The Washington herald., 1919-05-11


with strain breeding.
BY carefully selecting birds for a
foundation stock it is possible after
several generations to build up an
esta blished strain of birds.
Such a system requires considerable
care in recording the results of the
progeny. so that In the annual selec-
ton of the breeders the chances will
be eliminated and the avoidance of
too close a relationship.
The art OF strain breeding when
systematically and scientifically
handled Is productive of great results
This is proven beyond doubt by the
many valuable and productive strains
OF poultry that have been established
by the system.
Cross breeding is one Of those things
in poultry that must be handled with
care.
Often times cross breeding Is used
in mating two different breeds Of
fowls for producing broilers and roast
ers for market purposes. The on
spring from such a cross is never
used for breeding purposes.
Another form Of cross breeding is
to mate fowls of the same variety
from different strains for the intro
duction of new blood.
There are no other apologies for the
cross breeding of thoroughbred fowls
excepting that in breeding mongrels.
The number of females TO use with
the male in the breeding pen varies
according to the variety and condi-
tions.
Six to eight females to one male
is sufficient for the larger breeds as
the Brahmas and Cochins.
The medium sized fowls-the Ply
mouth Rocks. Wyandottes. Orping-
tons, Rhode Island Reds, use from
eight to ten females to one male.
For the smaller fowls. the Leg
horns, Minorcas, Hamburgs. Anconas.
etc. ten to fifteen females will do
we'll with one male.
The fertility of the egg is better
guaranteed when the fewer number of
females are used in the mating.
There are many sides TO the argu-
ment.
Some breeders use two males to a
limited number OF females, aIterna-
ting the males each day. while others
use two males TO three pens OF fe-
males giving each male a days rest
from the pens.
These are thoughts for reflection
in the practice of breeding poultry
for the best results.
The deeper you think the better you
will practice.
Breeding houses and breeding yards
should be kept perfectly clean and
sanitary; bad conditions weaken the
vitality of the breeders and otherwise
,,,ta xuif n Af hn
dertaking.
Disinfectants and lice powders
should be used literally on the houses.
nests and fowls.
Don't let these nuisances worry you:
you should worry them.
With cleans drinking vessels and an
abundance. of pure fresh drinking
water in the breeding pens the fowls
will not be fretful nor discontented.
Fowls grow weak, lack stamina.
and are of low vitality when they are
neglected and confined to limited
quarters. especially so when crowded
in unsanitary and badly ventilated
houses.
Breeding fowls should be kept con-
tented and busy all the time for best
results.
Exercise is a redeeming feature and
the more Inducements offered them
for exercising, the better IT will be
for them.
Every grain of their food should be
earned by the fowls in scratching and
digging for it in the litter on the
floor of their houses.
Never feed the grain food other
than in the scratch litter and have
this litter sufficiently deep to make
them work for it.
Hanging up green foods for them
to jump for Is another good form
of exercising.
The proper feeding of the breeders
is an essential requirement for their
welfare and progress.
Wrong feeding and wrong kinds of
foods is likely to undo everything that
has already been done.
Fowls at liberty, on the range of
the farm during the breeding season,
do not require the same treatment
as do those in confined and restricted
runs.
Farm range fowls gather the
greater portion of their green and
animal foods in the grasses, sprouts,
worms, bugs and other insects to be
found in abundance during the greater
portion OF the breeding season.
Their grain food must be supplied
them in the mornings and nights to
balance their diet.
But when fowls are restricted in
their liberty they are entirely de-
pendent upon the keeper for their
livelihood in these matters.
Such fowls during the breeding must
have their rations well balanced and