IN THE POULTRY. YARD.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18203, 2 March 1929, Page 10

IN THE POULTRY. YARD.

THE LEGHORN FAMILY. Buff-coloured fowls have always been popular, ever since the early days of the original Buff Cochins, and nearly all buff-coloured fowls have a touch of Cochin blood in them. It is not surprising that Buff Leghorns were produced, and it was a Danish poultry breeder that first produced same. The first Buff Leghorns were exhibited for the first time at Copenhagen show in 1885, and they appeared at the London Crj’stal Palace show three years later, when they' immediately' caught the public fancy. The first buffs were much stronger in colour than they are today, and were invariably' of a much darker shade in hackle. The first buffs were excellent egg producers, and were great favourites on farms where eggs were the first consideration. The Danish breeders wee also loud in their .praises, and for a time it looked as if they would outshadow the popular white. During the war years, the buffs got a severe set-back, and have never really' recovered their lost position. No doubt this was largely' due to the fact that it required a certain amount of knowledge in breeding t# maintain the beautiful soft buff colour, which the liltilitarians did not possess, so that they lost favour, in spite of tlieir excellent reputation as fillers of the egy packets. The Blues. About the same time as buffs were at the zenith of their popularity', British breeders set themselves the task of producing Blue\Legliorns. This was eventually' done after a lot of experimenting. Blue is the most elusive of all the colours in the poultry world and the most difficult to maintain. There is no doubt that much Andalusian blood was utilised in the manufacture of Blue Leghorns. The first blues were famous for the number and size of eggs that they laid, and they claimed quite a lot of attention for a time. Their excel'ence in this direction was undoubtedly due to the outcross of Andalusian blood. The colour question, however, again led to its loss of popularity, for it was found that it was a most difficult matter to breed specimens of uniform blue colour. Blue leghorns are seldom to be seen now, although one or two enthusiasts still keep them, and they are quite as good layers of large eggs as ever they were. The Cuckoos. The cuckoo or black and white barred variety was produced on the Continent, and was never very popular in England. It was admitted to be a good egg producer, but its similarity in markings to the Barred Plymouth Rock was its handicap. This, however, promises to assist it to-day', for utilitarians are now interesting themselves in it as they are considering it from a sex linkage point of view. Several breeders are using cuckoo Leghorn hens, in place of Barred Rocks, with a brown Leghorn cockerel. The sex linkage is well defined, and the progeny' are said to be in advance of all other crosses for high fecundity. The only drawback to this cross is that the cuckoo Leghorn has been bred for years for egg production, so that the majority of same are of the real utility type, and the brown blood is an excellent outcross, so that the cross bred chickens are very vigorous, and are very easy to rear. They mature quick’y, and if hatched at the right time they make excellent winter lay'ers when handled properly.