judge and _ breeder:
“There being no shading on beak to represent a dark horn
color, the specimen appears to have a clear, yellow beak.
There is not quite enough arch to back of neck. A little
more concave sweep to the saddle would be an improve-
ment. The breast is rather flat; would look better with a
full crop. The fluff is hardly what I should call full-feath-
ered and well-rounded. The wings are carried a little too
high. The tail is not ‘well-developed.’ Notwithstanding
these comments, I consider Mr. Sewell’s ideas of Wyandotte
shape good enough ‘to tie up to’”
J. Y. Bicknell, Buffalo, N. Y., judge and breeder: ‘I
have long since learned that criticism of a cut representing
a fowl is one thing, and criticising the living specimen,
which it represents, is quite another. We haye been so long
accustomed to see finely drawn outlines claiming to repre-
sent the different breeds, that we look at them from one
basis and scrutinize the specimens from another. We often
see the outlines as the result of a ‘snap shot,’ and, in such
cases, it correctly represents them as they were when the
shot was taken; but how very seldom do we get a picture in
that way that does the bird any justice whatever. The bird
will not pose in its natural shape, but frequently shows off
to such a disadvantage that he looks distorted. The R. P.
J. had several such cuts in last winter, which were magnifi-
cent misrepresentations of what they were intended to por-
tray. Realizing the truth of the above, I will state that the
male Wyandotte cut by Mr. Sewell is well executed, as would
be expected, but the breast is a little too full; from the
point below the neck hackle to the front of the hock, the
outline is too much like an are of a cirele. Nearly all of our
best cuts have the same fault, only to a greater extent.”
D. A. Stoner, Rensselaer, Ind., judge and breeder: “In
criticising the Wyandotte cock I would say that the comb
extends a trifle too far forward over the beak and should be
squared up a trifle in front. Head and neck are good; so
are the wings and breast. I should like the tail raised a
trifle higher, which would shorten the length of the body,
making symmetry perfect.”
Arthur G. Duston, Marlboro, Mass., breeder of White
Wyandottes: “It seems almost out of place for me to at-
tempt to criticise the work of so eminent an artist as my
friend, Mr. Sewell, but as we have honest differences I will
do so at your request. Taking the male as a whole it looks
sprightly, but a trifle fine and a little too hard feathered in
breast and body. The head is nice, but I would make the
lower mandible almost twice as thick as shown—it is too
slender. Let us shorten the back a little. By adding about
26 THE WYANDOTTES.
the width of one of the sickle feathers to the front of the
tail, and raising the line of the back to meet it, not carrying
the tail out or up any more, gives it a fullness, thus reliev-
ing what I consider a ‘barrel’ look it has. The breast has
sufficient fullness, but the body is not deep enough. It is
given rather a slim appearance. I want a body that reaches
well down to the hocks, only we do not want a Brahma, so
the hocks must stand out in relief. The thigh, as shown,
seems hard. A ‘slick’ male will have soft feathers on the
thighs; it gives the bird a stouter appearance. The whole
contour of a Wyandotte should convey the idea of stoutness
without being a particle dumpy, but striking one as having
considerable reserve force. Drop the wing a trifle and you
will have an ideal male. If any breeder of Wyandottes
could have fifty per cent of his cockerels match it in shape
he would almost think the millenium had arrived, and
surely he would have a ‘gold mine.’ I believe you will ac-
complish a great work through the means of these discus-
sions.”
Ira C. Keller, Prospect, Ohio, breeder of Golden Wyan-
dottes: ‘‘The cut of the male is very pretty, making a fine
looking bird. The comb is too broad in front and extends
over the beak too far. Eye has not a mild enough expres-
sion for a Wyandotte. Back about right, looks a little long,
but if body were deeper the back would not look so long.
Breast should be a little fuller and deeper at point of keel
bone. Body should be deeper, or there should be more fluff.
Tail not broad enough; if spread wider it would help con-
siderably. Shanks are a trifle short for the size of the bird.
Plumage of the bird suits me exactly, just what I like to see,
lacing not shafting. One can readily see that there is a vast
difference in the plumage of this male and what the old
standard called for. The plumage of this bird, I think,
meets the present standard requirements, which in a laced
Wyandotte of any color is very beautiful.”
Henry Steinmesch, St. Louis, Mo., breeder of Silver
Wyandottes: ‘The comb sets too far forward on beak and
should curve a little more to shape of neck. Tail should be
shorter and not so flat. It should be at an angle of about
forty-five degrees.”
A. C. Hawkins, Lancaster, Mass., breeder of Silver and
White Wyandottes: ‘‘The male is too high on legs and not
blocky enough in form. The shape of head, neck, breast,
back and tail is good. The fluff should be much fuller.
With this change and a shortening of the legs the bird
would be very fine in form and style.”
A. & E. Tarbox, Yorkville, Ill., breeders of Silver Laced
Wyandottes: “The cut of Wyandotte cockerel in general
would be our ideal. We think it meets the standard require-
ments. If we were to make any corrections, we should like
to see the breast a little fuller just in front of the thighs
and the saddle not quite so high at base of tail.”
George H. Pollard, S. Attleboro, Mass., breeder of White
Wyandottes: “I like the Wyandotte cock very well, but the
comb is a trifle full in front and the wattles do not hang
straight enough, the edges turn back or fold too much.
The saddle is a trifle high and the tail is too long. The
breast might be a little deeper and the thighs not quite so
prominent,”
Knapp Brothers, Fabius, N. Y., breeders of White
Wyandottes: “We consider this a most excellent represen-
tation for an ideal male of this breed, which is not only one
of the most popular in America, but in the world wherever
thoroughbred fowls are raised. We suggest that the comb
should be made a little narrower and shortened a very little
in front. Wattles should be shortened one-eighth of an
inch and well rounded and lightened a bit in the center to
get rid of the fold and thick appearance. Now with a light
mallet drive the tail into the body three-eighths of an inch.
This will widen the body at its intersection with the tail
nearly three-eighths of an inch on the side. Fill in the
place that is a little deficient where the sickles start. Then
lengthen the wing a little and add one-eighth of an inch to
lower breast. Lengthen the shanks a little. With these
few alterations we have added a pound to the weight of the
bird and it gives to the admiring public the most perfect
cut of a Wyandotte male ever published.”
George W. Brown, Camden, Ark., breeder of Wyan-
dottes: “The Wyandotte drawings received and are very
good, but not up to our ideal of that grand old American
variety. The male bird in head, neck, breast and shanks
is perfect. The back should be a little more concave, and
the tail should be carried a little higher and be made a
shade heavier. Wing is too small and tucked under a little
too closely. Saddle feathers should be lengthened and
should not be so regular where they come in contact with
the wing. The fluff should be heavier.”
H. D. Mason & Sons, Fabius, N. Y., breeders of Golden
Wyandottes: “The comb sets too far front on the beak; it
should not cover more than one-third of the upper part of
the beak. The tail should be shortened down to the second
sickle feather. There is not sufficient opening in the fluff
at vent. It is a grand cut, with many merits, and if any
one owns such a bird and is tired of having it around we
would appreciate it.”
A. Gaiser, Tecumseh, Neb., breeder of White Wyan-
dottes: The only fault I find with Mr. Sewell’s ideal
Wyandotte male is with the fluff and wattles. There is not
quite enough fluff and the wattles seem a trifle large to me.
If I could breed such shaped birds I should think I had
about reached perfection in shape.”
J. I. DeLancey, Elgin, Ill., breeder of Golden and Silver
Wyandottes: “I think if there is any improvement to make
that his fluff and lower part of breast should be a little
fulier. His toes are a little long.”
C. E, Kunze, Garden Prairie, Ill., breeder of Golden and
Silver Wyandottes: “The comb seems to extend a least bit
too far forward on the beak and the top of the comb extends
slightly forward over the root of the comb, causing it to
appear too thick just above the beak. His wattles seem
rather long as compared with the standard Plymouth Rock
male; in fact his whole head is a little coarse. His neck
and back are good; his tail, however, is too slanting and the
sickles are altogether too long. According to our under-
standing of the standard the sickles should gracefully curve
over the tail, the ends slightly projecting. In this illustra-
tion they curve nearly around the tail, forming a half circle.
Ve are not, as we understand, to criticise the color, but we
think if the tail were made black it would make a much bet-
ter impression. We notice that the fluff is rather scant and
we think it would much improve the looks of the bird if it
were made fuller. The wings seem rather small for the size
of bird and the shanks rather thin. Taking him as a whole,
however, he is a very good illustration of a Silver Wyan-
dotte, and we would not mind having a number like him.
THE WYANDOTTES. 27
We think that his breast seems rather full, a little too full
to conform with our ideal of a Silver Wyandotte. We wish
the Reliable and Mr. Sewell a grand and deserved success in
this undertaking.”
Cc. W. Nuss & Son, Coloma, Mo., breeders of White and
Buff Wyandottes: ‘We think the comb is too full at lower
or front end and it extends too far over the beak and is too
full in center. Fluff is not full enough. He ought to be
more circular by an eighth of an inch, tapering to a point
each way, in order to compare favorably with some of our
very best specimens.”
Cc. J. Andruss, Canandaigua, N. Y., breeder of White
Wyandottes: “I consider the drawing a very good repre-
sentation of the breed and I should pass the male without
criticism.”
W. A. Irvin, Tecumseh, Neb., breeder of White Wyan-
dottes: “I think the drawing of Wyandotte male by Mr.
Sewell is the best I have ever seen. I consider the outline
very nearly meets the standard requirements.”
E. G. Roberts, Fort Atkinson, Wis., breeder of Wyan-
dottes: ‘Comb is too large and extends too far over the
beak. Head and neck toc large for the rest of the bird, but
I think it would be more appropriate to enlarge the body to
match the neck. As it is now, the back and tail appear a
trifle long, but if the body were enlarged, or feathering
made more profuse, so as to nearly hide the thighs, the ap-
parent length would disappear.”
C. S. Mattison, South Shaftsbury, Vt., breeder of Buff
Wyandottes: ‘On the whole the cuts are very good. The
principal objection to the male is the length and shape of
his tail. It is too much on the Leghorn style—too long and
narrow, which takes away from the blocky appearance,
which is characteristic of the Wyandotte.”
John Torrey, Huntley, Ill., breeder of Golden, Silver
and White Wyandottes: ‘‘The comb is a trifle too far down
on the beak and the tail is not carried high enough to suit
me. I should prefer to see him stand a trifle higher on his
legs, and there should be a little more fullness to breast.
But take him all in all he is a fine bird and the drawing
does Mr. Sewell much credit.”
J. A. Ayers, LaPlata, Mo., breeder of Silver Laced Wy-
andotites: “I should lengthen the neck of the male Wyan-
dotte and narrow it slightly; also raise the tail, making
body and fluff a shade deeper in the male bird.”
S. T. Jones, Williamsville, Ill., breeder of White Wyan-
dottes: “I do not think the breast is as deep and full as it
should be at point of breast bone. Body and fluff are not
deep enough. Otherwise I think it a good cut.”
F. A. P. Coburn, Lowell, Mass., breeder of White Wyan-
dottes: “I think the male bird’s comb is a little too wide in
front and it also comes down on the beak too far. The
wattles are a little long and heavy. The neck and back are
good, but I would have the lower part of the breast a trifle
deeper and fuller. Otherwise the bird is my ideal of true
Wyandotte shape.”
O. E. Skinner, Columbus, Kan., breeder of Silver Wyan-
dottes: “I shall not offer any criticism on the male Wyan-
dotte shape. It is fine.”
C. A. Clark, Fairport, N. Y., breeder of White Wyan-
dottes: “My comments on the male Wyandotte are few.
Adding one-fourth of an inch to breast would improve it;
and that would bring the neck forward that much, and by
so doing you would add the same distance to back. Shorten
the middle toe, so that it would be in proportion with the
others. That shape would suit me much better.”
D. F. Palmer, Yorkville, Ill., breeder of Silver Wyan-
dottes: “The cut of male is very good. I can find little
fault with it, but I think it would be nearer perfect if the
fluff were a little heavier.”
J. D. Hunt, Jackson, Tenn., breeder of Silver and Golden
Wvandottes: ‘‘The cut is fine and I do not see how it could
be improved.”
ee ae ae rye COPYRIGHTED BY THE
RELIABLE POULTRY JOURNAL
————
Set Ne
STANDARD WYANDOTTE SHAPE—FEMALE.
“A Composite Ideal From Live Models’—As Submitted by the Reliable Poultry Journal for the Criticisms of Tudges and Breeders.
28
WYANDOTTE SHAPE--FEMALE.
Criticisms ot Foremost Poultry Judges and Prominent Breeders on ‘‘Composite Ideal Wyandotte Female Shape, from Live
Models,”’ as Drawn by Artist Sewell,
N THE opposite page may be seen Artist Sewell’s
conception of standard Wyandotte female shape,
in profile. A close inspection of this drawing and
the same as changed to meet the ideas of his
critics, will show how truly the drawing as first
submitted was a “composite ideal.” Note the similarity of
the comments. The majority agree on the same defects,
which may be accepted as proof that the majority of breed-
ers agree on the main points of the ideal of each breed. All
of which is very encouraging to the breeders who believe in
the desirability and possibility of an illustrated standard.
W. S. Russell, Ottumwa, Iowa, judge and _ breeder:
Drawing of female is too much on the Plymouth Rock type.
It is a trifle long in body, the back is entirely too long and
there is too much cushion. The fluff is so abundant as to
cause the thigh to appear short. The general outline of the
specimen lacks the round, plump appearance of the
breed.”
H. S. Babeock, Providence, R. I., judge and breeder:
“The same criticism applies to the female as to the male.
She is not blocky enough.”
Theo. Hewes, Trenton, Mo., judge and breeder: What
Mr. Hewes said about the drawing of the male Wyandotte
applies with equal force to the female drawing.
Charles McClave, New London, Ohio, judge and breed-
er: “Symmetry is gocd. Head is good, beak a little heavy.
Comb is perfect; ear-lobes and wattles good. Neck outlines
are faultless. Concave sweep of back is about right except
it is a trifle too long when viewed from base of neck to tip
of tail. Breast shape is correct according to my idea of a
perfect Wyandotte. Wing is faultless. Tail is perfect when
viewed alone; huwever, as stated above, back and tail
together are a little too lengthy. Shanks are perfect, but
middle toe is too long when compared with length of shank.
General outlines form the nearest perfect Wyandotte female
ever submitted to the poultry fraternity. What reader of
the Reliable has the equal in his yards? Do not all speak at
once.”
F. H. Shellabarger, West Liberty, Iowa,
breeder:
have ever seen and I can find but little fault with it. The
comb is set a trifle too far forward and does not extend
quite far enough over the back of the head. The beak is a
little long. Other than these minor defects I think it fills
the bill quite well.”
judge and
C. A. Emry, Carthage, Mo., judge and breeder: “The
head is too small. Comb is too far front on head and beak.
The lower breast is not full enough.”
F. B. Zimmer, Gloversville, N. Y., judge and breeder:
“The hen must be classed as a ‘good one,’ yet there is too
much space between base of hackle and root of tail, making
her appear too long in back, Body is a trifle long for a
“The cut of the Wyandotte female is the best I
Wyandotte. However, none of us handle very many speci-
mers in a season that are nearer perfection in shape than
the iilustration.”’
D. T. Heimlich, Jacksonville, Ill., judge and breeder:
“The lacing on back of female seems coarse, but as this
section has been, and still is, the most difficult to breed
perfect, this extreme representation will act as an incentive
to breeders.”
George O. Brown, Baltimore, Md., judge and breeder:
“The female is too long in back; tail is not quite high
enough. There is too much fluff; breast is just a trifle full
at the most projecting point. Comb does not run back as
far on the head as it should. Legs are too thick. The bird
is too long through the body.” 1
L. P. Harris, Lincoln, Neb., judge and breeder: Hal
have but one criticism to offer on the female Wyandotte cut.
Ir would suit me better if it showed more depth of breast.”
H. B. Savage, Belton, Texas, judge and breeder: “The
Wyandotte female cut is an excellent one and, in my
opinion, its defects are very few. The eye should be set
higher up in head. The lower part of breast is not full
enough. Ear-lobes are not smooth enough. Neck needs a
little more curve, caused by the head being held a trifle too
far forward. The cushion part of the back is too long.
Middle toe is entirely too long, being as long as the shank
itself.”
A. B. Shaner, Lanark, Ill., judge and breeder: ‘Back
too long, appears too much like a Plymouth Rock. Tail,
thighs and shanks are a trifle long. It should be a little
fuller in lower breast.”
G. A. C. Ciarke, LeMars, Iowa, judge and_ breeder:
“Though it does not affect the general shape of the speci-
menu, I should prefer to have the eye with a less wild,
nervous expression. There should be some shading on the
beak to represent a dark horn color. The breast line should
intersect the front line of thigh one-eighth inch lower than
the etching shows. The body is too shallow.”
J. Y. Bicknell, Buffalo, N. Y., judge and breeder: ‘“‘The
female has the same fault as the male, but in a _ greater
degree. The breast in front of the wing bow is much too
full. The beak is rather too straight. It looks a little as if
the under mandible were pushing a trifle against the upper
one. This fault is slight, however. I like both cuts better
than any others of this breed that I have seen.”
D. A. Stoner, Rensselaer, Ind., judge and breeder: “I
like the shape of the Wyandotte female very much except
that the head rises too high above the eye, making the comb
stand too near the perpendicular. The face should extend a
trifle lower.”
Arthur G. Duston, Marlboro, Mass., breeder of White
29
80
STANDARD WYANDOTTE SHAPE
Changed to Meet the Criticisms of Judges and
Copyaiguren
BY THE
RELIABLE POULTRY JOURNAL
a
—FEMALE.
Breeders,
THE WYANDOTTES. 31
Wyandottes: “I would suggest a few changes in the draw-
ing of the female sent me. The head is too small for the
bird. The breast lacks depth. Carry the line down from
the fullest point in quite a liberal sweep to where it comes
in conjunction with the line of the thigh. A well developed
female will be almost as deep through the breast as through
the fluff. I would shorten the back by bringing forward
the tail on top a little, at least a quarter of an inch, which
makes the tail look a trifle larger and relieves the look of
too much length. To change the width of the wing through
the center, narrow it up a little. I believe we then would
have a model we all would be glad to breed to or to be
judged by.”
Ira C. Keller, Prospect, Ohio, breeder of Golden Wyan-
dottes: “Cut of the female represents a very neat, trim
Wyandotte, but she dves not look quite heavy enough, or lL
might say not large enough. Head is too small. Beak tco
large for size of head. Back not cushioned enough and is
too much on a straight line. If breast were a little deeper
at point of keel bone the bird would lcok larger and more in
proportion. I can find no fault with the plumage. Tt is
just what we want, but is hard to produce. Breast, wing
and back have the same size of lacing ;this means uniform
lacing throughout. The lacing of shoulders lies in rows,
which is not natural. This is a handsome cut and reflects
great credit upon Mr. Sewell.”
Henry Steinmesch, St. Louis, Mo., breeder of Silver
Wyandottes: “The comb starts too far forward on the beak
and it should have a little more curve to shape it to the
neck. Tail should be shorter and not so fat—have it at an
angle of forty-five degrees.”
A. C. Hawkins, Lancaster, Mass., breeder of Silver and
White Wyandottes: “The hen is too long bodied for a
Wyandotte. She is too long in back and lacks fullness of
breast. The tail is too large and full. Head, neck, fluff and
legs are good. The ideal Wyandotte female should -be
blocky in form with full cushion and fluff.”
A. & E. Tarbox, Yorkville, Ill., breeders of Silver Laced
Wyandottes: “We have no comments to make on the female
Wyandotte shape, We consider it good enough.”
George H. Pollard, S. Attleboro, Mass., breeder of Wh‘te
Wyandottes: “Hen is not so good as the male. The back
is too long and the saddle is too high. The tail is too high,
full and long. There is too much of the body back of the
legs. The breast should be deeper and the fluff not quite so
heavy. Toé¢s look like scratchers.”
George W. Brown, Camden, Ark., breeder of Wyan-
dottes: “The female bird’s head is a shade too small and
is out of proportion to the body. The comb does not set
well on the head, extending too far in front and not far
enough behind. Back is too long and should be coupled up
just a fraction. with the tail lowered and one or two more
feathers added. The right leg has a twisted appearance,
making the position of the bird look awkward. Otherwise
we consider the drawing good and acceptable as a model.”
H. D. Mason & Sons, Fabius, N. Y., breeders of Golden
Wyandoites: ‘Raise the eye and back corner of the mouth
one-sixteenth of an inch, dropping the point of beak an
equal distance. Lower the back three-sixteenths of an inch,
making the lowest point of back about midway between
beak and end of tail. Shorten the tail one-half inch, both
by setting it farther front on the body and by cutting off a
little of the stiff upper feathers of the tail. The five last sil-
vered feathers extending out into the tail should not be
there. All the cushion feathers have too large open centers.
They should be medium in size. Too many silvered feathers
show on thigh and fluff. They should have disappeared at
the lower line of breast. The back from base of hackle to
lowest point of back, should be flat, and it may be so hol-
lowed by the folding of elbow of wing next to back feathers
that the hollow will hold a tablespoonful of water. This is
an aristocratic hen, and she has gotten into a habit of
sniffing up her nose and looking out of the corner of her
eyes downward upon her less favored neighbors.”
Knapp Brothers, Fabius, N. Y., breeders of White
Wyandottes: ‘The Wyandotte female is also very per-
fect in shape, but to us she has the appearance of being
below the standard size, requiring a little more length,
breadth and height to give her size. The head is a little too
small; comb should be raised in front and extended farther
back, at least one-third of its length being back of the eye.
