The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-08-22

Former President of the American
Poultry Association, and now Gen
eral Manager of Ranoocas Poultry
Farms. Browns Mills. N. j.
Copyright, 1915.
Egg production is affected greatly
oy the mating. Matching and selec-
ton of the stock used. Mr. Hicks ad-
vises the selection of a strain bred
for laying and the constant culling of
birds that lack vigor. He advises
that early Matching be practiced. SO
the pullets may begin laying in the
fall
The production of market eggs has
always been the most profitable end
of all poultry enterprises in the past,
and there Is every prospect that this
condition will continue for years to
come.
Anyone who Is producing broilers
and roasters must replace his flock
every year. This makes his incuba-
ton and brooding problems far greater
than those of one engaged simply in
producing. eggs for market. A hen will
lay profitably two years. and many of
them for three years.
Since the greatest profit Is in the
production of eggs, it Is important that
sgs be produced in the greatest guam
titles when the demand for them is
strongest and the prices highest. The
time when the egg production is the
lowest is from September to January.
In the early fall months, the hens
going through heavy mott and the
majority of the pullets raised on the
aV erage farm are not yet ready for
heavy laying.
As soon as the hens have completed
their molt, cold weather begins to have
IA serious effect on egg production. In
fact. even in February and March.
when the production has increased
considerably, sudden changes to cold
weather will lower the egg production
materially. and this will raise the
price of eggs on the market
Selection of Breed Important
In connection with egg production an
| important thing to consider is the
breed best suited for the purpose 1t
must be a breed that will come to ma
turity quickly, stand heavy feeding.
and go through the molt quickly and
! easily. Nonsitting is another impor-
tant factor.
The White Leghorn has proven itself
to be by far the most economical pro-
Queer. considered from practically ev-
ely standpoint. The Leghorn, how
| ever, is not n meat producing breed,
, yet many people engaged in egg pro-
duction realize nice amount from
young cockerels. sold at u to III
pounds, and known as SQUAD broilers.
| In the early part of the season they
bring as high as 40 cents a pound
gross.
The effect of mating on the produc-
| ton of eggs is only shown after years
| of careful breeding. 1t does not show
! quickly like an Improvement in color
or shape, because the production of
eggs Is largely a matter of high vital
| ity and ability to digest large guam
| titles of feed.
Increase the Average Production
| In mating for egg production both
males and females should be used that
come from q strain that has been bred
| for egg production. They should be
| from family of heavy egg producers,
rather than from any one particular
bird that has high egg record fndi-
vidually, but has no ancestors behind
| it with similar record. In other
words, instead of breeding up for In
dividual records by means of trap nests
| the most important thing Is to In
crease the average production of the
entire flock.
1t Is better to breed from the hens