The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1920-01-09
POINTS TO CONSIDER
IN SELECTING BREEDERS

VlGOR: The first essential in Sc
.lecting the breeding stock is Wgor
and vitality. These are shown by
bright, clear eye, we'll set body, an
active disposition, we'll matured, a
bright comb and wattles, and red in
the legs denoting good circulation.
The bird must be free from physical
defects such as crooked beak, excess
sively long toe nails, excessively scaly
legs, or anything else that would pre-,
vent the bird from getting an abund-
ance of feed. Free from mites and
lice.
QUALITY: Heavy production is.
shown by the quality of the skin. Fat
goes out from the skin and body
with production so that the heavy
producers have a soft, velvety skin
that is not underlaid by heavy layers
of hard fat. The abdomen is particu-
larly soft and pliable. Quality is al
so shown by a fine texture of comb
and wattles.
HEAD: The head of a good layer
is fine. The wattles and ear lobes fit
close to the beaE, and are Loose and
flat. The face is clean cut. The eyes
are full. round, clear and pro 'oent,
especially as seen from the front.
Body: The body should be OF good
length, breadth and depth The breast
should be deep, broad and full; the
keel straight, long and we'll fleshed;
the back wide and long, showing good
depth from rear of keel to center Of
back; the wings carried closely to
the body and held firmly in place; the
tail carried high and we'll spread; the
lay bones soft, pliable, thin, and we'll
spread; the capacity large, as indi-
Gated by the distance from lay bones
to end of keel or breast bone.
LEGS. The legs should be medium
IN length. straight, strong, set we'll
apart, with red showing in the veins
which indicates vigor and stamina.
MATURITY: Breed only from
birds which natured rapidly, were
the first to lay, and have never been
known to be sick. Use only the best
layers as breeders. A few years of
breeding, neVel using anything ex-
cept high producing hens and males
from high producers, will materially
increase the egg production. In Sc
Letting the high layers pick those
which started laying first and, in the
yellow skinner varieties, those that
nave the, least yellow in vent, beak
and shanks.
FEATHERING: The high LAYER is
trimmer and always apt to be some
what more angular, that is, the feath-
ers lie closer to the body than on the
poor layers; and after a heavy pro-
duction the oil from the base of the
feathers does not keep the plumage
relatively so sleek and glossy as on
a poorer layer, but, on the other
hand, the plumage becomes worn and
threadbare.
AGE OF BREEDING STOCK: It
is best to use hens as breeders dur
ing their second or third laying sea-
son. At this time they have reached
maturity, have attained their maxi-
mum development, and the breeder
has had the opportunity of studying
them during their pullet year and
has consequently eliminated the un-
desirable birds. AS a rule, yearling
hens do not lay as heavily during the
fall and winter, consequently their
eggs hatch better and produce strong
er chicks than do the eggs of bullets
which have laid heavily all fall and
winter. Good results may, however,
be obtained from the use of bullets
and cockerels, provided they have
been Matched early and are we'll ma
tured, and have good vitality and
stamina,