The wattles are a trifle too small. Add one-eighth of an
incu to the lower breast as in the male. Shanks are a trifle
short and middle toe is too long.”
A. Gaiser, Tecumseh, Neb., breeder of White Wyan-
dottes: “I consider the female almost perfect. A little
more depth of body in front of thighs would suit me better.
In my judgment this is the better of the two Wyandotte
drawings.”
J. I. DeLancey, Elgin, Ill., breeder of Golden and Silver
Wyandottes: “The female is a iittle full in back, also in
the breast. The toes are a little long and the white centers
are a trifle large, but I should like to have a yard of birds
that looked as perfect as this pair.”’
C. E. Kunze, Garden Prairie, Ill., breeder of Golden and
White Wyandottes: “I consider the hen to be much nearer
ideal shape than the male. Her main defect is too much
cushion at base of tail, extending forward nearly to the
middle of back. Breast is a little full, and she is very
loosely feathered. With these exceptions she fits our ideal
very well.”
C. J. Andruss, Canandaigua, N. Y., breeder of White
Wyandottes: “I should prefer the neck of the hen to be a
trifle longer and the lacing to be a little more distinct about
the head. If I were breeding Silvers and had a uniform
flock of well-bred birds as good as these drawings represent.
I should feel that 1 had stock of which I could well feel
proud.”
W. A. Irvin, Tecumseh, Neb., breeder of White Wyan-
dottes: “Head of female is too small for the size of bird.
If it were fuller in breast it would be an-improvement. I
consider it a fine drawing.”
J. A. Ayers, La Plata, Mo., breeder of Silver Laced Wy-
andottes: “The female Wyandotte so nearly meets my idea
of standard requirements that I can not comment adversely
on her except to say that the openings in lacing are too_
large, making the bird too light in color.”
F. A. P. Coburn, Lowell, Mass., breeder of White Wyan-
dottes: “‘The Wyandotte female shape is not so near my
ideal as the male’s. I would have the crown of the head
lower, which would give the head that broad appearance
which is desirable, then the comb would not be so perpen-
dicular as it is now. The neck is good, but the back is too
32 THE WYANDOTTES:
long and a little too much cushioned. The tail is a little
too high and too long. I should have the breast a little
fuller, but the fluff is the least bit too full. The . toes,
especially the middle one, are perhaps a little bit too long,
In other points the female is about my ideal and I would
not object to any number of white ones as good as she.”
E. G. Roberts, Fort Atkinson, Wis., breeder of Wyan-
dottes: “I think the front half of the bird is too small in
proportion to the rest of the bird. Posterior shape good,
but the tail is unnatural. It should be shorter and have
less spread. Lower part of breast and body should be
feathered profusely enough to nearly hide the thighs.”
S. T. Jones, Williamsville, Ill., breeder of White Wyan-
dottes: “This is a fine cut with the exception of back and
saddle or cushion, which I think is a trifle long. Otherwise
I have no suggestions to offer.”
C. S. Mattison, South Shaftsbury, Vt., breeder of Buff
Wyandottes: “The tail of the female is too long and nar-
row. I notice the artist has followed the standard in draw-
ing wide lacings. How much better it would have appeared
had he made a narrow black edge such as we find in the best
of our Sebright Bantams, such as the artist produced for
one of our English journals. A narrow black edge around
a white center is, in my humble opinion, what is wanted to
perfect our females.”
C. W. Nuss & Son, Coloma, Mo., breeders of White and
Buff Wyandottes: “The hen is nearer perfection than the
male, but I think if she were a little fuller where the hackle
comes down on the back her appearance would be im-
proved.” 6
John Torrey, Huntley, Ill., breeder of Golden, Silver
and White Wyandottes: ‘“‘The female is my ideal of Wyan-
dotte shape. I should prefer to have the breast a little fuller,
otherwise it is the best drawing of Wyandotte shape I have
ever seen.”
O. E. Skinner, Columbus, Kan., breeder of Silver Wyan-
dottes: “Cut of female is good, but it seems to me that the
tail should approach a little nearer a square angle at the
top.”
C. A. Clark, Fairport, N. Y., breeder of White Wyan-
dottes: “The shape of female is a beauty, far superior to
the male. I have no comments to make. Allow me to con-
gratulate the R. P. J. on the success it is meeting with this
series of ideal shapes. The readers should heartily appre-
ciate these efforts, as it certainly must bring us all nearer
to one mind.”
DD. F. Palmer, Yorkville, Ill., breeder of Silver Wyan-
dottes: Except that I think the female a little long in
back I should pronounce her very near perfection.”
J. D. Hunt, Jackson, Tenn., breeder of Silver and Gol-
den Wyandottes: “I have no criticisms to offer on the fe-
male cut. It is grand.”
Ca Fe =
a
POULTRY
SG.
xa JOURNAL:
oS = COPYRIGHTED
> - 1899
GOLDEN WYANDOTTES.
By SEWELL.
In characteristics, shape, standard requirements and plumage the Golden Wyandottes are similar to the Silver Wyandottes, (see page 34),
except that where the ground color of the Silvers is white, in the Goldens it is golden bay. The improvement in the
Golden Wyandottes during the past few years has been most pronounced, some breeders of the variety show-
ing specimens so fine that they can almost be compared with the work of a first class artist
with a brush. They are worthy of their name, “The Beauty Breed.”
45
“FUG 221g & PUL pag psepuryg ‘[asayD0D ayjopued~ uvapjon wos ssayyea.g poo8 vsyxa JO suoyjonpoiday sydess0j04q 3urmoys—
T Id
Tae GOLDEN WYANDOTTES.
A Beautifully Marked Variety—Superior for Table Purposes—Good Layers—Their Origin—Standard Re-
quirements — Feathers— Reproduction of Feathers from Live Specimens, with Comments
Thereon—How to Mate to Produce Standard Colored Birds—Introducing New Blood.
BY IRA C. KELLER, PROSPECT, OHIO.
N WRITING of one of America’s most beautiful
productions in poultry, it is not our intention to
go into a lengthy account of its origin, for most
of the breeders of to-day are familiar with the
subject. There are a number of families of the
Goldens. The most successful was the Winnebago strain,
originated by the late Joseph McKeen, whose name will live
in the history of this variety of fowls.
In 1880 Mr. McKeen crossed the Winnebago fowl with
the Silver Wyandotte to produce the Golden. He crossed
and recrossed the offspring with the Silver until there was
but one-fourth of the Winnebago blood remaining. So the
Golden Wyandotte of to-day has but one-fourth to one-
cighth of the Winnebago blood left. The Winnebago fowl
was a large black-red bird, somewhat the shape of the Wy-
andotte, with rose comb, red lobes and yellow legs. The
plumage of the male was much the same as that of the
Partridge Cochin, while the hen resembled the Malay Game
hen. Other strains were made by using the larger Wyan-
dotte as the foundation, crossing with Partridge Cochins,
Golden Hamburgs or Brown Leghorns for the desired end.
As soon as the McKeen Goldens were put upon the market
the owners of the other crosses soon learned that their birds
were inferior. They drew blood from the fountain head,
so to speak, and continued to cross the large Winnebago
strain, until now the different types do not vary to a great
extent.
Qur experience in breeding them dates back to 1882, and
we have watched the different strains with much interest.
The crossing with the Silver Wyandotte gave the Golden
new blood and vigor. It is a hardy fowl, with flesh of the
finest quality, probably not equaled by any other fowl except
the Indian Game. Its skin is as yellow as gold. As an all-
the-year-round layer, it has few equals and not many super-
iors. As to the number of eggs laid during the year, we
have personally known of egg contests where the Golden
Wyandotte excelled the Plymouth Rock. Not only have we
made this test, but we know of other breeders who have put
flocks of the two breeds under the same treatment ond con-
ditions and got the same results as we did. A breeder in the
south recently wrote to us that his Golden Wyandottes had
outlayed his Brown Leghorns under like conditions.
Claims to Utility, as Well as Beauty.
It has been claimed by their admirers that the Golden
Wyandotte is one of America’s greatest general purpose
fow!s. Add to their usefulness their beauty, and you have
an ideal fowl. Where can be found a fowl that carries so
beautiful a plumage upon so useful a form? The female has
a deep, rich golden color with almost every feather richly
laced with black; while in the male, the color runs from
rich gold to a peacock green, nearly as brilliant as the latter.
This combination of fancy plumage on a Wyandotte form
produces an ideal fowl. The Wyandotte shape is strictly its
Own, no other fowl having a shape like it. The broad, full,
round breast, the broad back, the deep body, the short,
wide-spread tail, and short legs with heavy thighs combine
to make the Wyandotte a meaty fowl throughout. We know
of but one breed that carries so much breast meat.
We said fourteen years ago that in due time the Golden
Wyandotte would become popular the world over. We had
shipped them to ten different foreign countries. To-day
they are popular in Europe as well as in this country—in
fact, are bred nearly the world over, and there are more of
them being sent abroad now than ever before. In England
the Wyandotte is one of the most popular breeds.
Different Varieties of Wyandottes.
The Wyandotte breed is divided into a number of sub-
varieties, the Silver and Golden Laced, Buff Laced, Violette
Laced, White, Black, Buff, Golden and Silver Penciled and
Columbian. So if one admires the Wyandotte form he can
suit his taste as to color. How many of these different colors
will stand and become popular we are not able to say. Some
may go to the wall. We sometimes think the Wyandotte
should have been bred as a laced fowl, and we think it
would have been better for the breed, as the original was
laced. However, thére is room for them all. The more va-
rieties, the more breeders; the more breeders, the more and
better poultry shows, more and better poultry journals and
more trade in general. The Golden variety furnished the
foundation for the Violette Laced, Buff Laced, Buff and
Partridge or Golden Penciled, as it is called.
The Wyandotte does well and yields good returns under
good care, in close confinement or with free range. The
Golden variety is well adapted to the city breeder, for it does
not show the dirt or soot so much as its lighter cousins.
Though it does well in confinement, it, however, likes free
range, as does all poultry. I think I never saw a fowl that,
if given his liberty, would range so far away as the Golden.
It is not an uncommon thing for them to range nearly one-
half mile away from their sleeping quarters in search of
insects. We all know that the more a fowl ranges, the bet-
ter it does. They mature and feather rapidly and are ready
for the table at an early age.
Pleasure in Breeding for Fancy Points.
The Goldens are an interesting and fascinating variety
to breed, as there are so many fancy points to breed for.
Anyone who breeds laced fowls knows what he has to look
after to make a success of it. The careful and watchful
breeder never feeds his chicks that he does not notice their
progress in growth and the new plumage appearing. He
will note the laced wing coverts of the little cockerels; will
watch the first lacing to see whether the gold color is good.
Then the rich color and striping of the neck and back ap-
pear. He keeps close watch on the breast to see the beauti-
ful lacings coming. They appear at three weeks old to three
months, and improve till the bird is eight to ten months old.
When a breeder sees one of his cockerels developing a nice,
clean striped neck and back, with correct wing and a well
laced wing bar, with breast of large open center lacing to
suit his eye, a good form and good head points, he will
watch that youngster with intense interest. He will give
him every care, and the following winter the bird will be
heard of in the show room.
He watches the development of the pullets
same interest. First the lacing upon
shoulders, then the lacing that forms the wing bars next
appears, while he awaits with more interest the lacing of
the back and cushion. If this comes clear laced, free from
mossing, he knows that he has a promising bird. A clear
laced back usually carries good lacing on the wings. Next
with the
appears the wing
he notes the lacing of the breast, and keeps a close watch
of the breast and cushion, for these two sections are apt to
MARS) ee
FIRST AT *
w YORK.
BRED, 0WNED BY
IRACKELLER __
PROSPECT - OHIO
Celia
THE BEAUTY BREED—GOLDEN WYANDOTTE MALE.
get poorer. The cushion is liable to become mossy, and the
lacing of the breast is liable to grow weaker. If all sections
hold good and improve until the chick is eight months old
and the bird has the proper lacing of the right sized centers,
with the correct, deep, rich, golden bay color, good form and
head points, she will be a winner.
There is more interest in producing the correct lacing
upon the different varieties of the Laced Wyandotte than
upon the Sebright or Polish, for the two latter varieties have
been bred so many years that one rarely sees a specimen
that is not well laced. Not so in the Wyandotte. It contin-
ually throws a good per cent of pullets that are not prime in
lacing. Some have mossing, while others show weak lacing
of breast. The Golden has always been a profitable fowl] for
the fancier.
in fact, the demand at good prices has been in excess of the
supply. It is no uncommon thing for a fancy Golden Wyan-
Good specimens have been in heavy demand—
THE WYANDOTTES.
dotte to sell all the way from $5 to $100, and large numbers
exchange hands at good prices each year.
THE MALE.
We next take up the male and shall endeavor to clearly
indicate the faults and the good points as they now exist in
this variety of beautiful and prolific standard-bred fowl.
There is something very attractive about the Golden Wyan-
dotte male. In him we have the beautiful, compact form
and the strength and sprightliness of a medium-weight fowl.
They are not as slow of motion nor as sluggish as the heavy
Asiatic. A ten-pound Wyandotte male is active, steps
lightly, is very proud of his bearing. His crow is not shrill
like that of a Leghorn, nor dull and heavy like that of a
Brahma or Cochin, but has a rich, full,
mellow tone that is pleasing to the ear.
It is a sound good for a man to hear
When he awakes at early morn. It
speaks to him of health, strength, vig-
or, and seems to say, “It is time the
work of to-day was under way.”
Shape of Male.
All breeders of standard poultry
rightly consider shape to be one of the
most important points, as serving the
utility value of the breed or variety
and adding much to the beauty of it. A
Wyandotte male perfect in shape is not
often seen, and the same is naturally
true of all other varieties. Perfection
is a very difficult thing to attain. The
Golden Wyandotte is rapidly improv-
ing in shape, and to-day a person may
see a goodly number that approach
perfection in shape.
There is a diversity of opinion
====-~ among breeders as to the correct Wy-
andotte shape. Notice the cut of
“Major 8th,’ a Golden Wyandotte
The shape of this male is good. He
stands for a general type that pleases
the writer, with some exceptions, The
comb is a little low, is too flat upon
the head and isa trifle wide, although,
as the drawing shows, this comb is
really a good one. The head is also
good; it is short, with the required
broad skull, not long, narrow and
“snaky”’ in appearance. The eye is
bright. The wattles are of medium
length and well rounded. The neck
is not long and scantily feathered, but is of medium length,
is well arched, showing vigor, and is abundantly feathered.
This male bird. as shown in the etching, is good in back
shape, a section that is often faulty by being too narrow
and too straight from center of back to tail. Notice partic-
ularly in the drawing the broad, strong back and the full
concave sweep to tail.
The breast of this bird shows up full, broad, round and
is carried well down—a valuable utility feature of the bird,
for the meat is there. Avoid, in your breeding birds, flat-
ness and narrowness in breast, both in males and females.
The tail is one of the most beautiful sections of a Wyan-
dotte. It should be only of medium length, V-shaped, with
abundant coverts and lesser sickles. The Wyandotte tail
should not be pinched and flat, as frequently seen, but well
spread apart and reasonably fuil. This section has been
hard to produce and control in the Golden Wyandottes, and
too few of our breeders have given close enough attention
to it. It does not matter how good a bird is in other re-
spects, if it carries a poor tail. This detracts greatly from
his beauty.
The body of the Wyandotte male should be of medium
length and abundantly feathered. The thighs should be
strong and well meated; shanks straight, stout, of medium
length and set well apart—the width of your hand.
Plumage of Male.
We present herewith two half-tone engravings, show-
ing photographic reproductions of actual feathers plucked
from two exhibition Golden Wyandotte males, prize winners
THE WYANDOTTES. 49
Feather No. 1 on this plate, a hackle feather, shows
what I call a laced feather, somewhat like that of the Polish.
The inside center follows evenly on either side of the shaft
and stops at the right place, that is, does not extend through
the black lacing. This gives us a far more beautiful feather
than the standard description (see Plate II) and every
breeder of experience knows that he cannot produce the
large, open centers on the females by using males of the
style of neck hackle shown on Plate II. Laced Wyandottes,
with Golden and Silver, have a tendency toward the laced
neck, and to-day some strains produce a neck plumage
nearer like Plate I than like Plate II. The Standard of
Perfection should be changed in this section so as to allow
Plate II—Showing Photographic Reproduction of Feathers Plucked from a 2-Year-Old Golden Wyandotte Cock.
at the great New York show. The feathers demonstrate
what has been produced in this variety on single specimens.
They are not presented as perfect feathers, though some
of them are practically so. They were reduced in size about
two-fifths by the artist, and while the engravings of feath-
ers are the best we have seen to date, they do not do the
originals full justice. A lustrous, greenish black and a
soft golden bay make a combination that is extremely diffi-
eult to photograph, and still harder to represent in plain
black and white. In these feather plates the gold centers
and lacing do not show up as clear cut and even as in the
originals, but they will do very well in illustrating our
meaning and in showing the progress that has been made.
Plate I shows eleven feathers from a Golden Wyandotte
cockerel. These feathers are pretty near our ideal, though
not quite standard. Note the perfect striping and perfect
lacing of these feathers, also the bright clearness of the out-
side lacing of the hackie, back and saddle feathers. Note
also the perfect evenness of the under-color of all these
feathers,
for this center inside of the striping. A number of breeders
have bred for this for several years. They know that they
can not produce standard-laced females if they use the solid
striping in neck and back of the male.
Next let it be observed that the bird from which the
feathers shown in Plate I were plucked was laced in all sec-
tions. Feathers No. 2 were taken from the upper and lower
breast. These are nearly perfect. The centers are not quite
perfectly carried, with reference to the shape of the feath-
ers, but such feathers the breeders call good. No. 3 is a
wing covert that forms the wing bar. This feather is full
laced. The Golden Wyandotte, ever since its origin, has had
a tendency toward breeding these laced wing coverts, and
rightly, for this is one of the main sections in controlling
lacing. A spangled bar has the tendency to throw (that is,
to breed) spangles, or spangling in the females. Note care-
fully the laced bar of the male presented on page 52. The
more even we can have the feathers that form this bar, the
better.
Feather No. 4 is from the shoulder, and is practically
50 THE WYANDOTTES.
perfect. Nos. 5, 6, 7 and 8 are back and saddle feathers.
These may be pronounced perfect, according to our stand-
ard. The camera has not brought out clearly the striping
of these feathers. The stripes in Nos. 6, 7, and 8 end at the
proper place, with the gold edging extending entirely around
the stripe at the points of the feathers, and the inside center
—what the standard calls a diamond—runs down in the
striping to a needle point, so fine the naked eye can hardly
see it, and the same with the black striping. The engrav-
ings cannot be expected to bring these fine lines out in their
natural distinctness.
I ask breeders of this variety to note particularly feather
No. 8. This is one of the last feathers of the side, what I
call a lower side hanger. Look your cockerels over to see
how many feathers you can find like this one, showing equal
+ FIRST PRILE 77 NEW YORK.
AEDs OWNED
IRA C- KELLEP -
PROSPECT
GOLDEN WYANDOTTE PULLET ‘FASHION,
striping. You will find large numbers with
striping on these lower feathers.
searcely any
Many breeders never
I have called attention to it
Even most of our judges overlook it. These
feathers, when striped, add great beauty to the bird, and
belong to the saddle, which the standard requires to be
striped.
think of this lower striping.
many times.
No. 9 shows a very pretty feather selected from the
fluff. No. 10 is one of the bird’s tail coverts. These tail
coverts are usually black, but the reader will observe that
this one is laced. Such feathers add beauty to the bird, and
a male that carries well-laced tail coverts will transmit, to
a degree, this lacing to the coverts of the female, an impor-
tant section, while if the male’s tail coverts are solid black
you may expect very small centers, or none at all, on the
female.
aid before, Plate I represents ideal plum-
age for a Golden Wyandotte male, both in lacing and as
my
A PRIZE WINNER AT NEW YORK,
showing a breeding bird of the kind that will produce fe-
males (either Golden or Silver) with open centers all over;
also males with elegant striping and breasts well laced, hav-
ing large centers. The standard of 1893 made a wonderful
step forward when it called for a lighter colored Wyandotte,
that is, a narrower laced one. The “black crows,” as we
would now call them, were once considered to be good, but
the tendency toward open centers and lighter colored birds
has been present ever since I first knew anything about the
Goldens, or their Silver cousins. When it is the natural
tendency of a breed or variety to become more beautiful,
certainly the standard should be changed to accord with it.
Plate II shows six feathers selected from a cock bird two
years old. Note the evenness of the under-color in all sec-
tions. Feather No. 1 is from the neck. This feather is very
evenly striped, but the striping is carried
too far down through the golden edging,
otherwise it is perfect. No. 2 is taken from
the saddle or back and is a perfect feather,
Observe the striping and the center of this
feather. No. 3 is a shoulder covert, clear in
color, not of a black or smoky color. No. 5 is
taken from the center of the breast. This
feather is not as good as it should be. The
center is too straight and small, and is not
true with respect to the shape of the feather.
No. 6 is a wing covert, forming the bar. The
lacing of the feather is not true enough and
breaks over the shaft. No. 4 is selected from
the fluff and is, in our estimation, a perfect
feather. It adds much to the beauty of the
fowl, and every breeder who knows his busi-
ness wants the fluff and legs well laced.
The laced Wyandottes still have some
faults as to fancy points, but the last five
years have witnessed a greater improvement
in them than was expected. The best breed-
ers of them have made great progress. The
old-time smuttiness of neck, hackle and sad-
dle feathers is not now seen so often; they
are much cleaner, in fact, one may now see
many specimens at our shows with almost
perfect necks.
