The Book of the Hamburgs

GOLDEN-SPANGLED HAMBURGS

About thirty years ago, when poultry shows first came into fashion, there were two kinds of Golden-Spangled Hamburgs. One was called the Golden Pheasants, and was a fine, large bird, but as a rule the cocks were hen-feathered. The spangling was very fine, and the groundwork a dull bay, but there was a great deal of smut in all their markings. They were good layers, had white ear-lobes, and moderately good combs. The other variety were called Golden Mooneys, and in color and markings were very superior to the Golden Pheasants. Mr. Beldon, in “Wright’s Poultry Book,” says: “I shall never forget my feelings of pleasure on first seeing the Golden Mooney hen. She struck me as being something wonderful. The ground color of the plumage in these fowls is of the very richest bay, the spangling very bold and clear, and of a green, satin-looking black; in fact, the plumage was so rich and glossy that the full beauty of it could not be seen, except in the sunshine, but when it was seen, it formed a picture never to be forgotten. I am here speaking of the hen; the cock’s plumage was also of the very richest description.”

The cocks, however, had solid black breasts and their ear-lobes consisted of little more than a bit of red skin, such as we see upon Games. By degrees, as hen-feathered cocks and red ear-lobes came to be considered great blemishes, these two varieties were bred together, and from them is derived our modern Golden-Spangled Hamburgs. They are a little larger than the Silver-Spangled; but, while they lay a trifle larger egg, do not produce quite so many of them. They are very hardy, and exceedingly attractive in appearance, being the richest colored of any variety of the Hamburgs, excepting the Black.

Plumage.– The plumage of the Golden-Spangled Hamburgs differs in many respects from that of the Silver-Spangled. The ground color is a rich, deep golden-bay, and should be as even throughout as possible. There is a tendency to run lighter in color under the breast and body. This is a serious blemish. The neck-hackle, instead of being spangled, as in the Silver variety, has a long black stripe running the entire length of the feather to the extremity of the tip. This stripe should be a glossy, greenish-black, standing out well defined from the ground color, and not clouded. The saddle is composed of similar feathers. Both saddle and hackle should be abundant, the latter flowing well over the shoulders, especially in the cocks – of course the females have no saddles. The breast, back and body feathers should be a rich, golden-bay, each feather ending with a large, distinct, round, black spangle, having a rich greenish luster. The wing primaries and secondaries in the cock are bay on the outer web, and black on the inner web, each feather ending with a black, metallic crescent. On the hen the primaries and secondaries are a clear golden-bay, each feather ending with a black, metallic crescent. The wing-bows should be a clear, deep golden-bay, each feather tipped with a large, round, greenish-black spangle; the greater and lesser wing-coverts a clear golden-bay, each feather ending with a large, oblong, greenish-black spangle, forming two distinct bars, parallel across the wing. The tail should be a rich greenish-black in both sexes, full and well expanded. In cocks the sickles are well curved and glossy, and the tail-feathers abundant and of a rich, metallic luster.

One of the most common defects in this variety is feathers tipped beyond the spangle with a small edging of bay or white; sometimes both appear, one beyond the other. Although this is to be avoided, it is not a direct disqualification. We have often seen it appear upon old birds whose plumage was previously entirely innocent of such markings, and it is rare, indeed, to find a pair of old exhibition birds entirely without it, to say nothing of breeding fowls. It makes its appearance chiefly upon the breast and body, but is also frequently seen in the hackle. We hope to see the time when this defect shall be wholly eradicated. The white tips are the most objectionable, but are nearly as common as the bay edgings to the spangles. The entire plumage should be close and glossy, and very rich and uniform in color and markings.

Other Points.– The comb on Golden-Spangled Hamburgs is liable to be coarse and large, although in finely-bred birds we often find as good combs as are ever seen upon the other varieties. A tendency to red edgings in ear-lobes (which should be a pure white) is also to be avoided. In size this variety surpasses the Silver-Spangled Hamburgs, but they lose in symmetry usually what they gain in size, consequently symmetry is a point which should be carefully looked after. There is not much tendency to white face, which is seldom observed in birds of this variety. The legs should be of medium length, shanks clean and slender, and in color leaden-blue. The tail is one of their chief beauties, and should claim much attention from the breeder, care being taken to guard against wry or squirrel tails, which are very liable to descend to the offspring.

