Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1904-04-28
gricdltural Lore

in the tests, which covered period
OF four years, Thirty,hve yielded from
zoo to S6l eggs each in y year. sew.
eral only sc to 60 and three no eggs at
all, Some OF the hens commenced
early in November and continued TO
lay heavily and regularly month after
month, white others varied much,
laying well one month and poorly or
not at all the next. As the birds In
each breed were bred alike and select,
ed for their uniformity there was no
accounting for the noted vagaries An
pens were alike and the treatment
of all birds the same, Many Of the
light layers gave evidence Ct much
vitality, and every hen that laid large
numbers of eggs through the first or
the first and second or more years dis,
played great vigor and constitution,
The professor also observed that some
individuals that had accomplished re-
markable results for few months
dropped and died, seemingly because
they could not stand the demands
made upon them for heavy work
November |, 1901, 66 barred Plymouth
Rocks Matched during April May and
June, and 40 white Wyandottes
Matched duriqg the same months, be
gan their years work with the trap
nests, These birds were brought In
durng the two last days OF October
from portable houses out on a range,
whore they were raised and had their
liberty. Most OF those Matched In
April had been laying well during
October, and some of them commenced
in September
So far rs Individual records were
concerned the eggs laid in September
and October were lost, and the birds
| did not get credit for the work they
actually performed fer the year end
! ing November |, 1909, Had they had
credit for eggs laid before they were
housed for the test more birds would
have topped the 200 mark, and those
placed there would have enhanced
I their records. Sevea of the 6b barred
rocks yielded from pol to 2i0 eggs
and the So together laid 1919 eggs
During the time the birds were out
-four were stolen and three died. The
/ 40 white Wyandottes laid 4,607 eggs,
None of the Wyandottes reached the
200 mark Six died The record of
years. due. Prof Gowell thinks, to a
/ considerable number of them taking
cold while outdoors part Of II wet day
in April Ono of the Wyandottes did
m egg, and nr
laying 10 in March and one in June,
died The non.layer seemed 10 be in
good health, and her external form
was not unlike that of her laying
mates.
Prof. Gowell has been making
steady progress in his undertaking and
has now Mt the experimental station u
sufficient foundation flock of big lay.
ers to make practicable the avoidance
of ln.breeding. II Is doubtful, ho
| thinks II the inbred hen has sufficient
constitution to enable her to stand the
demands of heavy. egg yielding. Males
! for the breeding operations have been
raised from the most desirable of the
! foundation stock, and the breeding
! females now being carried are tested
hens that have laid Owe 1880 eggs IN
year. There are pullt whose moth
ers laid over 200 eggs In year and
whose fathers mothers laid more than
200. and pullets cut of hens whose sires
were out of 200eRg hens, the pullots
/ themselves being sired by cockerels
bred for two and three generations on
J both dam and sire sides from 200.egg
producers,
The experiments determine that II
! Is necessary to have the pullets OF tho
breeds used in the tests hatched by
the last of April In order to have them
layilg regularly by November l. They
4 then have full year for work before
rbeing removed In the following fall to
make room for the new pullets that
must be in, winter quarters early II
| they are TO do satisfactory work,
! This feature OF poultry management,
says the professor, counts for a great
| deal One Of the curious discoveries
A maze ny the TESTS was lnHL Ol HHlIe
/ Wyaldotte hen. which strutted about
with her mates, big, strong and
healthy, for four years without laying
an egg Another hen. barred Ply
mouth rock. didn't lay until she was
nine months and quit She was kept
six months thereafter hui proved
I to be a drone, and was sent 20 mar.
ket One Of the barred Plymouth
rccks laid 237 eggs In one year, an.
other 25i third 2i0, fourth 21g
! There are many successful poultry
farmers IN Maine who are conducting
\ their enterprises along lines suggested
/ by Prof Gowell Very carefully they
observe the work Of their hccks, In
order that the droles may be weeded
/ out each fall for meat These are re,
placed with pullets hatehed along IN
April and May. and all winter the
4 birds are carefully fed with mashes Of
mixed corn and cats; wheat and cracli
ed cern for dry grain. mashes Of corn.