Golden males are now often seen whose
breasts are laced from the throat down past
the thighs, in fact, such birds are now com-
paratively easy to produce. Very few now
come with spangling on the lower breast,
unless mated too light.
The comb is to-day probably the most
faulty section on Wyandottes, although there has been a
rapid and marked improvement here. In your matings
avoid a too large and too broad comb, and have the combs of
males and females as even and shapely as possible.
However, the male Wyandotte has been wonderfully im-
proved, especially in shape, in gold color and in lacings.
We now see far fewer smutty necks, the right depth of gold
color has been reached in both sexes, white in ear-lobes has
almost entirely disappeared, and stubs on the shanks—
which were very common in the variety’s early history—
are seldom seen now.
It is astonishing what careful, systematic and intelli-
gent breeding will accomplish in the course of ten years.
Let those who can recollect the crude specimens of only
thirteen years ago, place them, in the mind’s eye, alongside
of the best specimens of the breed as they exist to-day, and
ponder on and take new courage from the wonderful con-
trast. Jt is indeed a fascinating work.
THE WYANDOTTES. 51
GOLDEN WYANDOTTE FEMALES.
It is difficult for one to say which is the more beautiful,
the male or female Golden Wyandotte, as both possess great
beauty. Certainly one can find beauty enough in the female
to satisfy the eye of the most ardent fancier. She has a
shape differing from that of any other breed of fowl.
Her head should be short, deep and medium broad,
with bay eyes, red ear-lobes, wattles of medium length and a
rose comb that is low, of medium width, curving with the
shape of the head and terminating with a neat, small spike.
The neck should be broad and full, of medium length and
well arched. The back should be short with a gentle rise
and cushion. We like to see the breast quite full, broad,
deep, well-rounded, and the keel bone carried well down
The lacing
varies greatly, and a person often sees breeders who use
birds with the small centers, the feathers on the back only
shafted or striped with bay, showing no lacing at all. The
breeder who has persevered in breeding for open centers has
been well paid. It is nature, for ever since I have known
the laced Wyandotte I have found that its tendency is to
breed to larger centers.
There was a “dark-bird” fad some years ago, and most
people wanted a dark Wyandotte. As a result a great injury
was done to the breed. This affected the Silvers more than
it did the Goldens. Some people still want them dark. One
of our old judges claims that the dark birds are the best.
The trouble lies here: Some six years ago the standard
bay centers, laced with a rich greenish-black.
Plate I1I—Showing Seven Excellent Feathers Plucked from a Grand Golden Wyandotte Hen.
between the legs. Thighs should be short, stout and well
meated. Body and fluff well developed. Tail, short, well
spread like the letter V and carried a little upward.
Here we have an almost ideal fowl in shape, for utility
as well as for beauty. The Golden Wyandotte has been
known to lay as many as 200 eggs in a year, and this from
a breed that carries a weight of from six to eight pounds
for the female, and eight to ten pounds for the male, with a
quantity of flesh that but few breeds equal, fairly enti-
tles them to rank high as a general purpose fowl. The pul-
lets develop quickly and begin to lay at an early age.
Plumage of Female.
She has a style of plumage that is hard to produce in
correct color and markings, like that of several other parti-
colored fowls. The standard Golden hen or pullet of to-day
is very attractive to the eye, with her large, open, golden
first called for a lighter Wyandotte and it has now become a
general demand. Some of the breeders were slow to “catch
on” and got left. To change a breed or variety, from dark
to light in lacing, can not be done in a year or two. The
breeders who have always been breeding for medium cen-
ters, and have, of late years, increased or enlarged them,
have reaped a rich harvest.
Every loving fancier of the Wyandotte prefers the open
lacing, as shown on the hen Fashion, presented on page 50
(See also her feathers in Plate III.) This hen had no moss-
ing and was full laced all over. Mr. Sewell’s sketch of her
is quite good. Her shape was not the best. Her tail should
be carried a little higher, her cushion should be more abun-
dant, and the breast should be more full. Her comb is
straight, where it should curve with shape of head. Other-
wise I like her.
The plumage of this grand hen is shown in Plate III.
‘J2][9gq Wopurd AA Uapjoy pasojon susIg v JO SUO}Iag jUAIAI TIC wWoIy paexn[g ssayyeay uray Burmoyg—*A] 23%Iq
THE WYANDOTTES. 53
These feathers were plucked when she was two years old.
The engraver has reduced the size of the feathers about one-
third. 5
Feather No. 1 is a hackle, nearly perfect. No. 2 is taken
from the breast and is good enough. Nos. 3 and 4 are from
the wing. These are excellent, though at the end of feather
No. 4 you will note it does not carry the shape of the center
as well as does No. 3, it is a little too pointed. No. 5 is a
back feather taken from between the shoulders. This is
good. No. 6 is a cushion feather. In lacing, shape of feather
and center I call No. 6 perfect. No. 7 is a cushion or lesser
tail covert. Note how perfect this center is. It may be
seen that this center is perfectly clear. Also note the deep,
uniform under-color shown in all these sections.
_ The lacing of this hen is carried well back in the fluff
and the greater part of the fluff is laced, a valuable point in
a breeder. A hen with so uniformly good plumage is not
often seen. Pullets are now often produced with this uni-
form and open lacing, but comparatively few of them molt
in as clear laced hens. They usually come out of the molt
with clear breasts and wings, but seldom with a clear back
and cushion. If clear in cushion the breast lacing has prob-
ably run out.
We next take up Plate IV. Here we have ten feathers
selected from a pullet with a very narrow lacing. All these
feathers are from the one bird. Of course they are not all
perfect. The size of these has also been reduced about one-
third or a little more. The reader will notice that the width
of these lacings is quite uniform in all sections, and I know
you will agree with me that this looks much better than
would be the case were the centers only one-half as large.
Feather No. 1 is a hackle feather. It is very good, but has the
inside center, like that described in the male, page 49. Here
is what I like, and I know from experience that this kind of
lower hackle feathers are extremely necessary to produce
pullets with plumage like that shown in Plate IV. I
should like the standard to allow these inside centers. They
may be either large or small, just so the outside black stripe
is sharp, clean cut and black, and the golden edging is clear
as in the plate, where you will note the stripe ends at the
proper place. There is no outside gold edging on this pullet.
Feather No. 2 is a lower breast feather, and No. 3 an
upper breast feather, near the throat. No. 3 is perfect, while
in No. 2 the center is a little more on the side of shaft than
on the other. Nos. 5, 6 and 7 are from the wings. These are
perfect, or what we would call such. The color of the lacing
is an intense greenish-black, with no edging, no mossing.
No. 7 is from the fore part of the wing, No. 5 is from the
center, and No. 6 is from the second row that forms the two
bars. With centers of this size or larger, one will find that
each center on the bird shows to splendid advantage, and
the two rows of bars will be distinctly seen. With this size
centers one sees about three-fifths of gold or white, and two-
fifths of black.
No. 8 is taken -rom the back, between the shoulders, and
is a good one, still it is not quite perfect. No. 9 is a real
gem. How could it be better? Here is a good feather to
earry in one’s eye. It is really a “gold standard.” No. 10 is
a tail covert, and very good, still the center at the end
should be carried farther down and conform with the shape
of the end of the feather.
In this female we have the happy medium, each section
the same in depth of lacing, which makes the bird look uni-
form in all sections. Here we have a Wyandotte of surpass-
ing beauty. Put this plumage on a fairly perfect form and
you have a bird that will win in very fast company, one
that is worthy of the name, the Beauty Breed.
I wish to speak here of lacing more particularly than of
the shape. I hope some day to be able to produce these cen-
ters with the ends broader, more like our best Sebrights.
The centers are now too sharp in both the Golden and Silver
Wyandottes. We have these broad centers in the Butt Laced
Wyandottes.
Note again Feather No. 2 in Plate IV. If the sharp
point to this feather were not there and the outside lacing
were not so heavy at the end, but were as narrow as the
side lacing, would it net be pretty? These large, round-end
centers can be produced. We know one Silver Wyandotte
breeder who has accomplished it, and the lacings on the
wings does not overlap so much, but looks more like rings.
While our best show pullets look like perfect birds, indeed
they are not yet near perfect. There is still a vast amount
of room for improvement.
How I wish they bred as true as the Sebrights! Think
of the Wyandotte being scored at present as high as the best
Sebrights! They are all scored too high. I do not believe
there is a Sebright in America that will honestly score over
95 points.
The greatest fault of the laced Wyandotte is the mossing
of the centers. This is very hard to work out. A pullet may
be free from mossing her first year, but when she is two
years old she may not have a clear center on her. But not
many do as poorly as this. They usually molt in with at
least a clear breast and clear wings. It is slow work breed-
ing this defect out, but time will work wonders.
The hens that show the clearest centers should always
be kept as breeders. Spangling has disappeared fast, combs
have been greatly improved, and so has the shape of the
female. The type does not now vary so much. Especially
in the Golden this short, blocky shape was seldom seen a
few years ago. The Golden formerly was longer in body,
had more length of leg, and was a larger and coarser fowl
than the Silver, but to-day one sees Goldens with the true
Wyandotte shape, and we see a great many more of them
each year.
MATING GOLDEN WYANDOTTES.
The art of breeding is a great study and an intensely
interesting one. While one gains much from experience—
which is really the best teacher—still the amateur gets
many points from reading that it would take him years to
learn from experience, though perhaps the teachings of the
latter are less easily forgotten. I may say that what I know
about Golden Wyandottes I have learned chiefly from expe-
rience; but I realize that could some one have told me
twelve years ago exactly how to mate, I should have made
a great deal more money. I am in the poultry business, like
most others, for what I get out of it, and I find it as profita-
ble as many other lines of business. Fancy poultry can be
made to pay, and pay well, and I know of no better paying
varieties than the Wyandottes. Like other breeds, they
must be well mated to produce best results, and no good
birds need be expected from poor matings. Stock that has
been well mated and bred in line for a number of years,
though not of the highest grade, will, if properly mated, pro-
duce a good per cent of very fancy birds. Blood will tell,
and will show its good qualities as well as bad. On the
other hand, an excellent mating of carelessly bred stock
can not be depended on to reproduce itself. Too many per-
sons in the poultry business think they must introduce new
blood from a different strain each year, and so go backward
instead of forward, because nearly every breeder’s birds dif-
fer some in type and plumage. When these different types
are crossed some of the offspring resemble the male, some
the female, and some resemble neither. Then such breeders
generally get a male from another type to mate with the
54
THE WYANDOTTES.
pullets of the several types, and the next season they have
nothing good, scarcely any two chicks resembling each
other. This is my advice: If you get what you want from
a reliable breeder who has a well established strain, and
who breeds large numbers, buy your new blood gf him. He
probably understands breeding much better than you and he
does not inbreed enough to injure his stock. If he is hon-
est he will not furnish you stock that is too closely related.
TI would not give a cent for a specimen for breeding pur-
poses, no matter how fine it is, if it had not been inbred,
Color.
There are many points in breeding Golden Wyandottes
to be considered. First, I will speak of color. I find that
most of the Golden Wyandotte breeders do not understand
what golden bay means. Some think it is a light shade of
gold, others think it a chestnut or red. It is a color hard to
describe. If you should take an eighteen karat gold and mix
red with it, you would get the color, though of course it
would all depend on how much red you added. Golden bay,
as I understand it, is a dark rich gold, but not bay. We see
OMI0 BOY 15" AMERICA
FIRST PRIZES AT CHICAGS 1839 »
FIRST PRIZES AT NEW YORK E99»
sD BRED AND OWNED By
FASS IRA GC KELLER»
z PROSPECT/OHIO-
—,
==
PRIZE-WINNING GOLDEN WYANDOTTES.
First Cock at Chicago and New York, 1899.
for it will seldom reproduce itself. Inbreeding is a great fac-
tor in the success of the fancier of poultry, horses, cattle,
hogs or sheep. The height of perfection can not be reached
without inbreeding.
seen in its get.
The type of inbred stock will be easily
If you see a nice flock of birds that closely
resemble each other, ask the breeder if he inbreeds, and he
will tell you that he
Golden Wyandottes
does. I do not advocate inbreeding
than, say, first Some
breeds will stand more and closer inbreeding than others,
closer cousins,
but never, if possible to avoid it, breed a male and female
that have the same faults.
First Pullet at New York, 1898 and First Hen at Chicago, 1899.
bay in its perfection in the horse family. Most of the Golden
Wyandottes that judges usually call prime in color are too
dark a gold or bay, or too red. And here I might say that if
judges paid enough attention to color in this breed they
I have often noticed them scoring.
a row of ten cockerels
and well striped, but
would not score so high.
There for instance,
the saddles of which are clear
each of a different shade of gold. Seldom willone be
cut for while usually there is but one in the
class that should be pronounced perfect in the color of that
section.
will be,
color,
THE WYANDOTTES. 55
To Produce Proper Color and Markings.
If your females are too red or bay, you should use a
male that has a light, even, rich gold color. This will
lighten the color in the offspring. But never try to produce
the desired change of color in one season, for you can not
establish a medium color from two extremes in one cross.
The deep red or chestnut color of the breed is more deeply
seated in the male than in the female. And these deep col-
ors are necessary to keep up a good golden bay.
If the inales are too red, select those females that have
the light, mellow gold color and a golden bay male, or if you
have not such use a male of the red color. This will produce
pullets approaching near the golden bay. Mate these pul-
lets to a deep, rich, golden bay male and you should get the
proper shade of color in a few specimens at least.
In breeding for open centers of cushion you will lose the
depth of breast lacing of the female. To produce these
large centers select your females that have them and select
a male that has a strong, well-laced breast with not too
large centers, with the plumage in neck, back, wing and
saddle like that shown in cockerel plumage in Plate No. I.
Such a mating should produce a fair per cent of pullets with
good sized centers all over, and nice, very open-laced cock-
erels. Im producing a good, strongly laced male use cock-
erels from above mating on fairly heavily laced females.
If the females are too open, so as to grow quite weak in
breast, use a male that is quite as strongly marked as plum-
age of cock in Plate No. II. Some of the pullets will be
quite well laced all over of a rather heavy nature. These,
if mated to a male with plumage like that of cockerel in
Plate No. I, will produce some pullets up to the standard re-
quirements in lacing, and from this mating you-will get a
good per cent of standard marked cockerels.
To produce puliets with clear, open centers all over, a
fair per cent of which will not molt into clear-centered hens,
use a male with plumage in each section like cockerel plum-
age in Plate No. I, and keep it up year after year and you
will accomplish it. Remember by breeding Wyandottes
heavily laced you do not get clear-centered hens. You must
breed open-centered pullets to molt into clear-laced hens.
You have many sections to look after ard improve in both
male and female. If you have a bird that has one or two
sections quite perfect and is fairly good in other sections,
use it, and you will stamp your stock. It is best to always
select the maies for breeding that have the best average
plumage, color, shape and comb. Then mate to females of
the proper width of lacing. One, to be suecessful with the
breed, should be prepared to make many matings, for if you
have ten females you wish to mate with a male, it is not
likely that over two to four will mate with him well. You
would better only mate one or two properly than the whole
ten improperly. You will have much better birds at the
end of the season. If they are not well mated you can not
get very many good chicks. It is hard to get of any fancy
breed a dozen females to match a male exactly. Some think
small matings are very expensive, but I assure you, if
mated right they pay.
I should advise breeders to pay more attention to thigh
and leg lacing. Have them well laced, as they are one of
the most beautiful sections. Breed from them. I like to see
the lacing commence at the throat and run past the thighs
without a break. We have produced lacing on a male’s legs
every center of which was nearly a quarter of an inch wide,
and fluff or thigh lacing seven-eighths of an inch wide. On
females we have had it half an inch wide.
Bear in mind that the richer the gold of the shafts of
both male and female, the better and prettier will be the
dark slate under-color, which may be mixed with gold or
buff. This is another very important point in breeding.
Look after the wing bar of the male to see whether it is
well laced. It should be, for it plays a very important part
in the lacing of the female. If the secondaries of both male
and female are well laced, so much the better. Produce all
the fluff lacing you can en both sexes, just so the lacing is
black. A laced fluff is much prettier than one powdered with
gold and biack. We produce many specimens in which
nearly every feather of the thighs is laced clear down to the
shanks. Look at the tail filling, I call it, the feathers that
fill in between the tail behind. If these be laced, so much
the better. The more the short tail coverts of the male are
laced the better, especially the lower ones, for these play an
important part in producing the large open tail coverts of
the pullets. Try to preduce all the plumage of the breed
laced, except the male tail feathers, the sickles, hangers,ard
the fluffy pertion of the rear part of the fowl. This lacing
can be produced as I have said and shown. It is not theory,
as we have accomplished it. We have produced lacing of the
fluff of both sexes in goodly numbers to almost the size of
the breast lacing. I may say here that I have devoted almost
my entire time for over thirteen years to this fowl and I
have accomplished a great deal in the way of improvements
in all sections. Breeding will accomvlish wonders. It is my
aim to help others to produce better Wyandottes and more
of them, to create more breeders and to bring the different
types closer together. I wish to say here again that by pro-
ducing a bird with lacing in all sections we will have a fowl
approached by none in beauty. IRA C. KELLER.
THE BEAUTY BREED
The Qualities that Should be Found in Line-bred Stock to Produce Exhibition Specimens,
BY FRED G. MASON, SUCCESSOR TO H. D. MASON & SONS.
ORTUNATELY, while the breeding of high-
class exhibition Golden Wyandottes is a sci-
ence that requires thought and study, at the
same time it is both pleasant and profitable.
As a variety they have been before the public
for about twelve years and are fast gaining in popular-
ity. The American fancy has had the extreme dark and
also has been threatened with the extreme light or Sebright
Golden Wyandottes, but has settled down to a medium col-
ored Golden Wyandotte, as now described in the American
Standard of Perfection. We have bred the Golden Wyan-
dottes as a specialty since their first introduction, and have
found them to be great layers and grand for table use, be-
sides being the most handsome fowl in existence.
We are strong advocates of line breeding and have prac-
ticed the same for many years. We produce both males and
females from the same mating and believe it to be the only
correct way to establish a reliable strain. In selecting your
breeding stock, first consider the qualities that should be
found in all Wyandottes, namely, good Wyandotte shape,
yellow legs, good size, bay eyes, and a good comb. Form an
opinion as to the relative values of the qualities found in
your Golden Wyandottes and seek each year to breed out
the most serious defect, with as many of the remaining
defects as possibie You may think it advisable to sacrifice
a little in comb, or size, or perhaps a little in shape in a few
specimens, in order to stamp in your stock something fine
in feather markings, which the others do not possess. If
your stock reaches standard weight at maturity without the
aid of surplus fat, be content and do not seek to add to their
size, as it will rob them to a great extent of two of the most
important qualities that should characterize the Wyandotte,
namely, egg production and early maturity. If your stock is
undersized and you wish to retain them on account of fine
feather markings, do not try to remedy the defect in size in
one season by procuring an extra large male, but try to
accomplish the desired end in two or three matings.
In females choose those that are as near to standard
requirements as possible. Aim to have the golden center in
each feather from one-half to two-thirds of the width of
each feather, and also to conform to the shape of the web of
the feather. The widest centered feathers should be found
on the breast, and gradually decrease in width as they
approach the tail. Strive to have the lacing on the end of
each feather no wider than on the side. In selecting your
male see that he is not defective in body under-color.
Remember the wing bar and have it well laced, as it plays
an important part in the production of fine pullets. Have
the centers of the feathers that form the wing bar or wing
coverts of a deep bay color with a lacing of glossy black. In
the saddle feathers have the inside center of each feather of
a deep golden bay, laced with black, the whole to be fringed
with golden bay. In the hackle we prefer a golden shaft
dividing the black center in equal parts, the same to be
fringed with golden bay. The center of each feather in a
56
.
male’s breast should not be over two-thirds of its width, and
even a little less than one-half of the width of the feather if
vou are troubled to confine the golden centers in the female's
breast. Strive to have each feather from throat to thighs
with a golden bay center, the same to be laced with lustrous
black and sharply defined. We prefer tail-coverts with rich
golden bay centers of about one-half their width, also gol-
den shafts to the sickle feathers and a golden bay center in
thigh feathers of not more than one-half their width.
If you wish to deepen the color of the centers in the
females, use a male that has deeper color, as he has greater
power to transmit color than the female. It has been our
experience that the deeper the color of the centers the easier
it is to hold the lacing. Do not use a bird with white in the
tail, as that is a defect that should have long ago disap-
peared. And if a bird shows white in wings, do not use him
unless he be excellent in most sections, and poor in none.
Learn to discriminate between natural white and white
caused by accident or injury. A large percentage of the
white found in wings is caused by an injury to the feathers
in their early growth, and especially is this so of the white
occasionally found on the wing tips.
He who thinks of breeding fancy fowls, either for pleas-
ure or profit, or both, will make no mistake in selecting the
Golden Wyandottes. Try to obtain stock from a breeder
who has a good reputation, one whose birds have many gen-
erations of ancestors of the same blood line to hold and
transmit the qualities that they possess. Remember that the
degree of excellence that the line bred Golden Wyandotte
may attain is largely due to feed and care. If you do not
feel able to start with fowls, you can buy eggs and soon have
a flock of fowls that will be greatly admired by your friends
and neighbors, and cause you to be a life-long friend and
champion of the “Beauty Breed.”
[Note—Mr. Mason is a strong believer in medium cen-
ters on both males and females, and his stock shows that he
preduces this type of bird in both sexes to a marked degree.
He has had the best training along these lines from _ his
father, the late Mr. H. D. Mason, who, during his life, was
one of the best posted Golden Wyandotte breeders in Amer-
ica. Mr. Mason advocates safe ground for an amateur to
follow, and even the old heads, who speculate too far on
extremes in color, are only too glad to get this conservative
blood to put them back in line. Golden Wyandotte breeders
have some advantages over breeders of the Silver variety, as
the golden color is not so much affected by the sun. The
Golden Wyandotte breeder has advantage also in that he can
produce good males and females from the same yard. Mr.
