Standard-bred leghorns, brown, white, buff, black and silver duckwing; their origin and history and practical qualities; the standard requirements; how to mate and breed for best results; with a chapter on non-standard varieties; how to judge them; commercial leghorn egg farms

Front matter

Historic, archived document

Do not assume content reflects current scientific knowledge, policies, or practices.

LIBRARY

Table of Contents

Page

Brown Leghorns, Past and Present, Jos. F. Carter 43

Breeding White Leghorns to Standard Requirements 59

CHAPTER I Origin of the Leghorn Fowl

History of the Development of the Leghorn Breed of Domestic Fowl, a Breed that now Consists of Eight Standard and Niue Non-Standard Varieties — White, Brown and Black Leghorns First Produced and Exhibited in the United States in the Middle of the Nineteenth Century — White Leghorns Imported from America to England in 1869, Buff Leghorns Introduced into England from Denmark in 1888

.1. H. I)revenn<e«lt

LEGHORNS have been known and bred for a very long period of years in Europe as "Italiens," prioi to their arrival in America, and are still known by this name on the Continent of Europe. In England they have been known as Leghorns from the time of the first exportation from America to Great Britain in 1868, the name given to the breed by Ameiican fanciers. So, at least, the origin of the name can be claimed by America. But by American breeders can be made the greater and more substantial claim of being the real originators of the immensely popular and distinctively typical and beautiful White and Brown Leghorns of the present day. They received the crude material from sunny Italy and started the refining process at once; and in the early fifties of the last century, fairly good types of both brown and white varieties were seen in different localities of New England, the '"cradle of the American fancy."

Some writers of the past claim that the White Leghorn was the original Leghorn breed from which all others sprang; other writers are equally positive that the Brown Leghorn was "on deck" ut the same time, and can lay equal claim to being the progenitor of the other varieties. Claims in those days were not always clinched by facts, and we must, in reading over the conflicting testimony of breeders of White and Brown Leghorns, take some of their statements cum (jrano sails. If the old timers failed to agree on such matters, it is but reasonable to expect that some of our present day fanciers will be of the same mind. To the practicalminded breeder it makes precious little difference which variety made its debut on the American poultry stage first. One is as good as the other, and both are splendid examples of the American breeder's art in producing two such beautiful and useful varieties of fowl.

The origin and early history of any race, man or animal, always proves interesting, even if the alleged facts bearing on such leave room for doubt in the mind of the investigator and chronicler at times. In presenting what purport to be facts relating to the early history of the Leghorn fowl and the later introduction of its subvarieties, we have sifted, as much as was practical for the purpose of the completeness of this chapter, what we believed to be the substantial, from the imaginary data, at our disposal.

In the "Poultry World," February, 1873, I. K. Felch contributed the following data bearing on the origin and description of the Leghorn fowl:

I have been, ever since their introduction into the country, well aware of the merits of the Leghorn fowl. The first importation of these fowls was made into Mystic River, Conn., in the year 1855; and they were what we term the Brown Leghorn. The nice pure brown of their breasts was very peculiar, and also very beautiful in color — in fact, so much so that I sold many of them to the taxidermists for their feathers, of which many a crest has been made and has appeared on the hat of many a gentlewoman as she passed along the street, having purchased same as imported feathers.

The hens in color generally present reddish brown, running in some cases into pure brown color; and in weight they seldom exceed four pounds, while an average would be three and one-half pounds. While young, and before commencing their first litter of eggs, they resemble very much the Derby Game hens, their comb never becoming fully developed until they commence to lay, when it comes out a pure red and so clear that the reflection of light can be seen through it.

Hens whose combs stand upright are, to my mind, preferable, as it is these which geneially produce the most perfect cock; a lopped-comb cock is very objectionable, and if your breeding hens are those whose combs fall over to one side of their heads, as I have seen them, so as to cover the eye, one need not expect to breed more than one-half the cocks with upright combs. In the first importation the combs were so large as to be a great deformity.

