The courier-index., 1918-08-02
POULTRY BEREAVEMENT
tprof ,. K. Morrison in Commercial


 (Prof J. K Morrison in Commercial
 Appeal)
 It is very important that we learn something of selecting our best hens without the aid of the trap nest. It is irnpracticat for the average poultry keeper to use the trap nest. If we are to increase the average egg pro duction of our hens we must breed from the best
 We have already gwen our readers some of the methods Of selecting the best layers Tn this issue we wish to call your attention to the pelvic bone test. The pelvic bones are just un- der the tail feathers, shaped like V. When the hen is not laying these bones are rigid and are closed up. You can just get one finger between them If she is in laying condition they are soft and pliable Two to three fingers will go between them. Nature makes them this way in order to permit easy passage for the eggs. If you wish to belect which beps in the flock are laying this is a sure way There are other things indi eated by the pelvic bones in addition to merely knowing whether the hen is a laying hen.
 If these mems are very thick and the distance between the pelvic bone and the Keel bone is not more than two fingers, # is an indication that the hen is of the beef type. She takes on fat readily and fails to con vert the feed given her into eggs. She is a good market fowl, but not a good layer B the keel bone is meant that bone that we know as the breast bone. Tn finding the pei vic bones the fingers should be held in a horizontal position In getting the distance between these two bones hold the fingers in the opposite d. rection which forms the cross. A few''i hens nave spread of six tingers One that has as much as five is very likely to be a good layer This iB a reasonable test, as the capacity of the hen is guaged In this way There must be large space be tween the pelvic bones and the keel bones iIi order to hold the aecumulat. ing eggs and the feed necessary to Keep up the eggs and the hens body.
 | met a friend the other day who asked me if I remembered explaining 10 him this test that I have just de- scFfbed He said that he went right home and tried it out on his flock of z6 hens He found eight that met the conditions. and from these he said he had secured most of his eggs. Being able to perform this trick is Of some interest, and profitable, too,
 Our greatest need right now is not the increase of the number of our flocks, but Killing of Of drones and proper methods of breeding so as to build up the average eggs per hen. The feed cost will be but little more and we can increase egg pro auction with very slight cost
 It is high time that all poultrymen nse every aid possible in order to build up better flocks.
 The Missouri station has perhaps given more attention to this work of selection and working out methods of selecting layers without the use of the trap nest than any other station an the country. The methods that are given are subject to limitation and 1t win take little practice to learn them. las
 The trap nest is the suresf method in the world, but they are for the experiment. station and specially breeders. For this reaeon we always advise 10 sepy male birds. from per, sons who are asing the trap nest. then nse the various methods suggest ea in order to select the best hens