H. D. Mason showed the writer cockerels and pullets that
were full brothers and sisters and they all possessed the cor-
rect shape and color markings to qualify them for show
birds. The strong points of the parents were equally repre-
sented in both males and females. The same mingling of
color in the Silver variety would show cockerels not so well
marked as the Goldens, while the pullets would be stronger.
We call the reader’s attention to this, as each breed or va-
riety has its own peculiarities in mating and there is much
to be learned.—Editor.]
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Powe ole 2
RELIABLE POULTRY-JOURNAL
COPYRIGHT
WHITE WYANDOTTES—By SEWELL.
Characteristics, shape and standard requirements are substantially the same as those given for the Silvers except that the color of this
variety is pure white,
O BREED of fowls of recent origin stands
higher in the commercial world than does the
White Wyandotte. Its reputation is not re-
stricted to America, but wherever this fowl
has been bred to any extent, it is recognized
as the middle weight fowl par excellence for
table use. To this quality is added their remarkable egg-
producing ability. Under special circumstances a pen of this
breed has yielded 210 eggs per bird in one year.
Aside from their commercial value they are the fancy
fowl which has a greater number of admirers than any other
solid color variety in the American standard. Their
handsome white plumage, fine symmetrical outlines well-
developed breasts and thighs, low rose combs and blocky
build develop the amateur who breeds them into a fancier.
hey attract a great many from the outside world to our
ever-growing army of poultry enthusiasts. This breed of
fowls will in time be recognized as the Plymouth Rock’s
greatest rival in every section of the country. The Ameri-
can fancier may well feel proud that its origin is strictly
American.
White Wyandotte Shape.
The shape of this variety is the same as that outlined in
See color-plate frontispiece.
charts 1 and 2. As you will remember, the female used as a
model for chart No. 2 was in reality a White Wyandotte, a
winner in the Boston show of 1898. By referring to the
chart and the deseription of the same in the discussion of
the silver variety, you will get all the information that is
necessary along this line, and I am sure any one who reads
understandingly will be able to make a better selection of
his breeding stock.
In many parts of the country there will be found birds
of this variety that look shorter on their legs than the
standard requires and they are often cut by the judges for
this apparent defect. If you have a specimen of this kind
in your yard, make a careful measurement of this section.
You will find, as a rule, that your eye has misled you. I
have found that White Wyandottes, especially the females,
have longer plumage around the thighs and fluff than the
other varieties of Wyandottes have and for this reason the
birds look a trifle squatty or short on their legs. These ap-
parently short-legged birds have, as a rule, short backs and
deep breasts, and are, in fact, the very birds you want to
breed. Do not understand me as favoring a duck leg ona
Wyandotte. I want the shank long enough to meet the
requirements of the standard as illustrated ir the chart, but
57
58 THE WYANDOTTES.
I caution you to look carefully for the long plumage and sec
if the bird is in reality as short-legged as it appears.
In this variety as well as the other varieties of the Wy-
andotte, look well to the shape of the back, for without a
good back you can absolutely make no progress toward per-
fecting a strain. If the back is good you invariably get
other good points which go a long way toward making an
ideal fowl.
Color of White Wyandottes.
The new standard is very severe on the color question
and breeders of this variety will have to be very careful in
the selection of breeding stock if they expect to pass muster
in the show room. Any flecking on a feather will be con-
sidered a serious defect, and if shown on more than one
feather it disqualifies the specimen. Breeders are spending
lots of thought trying to discover how to breed ‘‘stay white”
birds. Some are trying different kinds of food, others keep
the birds in the shade and still others advocate sunshine.
The fact of the matter is, if you have the color in the blood
it is going to crop out some time, and the only way I know
to get rid of it is to breed it out. A breeder with a lot of
work and patience can get any bird in show color—so can
any woman change the color of her hair, but it is only an
artificial color and it will fade. What we want in a white
fowl is absolutely white plumage, not yellow or cream, but
pure white. It is true that we have only started on color
breeding and the faker who has learned the art of changing
colors has a big advantage over the honest man who has
only nature to help him, but the latter will win in the long
run and he will be honored as the trickster can never hope to
be.
To successfully breed any of the white varieties and
place them on exhibition free from sunburn or yellowish
east, is a big undertaking. We find just such specimens
every winter at our western shows and they are bred that
Way and have not been artificially bleached into show con-
dition. The per cent of these pure white birds is small, we
admit; but there are enough of them to show what can be
done and to furnish material with which to work. Breeders
should feel encouraged and should strive still harder. In
the west we do not know when to get a bird’s record or
when to keep it out of the show room. There is more or
less yellow in the new feathers of our very whitest birds.
This yellow will show for a time, or in fact, as long as the
quill is used to furnish the matter to make the feather. This
is what we term the immature life of the feather and the
specimen is not in shape to show when its plumage is in this
condition. If a specimen is white before molting, it will be
white after the molt. All you have to do is to give them
time to “color down,” as we put it. Sunburn or copper color
is a serious defect in a White Wyandotte and in my judg-
ment should be discounted as severely as the black flecking.
To have a few feathers come with a Slight tracing of
black or dead color in the back, neck and wings, is a great
disappointment. Still if we will stop to think a minute, we
could not expect anything else. The White Wyandotte came
from the Silver cross and they certainly have a certain
amount of black blood in them which must come to the sur-
face once in a while, but the yellow cast is not inherited
from their ancestors and we can surely get rid of it by judi-
cious mating. This sunburn appears more prominently in
the male and is found on the neck, back and shoulders prin-
cipally. It is easy to understand why it should appear on
the neck and back, but why it should crop out on the wings
is Something of a puzzle. The hackle and saddle being com-
posed of long feathers, it is hard for nature to supply oil
enough to protect the outside from the severe heat of the
sun, but the shoulders are composed of short feathers and
nature should be able to keep them white. In scoring for
this defect, the cuts run from one-half to one and one-half
in all sections. Should there be a trace of flecking, the cut
will be from one half to one point more in each section.
Should the neck be good on the surface but show a yellow
tint underneath, the cut would be one-half point. If the
wings are good on the surface, but show yellow quills in the
secondaries and flight feathers, the cut is one-half to one
according to the degree. If a bird shows off-color in any
section, such as grease or paint or any foreign substance,
the cut is one point, and the cut should be made in the con-
dition column and the sections affected should be designated
with a check mark on the card.
Feeding for Color.
Feeding to produce a pure white color has been a serious
study with some fanciers, and some have proved that it has
an effect in particular cases. Considering my Own exper-
ience, I say look to nature for your remedy and study nature
for the cause and effect. It is reasonable to suppose that a
part of the diet of a fowl goes to form the coloring matter
of its plumage and we have learned that it is a fact that
some foods contain much more of this coloring matter than
others. After a feather is grown you can do nothing to
change it, that is, it is a finished production and feeding any
particular diet cannot change it. But there was a time in
the history of the feather when you could have helped na-
ture to add a different shade to it. That was the time when
the feather was growing and its quill was full of sap. If at
that time we had fed for color, being careful not to allow
our fowls anything but the whitest kinds of food, we could
undoubtedly have helped to make the plumage white, but
after the feathers are matured it is too late to remedy the
favlt, unless we want to pluck the fowl and try it over. If
you wish to help the color of your fowls it must be in the
molting season, as that is the time and the only time when
food can affect the plumage.
White Wyandotte Females.
What has already been said in regard to the defects in
the shape of the Silver and Golden Wyandotte females may
preperly be applied to the White, Buff and Black varieties.
This is also true of the color of the eyes and ear-lobes, so I
will not tire you by repeating it. In discussing the white
variety, I shall mention a few of the defects found in the
plumage, and shall warn the amateur not to believe his best
specimen is pure whiie until he has carefully examined
every section on her for off-colored feathers. I was ina
yard of White Wyandotees a few months ago and was told
by the owner that he had a flock that he could guarantee
were pure white in every section. I asked him if he meant
that they were absolutely white without any coloring of any
kind. He said they were and that he would give me every
bird that I could find with any sign of black or brown in it.
“My friend,” I said, ‘‘you may just as well ship all of them
to me, for you have not a bird on your place that is abso-
lutely free from ticking in all sections.” He became indig-
nant and asked me if I thought he was a fraud. ‘‘No,” I
said, “you are not a fraud, but you do not know as much
about White Wyandottes as you think you do.” He began to
catch the birds and run them over carelessly, claiming that
they were pure white, but when I began to show him where
to look for the off-feathers, he soon learned that he did not
have a single bird that was absolutely white. The White
Wyandottes came from sports of the Silver and there is
black blood in them, so that it is just as natural for them
to throw a few feathers ticked with black as it is for them
to grow. It is not an impurity, it is the natural outcrop-
ping of that black blood and it will be years before it en-
tirely disappears.
I think the present standard is entirely too severe on
this variety, and a close application of it will lead to faking
and feather pulling on the part of exhibitors. I am sure the
judges do the breed an injustice by disqualifying for the
trace of flecking so often found in their plumage. If the
specimen shows unmistakable signs of foreign color, then
debar the bird, but where faint traces of flecking appear,
discount them from one-half to one and one-half, according
to the degree. The plumage throughout, including the
quills, should be pure white and when yellow or straw color
appears, the cut is from one-half to one and one-half. This
cut refers to every section of the bird, but the discoloration
most often appears in the neck, back, wings and tail.
The legs and toes are the same as the Silvers and the
discount is the same, but there is a defect in the color of legs
not so often met in the Silvers. I refer to the pale or white
shanks. The shanks should be yellow and when they are
pale or light colored the cut is from one-half to two, accord-
ing to the degree, THEO, HEWES.
STAN DARD-BRED WHITE WYANDOTTES.
The ‘‘Best Breed for Broilers,’”” and a Keen Rival for Highest Honors as the Best General Purpose Fow/l—Points on
Breeding this Beautiful and Useful Variety to Standard Requirements.
BY ARTHUR G. DUSTON.
ERMIT me to set forth in a plain way some
thoughts in regard to the mating and breeding
of the noble White Wyandotte that may be of
value to the readers of this book. The White
Wyandottes are true sports or albinos of the
Silvers, and were brought out by a number of breeders at
about the same time. They were admitted to the standard
in 1888 and for some years enjoyed considerable popularity,
but later they hardly held their own. I know when I first
began to breed them they were a yery small class in our
shows. Often the entry of one breeder formed the whole
exhibit. It must have been much easier to win then!
In 1894, after trying several of the more popular breeds,
I at length decided to handle but one variety of one breed,
and do my best with that
one. Finding that the
White Wyandotte made the
best broiler and roaster;
that it is of quick growth,
standing heavy feed and
forcing; that it is an early
and prolific layer, docile
and exceedingly beautiful
withal; in fact, that in my
hands it proved to be the
best all-round bird of the
five kinds I tried, I discard-
ed the others and became
a specialist. I have faith-
fully advertised them and
when oceasion offered have
written about them (as
haveothers) until to-day the
White Wyandotte is one
one of the most popular varieties of standard-bred fowls.
Now it is often the largest instead of the smallest_class in
our shows. They have only to be tried to make frineds.
In writing of mating it will not be out of place to give a
short description of the two birds shown in the frontispiece
as being somewhat ideal. The cock is a “stay white” bird
and so is the hen. Both have fine heads, rather stout, with
a low comb of nice shape which, when chicks, were well-
pebbled. Their backs are short, rising to the tail, which
should always be short and fairly well spread. The body is
deep with 2 full breast and considerable fluff, and it is set on
a pair of stout, yellow legs. Such birds are active and will
reproduce themselves in a good percentage of the chicks.
Now a few words in regard to the breeding pen. If we
could start with a pen of ideal birds it would be quite a sim-
ple matter to breed winners, provided, of course, that their
parentage was up to standard and the blood of the males and
of the females was not antagonistic, but “nicked,” as we say.
But we have two, three or ten females with Wyandotte
shape and only a difference in the carrying of the tail or
head, or one’s comb is a trifle hollow, or some one of a hun-
dred minor differences is apparent in each bird. Hence we
must watch carefully what males we put with these females.
It would be difficult for anyone to tell exactly how he puts
up two birds, and he cannot always tell why.
I think one of the first considerations in the breast. Try
to get a male standing “wide apart” with a generous fullness
in breast. Never put a hollow-chested male (which is a bad
fault) with females having the same defect. We want the
best combs we can get, but never discard a choice breeder on
account of the comb unless the defect amounts to a disquali-
fication. The eye should be bay and the plumage white.
While we are commenting on the plumage, it might be well
to state that as the white variety is yet so near to the Silver
Wyandotte, it is no wonder that we get scme gray in the
plumage. I have seen breeders who claim that their stock
never has any. If that be so, their birds must get it by in-
The kind of White Wyandottes Bred by Mr. A, G. Duston.
fection very soon after leaving their owners’ yards. We all
get it and there is no use in saying we do not. We are all
trying to get away from it. So if you geta bird with some
gray in him, do not call the breeder a fraud.
If the female is inclined to carry her tail too high, try
to overcome it in the progeny by using a male carrying a
low tail, which has as much width or fullness as possible.
Never use a male with greenish legs or with green flecks
under the scales, because from such a breeder come the
green-legged birds. I always soup them.
We are all trying for greater weight and I fear we shall
overreach ourselves. Calls come for nine-pound cockerels.
Don’t do it! Try to add a little to your weights each year.
If you put such large males with undersized females you will
lose the shape and compactness so essentially Wyandotte.
The best birds I ever raised or saw as regards shape, were
those that were nearest standard weight. They are the neat,
catchy fellows and they will cover all the claims we make
for the Wyandottes. If we keep trying as the demand seems
to be to add a pound or two over standard weight, will we
not lose the early maturing qualities in a great measure ?
We want a rich yellow leg, and it is almost entirely due
to the run the birds have. If free range on a green grass is
59
60 THE WYANDOTTES.
given them, not one per cent will fail to have as richly col-
ored legs as you want.
I have tried to mention a few of the first principles of
mating, telling something about what we want. Bear in
mind to seek to weaken any defect in the female breeders as
far as possible by having the same section especially strong
in the male, and vice versa. This rule and a close study of
my birds have given me what success I have attained in
breeding White Wyandottes.
After you have your pen carefully selected and put to-
gether, you will be filled with manifold doubts and misgiv-
ings, but if you have given to the work the thought and time
necessary, you should have faith enough to wait and see the
chicks matured before you are discouraged. It is seldom I
would advise making any change in a pen during the breed-
ing season, especially on the recommendation of an outsider
against what has been your best judgment. If the birds
“nick” you win; if they do not, you lose. We have staked
a season’s get that we shall win choice specimens from our
mating. But it is true that two of a family of children
hardly ever look alike. Why, then should we expect all the
get of a pen of beautiful birds to be as good as the parent
stock? I firmly believe that it is possible for ninety per
cent to come so if we are only judicious in our breeding and
make careful records of all matings. I am a convert to this
plan, and [ propose to test it thoroughly.
Your chicks should be culled as closely as possible by
the time they are eight weeks old, so as to give the others
all the room you have, even if you have a hundred acres.
Your coop room is growing rapidly less as they mature.
You must expect to get culls. Some hatches will be bet-
ter than others from the same pen. Is this to be wondered
at when one considers the indifference with which this vari-
ety has been bred for some years past? A prominent breeder
told me that he got a much greater per cent of culls from his
White Wyandottes than from his Barred Plymouth Rocks.
We are going to overcome this in a few years by selection
and methodical breeding.
Regarding the importance of keeping a record of mat-
ings, I will give an illustration. You may believe that I
wish I had kept mine a little closer. I know from what pens
the birds reproduced by Mr. Sewell in the colored plate
came, that is, I know the father. But in breaking up the
pens in the summer I lost track of most of the females that
were in that pen. If they were mated to that male again
the eggs from those hens would be of almost untold value
to me.
Fellow-breeders of White Wyandottes, let us take up
this matter of keeping accurate records of matings with the
determination to carry it through, and then the splendid
teaching of Mr. McGrew in the Reliable Poultry Journal
wiil not be in vain and we shall have lifted our prized White
Wyandottes to such a stage of perfection that breeders of
other varieties will think we have discovered a lost art. As
we can truthfully do sc, we should always write and speak,
as occasions offer themselves, in favor of the White Wyan-
dottes. Anyone who takes to breeding this variety of Wyan-
dottes wil! find we are justified in what we say, for our
favorites stand ready to verify any statement we may make
regarding them.
BREED TOAWN IDEAL
The Selection ot a Breed and Then of a Variety—For the Beginner—Defects Increased by Injudicious Breeding—Ticking ot
Feathers—Feather Pulling—Stay-White White Wyandottes can be Produced.
BY CHARLES G. ARNOLD. Fi
OW often are we asked by persons who are about
to start in the poultry business, ‘‘What breed
would you select if you were I?” This is a ques-
ax" tion all beginners should settle for themselves.
bee TN You know best what are your likes and dislikes.
We have eleven standard varieties in the American class,
all of which are worthy of your attention. The Wyandottes
are becoming more popular every year, and I wish to say
to those who are about to start that you will make no mis-
take in selecting one of the Wyandotte varieties.
No beginner should handle or try to breed more than
one variety.. There is more to learn than you imagine. By
the use of the modern incubator and brooder for hatching
and caring for the chicks one is enabled to commence al-
most any season of the year. The first step a beginner
should take in the poultry business is to subscribe for some
good poultry paper, such as the Reliable Poultry Journal.
The knowledge I have gained from reading that Journal is
the cause of my birds being what they are to-day. Each
issue is equal to a year’s experience.
I have always had a great love for poultry. In 1872 my
uncle, while importing other live stock from England,
brought over a trio of Dark Brahmas and presented them to
my mother, and it was my lot to care for them. Not know-
ing at that time that there were poultry papers to read, our
Brahmas soon suffered for the want of new blood, and in
the course of about seven years our imported birds were no
more.
In 1888 I read my first poultry paper and at that time
having a home of my own, I began raising White Wyan-
dottes. I was quite contented with the birds I then owned
for a few years. Soon I purchased the American Standard
of Perfection and found my Wyandottes were very defec-
tive. I then purchased a choice trio of a noted breeder and
commenced anew. In 1895 I made my first exhibit, not for
the sole purpose of winning, but for what I could learn. I
have bred the White Wyandottes eight years, and each year
I get new and better ideas in regard to mating, feeding,
housing, ete.,
I find if I mate birds having the same defects that their
progeny will show them to an alarming extent. Where the
female is defective, select a male that is exceptionally strong
in her defective sections, and continue to breed against such
defects year after year. Keep constantly in your memory
in what particulars your birds have been deficient and mate
them so as to correct the defects in the progeny. Every
breeder should have in his mind’s eye an ideal fowl of the
variety he is breeding. It should be better than anything
he has ever seen—a perfect specimen in every section. You
may never be able to produce such a bird, but your flock in
general will be greatly improved. Choice specimens cannot
be produced by a haphazard method of mating, An ideal
must be formed and we must breed toward it. The person
who is satisfied with what he has produced and is willing to
accept it as good enough for him is not a true fancier. A
true fancier is one that is always striving to produce better
THE WYANDOTTES.
birds. It makes no difference how good the parent stock is,
he is always looking for something better and when mating
has this object in view—to produce better birds.
When two choice specimens are mated, should you pro-
duce two or three that show a marked improvement over
the parent stock you have done well. Do not think for a
moment that all the progeny is going to be equal to the
parents. You will undoubtedly raise several disqualified
birds, for which no one is to blame. The best breeder’s stock
is subject to throwing a disqualified specimen occasionally.
I have noticed that when I mate birds with combs smaller
than medium in size I get a great many single combs, and
when I mate them larger than medium I have combs so
large they lop to one side, causing another disqualification.
There is also that ticking in the plumage of the White
Wyandotte which most breeders have been very slow to rec-
ognize as a serious defect. It is about twenty-seven years
since they were originated, and judging by all indications
there is about as much of it now as then. This pulling
feathers to make a disqualified specimen a star bird is prac-
ticed too much for the good of the breed. In the eight years
I have been breeding White Wyandottes my foremost object
has been to get rid of this ticking. Last season fully seven-
ty-five per cent of all I raised were entirely free from it, and
for the last four years [ have not bred a bird of my own
raising that has shown the least particle of it. It is not so
61
hard to breed out as a great many think. To be sure it
takes time, but one’s time is well spent when such a defect
is eliminated from one’s strain. The white in the ear-lobes
is diminishing very fast; so would this ticking in plumage
if the feathers could not be pulled out and the bird improved
for the time being. Some breeders advise pulling these col-
ored feathers before they mature, and claim that they will
come in perfectly white. This may be true, but it will not
be of any benefit to the bird as a breeder. With time and
careful breeding we will overcome these defects to quite an
extent, and I do hope there will be more attention paid to
perfecting this breed or any other where such work has been
practiced. It is as necessary to have a clear white and a
stay-white color on our White Wyandottes as it is for them
to have a nice, clear, yellow leg. It is the purity of the co‘or
that makes them handsome.
Weight is also another important point. A great many
breeders are using heavy weight male birds to increase the
size of the offspring. It should be done on the female side
and done very gradually. There is also a tendency to get
them two or three pounds heavier than the standard de-
mands. Their respective standard weights are heavy
enough. The Wyandottes are considered to be one of the
best general purpose fowls and when we increase their size
we prolong their maturity, and when we lengthen their ma-
turity we are losing in their useful qualities.
THE BREEDING OF WHITE, WYANDOTTES.
