Norwich bulletin., 1916-01-20

It is now time fer all poultrymen who intend to have their chickens matched on time to make preparations for mating their stock and getting ], their. breeding pens in order for the coming season. In order to obtain bullets in the fall to lay when eggs are highest Leghorns should be matched during the last week of March or the first week in April. and the gen. eral purpose breeds should be matched few weeks before eggs should be saved, and breeding pens should be mated up at least a month before that time. If the birds that are being kept for breeding purposes have had proper care during the winter they are now in the pink of condition and about ready to start laying.
 l, When the females are selected for breeding pens they should be chosen first for their constitutional vigor and every individual that shows any signs of weakness or has had or is having any cold or other disease should never be allowed to go into the flock AL though most diseases of this kind can- not be transmitted to their offspring they do have a tendency to make the chickens which are matched from their eggs susceptible to these diseases. . The males which are to head these pens should likewise be chosen for similar reasons, and it is especially important, in order to obtain high fer tility. during the early spring months, that males be extremely vigorous and active. They should be well developed in size, have prominent head furnish ings and show by their actions that they, have valuable prepotent quail ities. pr. Pearl4of the Maine experi- Hment station insists that the male bird has the greatest influence on the egg production of his progeny, and If this Is true 1t is important that all males used for breeding purposes should be the, sons of high producers just as it is important that the females should be high producers themselves. Poultrymen who do not trap nest can not very well obtain this informa- ton concerning their males, but it does pay, to select a small pen of birds that molted late and mate with them the strongest and most active male in the flock in order to obtain for the following season cockerels that will in all probability inherit from their mothers ability to produce stock that will lay heavily.
 On the average poultry farm where It isa planned only to hatch and rear chickens for egg production one small breeding pen of this kind with a large breeding pen of the best yearling hens will be most desirable. The commer- essary for caring for many small breeding pens. When birds are mated in large ftocks it is not wise to use as many hens for each male as in smaller hocis. The Judgment of the poul- tryman on this point is always best because he can decide easily after looking over his male birds according to their general activity.
 The grain for the breeding pens from this time on should contain lit tile high stimulating protein food. Sour milk is the best kind of animal pro- tein for the breeding stock, and if fed in large quantities meat scraps can be left out, of the ration. Green cut bone and raw meat should never be fed to hens from which eggs are used for matching as the stimulating effect of this kind Of feed affects the fertility of the eggs. A large amount of suc- culent green feed should be fed oon- tinually to the breeding stock, and they should be allowed to go out of doors every day. The importance of succulent feed cannot be overestimat- ed. Even potatoes, turnips and ap-' pies. though they. have very little food value. are desirable parts of the daily ration if better green feeds are not available. This all helps to stimu- late the. digestive organs and keep the birds in good physical condition.