Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-04-30


mating pens which are prepotcnt in regard
to the desired characters due to many
years of selection for a definite purpose
The poultryman must follow in the foot
| steps Of the successful animal and plant
breeders and consider the individual I'm his
breeding work. The keeping of records
from individual birds makes it possible
to eliminate the inferior individuals, and
in the same way to breed only from SUI
perior ones. Mass breeding allows of no
definite Improvement in each succeeding
generation, for the average of the pro-
geny are no better than the average Of the
parents
If individual records are kept and the
poultry keeper is to follow IN such rec
ords he must practice selection in his
mating and breeding. This is the great
est factor for good and the only real
source Of Improvement. BY selection is
meant the ability to choose birds for
reproduction purposes which possess GER
tain desirable qualities, and which Mt the
same time are prepotent with reference to
these characters. To select consistently
and bring about continuous Improvement
towards one point, the breeder must have
a clear idea Of his object, whether ii he
increased egg production. hotter plumage
pattern or a definite body type. II this
idea is well fixed in his mind a rigid
selection towards this type will be the
quickest and surest way of pcrfectng
same. The use of the trap nest and the
records resulting from it's use make pos
sihle this continuous selection for the
Ideal qualities.
PRACTICAL OBJECTS OF BREEDING
The use of the trap nest will be found
very desirable and profitable in breeding
for any Of the following utility qualities:
Nigor stamina and inherited vitality,
fecundty hiEh egg production, size
(measured by weight, type (body con-
formation, early maturity (broiler pro-
1uction), flesh growth Coasters and cap
1ns). color Orue to standard require
mcnts)
The operations incident TO pedigree
breeding for any Of these utility objects
will be grouped under the following four
heads:
!. Special mating.
.. Tran nesting.
3. Pedigree Matching.
4. Marking the pedigree chicks
SPECIAL MATING NECESSARY.
When establishing a pedigree the first
operation should be to make the initial
mating, which should consist of from five
to 10 females mated to a given male bird
The females should be possessed of the
highest type of vigorous, mature, healthy
birds and should possess the body type
size and color pattern desired or as near
the idea ms It Is possible to obtain Mated
10 these should be an individual male bird
Of good size high vgor and preferably
pf distant ar unrelated brandiptr II will
usually pay the small poultry man, when
starting pedigree breeding. to purchase a
male bird from some reliable breeder and,
z possible, secure one of known breeding.
Especially if egg production is the object
pr the breeding work, for it is known and
proven by experiments that the male plays
the largest part in the inheritance Of egg
production.
The individuals in this special mating
fhould be leg-banded, and kept In a special
)on removed from the rest of the flock
The house should be of such a size as to
i've each bird from five to 10 feet Of floor
pace; the surroundings should he con-
yenial, the house being we'll ventilated
ny and with an abundance of litter on the
COR The house should be kept sanitary
md the birds free from Vermin. Such a
hating. possessing as it does individuals
nd will produce chicks far ahead Of the
verage Of the same flock from which
hey were selected.
TRAP NESTING PROFITABLE
Any homemade trap nest which is sim
lie and which will catch and hold the
lrd, one al a time, will be practical
he trap nest should be visited fire.
uently, as it is undesirable to confine
ecessary to secure the results desired
n the spring, when egg production is
cavy. the nest should be visited often
is usually desirable to visit the nests
release tho birds and collect the eggs
approximately the following hours
TO- L. and o'clock, 1t Is essential
pat record he kept posted in the pen
nd handy to the nest, On this record
lould be the band numbers of the birds
vertical columns and the days of the
|onths in horizontal columns, SO that all
be attendant has to do in recording the
ses is to check opposite the band number
nd under the proper date The band
|imber of the bird should be read when
king her from the nest; then she should
released by placing her on the floor
gently as possible, and in a short time
zen Leghorns will get used to this add
onal handling and will not resent It,
urng the Matching season the egg
ould he carefully marked showing the
n from which it came and the female
hlch laid it. A good method Is to marx
the large end of the egg the pen num-
+ and directly below this a line ana UNI
IF the line the birds band number. This
ia will later be used during pedigree
itching. After the bird is released and
la poIlaofc1 n cbnIi11 hn ara-
lily reset.
TRAP-NESTED EGGS
In order to complete the work of pedi-
eeing it is necessary to hatch the eggs
such manner that the chicks from
ferent hens can be identified after
itching, There are two methods Of do
this, the use of pedigree egg trays
d Matching In cheese-cloth bags, The
st is rather expensive and not especially