With Special Attention to Size, Color and Number of Eggs—A True Breeder Must Combine Utility
and Beauty. :
BY JOHN H.
JACKSON.
ULTHOUGH numerous articles have been written
on White Wyandottes, I do not think too much
can be said in favor of this popular variety of
fowls. As bred to-day, they are not perfect, but
no other fowl, in my judgment, comes as near
being an all-purpose fowl. I have bred poultry for nearly
twenty years, always under my own care and management,
beginning when a boy,-and have found the thoroughbreds
the most profitable for practical purposes. I have bred the
Leghorns, Minorecas and Plymouth Rocks with good success.
They always yielded me a profit, but I was looking for some-
thing better, and believe I have found it in the White Wyan-
dottes,
In laying qualities the White Wyandottes in my hands
have equaled the Leghorns and Minorcas, and they excel
them greatly for market or table purposes, while as broilers
they are ready for use at any age, of any size required and at
seasons when most other breeds would not be in condition,
They are at all times free from dark pin feathers, which is
the main drawback to the black and parti-color varieties.
For roasters weighing from four to five pounds nothing
excels the White Wyandottes, and I do not think any other
breed equals them. There are cross-bred fowls that give
good results for broilers and roasters (as I have found by
experience), but it is necessary to go to the trouble to keep
full-blood stock on both sides with which to make the first
cross each season. The White Wyandottes fill the bill just
as well as any cross-bred fowl, and save all this extra work
and expense.
All varieties of Wyandottes have the full, broad breast,
the bulky build and firm flesh which dress well and com-
mand the best prices on the market. When I began to breed
White Wyandottes they did not lay very large eggs, and the
color of the eggs varied greatly from a light colored to a
dark brown shell. At the present time, however, the best
strains lay large, richly colored brown eggs, and they lay a
good many more of them than they used to. They are to-
day one of our very best layers, especially in winter time,
owing to their rose combs, which do not freeze.
The White Wyandotte is a hardy fowl and the chicks
are easy to raise. Of course, there are poor strains in this
as well as in other varieties. The best strains are produced
by the careful breeders, by those who appreciate what is
really valuable in a standard-bred fowl and work for it
through a term of years. We have every reason to believe
that the White Wyandottes, by intelligent selection and
mating, can be brought to a very high state of perfection
and still hold their utility qualities to an unexcelled degree.
A number of years ago, when breeding Minorcas, I had a
pullet that scored, under three different judges, 95 to 96
points. She began to lay early and laid throughout the win-
ter. I could not learn what the laying qualities of her direct
ancesters were, but thought this bird a good one with which
to start a strain, so I raised all the chicks I could hatch
from her eggs and succeeded in getting quite a flock of fine,
standard birds having extra laying qualities.
Tt is in this same manner, as a result of my first exper-
iment with Minorcas, that I have prosecuted the breeding of
White Wyandottes. From the first I have given special
attention to the size, color and number of eggs laid by my
White Wyandottes, and I find that this breed, the same as
others under intelligent management, responds quickly and
surely to proper selection and mating. I do not claim that
culls will nSt sometimes turn out to be good layers, as well
62 - THE WYANDOTTES.
as the best specimens, but the point is this: Is it not better
to breed from birds having good laying qualities and meet-
ing standard requirements than to breed from fowls with
equally good laying qualities but not meeting standard re-
quirements, meaning those of size, shape and shade of color,
including other lesser points of beauty, like comb, color of
eye, ete.?
As a matter of fact there are few breeders of fowls who
do not prefer fine-looking birds, even though they insist on
having good layers and fine table fowl. Many times I have
received letters from persons wanting to buy birds, stating
that they did not want ‘“‘show birds,’”’ but nevertheless they
would proceed to give a description of a bird, or birds, that
would be well calculated to win in any show room, which
goes to prove that the standard-bred fowl is the most at-
tractive, even to the mind of the unprofessional.
It is true that in breeding for good laying qualities,com-
bined, with standard requirements, you will have to sacrifice
some fine looking specimens, those that are below par as
First Prize pen of White Wyandottes.
Bred and owned by J. H. Jackson.
layers. My best success has been gained in raising only
as many each year as I could take good care cf and in select-
ing the best specimens for breeding, selling all culls on the
market. If one has plenty of house and yard room it often
pays to keep the culls for fall and winter layers, disposing
of them the next spring when they become broody, or a lit-
tle later when they start to molt. They always sell well at
that season of the year in our local markets when the people
gev tired of the frozen stuff that is marketed at that time of
the year. In breeding a comparatively small number,
or aS Many as you can take proper care of, your chances of
greatly improving your flocks both in standard and utility
points are increased.
In mating White Wyandottes I do not use the large,
rangy males to get size. If you do this you are sure to get
long, lanky cockerels. It is from the females that we get
the most even size and best formed males, the blocky built
birds, those not above standard weight preferred. For fe-
males, I use good layers—specimens from six to seven
pounds. I do not want them larger or heavier than this,
Average score, 9515 points.
for big Wyandottes do not lay as well as standard weight
fowls. I want my Wyandotte females to be ‘‘full of business,”
and they do not need to be an ounce above standard weights
for best results. These standard weight birds are the ones
that mature the quickest. Still, you are compelled to breed
a perceitage of large birds to meet the demand for breeding
stock made by persons who do not appreciate the true value
of Wyandottes. I hope they will learn to do so later on.
Breeding for good combs is a strong point in White
Wyandoites. Ifa bird is good in every other way, but has a
bad comb, it is spoiled to sell for breeding purposes or for
exhibition. I believe in breeding persistently for small,
evenly pebbled combs. Even if you breed from a good comb
that is too large, you will get many poor combs. A small
comb that is uneven will not iook so bad as a big comb that
is even. By breeding for medium combs I have had by far
the best results in sales, in profits and in satisfied customers.
The amateur, I am free to say, will always look for a good
comb whether he knows anything about a fowl or not. The
best advice I can give the amateur is to
learn all he possibly can about the breed
or variety in which he is interested. This
is his protection.
The eyes and lobes are of great im-
portance, with reference to the beauty of
White Wyandcttes. Arich bay, or red eyc,
is what is wanied. A pale or white eye
gives the bird an unratural, out-of-con-
dition look and is despised by the true
fancier. A male with a weak lobe, that
is, one that is inclined to show white at
times. is a poor bird to breed. It will
show more or less in females according
to their condition as layers, but a male
should have a strong red lobe at all
times.
The surface color and the shape cf
White Wyandottes are of prime impcr-
tance. My ideal bird in shape is of blocky
build. Pure white color is what is cats-
ing much discussion. I much prefer a
white bird, but do not believe in sacri-
ficing rich yellow legs, beak and skin
for chalk-white feathers. The latter will
have a light yellow or lemon colored leg,
which will turn almost white before the
fowl is two years old. I will not breed
from a male that does not have rich yel-
low legs and beak. I do not believe in birds that show
brassiness in plumage or yellow in the quills, but there is
danger of our breeding them to a point of whiteness where
they will have light colored legs, beak and skin. We must
compromise somewhere between the two extremes.
Some of the best White Wyandottes at the late Boston
show were very white, with good colored legs, excepting one
pullet. She was standard in weight and a grand bird in
every way, with chalk-white plumage, but she was light in
color of legs. With proper care and attention birds with
fine yellow legs, beak and skin can be placed on exhibition
with their plumage snow-white, but even the best of them
are very apt to show more or less of the objectionable yel-
low cast in surface plumage as the birds grow older and are
exposed to all kinds of weather. In my opinion it is better
to sacrifice color to this extent rather than breed out the
good market qualities, viz.: yellow legs and skin,
In writing this article I have based the statements on
facts obtained from my own experience. Although not so
large a breeder as many others, I give them my constant
THE WYANDOTTES. 63
study and have been successful with my matings. I think I
have produced as many high-class specimens proportion-
ately to the number raised as any other breeder of White
Wyandottes who has still held to and improved the utility
qualities of the variety. Birds of my breeding have scored
to 96 points and a fraction, and won honors in strong com-
petition, which is proof enough to my mind that utility and
beauty can be combined in the White Wyandotte. I, there-
fore, take the ground that it is the true fancier’s duty to
combine the two, sacrificing in the long run neither the one
nor the other. I hold that both are essential to true success
in producing this or any other popular American variety
that has a commercial value.
A PRACTICAL FANCY FOWE.
White Wyandottes the Fowls for Amateurs—Their Origin—Pre-eminently the Breed for Broilers—Unexcelled Market Fowl—
Comparison with Other Breeds—Early Maturity—Good Layers, Sitters and
Mothers—Selection of Breeders,
BY RALPH I.
DUNLAP.
O MUCH has been written about the White Wy-
andotte that it seems an almost useless task
to endeavor to tell anything new. But if we
consider for a moment that old _ saying,
“When you get a good thing push it along,”
a few remarks will perhaps not be out of place. The theory
of the origin of the White Wyandotte which is generally ac-
cepted, is that they are sports of the Silvers. And this no
doubt accounts for the little gray ticking and the splashes of
gray which are found in the plumage of so many specimens.
The shape which the standard demands for the Wyan-
dotte is one that I consider almost ideal. I hardly think
that it could be improved. It is a shape that catches the eye
of all, whether it is seen in the show room or on the farm;
by the fancier or the utility man. While the standard does
not call for Wyandotte shape in Plymouth Rocks, yet I have
noticed that a Rock with Wyandotte shape presents a very
pleasing appearance and is very much admired by a great
many peopie. Why? Because it gives to the bird that full-
ness and compactness of form that is posSessed by no other
breed.
It is rather a difficult task to find words with which to
describe the Wyandotte shape, although the term “blocky”
expresses it about as well as anything. This distinct blocky
shape is very striking even when the chick is first hatched
and it grows more striking as the bird becomes older, I once
heard a person remark, “I do not like some of the fastest
race horses because they are so ugly.” Now, if the swiftest
racer were also the handsomest animal, he would be greatly
admired by all. How is it with the Wyandotte? In my
humble opinion they come nearer having an ideal shape
than any other breed, and they are not only a handsome
fow], but they are business birds from the word “go.” This
applies to the whole Wyandotte family, for what is standard
shape for one variety is standard shape for all.
When it comes to the question of size I will select the
American class every time, for the Wyandottes and Ply-
mouth Rocks are not so large and clumsy as the fowls of the
Asiatic class nor so small and nervous as those of the Med-
iterranean, but they are just right—a happy medium.
The comb is another splendid feature of the Wyandotte.
They have a comb that is low with no high points to freeze;
one that has a neat and healthy look, and one that gives to
the bird the same pleasing appearance that a nice hat does
to a well-dressed man. Any one who keeps fowls during a
cold winter can realize the value of such a comb from a
utility standpoint and it is not devoid of beauty, either. An-
other good feature of the Wyandotte is its clean, yellow,
featherless legs. What an advantage it gives them for mar-
ket purposes, besides they can run about in all kinds of
weather, without carrying a large tract of real estate around
on each foot, soiling and breaking their feathers.
After noting the excellent characteristics of the Ameri-
can class in general and of the Wyandotte family ia par-
ticular, then comes the task of selecting a variety of this
noble breed. There are the Blacks, Buffs, Goldens, Silvers
and Whites, named in the order of their popularity, begin-
ning with the least popular. I had never seen a White Wy-
andotte before I decided to breed them and sent for eggs.
Yet I did not merely stumble on a good variety as some
people do, for I had read a great deal about their fine quali-
ties, both as exhibition specimens and business birds. I
also had seen some Silvers and in this way was pleased with
the Wyandotte shape. I would probably have bought Sil-
vers, but the males were, in my opinion, very ugly in color,
and besides I always had admired a fowl with snow white
plumage. It makes such a nice combination with a red
comb, bay eyes and clean yellow legs. But some people pre-
fer one variety, some another. It is purely a matter of taste
and the choice must be made by the person himself.
I chose the White Wyandotte, first, because I always
admired a white fowl and because I wanted one that was a
good layer, a good sitter and mother, and a good market
bird, and I believed the White Wyandotte to be unsurpassed
as an all-around, general purpose fowl. Nor have I ever
regretted my choice, for I have found the White Wyandottes
to be all that a reasonable person could wish. I do not
mean that they will lay two eggs per day or are ready for
fries at the age of three weeks, nor do they possess any other
extraordinary features such as I have seen claimed for some
breeds, but if you want a fowl that presents a fine appear-
ance in the show room and one that is a business bird from
the time it is hatched, get the White Wyandotte.
With the exception of about four years I have raised
chickens since I was a lad of five and I have bred common
chickens, Black, Buff and Partridge Cochins, Light Brah-
mas, Black Langshans, Brown Leghorns and Barred Ply-
mouth Rocks. I do not say that I have not been successful
with these breeds, but I only wish to state that I discarded
them because I have been more successful with the White
Wyandotte. While the Cochins and Brahmas made good
layers and good eating, they could also do their part when it
came to the eating question. They were too clumsy and
lazy to suit me, and they are always standing around in
64 THE WYANDOTTES.
the way, breaking eggs when sitting, and tramping upon
the young chicks. Still my great-grandmother, now in her
eighty-ninth year, and my grandmother have both been
raising Buff Cochins for a long, long time. The Black Lang-
shans I found to be splendid winter layers, good sitters and
mothers, but their feathered legs and black plumage were
against them for market purposes. The Leghorns were too
scary and had such nice, large combs for Jack Frost te nip!
I will not say anything against the Barred Rocks, for they
belong to the American class, but the Wyandotte shape and
the Wyandotte comb were what made me give the prefer-
ence to the Wyandottes.
I have had White Wyandotte pullets lay at the age of
one hundred and thirty-two days, but I never try to push
them for very early laying, for the little gained does not
equal what is lost in size. They will begin to lay, however,
along in the fall, and a pullet or hen either, for that matter,
that will do this, will lay through the winter when eggs
bring such good prices. The energetic Wyandotte will not
only lay during the fall and winter, but will keep right on
shelling out the eggs during the spring and summer months
as well. The Leghorns may be egg-machines, but give me
the White Wyandotte for all-around laying. No artificial
heat is needed to keep their combs from freezing and to en-
courage egg-production.
The White Wyandotte is not only a good layer, but she
is a good sitter and mother as well. When it comes to the
market question, the White Wyandotte stays in the front
ranks. What fowl presents a nicer appearance on the mar-
ket? The Barred Rocks are claimed to be the best market
fowl in existence, but one of the prominent broiler men in
the east says that he kept these two breeds side by side, but
finally discarded the Rocks because the Wyandottes were
ready for market at an earlier age. This is what he says
when it comes to the forcing question: “If you try to raise
Rocks and Wyandottes in the same pen, the experiment
will prove to you this fact: Your Rocks will go ‘off their
legs’ while the deep-breasted, plump-bodied, smooth-
skinned, active little Wyandottes take their medicine five
times a day and stand straight as matches.”
My own experience has been that they grow faster. Then
they do not grow by jerks, as some breeds do, that is, they
do not grow awhile, stop and take on a coat of feathers and
then fill out, but they keep right on growing all the time
and are always plump and compact, instead of slim and
loose-jointed. I have found that they stand confinement
well in small pens, although if given range they make fine
foragers.
I will not go into detail in regard to their care and feed-
ing, but I should like to mention a few points. Crushed
oyster shell, sharp, hard grit, plenty of clean, fresh water,
a dust bath (or some means of keeping vermin away), clean,
roomy quarters, good feed and common sense in feeding are
necessary to successfully produce good, healthy, vigorous
stock. If you have fine stock and eggs for sale, judicious
advertising and exhibiting, and plenty of perseverance are
further requirements for success with poultry.
A great many people rush pell-mell into the poultry
business with great theories about raising poultry on a large
scale, Who have almost no practical knowledge of the busi-
ness. They intend to keep a great many kinds and to do
things just right. They read everything about poultry that
they can get and think by this means to be able to cope with
any difficulty that may arise, not knowing that many things
can only be learned by experience. They see no way for
failure to over take them and (on paper) they count their
profits. But do they succeed? Perhaps a small per cent of
them do, but it is only when a little common sense has been
knocked into their heads (probably at the cost of a great
many dollars), in the hard school of experience. And even
then it requires nerve and perseverance to stick to it.
How much better it would have been if they had started
in a small way, learning the details of the business which
can only be mastered by experience, and then gradually in-
creased as success and practical knowledge warranted.
I hardly feel competent to give an outline for breeding
the White Wyandotte, but I advise the reading of that splen-
did article on “Standard Bred White Wyandottes,” by Mr.
Arthur G. Duston, on page 59, reproduced from the Relia-
ble Poultry Journal. Also the many other excellent arti-
cles which have been published in the Reliable about this
noble variety. My advice, however, is to throw out all spec-
imens with single combs and feathered legs even if there is
only a stub. Also discard those with very much white in
the ear-lobe. Pick birds with bay eyes, as pearl or gray ones
give the bird an unnatural look. Market all those that have
green or dark colored legs. Some birds that are closely con-
fined have pale colored legs, but if given a good range with
plenty of grass, nearly all will have nice, yellow legs.
Breed for good combs. A large, ill-shaped one gives a
bird a bad appearance. Low, even, nicely pebbled combs
fitting closely to the head, are what we want.
Remember the Wyandotte shape when mating your
birds, for, as Mr. T. F. McGrew says, in one of his fine arti-
cles on “Science in Breeding,” ‘‘Shape should come before
color; it is shape that makes the breed, color the variety.”
Breed for that blocky build. Do this and you can soon tell
what good Wyandotte shape is. High, pinched tails, long
backs, slim necks, flat breasts, narrowness between the
legs, badly shaped heads, large combs, or slim bodies on tall,
stilty legs, do not make a blocky compact bird. And right
here let me say, do not use big, rangy males, as such birds
never have a nice, compact form and the cockerels from
this kind of a mating are generally slim and lanky. Intro-
duce or build up the size with the females and keep the
shape.
Now comes the color question. I do not feel firmly
enough settled to give my opinions on this subject yet, but
I will say breed for pure white plumage, stay-white plum-
age, but do not sacrifice shape for color. The White Wyan-
dotte still shows its close relationship to the Silvers by the
a‘tile gray ticking and gray splashes which appear in the
plumage. This is not a disqualification, only a defect and
is still a common fault, so do not think the person from
whom you bought is dishonest if you receive birds with a
little gray in them. Above all, be sure to have good,
healthy, vigorous stock with which to start. The best is
none too good.
I have endeavored to present a few plain facts that I
have learned from experience. If I have made any rash or
untrue statements no one will be happier to have them cor-
rected than I. I have also endeavored to give the breeds
with which I have compared the White Wyandotte, their
just dues, for I always dislike to read an article lauding one
variety to the skies and running down all others, even if
that article be on White Wyandottes.
RELIABLE
POULTRY
JOURNAL,
GODYRIGHT.”
BUFF WYANDOTTES—By SEWELL.
Characteristics, shape and standard requirements are substantially the same as those given for the Silver Laced variety, page 34.
The color of the plumage is the only marked difference, this variety showing a beautiful buff color in all sections.
OW we have to consider one variety of the Wy-
andotte breed that is in an experimental stage
so far as the production of show specimens is
concerned. In my opinion they are one of the
best of this family and during my six years’
experience with them they have proven to be excellent
layers, sitters and mothers, but we cannot expect them to
breed true in color and other fancy points in so short a
time. We find exceptionally fine stock here and there over
the country. We even have seen solid buff wings and tails
on both males and females, but these are not average birds,
they are way above the average. The best breeders of the
Buffs who are looking for their advancement along the lines
of honest improvement, will admit that as yet they have not
perfected this variety.
We have many obstacles to overcome, perhaps more
than are encountered in the breeding of any other buff va-
riety. First, we must overcome about forty per cent of
black; then there is more red than yellow in the make-up of
the foundation stock of most strains, and white has been
introduced to soften the color. About all the buff we have
been able to get was from the Cochin cross and in most
cases this was from Cochin males with a lot of black in
wings and tails. There has also been a direct cross of Gol-
den Wyandottes which has helped some sections, but in-
jured others. Some breeders used ‘a cross of Rhode Island
Reds instead of Golden Wyandottes, which in a measure
was better as it did not cause so many black or laced necks.
Intelligent breeders in every state are taking up the buff
variety and already they have enough good ones to help one
another. During the next two years there will be more im-
provement in Buff Wyandottes than has been made in the
past five years, and it will be accomplished by mating Wy-
andottes and not by resorting to outside crosses, which has
been the rule in the past.
The standard is very plain on the question of color in
this, as it is in all buff varieties. The color is the same in all
—a “rich, golden buff, free from shafting or mealy appear-
ance.” It is easy to understand, but hard to produce. In
the first place, buff is a made color and not a primary color.
When it is produced it is hard to hold unless the breeder is
an expert and knows to a certainty the strength of his
breeding stock, both male and female. This is where in-
breeding, described in another part of this book, holds
despotic sway. Without inbreeding one cannot produce
good Buffs year after year. One must know the sires and
dams of his stock to make sure of success.
The man who wins this year, fails next and wins the
65
66
next is not much encouragement to a Buff amateur. But
the man whose advice is worth much to you is the breeder
who wins year after year and who can show stock three and
four years old that still retains the same elegant buff color
that his cockerels and pullets show. There are Messrs.
Sharp Brothers, O. L. McCord and W. W. Browning,
men who win year after year. When such men talk
of color breeding, the laymen can learn. I do not claim
much for myself, but I do assert that I converse with more
of the leading fanciers of this country than any other man
who makes a business of judging fowls. I believe in im-
provement and I believe our teachers should be qualified.
Seeing a few birds in a number of shows does not teach me
so much, but when I go to a leading breeder’s yards and note
his matings and he points out his stock in pen after pen,
which looks as much alike as the average family of children,
then I know I am getting at the heart of the business of
breeding fancy stock, and I get informaticn of great value
to others.
in shape the Buffs should be a fac-simile of the Silvers,
and defects in shape must be cut in the same proportion.
