Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-12-19

will outstrip their weaker nest mates
and by their strength force them
selves into a position to command at
tention. a strong constitution is thus
begun and If the chicks are fed nour-
ishing food of we'll balanced rations
and are given sufficient exercise to
insure a healthy flow of blood they
will acquire a healthy body full of
strength and vigor which is so essen
tial for success in poultry culture.
Vigor: it is a quality very difficult
to measure in terms which will de-
scribe the condition as it exists in diff
ferent individuals. IT is a condition
which makes the early and highly de-
Veloped individual productive and cap
able of reproducing its character
istics in its Offspring in great degree
it is capacity for eXertion.
The Vigorous Type
Those sturdy chicks which kick
themselves free from their shells
shortly after piping, take on a do
mineering disposition and, If q pullet,
she begins to lay at an early age, or,
IL a cockerel to crow about the time
his tail feathers start to shoot and
soon becomes boss of the flock. These
birds have vigor. If a hen lays 200
eggs or over on a year she certainly
has vigor of certain kind, but of two
hens producing about an equally large
number of eggs under the same treat
ment and conditions, one may produce
perfect eggs which will hatch a large
percentage of vigorous chicks, while
the eggs of the other day may hatch
few chicks and OF weakly constitu-
ton. The former possesses vlgor as
we use the term in poultry breeding.
If there is any question regarding
the vitality of bird 1t should be re-
jected as breeder no matter how
perfect it's shape or beautiful Its
plumage.
Best Breeders i'm Second Year
All other things being equal, birds
are best for breeding purposes in their
second year. The offspring are usu-
ally of a higher quality and posses
omre vigor. 1t often happens that
there are not enough two-year- olds to
make up the desired unmber of breed
ers and it is necessary to depend upon
a flock of the yearlings TO meet the
demands.
Young birds of both sexes, when
we'll developed, are as a rule surer
breeders. This is particularly true for
early matches. When selecting pullets
for breeders those which have shown
exceptional vigor from the time of
Matching are the only birds to be con-
sidered. They should be those which
rapidly grew into maturity, began
TO lay large NUMBERS OF perfectly
shaped eggs. I They should have a
large capacity for work, should be the
first off the roost in the morning and
should be the last to seek the roost
at night and should spend their day
seeking food, always busy and active.
In type they should conform to the
Standard of Perfection as nearly as
possible but not over large, not too
small. Selecting them by their shape.
they should have a short, broad and
neat head. strong, short beak, full,
bright eyes, completely filing the SOC
ket, giving an impression of alertness
and brightness, comb well developed,
bright red and of fine texture. The
neck should be nicely curved and of
medium length. A broad, long back,
rather concave. finished out with a
well spread tail.
The shape of the body should be
what is known as wedge-shaped, or.
as it is often expressed, V-shaped.
This V-shape should be viewed from
three ways; on the sides, from the
rear to the front; over the back. from
the rear to the front, and from the
base of the tail to the abdomen up
wards. The body should be compact,
broad and deep, especially in abdo-