The cocks should weigh from four and one-half to five pounds, at twelve months of age, and never exceed it; and in color they should be identical with the Black-Red Game. I regret that the "Standard" so poorly describes, or, as I may say, fails so entirely to describe it.

The beak and legs should be yellow, and the latter quite short; breast, black (splashes of brown objectionable, but not a disqualification); fluff and thighs more or less brown-tinged; wings, reddish-brown; tails large, full sickles (well curved in "Standard" — I say tolerably well curved), the whole tail carried upright. It is not an uncommon thing to see a good cock, when strutting about, have his comb and tail meet above his back. The back should be wide and short, and of deep red or mahogany color; hackle and saddle same as in Black-Red Game; head and face small, as in "Standard;" and I am afraid judges are attaching too much importance to this, and like the Black Spanish, they will sacrifice the whole merit to this one requirement. I fear that in time we shall see, as in the Spanish, degenerate sons of noble sires, feebly contending for prizes, and striving to sustain a race whose glory is found in the past. In or about 1858 we had the White Leghorn with white legs, which was known as the Lord importation. Later, in 1863, we had what was known as the Stetson importation, which was white in plumage, with yellow beak and legs. In weight, like the brown variety, the hens average 3*4 pounds, the cocks from Ay2 to 5 pounds, the latter, however, being seldom reached. These fowls as egg producers, in their original perfection, were truly marvelous. I have known of a hen of this last importation that laid 159 days in succession, and have the assertion of a friend that one laid 275 eggs in one year; but the largest number which I know of personally and which I deem very extraordinary, was 250. An average, in my experience, has been from 175 to 200 eggs. With good care 200 eggs need not be despaired of.

The combs of all three of these varieties were the same, and not at all like the Black Spanish. In many cuts published of late, one sees them with combs of a Spanish shape. This is wrong in itself, and leads many an amateur astray. A Leghorn has rarely but five points to his comb, — two double-pointed serratures and three single ones, and cut very deep down into it. The shape, once seen, cannot be mistaken, and therefore needs no fuller description by me. In the early importations these combs grew to an enormous size. I have seen young cocks with such combs and wattles that they were unable to hold up their heads. I killed a cock so troubled, his whole live weight being pounds, and his head, comb and wattles weighing 19 ounces — as nearly one-third his weight as could well be. They have smaller combs now, which I cannot but hail for the better.

The Brown Leghorn Standard referred to by Mr. Felch above, gives the following description of the breed:

The Cock

Comb — bright red, large, erect, single, straight, and free from twists or falling over to either side, deeply serrated, extending well back over the head and free from side sprigs or excrescences. Legs — bright yellow. Breast — Black, splashed with brown. Wings — Reddish brown. Tail — large, full, sickle well curved. Face — bright red, free from wrinkles or folds. Ear-lobes — Pure opaque, white, rather pendant, thin, and close fitting to the head, smooth and free from wrinkles.

The Hen

Head — brown. Neck — light yellowish brown, striped with black. Back and shoulder coverts— brown. Wing bow, shoulder primaries and secondaries — brown. Tail — dark brown, approaching black. Breast, deep salmon, shading off to ashy brown toward the thighs. Thighs — ashy brown. Legs — to match those of cock.

Points in Brown Leghorns

Size 15

Corrrb 20

Face and Ear-lobe 20

Color of Plumage 20

Symmetry 15

Condition 10

Disqualifications in Brown Leghorns

Legs, other than yellow; comb lopping over in cock; prick-comb on hen; red deaf-ear; white feathers in any part of the plumage.

This Standard was about as crude and incomplete as the breed itself at that time. The first official American Standard of Excellence issued by the American Poultry Association in 1874, however, gives a far better and more complete description of Brown Leghorns; also giving the first scale of points based upon the 100-point system, adopted by the Association at its annual meeting held at Buffalo, New York, January 15th to 18th, 1874.

