Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-05-19
THE HEAVY LAYERS
FROM EXTERNAL INDICATIONS

characteristics at his command to
check up the probable production of
his birds. All early layers that are
marked can be observed to deter
mine whether they molt early or late.
Trap-nest records show that the high
performers usually molt late.
The writer recalls an incident of
25O-egg hen that did not mott un-
til cold winter weather set in. She
shed her feathers so rapidly that it
was necessary to keep her in a fair
ly warm room to protect her from
the cold. The boarder hens usually
have new coat of feathers and look
like the finest birds in the flock when
the hard-working layers are ragged
and covered with n-feathers. APP
pearances in this instance do not
count for much, since the worst
looking hens are quite apt to be the
most profitable.
Observations made in connection
with trap-nest records showed that
none of the birds which were half
through the molt by October l were
good producers, also that only
small percentage of the late molters
do not begin laying until late in the
following year. Actual records, how
ever, 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.
Big Eaters Are Heavy Layers
The appetite and general actions
of 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 is heavy feeder since high pro-
ductiveness necessitates the ability to
assimilate large quantities of food.
The poor layer is generally of the
opposite type. She is inactive, a rel
atively small eater. and spends a
large portion of her time on the
perches or in the dafHened portions
of the pen.
Pale ShanIxs and Ear-lObcs
In practically all yellow-skinned
varieties of poultry the shanks, beak
and region around the vent undergo
a change in color when the hens are
in heavy laying. Instead of the rich
yellow color that is associated with
these parts in the yellow skinned va
rieties, there is rapid fading of col
or in the regions mentioned during
heavy production. This change of
color Is so consistent that it is pos
sible to use 1t as a basis for selecting
Sood and poor producers. From va
rious observations recently made
dlOilS lnGSc lines, the following IN
teresting correlations have been
noted:
The color of the vent appears to
be the most accurate indication of
producing ability. Records made
from 81 birds from November /.
1914, to October 81, 1915, show 90
of the birds had pale vents at the
end of October when the records
were made. over 90 per cent of
q L, ,sw.I. 1 n
26O eggs, and only per cent. of
them laid less than 140 eggs. The
average production OF the 273 re-
naming hens, which had yellow
vents when the observations were
taken, was approximately 1876 eggs.
and the average for the 9S having
pale vents was 191 eggs. This gives
difference of sc eggs per bird in
favor of the pale vents.
In the test there were several diff
ferent breeds and 1t is interesting to
compare the production of the va
rious breeds as shown by the color of
the vent. In the Plymouth Rock
group 1876 per cent. of the birds hav-
ing pale vents laid from 140 to 260
eggs; 1914 per cent. of the birds
showing pale vents produced 140
eggs or less; 20 per cent. of the hens
having yellow vents laid from 0 to
the Rocks having yellow vents was
1888 eggs whereas the average for
those having pale vents was 1868.
OF the 9S Wyandottes SO had pale
vents and over 20 per cent. of these
produced from 140 to $50 eggs. The
average production for the pale and
yellow vents was 1912 for the former
and 140.S for the latter.
The average production OF the
Rhode Island Reds having pale vents
was 171.3, while for the birds of the
same breed with yellow vents The
average yield dropped to 1913 eggs.
While practically all of the above
observations are based on the color
of the vent. the reader must not lose
sight of the fact that this same varia-
ton is manifested in the shanks and
beaks of yellow-skinned varieties. In
other words, the rich yellow color of |
these parts seems to fade out with |