THE POULTRY YARD.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLI, Issue 135, 10 June 1907, Page 6

THE POULTRY YARD.

COLOR OF CHICKENS WHEN HATCHED.

How often one hears a beginner grumbling as to the color of the chicks ■when hatched out, when he has purchased an expensive sitting from a leading fancier. He has the mistaken notion that the color of the down will be that of the adult fowl, this being rarely the case, so therefore he makes complaints, tells everybody, and often writes to the " Feathered World" office, says that paper, and tries to cause disturbance by correspondence, and declares he has been, imposed upon. Without explaining the appearance of all the varieties of chicks when first hatched, certain observations can be made* The down in few' cases cates the real color of the adult. In white varieties the chicks are usually white or creamy when first hatched. In White Rocks often the chicks appear sooty or a greyish color. These clucks are nearly always the purest of color when adults, and free from the objectionable creamy or yellow tinge. In buff varieties, the chicks are usually color of buff, and often have specks of black amongst the buff. la the black varieties the chicks are nearly, always white and black in color, and sometimes the white predominates over the black. The white is often found on the top of head and tips of wings and breast and thighs. . These, which are mostly" white,"'.'.are frequently of the most lustrous-Mack, whereas a solid black chick developes into a dull black, with more or less red tinge in the plumage.- In the black-red Game, partridge Cochins, and brown Xioghorns, the chicks have a broad maroon stripe down the back and a narrow stripe on each side, with a brownish tinge. The brown-red Game is similar to the black-red, only more black in it. In barred Rocks and .fowls similar in plumage the chicks are black and white or 1 black and a "creamy white. Those which are blackest in the down are neatly always 'pullet 3 ,; but may, grow into very dark cockerels. In light Brabmas and Cohimbia-'n Wyaridottes the chicks are creamy white all over, and in dark Brahma's and silver-. Eoncilled Wyandottes are bluish-grey ue, with;or without stripes. .Jn..goicl anil silver-pencilled Hambivrgs: Ihe chicks are buff on wliite ground color, with black specks on the head and often black stripes down the back. Nearly all black fowls show white •feathers in the wing's in the first plumage. No specimen should be discarded on account oLthese white feathers, as often they are replaced by feathers of right color. . You cannot judge any specimen till it gets a second plumage,

Leg color is important to notice, for it often changes as the chicks develop. In yellow legged varieties if the chick lias yellow shanks it will probably come too pale in color when an adult, but if the chick has, say, willow leg 3, green, or even black, it very. often has a beautiful yellow color when an adult. Reverse is often seen. Willow legged varieties are often hatched with yellow legs, but these change to -willow as the bird develops. 4 To know the best specimens so young requires long and constantstudy, and even breeders with lifelong expedience have often been mistaken . Never sell off your chickens till they are well into the second plumage.