The Book of the Hamburgs

Now for pullet breeding (if you are able to have two pens; if not, choose the above mating), it is absolutely requisite that in addition to the above qualifications, or as many of them as can be obtained, a cock be found which has a brilliant luster to his plumage. As we have intimated, it is very difficult to find a cock with this brilliant plumage without a touch of red in hackle. If you can obtain him, well and good; if not, bear in mind the red feathers, but use him, for color in cock you must have above any other consideration for breeding pullets. The Rev. Mr. Sergeantson, whom we have before quoted, and who had greater success than any other English breeder with this variety, entirely agrees with us in this. He says: “I would much rather choose for the purpose a red-hackled cock, if good in other respects, than a dull-colored one. I have often bred beautiful, lustrous pullets from hens with very little color, when mated with a bright cock; but never from a dull-colored cock, however lustrous the hens with him might be.” Moreover, in this pen, choose birds with small or moderately sized combs, as there is a general tendency in combs of pullets to lop over, if bred too large.

Do not be discouraged, if you cannot obtain all these points at once; get as near to it as possible; and every succeeding year will find you drawing nearer and nearer to that desired goal —perfection.

THE SILVER-SPANGLED HAMBURG

This variety is probably as well known and generally bred as any variety of fancy poultry we have, and its continued popularity is conclusive proof of the high estimation in which it is held by fanciers throughout the land. To the counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire the Silver-Spangled Hamburgs owe their present state of perfection, although American breeders have done more in twenty years to perfect their combs, ear-lobes and face than English fanciers have been able to accomplish in twice that time. The plumage is essentially English, and to English fanciers is due the credit for perfecting their beautiful markings. In fact, they were brought to a high standard of excellence in Lancashire long before the first poultry show; and this standard was clearly defined and adhered to by fanciers, who were chary about admitting innovations as to their ideas.

They were originally called Silver Pheasants in Yorkshire, and Silver Mooneys in Lancashire. These latter, while the most numerous and best bred, admitted only hen-feathered cocks, and were brought to a high state of perfection. Mr. Beldon says: “Some of the old Mooneys were absolute perfection in point of feather; the spangling, so large, round and rich in color, was really something to be wondered at, and shows a skill and enthusiasm in breeding which, in the absence of public shows in those days, has about it something of the marvelous.”

When poultry shows first came into fashion these Mooneys received the lion’s share of the awards at all the exhibitions, until it came to be considered utter foolishness to pit any kind of fowl against them, and they enjoyed their exalted position for several years unmolested. At the expiration of this time, however, breeders of the Mooneys were thrown into confusion by the sudden and unanimous decree of the judges that these “hen-feathered Mooneys” were all humbug, and not “the correct thing,” inasmuch as so many of these “hen-feathered” cocks proved unprolific or imperfect that long-tailed birds were secretly used to keep up the breed. There was so much evident truth in this that the struggle, though sharp, was of short duration; the judges triumphed, and the reign of the Silver Mooneys as show birds was over, while the star of the Silver Pheasants steadily rose, until nothing was recognized but the full-plumaged cocks, though the hens still lacked the nice spangling which had rendered the Lancashire birds so much admired, the spangles being small and indistinct. It may be well to state here that the Yorkshire birds were the original variety, the excellence in spangling attained by the Lancashire fanciers being the result of judicious breeding. The Yorkshire birds had better symmetry, whiter ear-lobes, smaller combs and clearer tails, and it is from them that our modern Silver-Spangled Hamburgs are descended. They are fully up to the other varieties in productiveness, and possess all the good traits of the breed, while their exceeding beauty renders them remarkably attractive.

Plumage.– Of course the spangling in the Silver-Spangled Hamburg is of primary importance, and should be regarded with the utmost care. As the spangling differs in the sexes, we shall be obliged to describe them separately.

Cock.– The neck-hackle should be abundant, descending well over the shoulders, and in color, silvery-white (any approach to a yellowish tinge to be carefully avoided), the longer feathers ending in a small diamond-shaped spangle, and presenting a beautiful rayed appearance about the shoulders.

The back and saddle should have the same general style of feathers, pure white in color, except the small spangle near the end as in the neck-hackle, avoiding any appearance of the yellowish tinge.

The breast feathers should be pure silvery-white, each feather ending with a well-defined, round, large-sized greenish-black spangle or moon, showing as little white on the tip as possible, the spangles increasing in size in proportion as the feather increases in size. The body and wing-feathers must have a similar moon-shaped spangle. There is a tendency to indistinct or smutty markings in the tail, which should be avoided. The moons on the breast-feathers should be just large enough to give the breast a spangled appearance, by allowing a little of the white beyond each moon to show. The moons, if too large, give the breast a mossed or black appearance, which is a defect. The spangles on greater and lesser wing-coverts form two distinct bars across the wing, which is very requisite in a well-marked bird. Care should be taken to avoid clear white feathers in back and saddle, as they are very liable to appear in light-colored birds.

