The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1920-07-01

are not intestinal Development. In
such hen the posterior will be solid
not pliable, and the development is
solid fat. Such hens are light producers
The pelvic bones Of high producing
hens are wide apart, straight, thin, and
pliable High producing hens are hard
fleshed. This may be determined by
the feel of the flesh on the breast.
Many hens have flesh that il as hard
as pheasant's. High producing hens
have good handling qualities with soft
flexible posteriors but nicely tucked
M. They have soft. flexible skin The
skin on many hens Is very tight to the
| body and feels harsh The handling
qualities of a hen should never I've over
looked as 1t is the determining facter
in egg production.
] The hens head tells much. High pro-
ducing hens have large heads in proper
ton to the size Of the hen, but not large
enough TO give them a coarse appear
ance. In fact, the head should indicate
/ refinement although not over-refine-
ment Over-refiuement may be deter
mined by the indication Of lack of
( vigor-long heads, long straight beaks,
and sleepy eyes. High producing hens
have broad, deep heads, fairly short,
with short, stout beaks, and lean red
faces. All lean faced hens are not high
producers but fat, pudgy faces do not
indicate high production
The combs Of high producing hens
are always full of blood except when
the hen is out of condition. Condition
may be determined by the mott or state
of health. The quality of the comb.
that is to say, the smOothness, or vel
vPty fell to the touch, is also Il factor.
Many people have the idea that early
molting hens get into condition for
heavy winter egg production, which is
not true The earlier hen molts the
fewer eggs she lays Hens mott when
they stop laying The early molter,
then, has nothing else to do but change
her clothes. dress up, and look well.
The early molter is the SOCIETY hen
The late molter Is the worker. Early
molters take long rests; latte molters
take short rests. Hens that molt in
October, November and December, will
with proper care be in condition and
laying again before hens that mott In
July are likely to resume laying.
Hens lay the color out of their bodies
\ All yellow skinned hens lay their color
out 1t is noticeable, first at the vent
then the beak, inside the mouth and
out, and then the color leaves the legs
This process affects high producing
hens to the extent that the vent, beaE
and legs become quite white or pink.
All English breeds are by nature
!, pink-skinned.
, These are the more important signs
OF the laying hen. There are othel
points which may be little more
technical, but space will not permi
further discussion.
Much data could be presented to sub
t stantiate the accuracy of the plan O
Judging hens for egg production, l
, there were any space. The writer hand
5 led more than 10000 hens in cullinI
< demonstration work in 1919, and ha
4 plenty of data covering tests that wer
E made by the farmers to determine tn
, accuracy of the work. Many communi
: ties in Idaho and virtually some entir
e counties adopted poultry program o
;. work through their farm bureaus, an
[ conduct the culling work Systematically