The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1919-09-30

be one Of the last to leave the roost
in the morning.
Molt.-This Is one of the most
valuable and easily applied tests of
production. Hens cease laying COM
pletely or almost completely during
the molt. The better producers lay
late in the fall and, therefore mott
late. Late molters also mott rapidly
as rule, early molters mott slowly.
Therefore, save the hens which have
not molted by August or are only
just beginning to molt late in Sept
ember or in October, and discard
those which have finished molting or
are well into the mott The hens
which mott last, provided they are
otherwise desirable, are the best ones
to save for breeders. A hen which
has not molted at this time is char
acterized by solid and worn or brok-
en- plumage, which is especially evil
dent in the tail plumage, while those
molted or molting show clean, fresh
plumage or growing feathers. Gull
ing the early molters just as soon
as they begin to mott is one Of the
easiest ways to weed out the poor
layers
Shank color.-In those breeds hav.
ing yellow legs, the color fades out
slowly as the laying season advances
The rapidity and degree to which the
yellow color is lost depends to a con-
siderable extent upon the heavmess
ot laying. The yellow color goes out
from the scales on the front OF the
shanks first and finally from the
scales on the rear. Hens on grass
range do not lose the shank color as
quickly or completely as those in bare
yards. Some soils also tend TO bleach
the color OF the legs. Hens showing
strong or medium yellow shank color
are almost certainly poor layers, but
occasionally poor layers may show
pale or white shanks. In breeds as
the Rhode Island Red where the
shanks may show horn color as well
as yellow, the horn must not be con.
fused with the yellow. The rear and
sides OF the shank show little OF this
horn color. A sick hen or one in poor
condition may also show pale shanks
Beak color.-In breeds having vel
low beaks, the same principle applies
as in she case Of the yellow shanks
However, the color is lost from tho
beak more quickly than from the
shanks and is also regained more
quickly. The lower beak bleaches
faster than the upper, but may he
used where the upper is obscured by
horn or black
Vent color.-In yellow skinned
breeds the yellow color of the skin
Immediately about the vent is quick
ly lost with laying, and is quickly
regained after laying ceases. White
or pink vent color generally indicates
that the hen is laying. while a yellow
vent means that the bird is not Law
ing
Appearance OF vent.-The vent JfI
a hen laying heavily is large, expand-
ed. or moist, while that OF hen not
laying is comparatively small, hard
puckered and dry.
Comb.-When hen is layipe or
about to lay her comb is large. waxy. !
full of blood, and bright red in color. !
When not laying, the comb is small |
and shrunken, pale or dull in color. |
with whitish scales. A dark or bluish /
color usually indicates sickness. The
changes in the wattles and ear lobes |
are similar TO those of the comb but
not so marked 1t is necessary to |
keep in mind the difference in size
OF comb of the various breeds.
Pelvic bones.-As a hen stops Law.
ing there is tendency for her to
take on fat. This is noticeable in
examining the pelvic bones, the two
bones which can be felt as points on
either side of the vent When the he.
is laying, these bones are compara
lively thin and flexible. When she
is rot laying, they feel thicker and
Iesy Flexible. due to the fat which has
ACCUMULATED there. The spread or
distance apart of these pelvic bones
Is also valuable indication or wheth-
er Jor not the hen is laying. When
laying they are wider apart than
when not laying. The spread can
be roughly measured for practical
purposes by determining how many