The Book of the Hamburgs

This practical, enthusiastic poultry treatise is a breeder's guide to Hamburg chickens, celebrating them as one of the most elegant and productive domestic fowl. Written in the confident voice of an expert fancier, it traces the breed's obscure early history through England, Holland, and old poultry records, arguing that Blacks, Spangles, and Penciled Hamburgs share a common origin. Across the book, the Hamburg is praised for beauty, hardiness, easy moulting, non-sitting instinct, and remarkable egg-laying power. The focus then narrows to Black Hamburgs, presented as an old, established variety prized for large eggs and market value as well as for satin-like plumage with a rich green gloss. The breed is treated with exacting standards, from comb, ear-lobes, face, legs, and tail to overall symmetry, with faults such as white feathers and wry tails to be eliminated by patient selection over generations. Later sections offer similarly detailed breeding advice for Silver-Spangled and Golden-Spangled Hamburgs, tracing their development from older strains while defining ideal spangling, body shape, and color. Throughout, the central lesson is disciplined mating: beauty, vigor, and utility must be cultivated together to preserve the Hamburg's excellence. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.