Not long after Mr. Felch wrote his introductory Leghorn article, other writers began to air their knowledge on the subject and dispute the Felch claims. In the November "Poultry World," 1873, a correspondent who signed himself "B. Leghorn" remarked:

I cannot agree with Mr. Felch in regard to the Leghorns. In the first place, I cannot agree with him that so long ago as 1855 they were known or recognized as a distinct breed. I am well aware that fowls of all shades have been imported into this country under the name of Leghorns, which had no title whatever to the designation, except the bare fact that they came from the vicinity of the city bearing that name.

They do not appear to have been recognized by any of the poultry authorities of Europe as a distinct breed, until long after they had been bred and perfected in this country; since which time they have only been recognized as an American breed. It would appear to be a very remarkable oversight on the part of those who have brought poultry fancying to its present status in England, to have passed by so valuable a variety, or to be ignorant of its existence. Some years ago, Mr. Brent, a celebrated poultry breeder and judge, now deceased, wrote as follows in relation to the Spanish fowl: "I am at a loss to understand why only one variety of this breed is patronized, seeing there are others. I think it but justice that this breed should have as many classes as any other breed. I would give them four classes, — Black Spanish, White Spanish, Blue Spanish, and any other variety of Spanish." If this means anything, it most assuredly recognizes a large class of fowls of various colors which would be classed under the name of Spanish. There is no doubt that the White Leghorns now so celebrated in this country, were originally identical with the White Spanish which have been known in England.

Mr. Tegetmeier also says: "The geographical names by which the majority of the different breeds of our domestic poultry are at present known to us are unquestionably erroneous. But with Spanish the .case appears somewhat different. All along the Mediterranean, from Gibraltar to Syria, the countries that border on that vast inland sea abound with fowls that bear so close a resemblance to the Spanish race as may warrant our assigning them to one common stock. Purity of breed, however, is but little esteemed; nevertheless, with those who have examined with any care the natural history of this section of gallinaceous birds, little hesitation would be felt as to the extreme probability of a common descent."

It seems to me that statements like these from gentlemen who are recognized authorities in poultry matters, ought to set at rest any claim to the Leghorns as a distinct European breed. The birds mentioned by Mr. Felch as having been imported in 1855 and 1858, were undoubtedly selected from these mongrels spoken of by Mr. Tegetmeier, and from them has arisen the Brown Leghorn of our day, so widely known as an American breed.

So much for the history of this variety. Now let us follow Mr. Felch in his description of this breed. In the opening of his oaper he says: "The nice pure brown of their breasts (speaking of the hen) being very peculiar;" and again; "The hens in color generally present reddish brown, running in some cases to pure brown." This may possibly answer for the early importations, but the nearer the color of both cock and hen approaches the color of Black-Red Games, the more highly are they prized by our best breeders. In regard to the comb of the hen, he says: "Hens, whose combs stand upright are, to my mind preferable, as it is these which generally produce the most perfect cocks." Believing, as I have always believed, that the Leghorns, both Brown and White, are Spanish in their origin, I entertain the opinion that the same rule which would apply in judging Spanish, would apply also to them (the Leghorns).

Mr. Hewett, the best known poultry judge, says: "In Spanish hens the combs should lap in front, and fall oyer sideways." The erect comb, called a prick-comb, which our friend prefers, is laid down in the English and American Standards as a disqualification, and will not in all probability find much favor with the Leghorn fanciers. In another part of his paper he says in regard to the tail of the cock: "It is not an uncommon thing to see a good cock, when strutting about, have his comb and tail meet above his back." Here again he is at fault, for if he will turn his attention to the general description of shape of the Spanish class in the English or American Standard, he will discover that the tail of the cock must not be carried over the back, or be "squirrel-tailed." In relation to the legs, I think it a mistake to put too much stress on shortness; I should prefer to have them long enough to prevent a squatty appearance. I shall most cheerfully agree with him in what he says in regard to size, not only in relation to the Leghorn, but also in relation to the Brahma, in a former paper on that breed, for I honestly believe that some of our most valuable breeds have been utterly ruined in the strife for weight, and I am rejoiced to see that a reaction is about to take place.