Remember that in eclor they must be absolutely buff. Black
and white are alike objectionable and will be cut when the
birds are shown in the winter exhibitions. Remember, too,
that red is not buff, and when your birds are scored by an
expert who is not color blind, the red birds will fail to win.
Let the motto of every Buff Wyandotte breeder be, “solid
buff from comb to tail.” The future of the Buff Wyandottes
depends upon their admirers, who cannot afford to miss an
opportunity of perfecting them in any particular. Let me
utter one warning, however. The utility side, which is so
prominent at the present day, must not be allowed to retro-
grade in the slightest.
The Female.
The Golden Wyandotte breeders claim that the Goldens
are the “beauty breed,” but any one who sees a Buff Wyan-
dotte females that is truly buff must feel that the Buffs are
strong rivals for the honor of being called “the beauty
breed.” As an all-round fowl for meat and eggs the Buff
Wyandotte has no superior in the middle weight class. As
a winter layer she equals the best and as an every-day fowl
for the farmer, she cannot be excelled. The fancier will find
THE WYANDOTTES.
that it is well worth his time to give them the attention that
is required to make this variety a perfect fancy fowl. As a
fancy fowl, they are not yet perfected, as they have only
been bred a few years, but the per cent of really first-class
specimens that have been exhibited the past year makes one
marvel at what has been accomplished, and it is only a mat-
ter of a few years when they will be the equal of the oldest
buff varieties in America.
In color they should be a rich golden buff throughout,
free from shaftiug or a mealy appearance, and they should
show the same shade of buff in all sections. The descrip-
tion of shape, comb, eyes, legs and feet is the same that I
have given for the other varieties.
In mating for color, the main trouble has been to get an
even surface with clear wings and tail. The flights of the
wings are usually better than the secondaries. The black
blood that came through the Golden Wyandotte cross will
make itself felt for several seasons. If the wing shows
black in the secondaries with clear flights, the cut is from
one-half to one point, according to degree. If black shows
in both flights and secondaries, the cut is from one to two
points. If there is a red bow on the wings showing a sort of
bay color, cut it one. If any black appears in hackle, the
cut is from one-half to one and one-half, according to de-
gree. If the surface color is uneven, that is, if two or more
shades of buff appear in the same specimen, the cut is from
one-half to one in all such sections. If the main tail feath-
ers are edged with black at the top and the rest of the
feathers are sound, the cut is one-half. If the tail is half
black the cut is two, and if the entire tail is black the cut is
four. Remember always that you can only cut for defects
according. to the number of points set aside for each sec-
tion, and in order to cut all the points that are allowed one
section, the entire section must be wrong.
As buff color is the same in all breeds and as the meth-
ods of producing a good buff color on Cochins will just as
successfully produce it on Wyandottes, I give here an able
article from the pen of W. W. Browning, written expressly
for this book. I am sure it will be read with interest by the
admirers of all buff varieties. After handling Mr. Browning’s
birds in the show room for several years and personally in-
specting his breeding stock on the farm, we feel safe in say-
ing that breeders of new buff varieties will make no mistake
if they follow his instructions. THEO. HEWES.
BUFF COLOR.
BY W. W.
FTER years of study and experimenting I think
I have discovered the causes of a majority of
failures to produce prime buff color. I have
seen breeders handle this color successfully
for years and then go wrong at a time when
they thought their matings were just right. In disgust they
quit the business when they should have studied harder to
discover the cause of their trouble. Every article that I
have read on mating buff colored chickens is wrong and mis-
leading. The writers either advocate fostering red males,
or those that have some black in wings and tails. They
argue that the black feeds the buff color and adds luster to
the plumage and that it is needed because the tendency of
all fowls is to lose color. After studying wild fowls for
years I am ready to say that I do not believe it. If it were
true all wild fowls would be white, while the fact is, white
in wild birds of all kinds is the exception instead of the
rule.
Buff color is composed principally of the primary color
BROWNING.
yellow, having added just a little red and white. If yellow,
red anu white make buff then why should we add black?
It is because we have not learned to mix the three colors
first named and we let the buff we have fade to such an ex-
tent that we add black to check the fading. If you will mix
the three colors named in the right proportion, you will
have that soft, rich, pleasing color that has made the buff
fowl popular all over the world. I say emphatically that
there is no black used in mixing buff color. Black does not
feed buff color, nor does it add any luster to it. It is, in fact,
a great curse in breeding for buff. It gives you laced necks,
black tails, black in the wings, smoky under-color and a
muddy surface color. It will not even counteract white,
still in spite of all this we hear breeders who are handling
buffs advocate using black. A few years ago judges cut
severely for white and lightly for black in buff fowls. At
that time I took a bold stand against this outrage, and I am
pleased to say that now judges punish both defects alike.
The color to breed for is yellow and you want to get a
THE WYANDOTTES. 67
pure color from the surface down to the skin, quills and all.
You will get plenty of red and white without breeding for it,
but if you get too much red or white you can breed it out by
selection much easier than you can breed out the black, for
the reason given, that red and white are used in buff mix-
tures and the yellow wiil mix with and control these colors
to a far greater extent than it will black. Look to the
under-color for breeding strength. If you get sound surface
color, but white under-color, then you have more white than
yellow in your mixture, and the result will be that your
specimen is not half buff.
Select your choicest breeders while the chicks are two
to three months old. They will show defects then that may
disappear aimost if not entirely, later on. Smoky under-
color in back and neck will show plainly at this time. It
may disappear altogether later on, but it is in the blood and
you do not want to breed such specimens. If you purchase
matured fowls and they do not breed properly, examine
them closely during their molting season and when the new
feathers are quite young you will no doubt discover the
cause. You cannot depend on your buff matings unless you
_handle the chicks from the time they are a month old until
they are matured, yes, even after they are matured. If
white appears in your flock, do not use black to counteract
it, as white will appear in any solid black variety nearly as
often as it does in some of the buff varieties. You will not
find perfect buff color in every section of any of the new
varieties of buffs. Use common sense in your matings,
and overcome black, red and white by the use of yellow
only. These theory writers have gotten black so firmly
fixed in the older buff varieties that the sins of the parents
are fastened onto the chickens even unto the “steenth” gen-
eration.
Some of these theorists who are supposed to be breed-
ers say that black is the proper thing if you keep it in the
wing feathers and the tail so that it does not show from the
surface when the fowl is viewed in a natural position. Nurs-
ing black where the amateur does not see it is a ten-fold
evil, because the black is there and it will crop out in the
chicks and very likely cause the amateur to quit in disgust.
Be sure that the flight feathers are perfectly clear buff, that
there is no black in the neck and that there is as little dark
as possible in the flight coverts and tail. See that the under-
color is sound in as maiy sections as possible, and you will
find your fowls gradually improving until they will reach
perfection in color in all sections. Had I to choose between
the two I should rather have a breeder with no black and
take the one that had considerable white, until I got the
black well bred out of the blood of my strain, unless I was
breeding Buff Leghorns. This Buff variety has too much
white in it on account of its White Leghorn ancestors.
Remember, yellow and black will not mix and produce a
pleasing color, while yellow, red and white will mix and
give you that beautiful shade called buff.
As to the effect of food on color, I have no knowledge.
I am not trying to produce my buffs in this way. I believe
the proper way is to breed them right and that the food will
then have but little, if any, effect. W. W. BROWNING.
BREEDING BUP PR WYANDOTERS:
A Comparatively New Breed—How to Start—Introducing Foreign Blood—Selling and Exhibiting Stock.
BY MRS. J. M. DENISON.
ANY things have to be considered when we breed
Buff Wyandoites. First, we must remember that
they are comparatively a new breed and there-
fore more study is required in mating them than
in mating the Silvers or other varieties of Wy-
andottes. However, we have been making rapid strides and
are in a fair way to overtake them. We claim for the Buffs
a place at “the top of the ladder,’ and we will not be satis-
fied until it is assured. That they have qualities most desir-
able in an all-purpose fowl must be acknowledged by all,
and the only question now is how to perfect them.
Our greatest trouble arises in the desire to do too much
in too short a time. The increased demand for stock and
eges leads us to overlook faults in our breeding stock, and
we admit to our yards birds which have good score cards,
but which should not be used as breeders if we wish the best
results. Therefore, let me say to the beginner, do not con-
sider how many birds, but how good ones you can preduce.
To this end put your money in a trio if you can not
afford a pen. To make a start I should much rather put
twenty-five dollars ($25) in a trio properly mated than into
any other number. Mark the eggs and set those from each
hen separately, marking the chickens when haiched so you
can tell which hen produces the best stock, both pullets and
cockerels. if you find that one hen throws better cockerels
than the other, select the best and mate him to pullets from
the other hen. Use your old male with pullets, selecting
those that are strong in points where he is weak; and mate
the hens with a cockerel strong in the sections in which the
females are weak.
Now you have a good start and unless there is some
point in which both are weak you need not introduce new
blood and new faults until you have become thoroughly
acquainted with the good and bad features of your own
strain. You can undo the work of years if not judicious in
the introduction of new blood.
Having a good foundation the success that follows de-
pends greatly upon your love for the work and proper man-
The details of the business must be closely
watched. Do not trust too much to hired help, for generally
their interest is confined to their pay. Know your chickens
and let them know you. Care for them as you like to be
cared for and they will return your kindness tenfold. Hav-
ing good stock and understanding your business, advertise
it, selecting for your medium journals that will stand by the
right and expose fraud regardless of the cost. Now the bat-
tle is half won. The rest depends on your stick-to-it-ive-
ness and honorable dealings with your customers. Let them
feel that you have their interest in mind as well as your
own, and then while you can not satisfy all, you can please
the majority, thus making friends as well as customers.
Another thing to be remembered is this. If you have
been fortunate enough to produce exhibition birds, show
them. Do not say you have some at home as good or better
than some one else has; prove it. Say so’s do not go far
and proye nothing. Suppose you do not take first prizes,
agement.
68 THE WYANDOTTES.
you have learned how your birds compare with others and
wherein they are-faulty, thus you are better prepared for the
shows another year. Then, too, the association with people
interested in poultry helps.
I have been successful to quite an extent, I am very
proud to say, but it has not been luck, as some suggest. It
has come by following the lines that I have advised here.
There is still work to do, and we welcome the earnest
worker to our ranks.
MRS. J. M. DENISON.
BUFF WYANDOTTES FOR AMATEURS.
BY THEODORE HEWES.
HERE is always more or less boom talk and
writing about a new variety, and we are often
led astray by fairy tales of the great egg pro-
duction and elegant table qualities of these
new fangled varieties. A few years ago I was
severely criticised for writing an article regarding the Buff
First PRIZE nee
CHICACe.1901 ey
ss OWNED BY :
A%ETARBOX: _ - =
SVORKVILLE Itt: <1"
&
First prize Buff Wyandotte pullet, Chicago, Jan. 21-26, 1901.
owned and exhibited by A, & E, Tarbox,
Bred
Wyandottes. At that time I warned the amateur to let them
alone until the fanciers had made a standard breed of them,
for at that time they were in their early experimental stage
and not entitled to the name standard-bred. I have since
been complimented by some who at that time censured me.
The Buff Wyandottes have now passed the experimental
stage, as a utility fowl, and are to-day one of the very best
of the middle weight birds. I have given them considerable
attention in the past six years, and I have never handled a
variety that I liked better nor one that has given better
results.
They have actually been a surprise to me as winter lay-
ers, and I doubt very much if we have a breed in the stan-
dard that can beat them. The past winter I had built sev-
eral small houses, 4x6, for winter breeding houses. These
houses were enclosed in pens 16 feet square, and five females
and one male placed in each for the winter. Among the lot
of birds so mated were three hens and two pullets of the
Buff Wyandottes. These birds were all fed alike, that is the
same amount of food was given to each variety in its own
pen, and all were fed twice a day. A mash made of bran
and oatmeal was fed in the morning, and good wheat was
thrown in the litter for the evening meal. During the cold-
est weather ever known in this part of the United States,
and with snow on the ground almost all the time, those five
females laid an average of 77 eggs per month, or a little bet-
ter than one egg every two days for each hen.
These birds were not forced for eggs, in fact very little
care was given them, as we are breeding only for the fancy
and made no effort to secure eggs for the market. This rec-
ord put me to thinking that there must be some reason for
this pen of Buff Wyandottes laying more than my other
varieties, so I began to look for the cause. In the first place
I found that they were better contented and that they made
no effort to leave the pens, even though the gate were left
open, while other varieties were constantly trying to find a
place to get out, and if a gate were left open a minute they
would make a break for it. They seemed to be larger than
the Silver Wyandottes, but on weighing them I found that
they were a few ounces lighter. Why should they look
larger, was the question that next came up, and I found on
close inspection that they are dressed warmer. Their plum-
age is longer, which gives them the appearance of being
larger than either the Whites or Silvers.
Here, then, is the whole thing in a nutshell: They have
the Cochin cross in them, and it has not only given them a
better coat of feathers to protect them from the cold, but
has given them a docile, contented disposition, which means
much to the breeder who is trying to get every dollar he can
out of his fowls from a commercial standpoint. I have no
desire to boom this breed to the detriment of others, but I
can surely give them a strong endorsement. After six years’
breeding them I am free to say that I do not know of a sin-
gle variety that would be a better investment -for the ama-
teur just starting in, one who wants to handle one variety,
and who does not feel like taking up some of the older
breeds where there is so much competition, than the Buff
Wyandotte. Neither do I know of a variety that would
make a better cross on common fowls to increase the egg
yield.
SECRET OF SUCERSSauUE BREEDING
Danger of Crossing Strains—Selection of Dams Very Important—Careful Attention Necessary
from Shell to Maturity.
BY M. F.
NORRIS.
NTENSELY interesting is the study of the art of
breeding. While we learn much from experi-
ence (really our best teacher), still we can learn
many things from reading that it would take us
Spt years to learn from experience. There are still
many secrets concerning the breeding of thoroughbred
poultry and one of the chief of these is how shall we mate
to produce Buff Wyandottes that shall be of extra merit in
A PRIZE-WINNING BUFF WYANDOTTE COCKEREL, BREDJAND
OWNED By M. F. Norris.
69
The male bird at the head of the
be symmetrical in shape, strong
he should be the offspring of a
Do not forget that
symmetry and color.
breeding pen should
and vigorous — and
sire excelling in these points.
the male bird has the greater influence on the color
of the off spring, especially of the cockerels. If fine
colored males be desired it is necessary that the sire be of
fine color. By mating a good sire to his own progeny the
good breeding qualities of the parent bird will be
retained in the resulting offspring.
Color and other desirable qualities may be in-
tensified by judicious inbreeding. It is equally true
that if a mistake is made in the selection of the
breeding stock undesirable qualities may be repro-
duced in an exaggerated form. Many persons en-
gaged in raising poultry think that they must in-
troduce new blood from a different strain each
year, and so they go backward instead of forward.
Nearly every breeder’s birds differ in style and
plumage. When these types are crossed some of
the offspring resemble the male and some resemble
neither parent. The second season such breeders
usually get a male of a still different type and mate
him to the pullets of different types. The result is
that they have no good birds among the offspring,
hardly any two chicks resembling each other. If
you once get what you want from a reliable breeder
buy your new blood of him.
The dam should possess a strong constitution,
prolific laying qualities and large size. We look
to the dam to impart size to the progeny. She must
be good in color of plumage, legs and beak. The
ear-lobes and comb must also receive careful atten-
tion. Above all she should be symmetrical in
shape. Many times the breeding qualities of the
dam are overlooked or underrated, which is a great
mistake.
After carefully selecting your Buff Wyandotte
pens it is essential that your birds receive proper
care and that the progeny be closely watched and
carefully tended from the time they leave the shell
until they reach full maturity. This is another se-
eret in successful breeding that apparently is
known to but few breeders.
BORE WYAN DOTTES:
The Color Problem and How It Is Being Solved—Evenness of Plumage More Important Than Shade—
Making Up Breeding Pens According to Double Mating System.
BY C. S. MATTISON.
O MUCH has been written on the subject of Buff
Wyandottes that what I might say on the sub-
ject may be stale to readers. The origin of this
variety is well known. My understanding is
that some were made by crossing White Wyan-
dottes and Buff Cochins, others by breeding out
the foreign color of Rhode Island Reds, and another’ by
breeding out the black in Golden Wyandottes. I am inclined
to think the better strains of the present day each contains
some of the blood of these three, but the present condition
of the variety is, I presume, the most interesting, hence I
shall devote myself largely to their present condition. In
reviewing last season’s largest and best exhibitions, we find
that this variety outclassed all other Wyandotte varieties,
except the Whites. In quality they have been improved
more rapidly than any variety of poultry, so far as my
knowledge goes, due without doubt to their combining the
practical and fancy elements to a great extent. Their prac-
tical qualities are considered to be the equal, and by some
the superior, of all other Wyandotte varieties. Personally
I have found them very satisfactory in every way. They are
very good layers of brown eggs as a rule. They mature ear-
ly and dress off nicely, without showing the undesirable
pin-feathers.
So much has been written regarding the shade of color
most desired that there is very little to add. Several weeks
ago the National Wyandotte Club sent out some forty pieces
of silk ribbon with a buff feather attached, requesting crit-
icism of this color from as many prominent Buff Wyandotte
breeders. From the replies received one can see that we
all are very much nearer the same shade of color than was
supposed, that the majority desires about the shade that is
now being given preference here in the east. I am inclined
to think that as a rule our western breeders are breeding a
darker, or more on the red shade, yet their ideal color is
about the same. Our club had these replies printed in cata-
logueform, with a piece of the ribbon attached, making prac-
tically the best thing of the kind yet brought out, as it en-
ables all to see what the others’ views are, and the piece of
silk ribbon furnishes the color from which the criticisms are
based, as well as something by which we can compare our
fowls.
It seems to me that the time is now opportune for us all
to give less attention to shade of color, and more attention
to the evenness throughout the entire plumage. Many of the
past season’s winners were good in shade of color, but were
more or less uneveu, the hackle and saddle perhaps varying
in shade, the top of the wing being darker, and the breast
being edged with white, or something of the kind. I rather
think we should give preference to those who are most even-
ly colored rather than such as are nearest the desired shade
of color, even should such be quite a little darker. The ex-
treme of this should be avoided, of course. Another point
we should well consider at this time is shape. As a rule, we
have size and can maintain it while improving the shape.
Heretofore many ill-shaped birds have been awarded the
prizes, preference being given to color. It seems to be a
fact that no breeder has as yet a fixed type. There is too
70
much similarity between the Buff Plymouth Rocks and Wy-
andottes. Very often we see much better Wyandottes in the
Plymouth Rock class, and vice versa.
It has been aptly stated that ‘““Wyandottes travel on
their shape,’ and this is as it should be. The time is not
far distant when shape will be given preference, as we find
from year to year that the demand comes for first one thing
and then another, as the fad changes. We have passed
through the size fad and are now passing through the color
fad, with its solid buff wing and tail, and soon the breeder
who has mastered the shape problem and has well shaped
birds to spare will find a ready market for them. With
shape we could improve the combs, which really is a part of
shape. The query is often made as to what may be termed
solid buff tails and wings. I am frank to say I have never
yet seen a perfectly clear tail, yet I have seen them so repre-
sented. Clear buff wings are a reality, although not plenti-
fully so. It is not necessary and I am not anxious for clear
buff tails. We do not find it in the Cochins, and it is a ques-
tion with me if we ever will find it in our Wyandottes. To
be sure we can accomplish it, yet it is my idea we should
work for other points in preference, such as before men-
tioned, for instance. We should have the outside or sickles
and coverts the same color as the surface, and the main
tail feathers largely buff of some color, but why sacrifice
some otber part of the surface to perfect that which is un-
derneath ?
In outlining my system of mating or breeding, I realize
that there are many little things necessarily left out, things
that we have been so accustomed to that we do not realize
their importance, the breeder must necessarily work with
our system to secure the same results and to have equal
success. However, there is nothing secret about it and
searcely anything original, it having been handed down to
me from my brother, F. L. Mattison, who for many years
has made a success in breeding the Silver variety. It can be
termed double mating, which I understand means one way
of mating to produce cockerels and another way to produce
pullets. Good exhibition cockerels are not expected from
pullet matings, and vice versa.
In our cockerei matings we select for the male side the
very best exhibition bird possible (irrespeczive of his breed-
ing if necessary). Care should be taken that such a bird is
really meritorious. All prize winners are not, | am sorry to
say.
On the female side would advise not more than four
birds to a mating. First of all we select those that were
sired by a meritorious bird, his strong qualities being those
you wish to impress if possible in your present mating. An
occasional cross of sire and daughter to fasten certain points
is advisable. This of course also fastens undesirable quali-
ties, which later may be eradicated in another mating equal-
ly inbred, their inbred qualities being stronger than their
defects. Bear in mind that the female side of these matings
will, to a large degree, govern size and shape. One can use
such females as show black in hackle in order to derive such
benefit as they may possess in other qualities. Black in the
hackle of males yery seldom occurs, and I hardly think ever
THE WYANDOTTES. 71
from the female side of the mating. Small under-sized fe-
males are not used, to which we attribute our present large
size and vigor of flock generally.
In our pullet mating we select a male whose dam we
know to be a first-class specimen, selecting such as are best
in size and shape, with other points as good as possible,
but size and shape given preference. In selecting females
we use our exhibition or choicest birds, offsetting as far as
possible the defects most prominent in the dam of the male.
It is, of course, very advisable that all breeding birds should
have a good under-color, their under-color being as near as
possible the color of the surface and free from foreign color.
