The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-02-01
Possible Now to Keep Track Of
Layers and Make Records Of
What They Achieve.
ERADICATES GUESSWORK
Many Kinds on the Market, but
They Also Can BE Made
by the Breeder.

brings to bear upon his work. Present
day conditions, the high price Of land.
labor and feedstufs are steadily forcing
s,ockkecper to a realization Of the fact
that no profit can be made from the ham
ding OF inferior stock that average Quail
IN must be high or the business will be
conducted at loss. This applies in all
cases, regardless of whether the primary
object is the production Of fancy or exhi-
hilton animals and fowls or those which
ore kept for the marketable products they
yield
The breeder OF fancy stock Is confronted
with somewhat different problems than
The producer OF business stock. The for
ner Is especially interested in conforma-
Ton, color &c. while the latter may
ignore these exhibition points IL he so
desires and set his standard in pounds OF
essh. Of milk or butter or the number Of
eggs produced 1t might be added that
Tho line between these two groups IL daily
becoming more clearly defined. But fancy
and commercial breeders alike have come
20 realize that they must know the pedi-
gree Of the individuals which are used as
breeders IL sure and rapid progress Is to
be made. Guesswork in breeding seldom
sccompiishes much.
I, may safely he said that the milk
scales and Babcock test have practically
tevolutionzed the breeding OF dairy cat
tie The scrub thoroughbred" cows, the
inferior specimens often retained simply
because they happen to be the daughters OF
registered parents. are rapidly passing
and their places filled by those descended
from known producers and which them
selves are able 10 pay their way. Thus
the drones. the robber cows are gradually
being eliminated on progressive dairy
farms TO the betterment OF the farmer
and the Industry.
.,
taken form among poultry breeders and
tie effort Is being made TO increase the
average egg production OF the layinh
hen IL is clear that IL costs no more
20 house and care for and but little more
10 feed the 200 egg hen than her sister.
which belongs In the 100 egg class. but
there IS big difference In the returns.
As In other lines OF breeding. the basis
@, Improvement Is knowledge OF In
dvdual performance and pedigree, and
the most practical method OF securing
this information 10 through the use OF
TIE trap nest.
This useful little appliance was intro
duced in crude form by an ingenious
poultry breeder less than twenty years
$50 II did not become popular for some
tine, but after the publication by an ex-
pertinent station of individual egg rec
o-de showing how hens OF the same
breed varied widely in laying ability.
thoushtful poultry breeders began to adopt
this plan OF record keeping.
The great publicity given the records
made by trap nested hens in the various
egg laying competitions held during the
last two or three years has also given
Impetus to the movement A vast num-
Der OF poultry plants all over the country
are being equipped with trap nests, and
g. a result the breeding OF fowls along
,nore definite lines will bs generally
siopted.
tran nest 10 designed to hold the
,sver until she 10 released by an attend
ant This enables one to keep a reliable
record OF the actual performance OF the
Individual hen, and also 70 fully pedigree
each chick. since both the father and
mother are known. Under the old system
Of pen breeding. one male mated TO
several females, IL was possible to pedigree
only with reference TO tho male line.
Hence IL was impossible to estimate the
Influence OF the females. This un-
certainty vanshes when the trap nest IL
.ntelligently used.
". place greatest stress upon the value
Of this appliance in connection with breed
ing operations II maybe or use also IN
n. laying hock culling out tho unproht-
sbe individuals, but 1t Is doubtful II II
will prove profitable under such conditions.
Much valuable time IL consumed In at
tending to the nests regularly. and It Is
an open question whether one cannot bet
..r afford 10 feed a certain proportion OF
nor-producers rather than devote con-
r.erabla portion OF each day to the work
o. identifying them.
During the past few years many diff
ferent forms OF patented trap nests have
baen offered for sale. Some few have
stood the test and are still being adver-
ts.i others have simply vanished from
sight In many cases these nests are
manufactured In large quantities by well
equipped firms and are onered at low
| price. The busy poultryman who dis
rses tussy work will probably and 1t to
Ms advantage TO purchase his equipment
IN complete form. Those who prefer 10
construct the nests at home will md tbs
accompanying plan and description help
III
~. deal trap nest must meet certain
I detn,'N requirements II must be abso-
h,e'y certain In operation. II must be
comfortable for the birds and convenient
for the attendant. Beyond that, II should
he slmp. IN construction. inexpensive TO
build and not liable to get out Of order.
The nest here discussed was designed
Nv the writer for use In certain expert
mental work al the Connecticut Agricul-
,ural College, and il now to be found in
All sections OF the country. 1t seems to
meet all practical requirements and Is
giving general satisfaction. Two Of the
ra'loni cgs laying contests have adopted
exclusively
A. Illustrated, each nest Ii a single
comptrrm"nt, re inches wide, rs inches
hlrh ana IA inches. from front 10 rear,
" 'No compartments are desired. the
,'ar f'r the nest proper and the front
90 waiting room" the depth from
|. FROM Zoo rear should be correspOndingly
".l''''f and low partition inserted.
some p'ultrymen prefer thu two com
Iat'"'.' u-s', claiming that this plan
H4.'.' considerably the number OF eggs
U"f'' 't VI" hens while waiting to be
Ie'"s'" The writer prefers the single
''',Ia' 'neHt provided this in at least
sF''"'' inches deep Under such con-
.'o'' y wl, be- found that as rule
"a" 'rs. Will be laid well to the rear Of
we ''' and little breakage will be
hH' whatever the size or shape Of the
.'s' i.t used the essential features are
r mo-. swinging door and the trigger.
ines 900. be attached to any suitable
IVA '' 'A!sting nests OF SUFFICIENT
se good results secured.
| 4, ~ ''or may be made Of a piece OF
.aI' u" sht frame covered with fne
va ~ The former IA easier to
"a' '" httcr affords better ventila-
r hg consideration during hot