Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-11-23
aging Strain Is
Essential to
Success

A familiar question in poultry cir
cles is: DO fowls pay?" says writer
in American Poultryman. AS a mat
Ter Of fact, similar questions might be
asked with regard to other professions
and trades, and we should always find
some dissatisfied person in every bust
ness.
When poultry farming is taken up as
q living, great patience, strength and
enterprise must be put into the con-
Germ. Many people like poultry, and
are always adn1iring them when seen
at their best, but when 1t comes to
managing them and knowing how to
make the most profit out Of their BIRDS
such hen lovers are utterly at sea.
However, one of the many items
which go to make poultry profitable Is
to build up a laying strain. 1t is not
too early to pick out the birds which
will make up the breeding pen next
season. The best layers must only be
selected and a great aid to securing
such birds is to use the trap nest, as
this device soon weeds out the work.
ers from the drones.
Easy To Pick Good Layers.
Good layers can also be selected by
outward signs, and it Is wise to look
for them by this method also. The reg
oil he
carly and late, searching for insect life
and other tit-bits. It's comb, face, and
lobes will be very red and its eyes will
have that clear sparkle which denotes
that birds are in the pink of condition
The feathers will also be very bright
and glossy and not ruffled, and if the
bird be handled the flesh will be hard
and Arm, possessing not an ounce Of
superfiuous fat.
When we come to the drones, what
do we find? These specimens are al
ways Laying about, always last out in
the morning, and in first at night. yet
ready at any time to consume as much
soft food as would extend their crop to
an abnormal degree. They never go
about over the stubble in search Of in
sect life, and always seem lifeless. They
lack that sparkle in the eye. their combs
and lobes are anything but red, and
their feathers are dull and ruffled.
When handled they are found to have
dabby flesh and layer after layer of
tat.
Beware the Drones
Such specimens as these should never
placed in the pot.
The male bird should be typical
sized bird of correct shape, and should
be about two years old IL young pull
let's are to be mated with him. Again,
those specimens that lay an egg of nor
NAL size regular should also be taken
notice Of; but, of course, the eggs must
not be of abnormal Mze, as such birds
are not always best to use in the breed
ing pen.
If birds are selected year after year
possessing good qualities such as we
soon be got together, provided close in
breeding is carefully guarded against.
II only poultry keepers could see the
value OF making up laying strain Of
their own. by selecting the best indi-
vlduals each year, then we are sure we
should hear less complaints about the
scarcity of eggs. If. however, haphaz-
ard in-breeding is carried on year after
year and fresh stock is never intro
duced, then one can only expect bad
result. and in the end absolute failure.
If the best layers are picked out of
the birds at the present time, and
placed in pens Of their own while the
#aSters are cleared out of the way then
When the time comes around for mat
ing we shall be able to mate them up
with some amount of satisfaction, and
moving at the same time that a good
percentage of chicks will be Matched
ana reared of tip-top quality, and not
IAose measly looking, half-feathered
nongTels which one too often sees walk
ING about the farm yard.