I regret to feel obliged to be thus critical in my remarks, and I wish it to be understood that I do so with the kindest feeling toward my friend, Mr. Felch, for whom I entertain the greatest respect, and to whom, as well as to his brother, the poultry world is so largely indebted for their labors in perfecting one of our most valuable breeds.

The belief expressed by the above writer that both White and Brown Leghorns are of Spanish ancestry was shared by many others at that period, but others were firm in their belief that Brown Leghorns were distinct from White Leghorns in their ancestry, the supposition being that they were made by crossing the Black Breasted Red Game with the so-called "Brown Italiens" that came to our shores from Italy. The more slender limbed and longer bodied White Leghorns at that early period were often white in shanks and in carriage and head points resembled the Spanish fowl. The fact that White Leghorns lay larger white eggs than the Browns, and the tendency in the earlier strains to show considerable white in the face of the males, add much weight to the statement that they are lineal descendants of the ancient Spanish race of fowl. The smaller and occasionally tinted eggs laid by Brown Leghorns indicate the same cross, although we believe Spanish blood was also used in the early construction period of this breed, especially for the purpose of obtaining the white ear-lobes. Up to 1865 Leghorns were shown as Spanish fowls, and it was through the efforts of I. K. Felch that they were finally properly classified, as will be seen by reading his statement published in the "Poultry World," November 1873:

It will be a hard fact for some, but if the truth must be spoken, Leghorns have not been allowed to be exhibited as such until since 1865.

At the first exhibition of the Worcester Poultry Club (which all know to be the pioneer of all poultry societies in the United States), Mr. Houghton, Mr. Childs, and myself, were forced to enter out Leghorns as Spanish fowls. We did so under protest. On the second day, Mr. Flint, then secretary of the Massachusetts Board of Agriculture, was present, and we carried our case before him. And these were the arguments we used to show why we should not be compelled to exhibit them- as Spanish. We claimed:

1st. That our birds did not have as long legs in proportion to their bodies as the Spanish did, and that the legs were vellow in color.

2nd. That they were different in shape, their combs being coarsely serrated.

3rd. That their faces were red, and also the earlobes, and not white like the Spanish.

Mr. Flint was disposed to favor us, and, at the next exhibition, the Club received them as Leghorn fowls. Mr. Flint was then managing the "New England Farmer," and during that year I, with others, wrote articles upon the subject, which were published in that paper during the winter, I think, of 1865. In writing upon poultry, I say: "Tell the truth and shame the devil."

Mr. Felch, a few months after, made the following reply to "B. Leghorn's" criticisms of his first communication on the origin of the breed, in the "Poultry World":

I cannot see anything which should make me change my base; but I can see, as he did, how incomplete my article was, which compels me to answer him. And in answering the first twenty-one lines of his article, I will say that the date 1855, in my article, was a misprint, and that it was in 1853 that the first Brown Leghorns came into the country; and that the Brown Leghorns of today, in color of plumage and purity of blood, and as breeders of type and feather, are not one whit ahead of them. The only difference is, that the Leghorns of today are larger. The fact that since they have come into public notice, others have imported specimens that have, in each instance, bred true to form and feather, should be proofpositive to every reader that they have some pretensions as a breed at home; and it is a fact (to speak from my own experience, of which I do not guess), that these fowls have always, since 1858, been bred and known as Leghorns by the breeders. Childs and Houghton, of Worcester, and myself, well know that the reason they were not generally known to the public was because there were no poultry exhibitions in the country, after their advent, until 1864, and at the show in Worcester that year we were compelled to exhibit them as Spanish, which we did under protest. On the second dav of the fair, Mr. Flint, then secretary of the Massachusetts Board of .Agriculture, was present, and we appealed to him, and the characteristics of the Leghorns, in comparison to the Spanish, were discussed; and it was there they were first acknowledged publicly as Leghorns, all conceding that the two breeds were different in form and plumage and general characteristics.