Points in mating Golden-Spangled Hamburgs.– We do not know of a single case where any one has given instructions for mating this variety which are at all clear or definite, or offer the slightest assistance to the breeder. Even our distinguished English contemporaries give it up in despair. One of our correspondents writes as follows:

“At a large exhibition several years ago we inquired of a gentleman who had won nearly all the awards on Golden Spangles – and with excellently marked birds, too – what his system or mating was by which he procured such fine birds. With something that resembled a sneer at our remarks, he said: ‘I let them breed themselves!’ We had then been trying our best for some time to study the characteristics of the breed, in order to obtain some clue by which to mate them properly; and this remark, together with the living proofs of the good results of such indiscriminate matings before our eyes, we must confess rather staggered us. We went home and carefully thought it over, and adhering to our former notions that science would finally triumph, we persevered in our experimental matings, and had the pleasure two years after of defeating the same breeder most thoroughly in the show room. His birds were by this time little more than mongrels – the result of his plan to ‘let them breed themselves!’”

In breeding this variety there should be two pens – one to breed males, and one females. In breeding for cockerels, select a large, well-marked cock, whose ground color is a deep, rich golden-bay throughout, free from smutty or cloudy markings, with fine, glossy plumage, the spangles of which possess in a high degree the beautiful metallic, greenish luster. With him mate pullets of medium color (care being taken not to have them too light or dark in the ground color), whose spangles are large and distinct, without running into each other and giving them an undesirable spotted appearance. These pullets should possess good glossy plumage, but size is not requisite, nor need they necessarily have extra-fine combs and ear-lobes, provided the cock possesses these desirable qualities in a marked degree, for it is from him that these qualities are inherited, while the pullet furnishes the color and markings in a greater degree. Especial pains should be taken to choose a cock with a small, fine comb and pure white ear-lobes, when they can be found in connection with the requisite points mentioned.

In breeding for pullets choose a dark-colored cockerel, with good ear-lobes, small comb and good symmetry, and simply mate him with the very best hens you can find. There is a tendency in hens of this variety to become a rather dull, light bay in ground color as they grow aged – these are the very hens to mate with the above-described cockerel. Care should be taken to procure the very best comb, ear-lobes, and symmetry you can find.

With these matings you can hardly fail to breed a good proportion of fine chicks; but, as we have said in connection with the Silver-Spangled Hamburgs, you may not find a cock at first that will prove a good breeder. If not, you must keep on trying. In both the varieties of Spangled Hamburgs the strain has a great deal to do in furnishing good breeders. “Blood will tell;” and we should call the attention of the breeder of both these varieties to the necessity of establishing a strain of his own as soon as possible, whose good qualities he will be able to know thoroughly, and whose bad ones he will promptly recognize and endeavor to counterbalance by proper matings.

SILVER-PENCILED HAMBURGS

We have already stated that the Penciled Hamburgs were imported into England from Holland, where they first attracted the attention of English fanciers, and although there can be no possible doubt in the mind of an intelligent observer that they originally possessed, with the Spangled and Black varieties, a common progenitor, still they possess several distinctly different characteristics. This is owing, no doubt, to their being so long bred and undoubtedly perfected in a different country and by a different class of people. These differences consist chiefly in a smaller and finer form than the Spangled and Blacks – a smaller head, a smarter appearance, and perhaps more activity, their motions being very quick and graceful. That they are great layers of a small but exquisitely white and finely-flavored egg is proverbial, and on their first introduction into England this quality procured for them the title of “Dutch everlasting layers.”

The Silver-Penciled Hamburg is a very beautiful bird, and is greatly admired by every one who can see any beauty at all in a finely-marked and gracefully formed fowl. Indeed, we believe that they have the most finished appearance of any fowl, their markings being so fine and regular that there seems nothing more to be desired to entitle them to the palm for beauty.

This variety, besides the name which we have given, were also called “Chittiprats,” and still later, “Bolton Grays,” under which name they were widely disseminated, and even yet we believe that in some sections they still retain this appellation, although all other names are very rapidly giving way to that of Silver-Penciled Hamburgs. “Creole” was a name also applied to a variety of Silver-Penciled Hamburgs, the markings of the feathers of which were very similar to those of the standard Silver-Penciled Hamburgs (see cut). The “Bolton Grays” were simply Silver-Penciled Hamburgs “run to seed,” the pencilings being mossy or smutty.

They are a numerous and attractive class at our poultry exhibitions, and are gaining ground yearly in popular favor; we have even known instances where breeders of Silver-Spangled Hamburgs have discarded them in favor of the Penciled varieties, although we think that the former, in their way, are fully as beautiful and desirable.

Silver-Penciled Hamburgs, as chicks, are quite tender, but when fully feathered they are as little liable to disease as any fowl we know of. They are great foragers, and will almost keep themselves, with good range, being happy and contented anywhere and shelling out quantities of eggs under most adverse circumstances.

