Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-11-16
Professor Dryden Who Produced This Triumph of Science
Explains Ho,v He Did and Hints That Some Day We May
BY Prof, James Dryden,
Professor or Poultry IIus.3aHdsy,
Oregon Agriculture, College.

making of names, I will give a set
ting of eggs that will hatch out some
of the Oregon egg layers for a suit
able name for hen No. C543, OF the
Oregon Experiment Station l have
known this wonderful hen for a
year past by this number; rather
have known her daily for twelve
months ending October Is, 1913, and
the new name must have the word
Oregon attached to it and be other
wise acceptable before ] will con
sent to throw aside the magical num-
Der.
This Biddy | have watched daily
ever since early in the year when
she gave evidence that she was one
in ten thousand, and as the days
went by and the daily egg was de-
posted in the trap nest, my respect
and admiration have grown for her
until at the end of the year she has
proved herself not merely one in
ten thousand, but one in ten billion;
in other words the best layer Of eggs
the world has seen, so far as authen-
tic records are concerned.
This hen, No. C543, began laying
at five and half months of age and
laid in twelve months 291 eggs,
which is forty more than the num-
Der laid by the Maine Experiment
Station hen, which for eight years
or more was the most wonderful egg
layer the world knew; thirty-four
more than the Cornell hem thirty
two more than the Oregon hen of
two years ago; thirty-six more than
the record hen at the North Ameri-
can egg-laying competition at the
Agricultural College of Connecticut;
ten more than the Missouri hen,
Lady Show You, and nine more than
the record of the Ontario Agricul-
tural College hen, which for two
years has hold the worlds record.
A few years ago the 200-egg hen
was wonder Some experts said
she was monstrosity; she was a
chen she laid herself down and died
-rittout leaving posterty. They
wanted none OF her: they would pin
,ueir faith to the 150-egg hen or even
The ten dozen egg hen. Because all
the crGs Of a 200-egg hen didn't
hatCi and because all the pullet pro
gen Of some other 200-egger didn't
lay 2oa eggs. many of our poultry
breeders and experts were disap-
pointed, and condemned the whole
race of 200-egg hens.
1t looks as though we must en-
large our vision of the possibilities
of the American hen. Next year or
the next we will have 300-egg hen,
the impossible will happen, and the
croaker will croak and say that the
200-egger is good enough for me.
Hen C543 was Matched April 29,
1912. She began laying at the early
age of five and a half months, and in
q. twelve months, or 365 days, there
after. she laid 291 eggs. From the
date she was Matched to the end of
her laying year there were 532 days.
She, therefore, laid an average of
more than half an egg a day, count
ing from the date she was Matched.
and more than threc-fourths an egg
day during the laying year.
The eggs were of white color and
good marketable size, averaging
about two ounces. She, therefore,
laid some thirty-siX pounds of eggs,
nearly nine times her own weight.
At 80 cents a dozen her eggs were
worth 1925.
She ate heartily. of course, be
cause the eggs came from the
food. There is no way of telling
exactly how much she did eat, be
cause she was fed with a fiOcE OF
fifty, aud she had to take pot luck
with the rest Of them. The average
food cost for the flock of fifty was
less. than $3.50 per fowl, but it is
reasonable to suppose that this hen
ate more than the poorest layers OF
the flock. The number OF eggs laid,
however, does not bear an exact re
lation to the food eaten, because one
hen with better digestion makes bet
ter use of her food than another |
HOteu tHhL size was d frequent NioibOi
10 the beef scrap hopper and also to
the protein for the egg contents and
FOR lime for the shell.
She took her daily rest after her
feed Of mash, and she would go back
to the mash a second or third time
She was also a frequent visitor to
the water dish; take her off the trap
nest after laying an egg and she goes
straight to the water, some OF which
is later put into the egg. She would
nibbe at the green food which was
always accessible, then walk to the
scratching shed and scratch for
stray kernel Of wheat or oats.
In disposition she was not the
most friendly or amiable; she kept
her distance; she wouldn't be pet;
she was usually on the outskirts OF
the flock when you entered the yard
But because this hen was a little
offish and kept herself to the outer
circle, the poultry enthusiast should
not make the discovery that "Oftish-
ness" indicates the good layer, and
then proceed to kill Off all those hens
qr tnC inner circle The next best