In answer to the next two-thirds of a column, I ask, is it any the less strange that English people should fail to know the existence of the Leghorn breed? America failed to appreciate the Silver-penciled Hamburgs until they had been long bred in England, and came across the Atlantic as "Bolton Grays," as was the fact in the case of the first importations. His argument seems to be that because England failed to recognize the Leghorns, therefore no Leghorns could exist, — which seems to imply an inveterate prejudice in favor of England, amounting to a conviction in his mind, that "no good can come out of America." I, for one, am willing to excuse Mr. Tegetmeier from writing of the Leghorn, when, at the time he wrote, the breed had not come to notice, either in England or America.

In reference to Mr. Tegetmeier's "mongrels," I have fully answered above. I believe that they were a breed when they came to our shores. In answer to his remarks about hens with upright combs, I will say that, perhaps, in my article to which he refers, I was not particular enough in my meaning. I do not think the poultry fanciers of New England would believe me foolish enough to try to win a prize on hens with upright combs. I assert that a strain of White Leghorns which will produce ten per cent, of the pullets with upright combs, will produce cocks, ninety per cent, of which shall possess combs which stand straight on their heads, and are consequently marketable. I also assert that a strain which produces hens, all of which have thin combs lying flat over the side of their heads, as spoken of in the October number of the "World," by me, will produce at least forty per cent, of the cocks whose combs will lop before they arc even twelve months old. In the one case, gentlemen, you have forty per cent, of disqualified birds; in the other, twenty per cent. Now, which strain will you prefer? I still say, the hen whose comb is inclined to be upright is sure to be the best breeder; and the experience of ten years breeding them, has made me believe it. A cock with a lopped comb is as much disqualified as a hen with an erect comb, and, in value, is worse off; for no good breeder would use the cock, while he would the hen.

As to the "squirrel-tail" spoken of by him, he should have understood that I was writing about the Brown Leghorns as I first saw them. They were, in carriage, much like Bantams.

I agree with "B. Leghorn" as to the' color most desired, and heartily accept a little more length of leg, which does much to destroy the Bantam appearance of which I have spoken. I should be glad to meet and know the writer, and can assure him a cordial welcome if he will call on me.

It was left for Frank J. Kinney, however, to give the Brown Leghorn a boost that even some of the modern poultry boomers would view with envy as well as admiration. Mr. Kinney's remarks appeared in the "Poultry World," December, 1873. We reprint them without further comment, to-wit:

A great deal is being said about this comparatively new breed. I claim to have owned the first that were ever landed in America, having bought, on ship in Bo-ston harbor, in June, 1853, two hens and one cock, about one year old, the trio weighing 13J4 pounds. They were very handsome and very different from any poultry I had ever seen, and I liked them, but objected to the small size of their bodies and the large size of their combs and wattles, and I commenced immediately to increase the one and diminish the other, by selecting the largest hens and the broadest, lowest cocks, with the smallest combs and finest wattles, to breed from. And by following this course for a long series of years, I have succeeded in breeding hens that weigh from 4j4 to 6l/i pounds, and

cocks that weigh from Sy2 to 7^2 pounds. I have kept strict account with my fowls from the ' beginning, and can, by comparing figures, see no difference in the time of their maturing and commencing to lay.

Some commence when three and a half months old, and none commence older than five months. I could give figures in cases where jljg I have "timed" — if you ~|P please — twenty-five pullets nearly every year for the last seven years, and a less number of them for the last twenty years, were it necessary.

The best I have ever done, was the past year. I had a large number hatched out the 9th of August, 1872, and selected twenty-five pullets, to whom I gave an extra run, and moderate feed for five months, when they commenced laying the 9th of January, 1873. These twenty-five hens laid, up to the 9th of August, 1873, 3,750 eggs, or 150 each; their average weight is 5% pounds, and they will lay, before the 9th of August, 1874, 240 eggs more each, supposing they are properly fed and cared for, and they will lay as many every year for four or five years at least. These hens are constantly and closely confined, except a few weeks in moulting time. We carry the out-of-doors to them — all they cannot get through glass and slats — the rest of the year. We had yards of twenty three-yearold hens last year that aveiaged 240 eggs to the hen, about 100 more than the same strain laid six years ago, when they were a pound lighter to the hen and had not got used to being forced.

