The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-15

years. and such are usually excellent
breeders.
Proportion of Sexes
The relative proportion OF males and fe-
males cannot be definitely stated 1t de-
pends upon the breed and the condition
under which the flock is kept
The writer has had poor results from
very small matings kept in close confine-
ment and excellent results from large
pens at liberty.
As a rule, six to ten females to one male
of the large-bodied. heavy kinds, and one
male to II to IS females of the lightweight.
active breeds will prove satisfactory The
poultryman must use his judgement and
be guided by the information he secures
when testing the eggs while they are
being incubated.
1t is never safe to blame the male birds
alone when fertility runs low. The trap
nest tells us many interesting facts when
it is persistently used and records studied.
In many cases 1t will be found that eggs
from different hens mated to the same
male vary widely in this respect. Some
hens will lay eggs which are practically
all fertile; others. eggs which are nearly
all infertile. In such cases the unsatisfac-
tory females should be shifted to different
pens as this frequently corrects the
trouble.
The question of the blood relationship
of the male and his mates should also be
considered. Some few breeders make up
their matings regardless of this, merely
insisting that the stock shall give every
evidence of perfect health However,
such a practice frequently causes dis
aster especially when brother and sister
are bred together 1t is far safer to use
birds which ora pof ft,te oJr
The poultryman who is Interested In
producing pullets which are heavy layers
has a decidedly complex problem on his
hands His only safe guide is his knowl-
edge of the actual laying ability of each
female he uses for breeding purposes, and
also of the laying ability of the mothers
of the male birds. This can only be
learned by using the trap nest There
seems to be no definite laying type" no
particular physical conformation by which
the good layer can be identified. This sys-
tenn of record keeping undoubtedly de-
mands the expenditure of much time and
effort, but at present we know of no other
method by which rapid Improvement can
be secured.
Where such trap nest decords are not
available we must 90 the next best thing
and use the strongest birds for breeding
since strength is most essential to the
heavy layer. We know the wealSings cam
not stand the strain of converting large
amounts of raw material into a concen-
trated product. Therefore, If all of our
birds are strong we stand a better chance
of having goodly proportion of high pro-
ducers. 1t should also be kept in mind
that more experienced egg farmers prefer
hens which are long in body, wide across
the back and with deep, roomy bodies.
Also that the hens which molted late last
TALL and were ragged and pale shanked
late in the season were probably good
layers last year
Pedigree Records Valuable
Wnere egg records and pedigrees are
available theses should be used to the
greatest extent OF late years much at
tention has been paid to the question of
inheritance of egg production and many
important facts ascertained. The most
notable work of this kind Is that of DR..
Pearl OF the Maine Agricultural Experi-
ment station. He has made a careful
study OF the laying records and pedigrees
OF thousands of individuals, and his con-.
c1usfons have recently been publicly pre-
sented. The main points are as follows:
l. The record of the egg production of
d hen, taken by itself alone, gives no
definite indication OF the probable record
OF her daughters.
2. Differences in egg-producing ability
are, in spite Of the above, certainly in
herited.
High productiveness may be inner