Our experience has been that a lighter under-color shows
a weakness of color. Black, while objectionable, is simply
a foreign color rather than a lack of color, and the same
can be said regavding these two colors in surface plumage.
Of the two evils, the white is much the greater.
In conclusion I desire, for the “good of the order,’ to
draw breeders’ attention to the advisability of securing a
judge or judges whom we may recommend as capable and
honest, and in some way employ him or have him employed
to judge the principal shows throughout the country, that
the awards in one place may be along the same line as at
another. These judges should be capable of furnishing a
score card if desired and to be at the disposal of the exhib-
itors, as far as is reasonabie and just for the eniploye
so that those who pay the bills need feel no hesitation in
asking questions. We, as Buff Wyandotte breeders, are
“quite some people,” and can well afford to take the “bull
by the horns” in such a manner to the end that our Buff
Wyandottes be judged as Buff Wyandottes, and that our
choice of color be the judge’s color, rather than have sev-
eral different judges with as many different opinions rela-
tive to color and Wyandotte characteristics. Now, in order
to win at Chicago, for instance, we must know such and
such a judge’s preference, and at New York we must again
be familiar with the judge’s interpretation of the standard,
and I am inclined to think that at the present time, every
thing else being equal, the color question under the eastern
and western judges would place a Chicago winner at least
fifth at New York, and vice versa—simply because two dif-
ferent men interpret the standard in two different ways.
It seems to me we should have one or more judges whom
we can instruct as the majority of the breeders may desire.
If we decide upon a certain shade, that shade should be the
shade by which all awards are made east and west, and now
that we have practically decided upon a shade of color, we
should in some way see that this color be considered by our
judges the correct shade by which to place their awards.
C. S. Mattison.
THE BLACK WYANDOTT ES:
A Variety That Has Not Been Extensively Bred, But Which Possesses Most of the Attributes of the
Other Varieties.
BY THEO. HEWES.
HE Black Wyandottes are the least popular of
the Wyandotte family. The color has something
to do with their unpopularity, but that is not
all. The main trouble is that the breeders of the
Blacks have never pushed them as they should.
You can not hide a variety of birds and make it popu-
lar. You must let. the people know that you have it and
let them know something of the good qualities of the
birds. So far as utility is concerned, there is no variety in
the Wyandotte family that leads the Blacks, and they will
throw more show specimens than any of the other varieties.
In some localities they are shown in sufficient numbers to
warrant us in counting them in the varieties of Wyandottes,
but in other sections of the country they are practically
unknown and the few specimens that are shown are of poor
quality and not calculated to attract any one who is looking
for some variety to breed.
I have discussed plans for bringing this variety more
prominently to the front with several leading fanciers, but
when the breeders of Black Wyandottes do not bestir them-
selves it is hard for us to help them. If they will but make
the effort they will find plenty of help in pushing this vari-
ety to the front. We need some up-to-date cuts of this breed,
either photographs or sketches, also true statements of their
good qualities, both as egg and flesh producers.
In shape the Black Wyandotte should be the same as
Charts 1 and 2. They should be black in color, and must be
free from any foreign color. The main trouble found in the
color of the Black Wyandotte is the purple barring in neck,
back, wings and tail. This is not a disqualification, but it is
a serious defect, and the new standard cuts one point in
every section in which it appears. There is another defect
which is quite often overlooked, and that is the color of the
feet. The standard says they shall be disqualified if the
bottom of the feet is any color other than yellow. This sec-
tion is often missed by the judges, and for that reason exhi-
bitors get careless about it. It is well to take care of this in
time and get just as much yellow in the shanks as possible.
The time will come when the standard will call for solid yel-
low legs, and the breeder who is careful along these lines
now will receive a rich reward then.
Wor defects of shape, comb and other sections, see
description of the Silvers, as what is said of them, except in
regard to the coler, applies to the ‘black varieties as well,
and the defects would be discounted in the same proportion.
Black Wyandotte Female.
This variety being so little known, one seldom sees
really good specimens, though the best that have been
shown for years were on exhibition at the Chicago show of
1898, and they seemed to awaken quite an interest. In color
the females shoulda be a rich greenish black in all sections.
The shanks should be black, or black shading to willow or
yellow; the bottoms of the feet must be yellow. The cut of
one point in each section where purple barring appears
applies to this breed the same as to any other black fowls,
but I have found the Black Wyandottes very free from this
defect. Where the purple barring does appear it is usually
in the neck, back and wings, and the discount in each sec-
tion must be one point. For defects of shape of any section
or color of eye, the cuts are the same as in any other variety
of Wyandottes. Theo. Hewes.
Jf et:
e surprise exhibited by the editor of the London (England) “poultry”? when we first showed ‘him
ers plucked from Golden Penciled Wyandottes, “you Yankee fanciers are always inventing
’he said. The above illustration presents the perfect plumage W hich has already
been “bred into” the Silver Penciled vat iety.—F. L,. SEWELL.
Well we remember thi
a number of feath
something new,’
qT2
GOLDEN AND SILVER PENCILED WYANDOTTES.
Origin and History of the Cornell-Brackenbury Strain—The Two Varieties Described in Color and
Markings—What of Their Future?
BY EZRA CORNELL.
HE great agricultural growth of America is rarely
appreciated. Few people have any conveption
of the vast amount of virgin soil which the last
quarter of a century has brought under cultiva-
tion, or of the gigantic agricultural growth
during that period. It is estimated that in the
past decade alone there has been an increase of over 1,150,-
000 farms and during the same time the farm wealth has
expanded not less than $6,500,000,000. Congress has en-
dowed agricultural colleges in every state; farming in all
its branches is now being conducted according to more sci-
entific principles, the result being that the annual yield of
farm products is almost inconceivably large.
Agriculture is composed of many branches any one of
which may be considered an industry in itself. Of these
many branches, that of poultry culture has been the most
progressive and now yields the largest annual income.
Twenty-five years ago a farm devoted exclusively to poultry
was hardly known; artificial hatching and brooding had not
yet come into general use and the poultry press was insig-
nificant. To-day there are thousands of poultry farms; the
manufacture of incubators and brooders is a large and in-
creasing business and the poultry press shows a tremendous
growth.
This rapid and far-reaching development of the poultry
interests is not without cause. There is an innate love of
nature a fondness for animate things in the hearts of all
good Americans showing itself in the great amount of at-
tention paid to domestic fowls. ‘The people who have thus
interested themselves are commonly classed as “fanciers”
and to them the poultry industry owes its rapid growth. To
the fancier we are indebted for “Better poultry and more of
it,” for better poultry exhibits and more of them; for a bet-
ter and larger poultry press; for better poultry appliances
and for better methods in general.
The fanciers are constantly bringing out new and better
varieties of poultry. A few years ago Wyandottes were en-
tirely unknown, whereas, to-day they are most popular and
are being bred in a number of different colors and with var-
ious markings, Penciled Wyandottes, the subject of this
sketch, being the last to appear.
Penciled Wyandottes, though of recent origin, are al-
ready well known throughout the civilized world, many ex-
portations in both varieties having been made, especially to
England, where they seem to have been more keenly appre-
ciated than here in their home country. American breeders
areloath tosee the real value of a striking new breed and are
often unwilling to give fair prices for good birds. You may
spend a vast deal of time and money to bring something
and then be expected to supply would-be customers with
your choicest specimens at a few dollars each. This is why
many of our best Penciled Wyandottes are going to Eng-
land.
The Penciled Wyandotte Type.
Penciled Wyandottes are in all respects true Wyan-
dottes, having the compact, blocky body, with short, clean
yellow shanks and a head with its red lobes and close fitting
rose comb.
The Wyandotte size and shape should receive more
careful attention. Twelve pound Wyandotte males are alto-
gether too common. These extremely large birds are never
of good shape, are deficient in breasts, are slow to mature,
are less active, less rugged, make poorer broilers, and the
females are less prolific. The fault has come from the rul-
ing of the American Poultry Association in their “Instruc-
tions to Judges.”” When birds are otherwise equal they give
the preference to the heavier birds, whereas the preference
should be given to the bird which is nearer to standard
weight. If this is not true, why not put the weight as heavy
as possible? It has been agreed that eight and one-half
pounds is the correct weight for a matured Wyandotte male
and it is rarely that we see as small a bird as that in any of
our leading exhibits.
Golden Penciled Wyandotte Markings.
The two varieties of Penciled Wyandottes are identical
in all respects excepting color. The Goldens have a ‘beau-
tiful “black-red” combination, while the Silvers are a com-
bination of black and white. The females of both varieties
have triple penciled markings, the pattern of which con-
forms to the outline of the feather, while the males of both
varieties have a solid black bottom color and tail. The top
color of the Golden male is red and the Silver is white, the
hackle and saddle feathers of both being striped with black.
The males have a solid color extending over the entire
lower part of the body, with a striped saddle and hackle.
The wing bows are red; the flight feathers are black with an
outer bay edging; the secondaries have a black inner and a
bay outer web; the wing coverts are a greenish-black, which
form a bar across the the folded wing.
The Golden Penciled female is a rich mahogany bay
with a triple penciled marking running parallel or nearly
so with the outlines of the feathers. The nearer you come
to getting every feather well penciled, the finer bird you
will have. The penciling is, however, less distinct on the
flufi and thighs. due to the looseness of the feathers in these
sections. The hackle feathers may be and frequently are
striped like the hackle feathers of the males. The primary
wing feathers are & grayish-brown, with light brown pen-
ciling on the outer web. The tail feathers are black except-
ing the first two, which should be penciled.
Silver Penciled Wyandotte Markings.
The Silver Penciled male is like the Golden in markings,
having the black tail, breast, fluff and thighs. The head and
back are white with a white hackle and saddle, the hackle
and saddle feathers being striped with black. The wing
bows are white; the coverts are a greenish-black, forming
73
74 THE WYANDOTTES.
a bar across the wing when folded; the primary wing feath-
ers are black, edged with white on outer web.
The Silver Penciled female has a white or a very light
gray ground, distinetly penciled with a triple marking of
black running parallel or nearly so with the outlines of the
feathers. The great beauty of these birds depends on get-
shanks and skin, if we may eall it a sacrifice. The yellow
shank and skin is considered a Wyandotte characteristic.
It is a useless fad which sprung up in the Boston market
and is a fad which the French and English do not recog-
nize. Personally I am neither for it nor against it. It is
all right where it can be had naturally, but a yellow shank
ir)
Plate No. Il—Feathers Plucked from a Partridge (Golden Penciled in Mr. Corneli’s Article) Wyandotte Female and Male.
>
FEATHER NO. 1 IS FROM HACKLE OF MALE ILLUSTRATED IN COLOR PLATE; NO, 2 IS FROM THE CAPE; No. 3 FROM REAR OF BACK OR
UPPER SADDLE; No. 4+ FROM SADDLE; NOs. 5, 6 AND 7 FROM HACKLE OF SISTER TO THE MALE.
__[It will be noticed that in placing'the numbers upon this plate the artist assumed that the feathers would be presented to our readers
with the web downwards. We crave his pardon in differing with him.—Eb.].
ting a strong contrast of color. The tendency is to a light
gray ground with darker penciling. This is less attractive
and every effort should be made to get clearness of color,
a clean black and white, like that of the Hamburg. To
bring this color to its greatest state of perfection, it will
probably be necessary to sacrifice the yellow color of the
and skin are entirely out of place with a plumage of the
Silver Penciled Wyandotte nature. The yellow pigment
will not confine itself to the skin, but will extend to the
feathers and destroy the absolute white which is so desira-
ble. The hackle may be either striped or penciled. The wing
primaries and secondaries are black edged with white on
—_—”-
PARTRIDGE WYANDOTTES
ck and Hen, First prize winners at Boston and New York. Th¢ property of F Cornell, Ithaca, N. Y,
the outer web. The taii feathers are black, excepting the
two main feathers, which are penciled on the upper web.
The Origin of the Penciled Wyandottes.
The Penciled Wyandottes, like all other varieties, are
the result of cross breeding. Certain old standard varieties
THE WYANDOTTES. 75
were chosen as the foundation stock, their blood was min-
gled, selecting and rejecting in the offspring such traits as
were desired or undesired until the wished for result was
A breed of fowls thus made cannot be considered
“thoroughbred” until it has been bred for a sufficient length
of time to thoroughly fix its characteristics, until the type
obtained,
Plate No. I—Feathers Plucked From a Partridge (“Golden Penciled’”’ in Mr. Cornell’s Article) Wyandotte Female.
FEATHERS Nos. 1, 2 anp 3 ARE FROM THE HACKLE; NOS. 4,
5 AND 6 FROM BACK;
UNDER BREAST
Nos. 7, 8, 9, 10 AND 11 FROM SHOULDER DOWN
ro THIGH
{Tt will be noticed that in placing the numbers on this plate the artist assumed that the feathers would be presented to our readers
with the web downwards.
We crave his pardon in differing with him.--Ep. |
76 THE WYANDOTTES.
is well established and the breeding tendency is all in one
direction, and there is no longer an inclination to revert to
one or another of the types used in the original process.
The influence of some remote ancestor is forever asserting
itself and will produce unlooked for results unless you have
breeding birds of the same make-up for a number of genera-
tions and there are no unlike traits for them to revert to.
Birds are, however, never exactly alike; each has indi-
viduality; there is a difference in their habits, in their in-
telligence and in their disposition as well as in their color
and markings, in their types, in their egg-producing ten-
dency, and there is a vast difference in their abilities to
transmit such traits to their offspring. It is surprising how
strong the blood of some birds is, and how it will, after
lying dormant for a number of generations, again assert
itself. An observing breeder will detect traits of birds used
years before, cropping out in his young stock. This shows
the great necessity of knowing the ancestry of your breeders
and of never breeding from chance specimens. It is true
that “like will produce like;” a bird wil not inherit traits
which never existed—he may inherit all his traits from his
immediate ancestors, but he will inherit all his traits from
ancestors and if these ancestors had all been of the same
make-up you could tell almost to a certainty what to ex-
pect.
History of the Golden Penciled Wyandottes.
Mr. George H. Brackenbury, of Auburn, N. Y., was, I be-
lieve, the first to conceive the idea of the Penciled Wyan-
dottes and the first to begin the work of producing them.
Mr. Brackenbury made his first cross in the spring of 1889.
His first mating was a Golden Laced Wyandotte male and a
Partridge Cochin female. This mating, as I have it from Mr.
Brackenbury, produced some females with laced
markings. In 1890 he mated one of these pullets back to her
Golden Laced Wyandotte sire. The following year Golden
Penciled Hamburg blood was introduced, also more Part-
ridge Cochin blood. Mr. Byron D. Sarr, a Cochin breeder,
became interested with Mr. Brackenbury and worked with
him for two or three years. My first interest in the Pen-
ciled Wyandottes dated back to the winter of "93 and ‘94. Mr.
E. O. Theim was interested in them prior to that date, but
I believe that he took his cue from Mr. Brackenbury. In
the early days Mr. Theim certainly bought some of Mr.
Brackenbury’s surplus stock, some of which, as he wrote
Mr. Brackenbury, he turned over to Mr. McKeen. One thing
certain is that there has not been a strain of Golden Pen-
ciled Wyandottes started in America that has not gone to
George H. Brackenbury for help, whereas there it not a drop
of blood from any other strain in the Brackenbury, or as it
is now known, the Cornell-Brackenbury strain.
In the spring of "94 work on the Penciled Wyandottes
was begun at the Valleyview Farm (Ithaca, N. Y.). The
foundation matings were made for a strain of Goldens and
also for a strain of Silvers.
Sarr were purchased and the writer then became associated
with Mr. Brackenbury. At this time, or soon afterwards,
I was also offered, Mr. Brackenbury, the entire
stock of Mr. Thiem, but the sample feathers sent were not
attractive. They were considered by us to be inferior to
What we already had.
double
A year later the birds of Mr.
through
History of the Silver Penciled Wyandottes.
Given the Golden Penciled Wyandottes,a Silver Penciled
variety was bound to follow sooner or later. This variety
may have been contemplated for some time, though nothing
was done until fate, that invisible actor which so strongly
influences every act of men’s lives, brought about a combi-
nation of circumstances which started the ball rolling. Mr.
Brackenbury sent some Buff Laced feathers to the well
known poultry artist, Franklane L. Sewell, who, in his turn,
took the feathers to the Madison Square Garden show in the
winter of ‘93 and ’94 and there showed them to the writer.
These were the circumstances which resulted in starting
work on the Silver Penciled Wyandottes. I had never met,
had in fact never heard of Mr. Brackenbury up to that time,
but the novelty of the Buff Laced feathers led me to visit
Mr. Brackenbury, which I did immediately after the New
York show. The Buff Laced Wyandottes proved unattrac-
tive, but the beautiful Golden Penciled Wyandottes which
Mr. Brackenbury was then at work upon paid me for the
journey.
During this visit Penciled Wyandottes were the leading
topic of conversation and the plans were then laid for be-
ginning work on Silver Penciled Wyandottes. Mr. Brack-
enbury first mated a Dark Brahma hen to a Golden Penciled
Wyandotte male, producing Silver females and Silver males
with red wings. The first mating at the Valleyview Farm
was a Dark Brahma and a Silver Penciled Hamburg female
to a Silver Laced Wyandotte male. The following year the
Showing Wing of Silver Penciled Wyandotte Pullet Illustrated on Page 77.
Wyandotte-Hamburgs were mated with the Wyandotte-
Brahmas, producing chicks which were in blood one-half
Wyandottes, one-fourth Dark Brahma and one-fourth Ham-
burg.
During this time Mr. Brackenbury had produced some
very good females from his Dark Brahma and Golden Pen-
ciled Wyandotte cresses, but the males all showed a great
deal of red, and the females, though equal both in color and
markings to many of the Dark Brahmas seen in the show
rooms, were not what we desired. In ’97 we had better pen-
ciling on Silver Penciled Wyandotte females than I had ever
seen up to that time on any Golden Penciled Wyandotte.
Since then we have worked hard for a better color and have
made good progress in that direction. We shall not, how-
ever, be perfectly satisfied until we have clearly defined
markings of black and white. A-Silver Penciled Wyandotte
with this strong contrast of color will be an ideal American
fowl.
The Law of Production.
Studies in nature always offer the most interesting field
for investigation. The ways of nature are curious and intri-
cate and will never be completely fathomed by the human
THE WYANDOTTES. 17
mind. Whether our work is with animal, bird, insect or
plant life, it is alike interesting. To me the study of bird
life as we have it domesticated is a constant source of
pleasure. No man knows what there is in the organism of
birds which fixes the color and markings. Take for example
the Silver Penciled Wyandottes. Why should the males and
females be so strikingly different in markings? It is prob-
ably due to the fact that the color of the females of all
ground birds—birds which nest and run on the ground—has
been subdued by nature to a marked degree of inconspicu-
ousness to protect them against their enemies.
The Silver Penciled Wyandotte is a most modest com-
bination of black and white. Her colors are always laid on
in alternate stripes, conforming in shape to that of the
feather. Why should not her colors form themselves as on a
laced, barred or spangled feather? Nobody knows. We
know nothing about how these things are governed and it is
not necessary that we should. All we know is that the law
of nature is reproduction, and with this in mind we go
ahead.
To produce what we desire we choose specimens for
breeding which are as nearly as possible what we wish. We
must know to a certainty the plumage of the male which
corresponds to that of the female. If our birds are not ex-
actly what is desired we can gradually approach nearer to
it by careful selection, a slight variation always being pos-
sible, ‘but if any radical change is desired it can be best ob-
tained by the introduction of entirely different blood, some-
thing that will destroy the tendency to fix characeristics.
We herewith present photographie reproductions show-
ing the difference in markings of a pair of Silver Penciled
Wyandottes, brother and sister, prize winners at the Pan-
American Exposition. The photograph of the cockerel is
fine and shows his black breast, tail and lower body color,
striped saddle and hackle, white wing bow, black wing bar
and white triangular wing bay. His sister shows an en-
tirely different marking.
a \"
™e
Oy
A Pan-American Winner—Silver Penciled Wyandotte Cockerel.
Bred and Owned by Ezra Cornell.
By close inspection you can see the distinct triple pen-
ciled markings, whichareso distinct that nearly all who have
seen the original photograph thought it was taken from a
drawing rather than from a living bird. It is the same pul-
let in the hand with wing spread, showing the neat penciled
edging of the wing flights. The breeze disturbed the feath-
A Pan-American Winner—Silver Penciled Wyandotte Pullet.
Bred and Owned by Ezra Cornell.
ers on the shoulders and back, somewhat blurring the mark-
ings, but to the right of the head, where the wind did not
strike, you will notice the sharp, clean-cut markings, which
should delight the eye of every true fancier,
A number of prominent poultry experts have expressed
themselves as believing that the Silver Penciled Wyandottes
possess the combination of qualities which will eventually
make them the most popular variety in America. If this
belief is to be realized the standard must be made to fit the
variety instead of the variety being made to fit some unnat-
ural and arbitrary standard, as is unfortunately the case
with some of the older varieties. Do not demand a clean
black fiuif on the male or a well penciled fluff on the female,
or rich yellow legs. Develop the plumage to its greatest
perfection from single matings and let the shanks come
Whatever color they will. Then make the standard to fit
the birds and we will have a variety to bank on.
[Since the above article was written both varieties of
Wyandottes under discussion have been admitted ito the
American Standard of Perfection, one under the name of
Partridge Wyandottes, the other being named Silver Pen-
ciled Wyandottes.—Ed. ]
Ezra Cornell.
PENCILED WYAINIDOT has
One Variety Admitted to the Standard, the Other Knocking at the Door—Origin, Characteristics and
Merits—They are Destined to Become General Favorites.
