Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1918-07-04
SELECT PULLETS
FOR next WINTER
culling Out Poor Layers and
Backward Fowls Saves Feed,
Room, Time and Labor.
MORE eggs WITH LESS COST
Problem Is to Select Hens That May
Reasonably Be Expected to Pro-
duce Well for Remainder of
Year and After Melting.

The coming of July means to the
poultry raiser that it is time to count
the layers for next winter and to be-
gin to give them the preferential treat
ment that will make them ready for
good work in the season Of high
prices.
Selecting According to Age.
Hens Of the small breeds may be
given a higher age limit than those of
the medium and large breeds. Late
pullets should be culled much more
severely than early pullets.
The ordinary laying flock is made up
at this season Of yearlings and older
hens in about equal numbers. Most Of
the older hens are two-year-olds,
though often there are a few hens
three. four or more years old, which
have been kept because they are IA
vorites with the owner or he was in
error about their age.
Separate Good and Poor Layers.
All hens over the age limit having
been discarded, the problem is to Sc
lect from the remainder those that
may reasonably be expected to pro-
duce well for the remainder of this
year and through quite a long period
after melting. The points to be con-
sidered in judging hens for this pur-
pose are:
Q) How well they have laid.
(2) Whether they are laying.
nh
ton and its relation to future egg pro-
duction.
The owner Of small flock who
knows the hens individually and
watches them closely will usually
know from daily observation that GER
tain hens are good layers. To identify
the rest, some principles of selection
based upon appearance or structure
must be used. There are several such
principles, each of which independ-
emily is serviceable for the purpose,
though not infallible. If judgments Of
hen by these different principles
agree as to her probable performance
as n layer their common verdict may
be taken as in all probability correct.
When they disagree the case becomes
doubtful and the relative values Of the
several conclusions on the different
points must be weighed according to
circumstances which might affect
them.
Strictly, culling is the removing of
the culls, or as they are sometimes
called-the MASTERS. When these have
been eliminated those which remain
are presumably profitable producers.
Where there has not been culling
throughout the season to discard hens
apparently not in good laying condi-
ton. carefully culling at this time will
usually leave not more than half Of
the yearling hens to be reserved for
another year.
Identifying the Poor Layers.
A hen that at this season has smooth
bright plumage. and shanks and beak
of deep yellow, or rosy flesh color.
or fresh-looking black or slate-as the
case may be-thereby certifies that
she has not been profitable layer.
Good condition at all these points
shows that she has not laid enough to
drain her system of the elements that
give high color to the skin and fine
surface to the feathers.
The comb of healthy laying hen
is much larger when she is laying than
when she Is not. 1t is bright red I'm
color, suffused with blood. yet soft and
flexible. The poor layer that. under
favorable conditions, has nice plumage
and skin usually has comb and wattles
of rather darker red, looking more
as II the blood were somewhat con-
gested In them. This is not so charac-
teristic or so marked that much i'm