Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-04-22

Until recent years the general shape
and conformation of layer was consid-
cred Of special value in determining the
probable production of the bird. Even at
the present time there are quite num-
Der of breeders who hold that these ex-
ternal characteristics are of much value
in selecting high-producing hens. Ac-
cording to the standard that has been
devised for this selection. the ideal BIRD
must be wedged or V-shaped when
viewed from the top, side and rear.
From the top view the back should form
the wide end of the v; the side view
should show the wide end at the rear,
and the rear view the same as the side
When bird conforms to this V-shaped
type the superstition is that the abdomi-
nal regions, where the organs OF repro
duction are located. are well developed.
thus making possible high production.
The pullets that begin to lay early IN
life. say from November l up to
turn out to be good producers. In a
test conducted by poultry expert, 100
per cent of the pullets producing two
hundred or more eggs laid their nrst
pertinent practically SO per cent of the
pullets which laid less than one hundred
eggs did not lay their first egg until
January. and over 20 per cent of them
laid their first egg during February and
March. These figures are from trap.nest
records of the birds and clearly indicate
that the early producer is the heavy
layer.
Early production is not the only indi;
cation that the poultry keeper should
rely on in the selection Of good layers.
1t is but one Of several characteristics
at his command to check up the PROB
able production of his birds. All early
layers that are marked can be observed
to determine whether they molt early or
late Trap-nest records show that the
high performers usually mott late.
Observations made in connection with
trap-nest records showed that none OF
the birds which were half through the
mott by October ! were good producers,
also that only a small percentage
Of the late molters were poor pro-
ducers. 1t is believed by some that
late in the following year. Actual rec
ords. however, do not substantiate this
belief, since they show that the late
molters mott quickly and begin to lay
as soon as the early molters or sooner:
The appetite and general actions of
a hen indicate her ability to lay
goodly number of eggs. The hard
working hen is almost always a high
producer She is first off the roost IN
the morning and last to go to bed. She
tiveness necessitates the ability to as
simulate large quantities of food. The
poor layer is generally Of the opposite
type. She is inactive, a relatively
small eater, ana SpeHuS d large POI lioii
of her time on the perches or in the
darkened portions of the pen.
In practically all yellow-skinned va
rieties of poultry the shanks, beak and
region around the vent undergo
change in color when the hens are in
heavy laying. Instead of the rich yell
low color that is associated with these
parts in the yellow-skinned varieties,
there is a rapid fading of color in the
regions mentioned during heavy pro-
duction This change of color is SO
consistent that it is possible to use it
as a basis for selecting good and poor
producers. From various observations
recently made along these lines, the
following interesting correlations have
been noted:
The color of the vent appears to be
the most accurate indication of produc-
ing ability Records made from 371
birds from November l, 1914, to Octo-
Der 81, 1915. show ninety-eight of the
birds had pale vents at the end of Octo-
Der when the records were made. over
80 per cent of these ninety-eight birds
produced from 40 to $50 eggs, and
only per cent of them laid less than
$40 eggs. The average production of the
273 remaining hens, which had yellow
vents when the observations were
taken, was approximately 135 eggs, and
the average for the ninety-eight hav-
ing pale vents VS. 1871 eggs This gives
a difference of fifty-six eggs per bird
in favor of the pale vents.
In the test there were several different
breeds, and it is interesting to compare
the production of the various breeds as
shown by the color of the vent In the
Plymouth Rock group S3.6 per cent of
the birds having pale vents laid from