BY THEODORE
HEWES.
| Nore,--Since this article was written the Silver variety has been admitted to the Standard under the name of Silver Penciled Wyandottes.—Ep. |
E know almost nothing of the origin of more
than half the varieties of poultry which we
to-day class as standard-bred. We know but
little of the origin of even our American fav-
it
its origin
claimed
the
orites. From almost the has been
that the Barred Rock
Black Java and the
American Dom i-
nique. Up to within
a few years this was
accepted almost 2s a
fact, but now some
of the _ foremost
poultrymen are
claiming that neith-
er of these breeds is
entitled to credit as
a part of the basis
beginning
had in a cross of
mated to even the Silver Laced Wyandotte took away all
the Wyandotte shape.
In my own experience in breeding Silver Laced Wyan-
doites, covering the period from 1881 to the present time,
there has not been a year when some specimen has not given
positive evidence of the presence of Brahma blood. The Sil-
ver Laced Wyan-
dotte, no matter
how well bred, if al-
lowed to mate at
will for two generae
tions, will, to some
extent, revert to the
Dark Brahma char-
Th je
Brahma penciling
will come to the sur-
face on the females,
acteristics,
of our foremost va- while the lacing on
riety, a few even as- the breasts of the
serting that the males will begin to
Barred Rocks were darken. This shows
bred and exhibited how strong in any
before either the breed is the tenden-
Javas or Dominiques cy toward reversion.
were known. ‘This This tendency is due
shows how little to the fact that in-
positive knowledge stead of allowing na-
we have of the ori- eae: hoy WARIS a) SDI
gin of breeds and dard for poultry, we
varieties. lose patience and at-
The same uncer- tempt to improve
Lar ap 0 prevails upon her. The Silver
concerning the ori- Laced Wyandottes,
gin of the Wyan- though the oldest of
dotte. While it is the family, are,
held that a cross of however, the most
the Dark Brahma difficult to Duce:
ne a ms The addition of out-
and Silver Spangled side blood, to pro-
Hamburg produced duce. the Golden
the Silver Laced Laced variety, at
Wyandotte, there is once overcame the
no evidence to sub- "ELM youd KING preponderance ot
stantiate ‘this. At DSVSEDLEY Asiatic blood, The
the time of their in- result of this Was
troduction the ap- ‘ ; 7. , that we soon had
It is now nearly ten years since the originator first disclosed to me his secret of “Golden the Goldens well 10
pearance of the va- penciled Wyandottes” and sent me a number of feathers from some of the first production of his 5 af
experimental crosses. We were then just bidding good-bye to our friends on this side for an ex- advance of the Sil-
riety led one to be- tended trip among English fanciers
the types we look to see it become widely popular
lieve that cross
in question made the
new-comer. The speculation in regard to this was such that
to test this claim, a cross of the two breeds was made. This
cross, while producing nothing which could be called a Wy-
andotte, proved one point to my satisfaction, namely, that
there 3rahma the Silvers. If Hamburg
blood was used it had been modified previously
is Dark blood in
by some
cross. What the cross was I am not prepared to say, but it
was undoubtedly some fowl with a short back, deep breast
ana compact body, inasmuch as the pure Hamburg when
78
Now that the variety has taken its place among standard
The above specimen owned by Mr. T. F
illustrates the perfect shape already attained by this variety.—F. L
vers in markings
McGrew a s
McGrew, .nd'fixedness of type.
SEWELL
The Golden Penciled or Partridge Wyandottes.
Recently breeders of the Goldens added the Penciled or
Partridge variety. Already the females of this late creation
of the fanciers’ art have a fine mahogany color to a degree
better than that found on any other of our standard varie-
The per cent of strictly well marked fowls in this va-
riety is in excess of that from the best mated strains of Sil-
This shows conclusively that the latter crosses have
taken away the greater part of the Brahma blood, and left
ties.
vers.
THE WYANDOTTES. 79
with the fancier 1 variety that is pliable, so to speak; one
that responds quickly to intelligent mating.
When the new Wyandotte had met the requirements for
admission to the standard a controversy arose over the
name of the new candidate for popular favor. Numerous ar-
dent discussions appeared in the poultry press, and the
claims of breeders for priority as the ‘‘originator’ were in-
teresting to the fancy at large. The breeders of the west
favored the name of ‘“‘Partridge’’ Wyandotte, laying stress
on the similarity of the penciling to that of the Partridge
Cochin. The eastern breeders favor the name of ‘“Penciled,”’
basing their claim on the ground that the birds have not
the true partridge markings of our wild birds, but have pen-
ciled feathers.
At the Chicago meeting of the American Poultry Aszo-
ciation, January, 1901, this variety was admitted to the
BRED AND OWNED BY - = -
TF MCGREW
a
_ The Partridge Penciled Wyandottes have enjoyed a growing popularity
in England; the first silver penciled birds we have heard of being exhib-
ited this year. It is expected that the Silver Penciled variety, which is
fully as old as the Goldens, will be admitted to the standard when the
American Poultry Association convenes at Charleston this winter. The
above specimen is a grand Silver pullet owned by Mr. T. F. McGrew.—PF. Ll.
SEWELL.
standard under the name of “Partridge Wyandottes.” The
admission of the variety under this name did not satisfy the
eastern breeders, and even now they refuse to exhibit their
stock as ‘Partridge’? Wyandottes. Several of the foremost
fanciers to-day advertise them as “Penciled,’’ and declare
that they always will despite the of the
Poultry Association.
action American
THE ORIGIN OF SILVER PENCILED WYAN-
POTRMML§ES:
Mr. Cornell, not being satisfied with the Golden Pen-
ciled, or Partridge Wyandotte, and seeing the tendency of
the Silver Laced variety to revert to the original cross, con-
ceived tne idea of establishing a new variety with silver
penciling similar to that of the Dark Brahma.
plish this he had to rely not upon good luck in experiment-
To accom-
ing, but upon careful, intelligent mating. Three distinct
varieties were used and judiciously crossed. One was among
the oldest in the American standard, another has been rec-
ognized and bred for twenty years. The result of such a
cross was a fowl whose origin none could question, a fowl
whose inherited merits none could disregard.
We do not know what success attended the first two
crosses of these established varieties, but we do know that
success was dependent upon care and forethought. With
carelessness and guess work the result would have been dif-
ferent. Mr. Cornell’s method was to select from each cross
the fowls showing most strongly the characteristics of the
desired variety, and then mate these for another season.
For three years he pursued this course, with the result that
he now has a Silver Penciled Wyandotte which far out-
Dark Brahma in color and is almost equal to
any of the staudard Wyandottes in shape. The females of
no other variety of Wyandottes approach even, closely in
beauty those of the Silver Penciled. Especially is this true
of other Wyandottes when compared with Mr. Cornell's
birds. The neat, steel gray penciling, the compact, clean
cut, symmetrical form, the rose comb and yellow legs, com-
bine to make the new hen a marvel of beauty. The male,
too, must not be passed by, as he equals in appearance any
other Wyandotte.
Mr. Cornell prepared a standard for it, and asked the
American Poultry Association to accept this handsome fowl
Wyandotte. We are confident the
will favorably on this application,
the varieties admitted to the standard within
the last fifteen years we know of none which has a better
foundation, nor of one which can point with more pride
to its origin. Theo. Hewes.
ranks the
as the Silver Penciled
Association
for of all
pass
Note.—Mr. Hewes, in the course of the preceding article,
states that “Mr. Cornell, not being satisfied with the
Golden Penciled Wyandotte, * * * and seeing the ten-
dency of the Silver Laced variety to revert to the original
cross, conceived the idea of establishing a variety with silver
penciling.’ Mr. Hewes has been somewhat misled in this.
From the first I have been well satisfied with the Goldens,
and I have not had any experience with the Silver Laced
Wvyandottes, therefore am not informed as to a tendency on
their part to revert to the foundation stock. I was induced
to take up the work of making a Silver Penciled Wyandotte
because I liked the Goldens. ‘The first cross made between
a Silver Laced Wyandotte male, having a plumage approach-
ing that of the Dark Brahma, and a Dark Brahma hen as
strong in penciling as could be had, failed to produce pullets
with even a fairly good penciling. The Silver Laced Wyan-
dotte undoubtedly has a tendency to degenerate from the
clean-centered laced feather, but it is doubtful if the ten-
dency to a penciled feather. Certainly the
tendeney is not strong.
It is also a question whether or not Mr. Hewes is correct
in thinking that the Laced Wyandottes were ad-
vanced to a greater state of perfection than the Silver
Laced on account of their having less of the Asiatic blood
(penciled blood). It will be found that it is easier to get
a clean-cut penciling on a Partridge Cochin or a Golden
Penciled Wyandotte than on a Dark Brahma or Silver Laced
Wyandotte. There seems to be a much stronger tendency
for black and white to run together than for brown and
black. The writer is not prepared to give any reason for
this, but experience has clearly demonstrated it to be a
fact that clearly defined markings, no matter what the
pattern, can be more easily gotten in the brown and black
than in the white and black. Ezra Cornell.
is to revert
Golden
THE PARTRIDGE WYAN DOG:
So Called From the Resemblance of Their Plumage to That of the Partridge Cochins—They are Wyandotte in Shape with the
Plumage of the Partridge Cochin—Origin—Description.
BY W. A. DOOLITTLE.
HE latest addition to the Wyandotte family ig the
Partridge Wyandottes. The western strain was
originated, as were the Goldens, by that true and
honest fancier, Joseph McKeen, of Omro, Wiscon-
sin, and his co-worker was E. O. Thiem, of Deni-
son, Iowa. They were first introduced by an article and
illustration in the October, 1894, number of the Poultry
Monthly, in which Mr. McKeen stated that he had been
breeding with this object in view for a number of years, they
making the first cross with this point in view in 1888.
I had for some years bred the Golden and Buff varieties,
getting eggs and
stock from Mr. Mc-
Keen from time to
time, as I believed
his to be the best
and the original
strain of the Gold-
en. He did not orig-
inate any strain of
Buffs, but as an hon-
est fancier he en-
deavored to breed
the best, and with
his strain I man-
aged to win a lion’s
share of prizes at
the leading western
Partridge Wyandotte Cock, “Kansas Boy.”’ . shows.
First at Chicago and St. Louis, 1900. Owned
and bred by W. A. Doolittle. Soon after Mr. Mc-
Keen’s death, in
1896, I bought from his widow some of his choicest Goldens
and Buffs, including the cock, Major McKeen, which won
first for me at the great Mid-Continental and twice at Kan-
sas and Nebraska state shows. I also took up the breeding
of his strain of Partridge Wyandottes, obtaining them from
Mrs. McKeen, and I now have in my yards a male and
female of this variety that came direct from his yards. The
female was one of his own raising.
In my opinion this beautiful variety has a great future,
as the Partridge Wyandottes now breed as true as any of
their sister varieties, and in fact are better in symmetry,
have larger and better bone, are free’ from feathers on
shanks and toes, and all of them have the true Wyandotte
comb, bright red ear-lobes and yellow legs. I speak of the
McKeen strain.
In selecting breeding stock, either male or female, you
should first see that they have the true Wyandotte shape,
clean yellow legs and bright bay eyes. The ear-lobes and
wattles should be bright red, free from white, and above all
do not permit in your breeding yards of any variety of Wy-
andottes, excepting the white, a bird having white in its
plumage, for it will be more abundant in the offspring and
1%)
once it is introduced it is almost impossible to breed it out.
As so much depends on the male bird, great care should
be taken in his selection. After satisfying yourself that he
has the proper symmetry and that he has a good, full saddle
rising with a con-
cave sweep to the
tail, which should
not be too large or
earried too high—
then see that he has
a broad, deep, well-
rounded breast, in
ecolor_ greenish-
black, free from
brown or red, with a
slate under-color. If
there is red or
brown in the breast
of the male bird he
will throw pullets in
color and markings
similar to a Brown
Leghorn pullet and
brown will predomi-
nate in the breast
color of his male
birds. If possible
choose a bird which
as a chick had a
well-penciled breast like that of the females and which had
richly laced coverts. Such a male will produce well-laced
females, and if his breast as a matured bird is glossy black
free from red or brown, his males will also be properly
marked. In this way good males and females are obtained
from a single mating.
First Prize Partridge Wyandotte Cockerel
at Kansas City Mo., January, 1901. Bred,
owned and exhibited by W. A. Doolittle.
Luciel won first as pullet at Chicago, 1901, and
first as hen at the same show in 1902. ,,Owned
by_W. A. Doolittle. a
>
THE WYANDOTTES. 81
His neck should be short and well-arched with a large
flowing hackle, in color red or orange red, with a distinct
black stripe extending down each feather and tapering to a
point near its extremity. His back should be short, broad
and flat at the shoulders—in color dark red.
The saddle
This half tone illustration is of the first prize Partridge Wyandotte
pullet at Chicago last season and shows by the feathers taken from her,
the most excellent markings of plumage, She was bred and is owned
by W. A. Doolittle.
should be red or orange red with a black, stripe down the
center of each feather. The fluff should be slightly black;
the primaries black on the inner web with a bay edge on the
outer web; the secondaries black on the inner web and rich
bay on the outer web, terminating with a black end on each
feather. The wing coverts should be greenish black with a
well-defined bar across the wing when folded. The tail
should be black, the sickles being of medium length and
glossy black, the tail coverts being a glossy, greenish black
and they may be tinged with red. The comb should be of
good Wyandotte shape, and I should not sacrifice other good
points merely for the sake of the comb so long as it is rose.
The best Golden Wyandotte cock as a breeder that I ever
saw had a very bad comb. It was large and laid over to
one side, but this defect was never transmitted to his off-
spring.
The females should be as well laced as possible, with a
bright red or an orange red hackle having a broad black
stripe extending down each feather and tapering to a point
near the extremity. The black stripe in the lower neck
feathers should be penciled with reddish brown. The plum-
age of the back should be abundant, under-color slate and
the web of the feathers reddish brown, distinctly penciled
with reddish black, the lines of penciling in all parts of the
body conforming as nearly as possible to the shape of the
feathers. The breast and body feathers should be marked
the same as those of the back except they should be penciled
wiih black, the lacing to come well up to the throat. The
fluff should be reddish brown in color, irregularly penciled
with dark brown. The wings should be of the same color
as those of the male, excepting the coverts, which should be
the same color and have the same markings as the feathers
of the breast. The tail should be well spread at the base
and black in color, except two or more of the highest main
tail feathers, which should be penciled. The tail coverts
should be well penciled, similarly to those of the breast.
The standard weights are the same for all Wyandotte
varieties: Cockerel, seven and one-half pounds; cock, eight
and one-half pounds; pullet, five and one-half pounds; hen,
six and one-half pounds. I exhibited the Partridge Wyan-
dottes at Washington, D. C.; Chicago, Ill.; Davenport, Iowa;
Kansas and Nebraska state and other shows. As early as
1898 they were a new variety of Wyandottes and I wished to
give fanciers an opportunity to see them, and it was my
pleasure to be one to assist in getting them admitted to the
standard at the Chicago meeting of the A. P. A. in 1901 as
Partridge Wyandottes.
We present herewith an illustration of a group of Partridge Wyandotte feathers from birds of this
variety bred by W, A. Doolittle and F. O, Thiem,
DIRECTORY (@F— ae
RELIABLE WYANDOTTE BREEDERS
ARTHUR F. HARTMAN, Nappanee, Ind.
White Wyandotte Specialist. Always write to a specialist
in the breed you want. I breed the
of prize-winning stock; practical and faney.
“Business Hen” strain
Stock and
eggs for sale.
T. E. ORR, Beaver, Pa.
Proprietor of Beaver Hill Marm, the home of Orr's Silver
Wyandottes, line bred since 1881.
breeder of
Greatest egg machines
and prize winners. Pioneer Partridge Wyan-
dottes; also of White Wyandottes.
ROSS C. H. HALLOCK, St. Louis, Mo.
“Quality” White Wyandottes. Winners at the Great Chi-
cago Show, January 1902, Ist and 4th pullets, 2nd cock
and Znd pen. Also specials for best shaped female, best
colored male, best White Wyandotte pullet, and silver cup
for largest and best display of White Wyandottes. This in
competition with 243 White Wyandottes in single entries
and 17 pens. Stock is all farm raised, strong and vigorous,
JULIUS BACHMAN, Kausas City, Mo.
Silver Wyandottes, up-to-date. Fine stock for sale. Eggs
in season, $8 per 15.
ARTHUR G. DUSTON, Box 29, Marlboro, Mass.
Rose Lawn Poultry Farm. Tor years recognized as the
fountain from which the best flocks of White Wyandottes
sreed-
in the country ave built up. Show birds a specialty.
ers for sale the year round. Eggs for hatching.
RELIABLE INCUBATOR & BROODER CO., Box A 104,
Quincy, Ill.
Reliable Strain of Silver White Wyandottes.
Ten pens of each variety; lowest score Silver Laced Wyan-
White Wyandottes, 95
Laced and
dottes, mated, 90 points; points.
Stock und eggs for sale.
EDGAR BRIGGS, Poughkeepsie, N. Y.
Proprietor Hudsen River Poultry arn,
ers of White Wyandottes exclusively.
None better.
New York.
all times. Catalogue free,
Specialty breed-
Originators and
breeders of the Yankee strain. Largest
breeders of high class stock in Wees a spe-
cialty. Stock for sale at
OTTO O. WILD, Benton Harbor, Mich.
Breeds White Wyandottes of exceptional merit, and guar-
antees them to please purchasers.
FRED E. PILE POULTRY FARM CO., Cleveland, Ohio.
White Wyandottes. We have 12 acres devoted to White
Wyandottes. We breed for the show room, but never
lose sight of their practical qualities. Our birds are noted
for correct size and shape, whiteness of plumage and fine
yellow legs. Pile’s White Wyandottes are among the rich-
est prize-winner producing lines in the country. Corre-
spondence a pleasure.
I. K. FELCH & SON, Natick, Mass.
Their White Wyandottes are above standard weight. Lay
dark shelled eggs and win prizes for their patrons. Eggs,
$4 for 15, $8 for 45, $15 per 105.
celled by no other strain,
Yowls or eggs are ex-
ORIOLE SPRINGS FARM, Twin Lakes, Kenosha Co., Wis.
The leading Partridge Wyandotte farm of the world. We
lead; others follow. Make no mistake in placing your orders
Write for free illustrated circular,
for stock and eggs.
JOHN COOLIDGE, Galesburg, Il.
White Wyandottes.
records at the leading shows.
“Phe best in the west,’ proven by our
Single birds, $2 up; pairs,
$8.50 up: trios, $5 up. Satisfaction or money back less
express.
A. C. HAWKINS, Lancaster, Mass.
sreeds the winners at America’s greatest shows. Barred,
White and Buff P. Rocks. Silver, White and Buff Wyan-
dottes. For 25 years we have been breeding the very best.
A. & E. TARBOX, Box 1, Yorkville, Ill.
North Side Poultry Yards. Silver, Buff and White Wyan-
dottes. Choice stock for sale. No eggs for hatching.
Agents for Spratt’s patent poultry food and meat. Send
for circular giving winnings and prices.
L. R. HODGES, Pittsfield, Mass.
Paddock Farm. Partridge Wyandottes exclusively. Won
9 blue ribbons and 25 other prizes, 1901-1902, New York,
Boston, and Pan-American exhibitions, on only 87 entries.
All line-bred
from prize winners, and pedigree of each bird
Judges Atherton, Drevenstedt and MaGrew.
recorded.
Show and breeding birds for sale singly or in pairs or trios.
A. FAMARISS, Beverly, N. J.
Breeder of
White Wyan-
Silver Laced—splendidly pen-
Wyandottes of highest type.
dottes that are snow white.
ciled, True to standard, vigorous fowls. Prize winners.
Eggs and stock for sale.
THAYER & HIGGINS, Barnstable, Mass.
White Wyandottes that
to back their breeding.
1902. White,
Stock and eggs for sale.
are winners, and have pedigrees
Second best hen and three specials,
Boston, blocky, strong in eye and comb.
ROWLAND G. BUFFINTON, Fall River, Mass.
Buff Wyandottes.
Eggs in season. Send for cireular.
Breeder of and Partridge Stock for
sale.
MAHASKI POULTRY COMPANY, St. Louis, Mo.
Breeders of Viking strain of White Wyandottes. Eggs $2.
Farm at Bourbon, Mo. We solicit correspondence.
Is a book of 112 3,9 x 1Zinches in sive, that contains, we
SUCCESS WITH POULTRY believe MORE oad BETTER ‘practical, reliable iaformation
on the subject of *’ Poultry for Profit ** than any other book published. Gives the creant of estah-
lished Written and compiled by the editor of the ReLiaste Pouttay Jougwat, who has
given many years of careful study to the poultry business, Price 4 foley
oe : e
‘ARTIFICIAL INCUBATING AND BROODING
bj.
It is contributed to bythe leading authorities of this country, It has88 pages. cach 12x9 inches, with
many illustrations, including a aumber of designs of modern brooder houses, laying houses, a
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BARRED, WHITE and BUFF PLYMOUTH ROCKS 7Mstook consists of 144 50s.<
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the contributors are the following: A.C, Hawkins, 8. B, Thompson, vat thats A. C. Smith, 1. K.
Felch, D. J. Lambert, U.R. Fishel, Robt. H. Essex, C..H, Latham, F, W. Richardson, Theo. Hewes,
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THE WYANDOTTES treating extensively upon this breed. The trentisplece is sy handsome
teproduction from Mr. Sewell's oil printing of * White Wyandottes to date,” representing the win-
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§0-page book, fully illustrated. + es ee le ee MCE SOG
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RELIABLE. POULTRY JOURNAL PUB. 6O., QUINCY, ILLINOIS.
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Address ali orders to