Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-04-05
CHAMPION HEN
Barred Plymouth Rock at the
Maine Agricultural Expert
ment Station Still Continues
Wonderful Performance.

Orono, Me. April 4.-(SpeciaD--The
Barred Plymouth Rock No. Ala M
which made such a wonderful per-
Torrance record at the Maine Agri-
cultural Experiment Station in her
pullet year has begun laying again in
her second year and bids fair to make
record which will equal, and posi-
bly, surpass that Of her pullet year.
AS the record stands now, the bird is
the highest laying hen of the Barred
Plymouth Rock breed that has yet
been produced When it is remem-
bered that it was only dozen years
ago that record of 200 eggs in year
was thought wonderful, the people Of
Maine may well be proud Of the fact
that there has been produced within
their State hen capable of laying 29S
eggs in IL months. Such an achieve
ment shows in a concrete way the
practical value of Investigations re-
garding the principles Of breeding,
This remarkable bird No. Ala M was
Matched on May IL. 1914. By many
poultrymen this would be considered
late date Of Matching. The notion
prevails quite widely that unless bird
is Matched in March or April 1t will
never make a great layer. How err
roneous this view is is shown by the
performance of the bird here under
discussion. Matched on May IL, she
laid her first egg on November 4, 1914.
She was then 176 days old when she
1oi1 her fire net
months. In the month of November.
1914. she laid IL eggs. She was evil
IDENTIFY at this time trying out her
PAGES and getting into proper condi-
ton for an extended record. On the
first day of December she began the
pace which she maintained to the end
of the year. During the month of De-
cember she laid % eggs, in January
20, in February %, in March 20, in
April 81, in May 26, in June %. in July
81, in August 26, in September "a, in
| October 20, making total of 29S eggs
in the year. The longest continuous
periods during which the bird laid an
egg every day were from December 10
to January 10, or 80 days; from March
II to April Is inclusive, a period of SO
|
elusive, period of 43 days.
1t is obvious that during this year
when 298 eggs were laid this hen could
not have spent good deal of time be-
ing broody. AS matter of fact, she
was broody but once during the year.
She showed signs of broodiness on
June IA, and was put in a coop by her
self in the ordinary way that broody
hens are treated at the Maine Station.
Under these circumstances she very
quickly changed her mind about want
ing to sit and on June 20, six days
from the time when she first showed
signs of broodiness. she began laying
again. This is the only time she has
ever been broody in her life.
The last egg of the pullet year was
laid October 80, 1915. BY November 8
she was we'll started in moult She
rested nearly three months beginning
laying again on the 30th day of Janu-
airy 1916. She Immediately started in
at her old pace, laying % eggs in the
month Of February, 1916. This is only
two eggs short of her performance
during the corresponding month of her
rullet year, when she said rs eggs. She
is continuing to lay now at the rate of
=. about eggs per week.
In no respect is this bird a freak.
She is simply the result of we'll
planned and carefully executed breed
ing. She is trim and smart in appear
ance. of good size, weighing 81 lbs. at
the end of her pulet years laying.
This is unusually heavy for bred-to-
lay Barred Plymouth Rocks. There is
nothing in her external appearance
shape or body or type which would