At another time I will give my experience and views on the subject of forcing poultry.

I have traveled a large extent of country in my day, and have seen a great many hens that deserve to be reported in the papers. I can call to mind instances in many states, where honest farmers have pointed out hens to me, saying: "That is a wonderful hen; she is as old as my second gal, and has allers laid and never sot; is more than ten years old;" or, "There is a hen as old as Jane, and she is twenty years old," etc. One man in Canterbury, N. H., killed a hen on the twenty-first birthday of an adopted son, and the hen was "older than the boy, and had allers laid up tew last year, and now she had got so fat, was just good for nothing at all." These hens were barn-yard fowls, and of all colors, but uniformly low, square, substantially-built fowls.

I have never seen a very gamy-looking hen, or an Asiatic, that was a good laying hen very long — not many

KINNEY'S "BROWN PRINCE," 1873.

years. We had one hen, old "Red Ribbon," that laid over 2,200 eggs, and died at the age of nine years and three months from breaking an egg internally. She_ was as healthy-looking a hen as any in my yards at the time, and, as near as I could judge, might have laid for years longer but for the accident. "Signora," now in my yards, is six years old and has laid over 1,300 eggs. I have one hundred and more chicks in my yards, hatched from eggs laid by pullets which were raised this year; have chickens (November 13th) three months old, hatched from eggs laid by pullets that were hatched from eggs laid by "Signora" after the 5th of March, 1873. The old hen, when in condition, weighs 6J4 pounds; said pullets commenced laying before they were 3l/2 months old, and weigh, as pullets, more than 4% pounds.

Mr. I. K. Felch may have his Leghorns "at an average weight of Zy2 pounds as fowls and resembling, while young, and before commencing to lay, the Derby Game, with cocks never to exceed 5 pounds each, and identical in color with the Black-Red Game," if he pleases. I prefer pullets that resemble good Brown Leghorns — Standard fowls — and weigh \y2 to 2 pounds more than his, and cocks that resemble good Standard Brown Leghorn cocks and weigh 6 to 7 pounds. It seems to me to be not at all in order to compare Brown Leghorns with Games. One might as well compare Black Hamburgs with Black Cochins.

I. K. Felch, in his most vigorous and characteristic style, replied to Mr. Kinney's criticisms and incidentally riddled the latter's extravagant claims of the wonderful egg records made by Brown Leghorns, in the following number of the "Poultry World," as follows:

I have read Mr. J. F. Kinney's articles on Brown Leghorns in the June and September issues of the "Bulletin" and the December issue of the "Poultry World," and have several times been asked by correspondents and friends to answer him. Not wishing to go into any controversy, I desisted. But in the last-mentioned article he chooses to refer to me in a sarcastic way, which would, to one not used to the breed, give a false impression; viz., that I was breeding Brown Leghorns not true to their type. This and the tall statements he makes, and the braggadocio style in which he does it, I must confess, have irritated me enough to call forth this reply.

Mr. Kinney tells us he has the only white ear-lobed strain in the world; yet he tells us that he has read "with" pleasure" an article on the ear-lobes of Brown Leghorns in the "Bulletin" of December, 1872.

I presume that which pleased him most in that article was, that the "writer's experience, and that of Mr. Wheeler, or Worcester, Mr. Beard, of Nashua, N. H., and Mr. Jacob Graves, of Boston, was that not one-twentieth part of all the Brown Leghorns had white ear-lobes, and that of the twentieth part of them that had, three-fourths were very defective in plumage;" and as Mr. Wheeler is a neighbor of Mr. Kinney, he ought to know whereof he speaks. As regards the article alluded to, I myself call it a good and truthful one. The writer also says: "If we, to attain this one point, are to sacrifice the rich, beautiful black breast, elegant striped hackle, and handsome shoulder coverts and wing-bar, which are certainly of more importance, what have we gained?" So much for what pleases him to read.