The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-15
IMPROVEMENT MUST
Be MADE STEADILY
Only by Careful Selection Is
1t Possible to Build Up
Utility Qualities.
MALE Is LEADING FACTOR
by MICHAEL X. BOYER.

Poultry Editor, the Fnrm journal.
Only by careful selection and proper
breeding can we hope to build up the
utility qualities OF our Hocks. We must
aim each year to show an improvement.
II must not be forgotten that while It
IL important that we have good, strong
hens. the influence OF the male is the
greatest factor.
Success cannot be obtained without
good. strong. healthy breeding stock TO
begin with. and they must be kept in
good health.
A frail. delicate hen should not be per-
mitted in the breeding pen. no matter
how good a layer she may be. Such an
individual will produce inferior offspring
on account of her physical weak
ness.
II We are working for egg production.
we must first pick out our good, strong
pullets. and then secure males from a
known strain Of heavy layers. The trap
nest must be employed so that We may
know which Of our pullcts are the best
layers, and breed only from them. This
work Of selection must not be limited TO
one or two years. 1t must be the rule
every year.
Having established a record male line.
II should never be changed. New blood
must be infused on the female side. To
change males annually would be going
backward.
1t is well known that a pen Of record
layers are. as a rule. an uneven lot in
appearance. have a pen Of White wyan-
dotte hens that as yearllngs are doing
better work than any other pen OF pull
lets | ever owned. and I don't believe one
recognition from a poultry judge. Yet
! would not trade them for the best ex-
hibition pen In the country-not for my
purpose: raising eggs for market.
There may be something in the selec-
ton OF laye'' according to type When
Tom Barron delivered his lecture at
Storrs College. he said that a good layer
usually glands high in front and her
back is not on a level. nor the rear high
- N''A h'V hAOiis ~ DtSl PRODUCERS
usually have large combs, high tails and
a prominent. large, bright eye. Mr.. Bar
ron also said that pom handling the
BIRDS he found that most OF the best
layers have thin. straight pelvic bones.
lie likes the wedge shape, rather narrow
IN 'front.'. but wide behind and wide be-
tween the legs.
fully believe that. for an average,
that type Is valuable, but I have hens
among my very best layers that are
Just the reverse. Nevertheless the be-
ginner Will make no mistakes in follow
Ing out that class.
So. rather than rely on TYNE 7 vv,,,
continue to resort TO the trap nest. I
Know then that the information I get
is bound to be accurate. There Is no
other method by which II Is possible to
Know which are the sons of the best
layers. To maintain a great laying
strain. no cockerel should be used
which was not bred from hens which
laid 200 eggs or more. This Is a point
that must be considered seriously.
fearling hens are best for breeding
BY "yearling" is mean a year from the
Time or its frst starting to lay. In other
words. the real age Of a yearling is
about eighteen months. Quite a number
or the breeders trap nest only the null
lets. n from this record make their
selection. Some trap nest from October
] to June, especially those who are
making for strong winter egg produce
ton.
No fowl should b. used in the breed.
ing pen that has ever been sick a day in
It's life. The trouble with poultry once
SICK Is that no one can be quite sure
that they have been cured perfectly, and
the weakness Or tendency to disease
may be transmitted to chickens Matched
from their eggs.
Too much stress cannot be placed
upon the Importance OF strong constitu-
tons, vigor. activity and plenty of life
In the foundation stock.
lnbreeding must be avoided II we wish
to build up a healthy laying strain. No
record hens were ever secured by in
breeding, At the same tim no progress
can be made by continually tampering
with the male line. As said before, new
blood must come through the addition
OF a few hens to the breeding flock.
l further believe that the strongest
birds-both from health and egg pro-
duction points Of view-come from small
families. 1t is impossible to have the
same stamina from flock matings that
we can from single matings. The past
years l have carefully Investigated the
results from these large focks and have
become thoroughly convinced that for
foundation stock they are a failure.
frop0rtlonately more eggs are laid by
small focks thar from large ones. and
there Is less likely to be disease.
/ never ave had stronger or better
chicks than when I mate ten hens of
the American class, or six hens Of the
Asiatic class. to two brothers, alternat-
ing them each week I'm the breeding
pen.
l have the greatest faith in this alter
mating system. having followed it for
quite a number Of years. But believe
the males should he related and, IL pos
sible bred from the same hen.
Now by improving each year" I do
not mean so much the increasing OF the
individual records as l do the increasing
OF the average records for the flock,
! find out which pullets lay the most
eggs from November l to June /, which
lay the most perfect and the best shaped
eggs and which hens show the best