The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1919-01-16

their superior strength and vitality.
qualities 80 essential to layers II they
are TO stand up under the we're strain
Of heavy laying. Under war conditions
II r. Imperative that the poor produc-
ers be weeded out: the Stacker hen
mus, 20. Wedding out the poor hens
gives those left more room and a bet
ter chance. Where trap nesting In
practiced. cullIng IL q comparatively
simple process.
Culling should be continuous
throughout the year. This continuous
culling should consist Of wedding out,
when discovered. any hen which In
sick. which IL very thin or emaciated,
or which shows evidences Of nonpro-
duction. weakness. or poor vitality.
The whole flock should also be given
a careful and systematic culling at
some one time. The hens should be
handled individually and gone over
carefully with the object OF dividing
them into two lots. m the better pro-
ducers and the other the poorer pro-
ducers. From the better producers II
Ii also desirable to pick out as many
Of the best as viii be needed for
breeders. Band or otherwise mark
these hens so that eggs from them
only will be saved for Matching. Mar
ket those selected as the poor pro-
ducers. Save for laying and breeding
those selected a the better producers.
When a single systematic culling Is
made. the best time to do this is In
August or September. At this time II
In easier to form q fairly Close esti-
mate Of the relative value OF q hen as
an egg producer and to weed out the
| nonproducers. Hens which show indi-
cations Of laying at this time are those
which on the average have been the
better producers for the year. II must
be remembered. too. that the better
| producers during the first laying year
are those which will be the better pro-
ducers In subsequent years. Hens
showing indications Of having been
good producers throughout the year
should be retained for the next year
regardless Of their age. but relatively
few hens will prove to be profitable
producers beyond their second laying
year II Of the heavier breeds. such as
the Plymouth Rock. Rhode Island Red.
Wynndotte. or Orpington, or beyond
their third laying year II Of the lighter
breeds such as the Leghorn. Add.
tional culling during July Is also de-
sirable In order to eliminate hens
which have started to mott and have
stopped laying.
In going over the entire flock for
the purpose Of culling there are q
number OF points or characteristics
which should be given special atten.
tion In selecting the layers from the
n%onlayers. Where the different char
acteristics, or several of them In the
case Of any individual, agree as indl'
eating good production or poor pro
duction. selection Is comparatively ac'
curate. Where they do not agree
judgment must be used In deciding
which should be given the greatest
weight. The following are the main
points to consider:
Sickness and lack Of vigor are
usually indicated by listlessness, mac
tivity, tendency to stay on or under
the roost during the day, poor appe.
lite. dull eye. dark or blush color OF
comb, long toe nails. snaky or crow
head. and the tendency to 20 to roost
early In the evening and to be enc OF
the last to leave the roost In the
morning.