How to Raise Chickens » The Leghorn - Black, Silver And Golden Duckwing, Pyle, Dominique Leghorns
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Black, Silver And Golden Duckwing, Pyle, Dominique Leghorns
Black Leghorns.
The first Black Leghorns were imported by Reed Watson, of
Connecticut, in 1872 from Genoa, Italy. The eggs from this lot produced all colors like
the other early importations. There were brown, white, black, tri-color and some were
buff white chicks. He was disappointed with this lot and made another importation in
187G, having disposed of all of the original stork. They must have gotten into a fanciers
hands and perfected before the second importation for they are to be found in the Standard
of Excellence of 1875. They became very popular in the 80's and were at their zenith from
1889 to 1894. A club was formed in 1891 with much enthusiasm but in six years it
disappeared.
Silver and Golden Duckwing Leghorns.
The Silver Duckwing was originated by G.
Payne, in England, in 1881. They were shown in the English shows at the time and some were
taken to Denmark to show. While there Mr. Payne purchased a Long-tailed Japanese Phoenix
cock and crossed them to make better color. The bad effects of the long tail was a draw
back for several generations. In England they also show a Golden Duckwing male, but they
use a Silver Duckwing female to make this color of a little darker shade, so in reality
they are the same breed. The Duckwing is a very showy bird but has not reached the state
of perfection that some of the other varieties have. It is much more popular in England
than in America. They are very similar in color to the Duckwing game. The chief obstacle
seems to be able to breed true to type, and the salmon breast of the female which the
Standard requires seems to be very hard to produce.
Pyle Leghorns.
The Pyle Leghorn is also an English bird. Mr. G. Payne
produced them by crossing the Brown and the White in 1881. They are no better known in
America than the Duckwing. The Pyle Leghorn commands a very striking appearance. The male
bird has a white breast and tail. The hackle is a rich orange and back crimson red. The
wing bows are the same color as the back, the wing bars white, and the secondaries a
light red. The breast of the female is a brownish red and all the rest of her plumage as
near white as possible. The hackle sometimes shows a light golden tinge. After a few
generations the color becomes faded, when it is necssary to introduce fresh blood from
the Brown. They were admitted to the American Standard in 1898. They, like the Duckwing,
should command the attention of the fancier who wishes to overcome some obstacles, and
loves a study of colors as blended in fowls.
Dominique Leghorns.
The Dominique or Cuckoo-colored Leghorn is said to have
originated m Denmark. It was shown in England as early as 1885. It was admitted to the
American Standard in 1875 and dropped again in 1894. By many it has been confused with
the American Dominique, but it is an entirely different breed. Like the Barred Rock in
the early part of its career the chief difficulty in breeding is to keep the white
barring free from the blue barring
Addition of the Rose Comb.
About 1869 Mr. T. C. McDaniel, of South Hollis,
Me., who was then a breeder of Single Comb Browns, conceived the idea of having a fowl
with the good qualities of the Leghorn, but with a Rose Comb, as the Single Combs were
often frostbitten up in Maine. He called the new fowl the York fowl at first, but later
changed it to Rose Comb Brown Leghorns. The early Rose Comb, like the Single, had rough
red ear lobes, but along in the seventies was changed to white. The Rose Comb White was
produced by crossing the Single Comb White with the White Hamburg. The Rose Comb Brown
and White were admitted to the Standard in 1883, and have proved a valuable addition to
the Leghorn family, especially for colder climates. In the last few years a Rose Comb
Buff and Black Leghorn have been brought to a fair state of perfection.
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