Hen.– The neck-hackle should be composed of clear, silvery-white feathers, each plainly striped near the end with greenish-black. The back, breast and body should be clear white, each feather distinctly spangled with a large, round and greenish-black moon, as large as possible without the spangles running together and giving a mossy or black appearance in places.

The half-moon spangle should be avoided with much care in all feathers except the wing-secondaries, where it is allowable in both sexes. The wing-coverts, greater or lesser, should be clear, silvery-white, terminating in a large, greenish-black, round spangle, and forming two parallel bars, distinctly marked, across the wing. It is difficult to find a perfectly spangled tail without some black or smutty color in the main body of the feathers; this is not so persistent a defect in the hen as in the cock, and can be bred out of both, if proper care is taken. The feathers on the thighs should be as distinct as possible, care being taken to prevent a mossy or laced appearance.

Nothing can be more beautiful than a finely-spangled Silver Hamburg, and when a perfect spangling is once attained, it is easily continued in the progeny. Laced or half-moon feathers are a great eye-sore to the fancier, and are often very troublesome, although perhaps not more so than the indistinct markings on the tail, once so common, but which is now being replaced by clear, well-spangled tails – another evidence of skillful breeding.

Other Points.– The comb in Silver-Spangled Hamburgs should resemble exactly that described in our section on Black Hamburgs. The ear-lobe should also be the same, but is more easily bred to perfection in the Spangled than in the Black variety, being naturally rather smaller and smoother; but, on the other hand, more liable to red edges. There is the same tendency to white in the face in Silver-Spangled as in Black Hamburgs, although in a lesser degree, and there surely is no excuse for its cropping out here, if ordinary care is taken to prevent it.

The carriage of Silver-Spangled Hamburgs is graceful in the extreme and constitutes one of their chief attractions; indeed, we think they are among the most stylish birds we have. The legs should be slender, neat and clean, of medium length, and in color, blue or slaty-blue. We have already described what constitutes good symmetry in a Hamburg; let it suffice to say that the Silver-Spangled are essentially Hamburg in this respect.

The disqualifications to which this variety is liable are absence of the wing-bars, markings wholly crescent-shaped or of the half-moon character, solid black breasts, laced feathers, squirrel tails, red ear-lobes, and the absence of spike in comb, cocks hen-feathered.

The beak should be horn-color, and the eyes a dark hazel. Care should be taken to avoid a black fluff in either sex, as it is an especial abomination to the intelligent fancier.

Points in Breeding Silver-Spangled Hamburgs.– We are obliged to acknowledge that unless you have a thorough knowledge of the strain you are breeding from, there is considerable guess-work necessary in choosing a Silver-Spangled Hamburg cock for breeding; for the reason that, unlike most fowls, there are frequent cases where a finely-marked cock will fail to throw a good percentage of well-marked chicks in his progeny. So, if you fail to procure a good breeder at first, you must try again. In the first place, select a cock with good comb and ear-lobes, as much spangling in back and saddle as possible, good wing-bars, and clear tail; in fact, a good, deep-colored show cock, and put him to the very best hens you can get.

Care must be taken to avoid any grave faults on either side, such as smudgy markings, poor ear-lobes, or overhanging, coarse combs. Now see what you can do with this mating. If you get a fair proportion of well-marked chicks, stick to this pen as long as they will breed, or the eggs are fertile, for it is not every lot that breeds well together. If you find that you are not getting a good proportion of fairly-marked birds, you must change the cock, procuring one from another strain, and try your luck with him, persevering until you get what you desire. In all varieties of fowls there are some strains that will produce better cockerels than pullets, and vice versa, and Hamburgs are no exception to the general rule. You may, therefore, find it to your advantage to breed from two different yards, provided you have sufficient room and the means of procuring the proper birds. If a pen breeds excellent cockerels but poor pullets, keep that pen for cockerel breeding, as it is far better to breed good birds of one sex than middling birds of both sexes, even if you have but one pen. When you have a good pen of cockerel getters, begin to look about for a yard which will breed fine pullets. A little patience and perseverance will be amply repaid when at last you find yourself successful; and when you do get what you want, stick to it!

Our instructions for mating Silver-Spangled Hamburgs are in toto as minute as ever have or can be given, for the simple reason, as we have said, that your first matings (unless you know the strain well) must be greatly influenced by chance.

We might add that whenever you select a cock for breeding, choose one of as much health and vigor as you can find possessing the other requisite points, for we believe that nothing contributes more to distinct markings in chickens than parents that can give them vigorous constitutions and hardy characteristics.