Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-08-15
TELLS BREEDERS HOW
TO IMPROVE FL0CKS
Vigorous Stock Necessary-Only
Best Layers Should Be Retained
as Breeding Stock,
Use of Trap Nest Will Help Owners
to Build Up Most Profitable
Utility Flock.
BY MICHAEL K. BOYER.

|
Only b. careful selection and proper
breeding can we hope to build up the
| utility qualities of our flocks.
| Success cannot be obtained without
good, strong, healthy breeding stock to
| begin with. and they must be kept in
good health.
| If we are working for egg produc-
| ton. we must first pick out good, stron 6
pullets, and then secure males from a
known strain of heavy layers The trap
nest must be employed SO that we may
know which pullets 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.
Male Line Should Not Be Changed.
Having esta blished a record male line
it should never be changed. New blood
must be infused on the female side. To
change males annually would be going
backward.
There may be something in the selec-
ton of layers according to type. When
Tom Barron delivered his lecture at
layer usually stands high i'm front and
her back is not on level, nor the rear
higher than the front The best pro-
ducers usually have large combs. high
tail and prominent, large, bright eye.
Mr.. Barron also said that upon handling
the birds he found that most of the best
layers have thin, straight pelvic bones.
He likes the wedge shape, rather mar
row in front, but wide behind and wide
between the legs.
Trap Nest Is Necessary.
DIT I
continue to resort to the trap nest. ]
know then that the information ] get is
bound to be accurate. There is no. other
method by which it is possible to know
which are the sons of the best layers.
To maintain great laying strain, no
cockerel should be used which was not
bred from hens which laid 200 eggs or
more.
Yearling hens are best for breeding.
BY 'yearling" is meant year from the
time of it's starting to lay. In other
about eighteen months. Quite num-
Der of the breeders trap-nest only the
pullets and from this record make their
selection. Some trap-nest from October
to June. especially those who are mat
ing for strong winter egg production.
No fowl should be used in the breed
ing pen that has ever been sick day
in it's life. The trouble with poultry
sure that they have been cured per-
fectly. and the weakness or tendency
TO disea Sc may be transmitted to chick
ems Matched from their eggs.
Inbreeding must be avoided If we
wish to build up a healthy laying
strain. No record hens were ever Sc
cured by inbreeding. At the same time
no progress can be made by continually
tampering with the male line.
Small Flocks Best for Breeding.
I further believe that the strongest
birds-both from health and egg-pro-
ducing 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 I have carefully investigated the
results from these large hocks and have
become thoroughly convinced that. for
foundation stock, they are failure.
Proportionately more eggs are laid by
small f1ocks than from large ones, and
there is less likely to be disease.
Now by Improving each year., ! do
not mean so much the increasing of
the individual records as / do the in
creasing Of the average records for the
flock. ] And out which pullets lay the
most eggs from November l to June l.;
which lay the most perfect and the best
shaped eggs; and which hens show the
best breeding qualities.
Start Small, But Start Right.
This question of improvement is one
worthy of close study. and the begin
ner must be wide awake to it's impor-
lance. Make the foundation good and
secure. AS one starts he generally
ends. man beginning with mongrels
will generally continue to be a mon
grel breeder.
One of the most successful poultry
men in this country began with six
strong vigorous yearling hens that not
only had a grand egg record back of
them, but could likewise boast of
hardy relationship. To these was
mated a strong. vigorous male bird.
bred from a record hen. From that
family this poultryman eventually built
up the finest lot of money makers that
l ever saw.
Having secured the required stock,
the beginner must not only aim to make
Improvement each year, but he must
right from the start study their re-
quirements. and give them the proper
care.
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