Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1919-09-20

r..t Of A-.,uI..r.'
sb,g.orF Holmes used dghpowgr
u..r~.-s.r.-. chemicals tu@'"i.a, .
record. ami rr.u.. H,ery photos l' /
r.rr..... Il. u"... r- ...iu-t justice. .
Th.n..r-. OWNER .u-r rely chiefly ot .
%. y.. production records o.. ...
fowl .- E..U .- .. fN..r r1.H"' ".-
r.I,.... conditions ..t general v".
r.r...ur. I'M l.+ ta-E Of separating
I0.. chan FROM OIL. Wu.'' r. iS '~~.-
tiaI that N.. yo through the flock I'm 't''
summer and make "a thorough ouiuoG,
describing an the uupru'ilanir pro-
ducers So they may not be parasitic on
the profits of the flock during the sell
son when range is not available an"
the expenses of feeding the birds are
corrcspondingly increased.
As rule the hens which have
stoned laying by the middle OF Sep
TENDER are the poorest producers III
the flock and. consequently, will be the
lowest yielderS in successive seasons
Hence it is necessary to rid the mock
of such lazy drOnes in order that the
better producers may be favored III
care, feed, and general poultry man
agement.
When Test Is Best
SPECIALISTS of the United States de-
partmpnt of agriculture say that the
best and most easily applied test 10
ascertain the beSt-laying fowl is the
date when the hens begin to mott.
Most hens, when they start to mott
stop laying. or nearly cease egg pro
duction. Furthermore, it is easy to eX'
anime the plumage Of each hen in or
der to ascertain whether any pin
feathers or partially grown feathers
l. are shown. In case the hen is through
Noting, the poultryman can convince
himself of that condition by the pres
{ cree of clean, unworn plumage.
In the case of the yellow-leggeC
birds the color Of the legs is some in
dicationi. of good producing eapacit,
and persistency, as tSs hens tend 4
lose their bright yellow Color rs mt
LAYING season progresses. Good pro
: ducers usually have white or pale vel
low legs during the late summer and
early fall, while poor producers viii
show straw-colored or medium yellow
S ish legs. If the flock has access tC
s good grass range, the birds, as a rule
e will maintain their leg color Longer
e than where there is little grass o.
+ where only bare yards are provided
e Accordingly, on the grass range not a
= much Importance is given to leg color
$ Comb Is an Indicator.
n The color of the beak applies alOni
l. similar lines, except that it disappear
It and reappears more rapidly than tn
e pigment in the legs. Furthermore, tn
VI appearance of the comb is an indie;
ton Of whether or not the hen is la!
ing. The bird with the red coml
Y which is full of blood and thorough
expanded, usually Is laying. while tn
= fowl having a comb which is smalle
shrunken, and dull red in color harde
and covered with whittier scales, is o
dinarily not laying. Generally speal
- ing, laying hen usually shows create
N distance between the pelvic bones, tw
. bones which are felt as points c
~ either side Of the back. In the case
re hens which are laying, the pelvic bcn'
20 feel thinner and more flexible, viii
10 there is a spread of two fingers I
al more between them. A smaller sprei
mo- usually indicates that the hen is n
laying.
Usually the laying hen shows
greater extension of the abdOme
10 which may be measured by placil
the fingers between the pelvic bon
H. and the end Of the keel. In the ca
of the smaller birds, such as the VIII
LeghOrns, the spread of abdomen
usually three fingers or more, VIII
he with the larger birds, such as t
III Plymouth Rock, the spread is fO
lys fingers or more. The laying hen usu
by ly has an abdomen which is softer a
TT more flexible, and feels like the par
lat milked-Out uddcr of a COW. When
'rl- hen is not laying the abdomen
II harder and NOR, contracted.
me Consider All Factors.
ANY hen that shows signs of si'
ness, or generally dcbilitdted conditi
should be CuIled from the flock.
Oh forming an opinion as to whether
IN not the hen is laying sufficiently "
age To favor her retention in the flock
another season or so, it is not adN
able to place too much importance
any one of the factors discussed abo
ee' hut rather to summarize the appo
us ance and production qualities of e;
= bird rather than TO rely on any {
symptom rs "a cause Of culling cert
birds from the flock.
Generally it is desirable for
aus owner to practice continual culling