Plumage.– In the male bird the plumage of the head, hackle, back, saddle, breast and thighs, should be a clear, silvery-white. The yellowish tinge so often seen upon these feathers is a very grave fault, and one that will not be tolerated by a good judge. There is often a tendency to penciled or smutty markings on the under-color of the back – that is, it can only be seen by raising the top feathers. This is also a serious defect, and should be avoided. The tail proper is black, the sickles and tail-coverts being a rich green-black, with a fine and distinct edging of white.

This is the most difficult point to obtain in the plumage of the entire bird in any degree of perfection – indeed, a perfectly-marked tail is seldom seen in a cock. Some birds have marbled tails; others have the sickles splashed with white, which is equally objectionable, as the only white which should be in the tail is the clear edging. The wing appears almost white when closed; but the inner webs of the wing-coverts should be darkly penciled. A fine black edging should be observed on the wing-coverts, caused by the ends of the outer webs being also slightly tipped with black, which gives the appearance of a slight and indistinct bar on the wing. This point should be distinctly observable, but not too coarse or heavy. The color of the secondary quills is also important. They should be white on the outer web, except a narrow strip of black next the quill, only seen when the wing is opened out, the wing appearing white when closed. The inner web is black, except a narrow white or gray edging. The fluff should be slightly penciled or gray. In the hen the neck-hackle should be pure white, entirely free from any marking whatever. The remainder of the plumage should be a clear, silvery-white, each feather distinctly penciled or marked across with bars of black, as clear and distinct as possible and in particular as straight across the feather as possible. The finer this penciling and the more numerous the bars, the better. This penciling should extend from the throat to the very tip of the tail. A well-penciled tail is very desirable, and quite difficult to obtain, as there is a special tendency in the long feathers to lose the straightness across of the markings. Tails penciled squarely across to the very tip can be and are bred, but they are never common. One of the greatest faults to which the plumage is liable is the irregular and “horse-shoe” style of markings which we so often see in the breast, and, in fact, nearly every part of the hen’s plumage. This is a most serious defect, and not less to be noticed because of its frequency. A very usual fault is a light breast, or not only light, but covered only with these horse-shoe markings. The birds best marked on the breast are frequently liable to be spotted on the hackle, and this latter fault is certainly much to be preferred to a bad breast. However, the best marking on the breast is never quite equal to that on other parts of the body.

A very desirable point is to have the rows of penciling on one feather fall onto the rows on the next, giving the bird a ruled or lined appearance. A coarsely penciled bird is not to be thought of in these days – although such birds were formerly the rule – as they have a spotty or speckled appearance, which is not the correct thing at all. A finely-penciled wing in hens is almost impossible to find, many of our best show birds being very bad in this respect, the markings being very light and indistinct.

The penciling is much better the first year – or in pullets; with age it becomes cloudy, mossy, or indistinct, so that a well-penciled hen is quite rare. When they do moult out well the second or third season, they are especially valuable, and should be retained for breeding as long as they will breed. All tendency to brownish or chestnut colored feathers (which sometimes make their appearance, although rarely,) should be carefully guarded against, and when they do appear the bird should at once be discarded for breeding purposes.

We have enumerated the faults to which this breed is liable so minutely, not because they are greater than those of many other varieties, but because they require the most skillful breeding to eradicate. As they are among the most beautiful fowls we have, so are they among the most difficult to breed to perfection, and they offer a fine field to intelligent breeders, who like to feel that they owe the perfection of their birds to their own efforts. Those men who want their birds made for them, so that they will breed easily themselves, had better let them alone, for they should only belong to the intelligent and hard-working fancier, who will find them very pliable, and who can reap the reward of his industry and perseverance in beholding in time a fowl that in beauty and utility shall stand unrivaled throughout the world.

Other Points.– The comb in Silver-Penciled Hamburgs is the same as that described in Black Hamburgs, and averages as perfect as in any other variety. It is usually rather smaller, with more “work” or fine points on the top than the comb of the Spangled varieties. The ear-lobe should be pure white, and is usually very good in this respect, it seeming to be one of their firmly-fixed characteristics. The face has the same tendency to white as in the other varieties, and this should be avoided with like caution. In symmetry they are, perhaps, superior to the Spangled varieties, and are equaled only by the Blacks in this respect, birds poor in symmetry being pleasingly scarce. They are not quite so full in the breast as the other varieties we have described, but have an exceedingly graceful carriage, and are upright and sprightly in appearance. Their legs are small, slender, and neat in appearance, and in color, leaden-blue, which should be very dark – approaching black – in young birds.