The Idaho Springs siftings-news. (Idaho Springs, Colo.) 1905-19??, 1918-08-09
Time TO Get RID
Of Stacker HEN
Fowl That Begins Noting Early
Almost Certainly Poor Egg
Producer. i.
SEPTEMBER IS BEST MONTH
Many Indications Cited by Which
Flock May Be cuIIed Down to ALL
Year Layers-Save Exception
ally Good Breeders.

Get rid Of the Stacker hen. The
poultry keeper cannot afford at any
time to keep a hen that Is a poor egg
producer, and that is particularly true
now when feeds are unprecedentedly
high in price. The summer and early
fall is the best time to Gull the poor
producers from the laying flock. 1t is
best to start as early as possible re-
moving those hens whose appearance
indicates that they have stopped lay
ing. As a general principle 1t is wise
to Gull out about the first of August
all hens over two years old unless they
are laying or are exceptionally good
breeders.
Hens will usually begin to mott in
August. The Stacker hen Is an early
molter and can be readily distin-
.Guished at this time.
The indications Of high egg produc-
ton are most pronounced In Septem-
Der, and II the flock Is to be culled
only at one time, September is the best
month to select the good producers.
The better plan, however, Is to Gull
gradually. beginning somewhat earlier.
A number Of factors have to be con-
sidered in distinguishing the good from
the poor layer, and certain allowances
have to be made for essential differ
-ences between the small and the large
breedA
Gull Thsss Hens. =
The Indications Of poor production
are a. follows:
Lack Of vigor.-Indicated BY listless
actions, dull sunken eye, small, shrunk-
en-, pale comb and long toe nails. The
poor producer is usually one of the
last hens to leave the roost in the
morning. and also goes to roost early
in the evening.
Early molt and yellow legs.-Hens
which mott before September 1, espe-
cially those Noting in July and early
In August. are usually poor producers.
These hens will usually have yellow
legs during August and September, as
the yellow color returns to the legs
after melting. The time Of molting
and the color Of the legs are very i'm
portant characteristics in selecting
hens BY their appearance.
Pelvis.-Points close together, only
ono to two fingers apart, depending
upon the breed. The space between the
pelvic points varies according to
whether or not the hen is laying. Arch
from pelvic points to the end Of keel
or breast bone only two or four fingers
wide. Pelvic points either small and
hard or coarse covered with fat).
Vent dry and hard. A layer In good
condition usually accumulates fat on
abdomen, producing a plump appear
ance.
Other characteristics.-Co Comb pale or
dull red, small, shrunken and covered
with nne scales or dandruf. Ear lobes
and wattles pale, shrunken, hard and
dry. Har lobes, eyelids and beak yell
l0wish.
Save These Hens.
The indications of good production
are as follows:
vigor.-Indicated by full, well-devel-
oped breast and body, general alert
ness; bright full eye; well-developed
broad comb: short, heavy beak and
worn toe nails. A hen must have vigor
end capacity to be good layer. Such
q hen usually has good appetite and
goes on the roost early in the morning.
Late mott and bleached legs.-The
late molter, one that does not begin to
nolt until after the LIST of September,
b usually a good producer. During
the late summer these hens are notice
Nbls BY thei~ ragged and dirty plu-