Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1908-01-11
TO GET GOOD LAYERS

to keep hens. We turn iirst to this
breed, then to that, and meet with
more or less disappointment. Some
lay well in the spring, and produce
but few eggs during the summer, fall
and winter; others lay moderately at
all seasons. but do not come up to the
number we have a right to expect,
from our good care and generous
feed. Now what breed will lay the
most eggs at all seasons? This is the
question we all want to solve. and IL
any one breed will do this II will be
kept to the exclusion of all others.
One man tells us that Leghorns are
the greatest layers on earth. They
lay well both winter and summer, If
well fed and carefully housed. An
other man says that Plymouth Rocks
or WyandottcB will outlay all other
breeds, especially in winter. These
men have good strains of the breeds
they extol and consequently are salts
fed and loud in their praise of the
breed which does so well for them.
A lady wrote me some time ago
| that she had some Buff Plymouth
Rocks which did not lay eggs enough
to pay for the food they consumed.
She liked these birds, she said, ana
wished to keep them, but could not
afford to do so unless they would at
least pay. their keep. She evidently
| . lie
utility qualities had not been looked
| to, and they had grown up incident
and unproductive birds. What was
she to do? Discard them and con-
denim the breed? No; she can, II she
looks far enough obtain a strain Of
Buff plymouth Rocks that are excel
lent layers, or she might, by the in
PRODUCTION of new blood, build up u
strain of layers, from her flock, pro-
viding there is among the number
one or more hens that are fairly good
layers.
There are two methods of increas-
ing the productiveness of strain.
One Is to pedigree breed from the
best layers, using trap nests and
males that are from hens that are
great producers. BY this method, II
the functional activity is kept up by
generous feeding. each succeeding
generation will be better layers than
the last. While this method will ne
cessitate quite close inbreedlng, as
the records of both the hens and the
mothers of the males must be known
and consequently must be obtained
from the same strain, an experienced
breeder may so select that there viii
be no deterioration In his birds
While keeping in prominence the esq
producers, he must also build up the
vigor of his flock. Vigor is the foun'
dalton, and without 1t wa cannot
hope for eithey productiveness ol
strong fertility. Occasionally new
blood may be introduced, as an out
cross with birds entirely unrelated
strengthens feCundity.
Another and simpler method o
breeding for reproduction is to us'
hens known to be good layers. They
may be selected by the use of th'
: trap nests, or If one is sufficient!
well versed he can select them b!
their form and mannerism. To thes'
: hens are mated males from recOg
Rized strain of good layers, entirel!
! unrelated to the hens. This Is dom
every year That Is, new males ar
secured every year. This constan
. crossing will stimulate the reprohuc
tive organs to their greatest activity
Beginners should start with
strain of known producers, thus say
: ing years of labor, and build 70
greater productiveness. This neces
hitates good care, as birds from tn
most productive strain can easily b
fed and housed that they will prov
3 Indifferent layers, and chicks hatch
ed from eggs from great layers ma
be so reared that they Will ncve
make more than ordinary producers
c | have heard men say that they 60
I eggs from so-and-so, who claimed I
have great layers, but the bird
Matched from these eggs were poo
layers. This was no doubt due t
the Indifferent care they received du
ing the period of growth. You cal
not condemn a strain because egg
from that strain do not produce lay
crs, unless you know you nave give
:, the chicks every possible advantage
:, and Matched them at the right tim
of the year to make good layers. Usr
. ally pullets Matched in hot weathC
or too early in the season Will NJ
- commence to lay at time to secul
- for them good laying rccor'
i Spring is the time to hatch layer
n though the fall Matched birds wi
II make good summer layers II the
,e growth is not checked by cold weatl
A. or.
When we have strain that vii
k under right conditions, produce
4 large number of eggs, we must I
house, car for and feed them as
.,.,,,, Tho ,noyIn,up, ragultg In gpu