The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-11-28
NESTS AID IN
PEDIGREE BREEDING
They Enable the POultryman
to Keep Accurate Records
Of Egg Production.
SEVERAL GOOD DESIGNS


DEDiGREE poultry breeding is a
r. term which means the keeping OF
breeding records which will en-
able the poultryman TO determine the
exact lineage. or, as II were. The
g~enealogy Of his birds. Such a record,
together with a record OF performance,
or egg production. enables him to breed
consistently for desirable qualities. The
importance OF Individual egg records to
a poultryman who desires to build up
his flock in reference TO & production
canno be too strongly emphasized.
The keeping of records from individ-
ual birds makes IL possible to eliminate
inferior individuals, and In the same
way to breed only from superior ones.
II individual records are to be kept, the
trap nesting system must be followed.
Pedigree breeding and the establish
ment OF a different lineage necessitate
four operations First. the making of
special matirigs. using II small number
of females and one male second, the
trap nesting of the lock throughout at
least the winter and spring months
third. the marking Of Matching Eggs and
pedigree hatch. and. lastly. the perma-
nent marking of all pedigree Matched
chicks. 1t will readily be seen that In
the operation of pedigree breeding the
trap nest is a fundamental factor. for
without 1t the ability Of the Individual
birds TO produce or lay the eggs which
they lay could not be determined. Tran
nests. IL intelligently used. aid. then. in
picking out the best producers and
eliminating the poor layers, and also
aid In eliminating such birds "a are af-
fected with diseases. such as white diar-
rhoea.
When constructing trap nests, or de-
tcrmining upon the type to use. the fol-
lowing points should be considered The
nests should be large and roomy aud of
considerable depth, so that the Eggs will
not be trampled upon while the hen Is
waiting 10 be removed. About twelve
inches in width. eighteen TO twenty
inches In depth. with a height OF four
teen inches. Is a very satisfactory size.
The trap nesting should
be so delicate that the bird cannot en-
ter without causing the door 10 lock
behind her automatically This keeps
her from leaving the nest and prevents
other hens from entering.
Special care must be used that the
trap nest IL so built that only one hen
can enter at a time, for If two get INTO
the nest II Is impossible 20 identify the
eggs. TIT trap and nest arrangement
should be so designed and placed that
II will remain free from obstruction.
such as nesting material, which might
hinder It's proper working. simplicity
in the Of trapping is a very de-
sirahe feature The fewer working
parts there are the better, as they are
less liable to get out OF order and make
less noise operating.
Egg laying contests have done one
important thing for the American poul-
tryman. namely. they have shown him
that birds differ greatly in their ability
10 produce. That in n normal flock Of
one hundred birds there are a few
birds which lay eggs during the wear.
and other birds which lay "A consider
able number. The average. however.
Is about one hundred and twenty.
knowing that this difference exists in
individuals. the poultryman who does
not attempt TO determine which are his
boarders and which the producers, and
by knowing which they are, eliminate
the former and breed from the latter,
Is not building up II future successful
business.
a great advantage OF the trap nest,
then. Is the possibility of determining
the individual production of each bird I'm
the flock, and secondly, after knowing
this production. the eggs laid by the
heavy producers can be pedigreed.
Matched and chicks produced from only
the better hens
The improved Connecticut trap nest
shown IN the accompanying diagram Is
provided with a swinging door with z
gravity trigger When the bird enter:
the nest she IL compelled to raise IN,
door and pass under. This releases tn.
weight OF the door from the trigger ant
allows II to fall. removing the suppor
from under the door. AS the bird en-
tiers the nest the door swings shu
and is held 10y tho lower or pointe,
end of the trigger The nests shout,
he mad OF light. durable material an,
so constructed that they will he wei
ventilated.
The trap nest should he visited FIRE
quently or !ts benefits will he greatly
impaired. II IL undesirable 10 conrn,
the layers for n longer period than Il
necessary, In the spring. when the bird
are laying heavily, 1t will he neccssar,
TO Visit them often, :. definite schedule
should he planned ont and followed.
Is hest to visit the nests and collect IN,
cgEs at approximately the followin;
hours; .. n, II, -, . and 4
II is essential mat n special -ecor,
should h" posted IN the pen near tn,
nests on which the band numbers Of Tn,