Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-07-21
.|NDEX|NC A FLOCK
VIA THE TRAPNEsT
Skilled Breeding Requires Intimate
knowledge OF Each Fowl
and IFS Habits.
LIKE PRODUCES LIKE is RULE
Egg, Development Is Only Part OF
Information Gained by Trapping.
Quality. as We'll as Quantity, Is
Valuable to Producer.
ny u. ARMSTRONG ROBERTS.


In breeding for css production.
which is tho paramount issue with
commercial poultrymen. il is essential
for one 10 have an intimate knowledge
Of the stock \ casual idea Will not an
swor. Appearances count for a great
deal. but they are not positive II is
not enough TO know that the flock is OF
certain strain reliably bred for a
heavy ecS yield with records at egg
laying contests and similar credentials.
Such Endorsements help. but they are
simply circums;antiaL 1t does not
follow that because certain pen OF
birds laid p-olitcly ;hat their offspr!n::
Will Law equally well, generation atts-
generation.
The practical poultryman wants facts
"a positive index ~ the performance
o; each individual The only way 10
gain this information is via the trap
nest. the value or which has increased
enormously in the last ten years. Just
the BabCock tester has been the
means OF improving dairy herds.
The need for trapncstins was secuted
al first. in shat it was considered to,
complicated and therefore too ex-
pensive for tho average breeder. 1t +
still discounted by some. though chiefly
by those who are habitually opposed
10 anything modern: for there are con-
serNatives and reactionarics in thu
poultry industry we'll as in politics.
raise chickens as our GRANDPA Tiers
reared thcm-aS a side line to furnish
holiday meals for tho home table. or
10 trade in cggs at the country stora.
The aim here was 10 Keep hens. the
commercial poultryman insists that hi.
hens keep him.
OTHER DATA GAINED
Bl TitAPNEST TEST
In addition 10 furnishing records OF
a :. Of l,.,.
nest is source OF Information OH
other matters OF vital Importance ~
the poultry keeper. For instance. tho
trapaeSt makes ii possible to ascertain
which hens lay the cst-shaped GIGS.
which the largest sized. which the
strongest in point OF fertility, which
are the best winter layers. which
pullets begin early and lay tho great
est number of eggs III succession. the
number of times they become broody.
and those that lay defective cggs
such as blood clots and body -heatacd
eggs. for these defects are often
chronic with few individuals
one may think of what value IL is to
know which hens lay the st-shapch
eggs. simply this: quantity alone is
not the only aim OF the practical poul-
tryman. He is after quality, too.
Small, Irregular and misshapen csgs
do not fetch top prices. Prime eggs.
those that bring fancy prices with u
fastidious trade. should he uniform as
TO size, shape, color and texture. y
visit TO the wholesale market viii sub
stantiatc the truth OF this statement
one may ask OF what consequence Is
II TO know which hens become broody.
Just this: Broody hens do not Law
while they are hroody. and they are
troublesome 10 discourage. Obviously.
the more times hen becomes broody
the more trouble She is to her kecpcr
Il Of,
eggs For IL should he Understood that
characteristics such as broodincss arc
largely an inherited tendency
w = speak OF the Leghorns and other
osS "rceds as nonsitting varieties but
they are not really nonsitters bv any
means They become broody like
other hens. although not 50 frequently
and not with the same persistence AS
the heavier breeds. such as Plymouth
locks, Wyandottes and Rhode Island
Reds. Also, certain strains of Leg
horns are more addicted TO hrnodiness
than others. In other words. this ma
tural desire TO hatch and rear brood
OF chicks has been largely outbrcd in
some focks. while in other nockg II
remains strong. and probably for no
reason except that 1t was neglected.
IN NATURE RULE Is
LIKE BEGETS LIKE
Like heEcts like in the animal king
ways, but E"reraily. Habits and phy-
steal qualii!cations.are inherited which
Is fortunate. indeed. or we would have
dithcuity in improving anything. plant
life or live stock
Therefore, II behoovcs the poultry
keeper TO so mate his breeding pens
that they VIII develop offspring having
desirable qualifications. and no. having
defects tie should aim to prodr,cc
fowls "nich lay we'll also those that
lay perfect eggs OF good size lie mus,
choose the hens and males. especially
me !ati"E' with circumspection in Law
Ing plans Tor future generation.
Otherwise his enterprise Is sheer
gamble. attended by grave risks as u
success
ASSUMING; ri. factor TO he nccos
city how Is the poultryman to choos.
the right birds for particular mating
unless he Hnows precisely wha, their
abilities are" ne cannot. He cannon
hone TO have any definite kuowIedsc.
and ny defnit' knowledge mean facts.
unless he can associate each csE with
the hon that laid Il: That means 70
trapncst
Enough as 20 the virtues Of trapncst-
Ing. To install q system requires an in
restmcnt. OF course. and to operate IL
taxes time, which means labor. and "a
Dor means an expense. Also. II the sys-
tenn improves che flock for the nor.
generation and tsr succeeding genera,
tions. II means Increased revenue This
increased revenue should more than
offset the Increased COS, or operation.
rot in a singh year. perhaps hut in
several year 1t has done 80 for otn-
ers. And that is Inc real !Ssuc-what
the flock vi. - IN hye years or ton
years.
There are manv ,rapncsts on the
market and in use. some are patented
others can be had for tn" making