The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1920-01-13
POINTS OUT BEST methods
OF POULTRY PRODUCTION

tainly will be no better than the par
ent stock.
Flocks May be Improved by Good
Males.
1t is true that breeding can be i'm
proved, and the quality of flocks built
up by use of good males; which brings
us back to the common farm practice
Of poultry breeding. Farmers are not
particular enough about the breeding
or the blood line back of the males
they use for breeding purposes. Only
the very best hens of flock should
be used for breeding purposes. They
should be placed in breeding pen.
away from The general FLOCK and
mated to a male of the same blood
line.
Blood Line Counts.
Success in poultry breeding can be
obtained only when fowls are bred
in line, generation after generation.
In out-crossing blood lines, too often
do not nick. A good farm breeding
practice is to select from the pullets
that have gone into the mott at the
close of the first laying year, the
breeders for the next year. They
should be mated with cockerels Of the
same breeding True enough, this Is
in-breeding. Let us call it system
attic in breeding A great many peo-
pie advise us that vitality cannot be
maintained when in breeding is prac.
ticed. The accuracy of the statement
all depends upon the practice of in
breeding. The factors which lower
the vitality of stock that are inbred.
produce the same effect in out-cross-
ing. They are:
Using pullets for breeders and mat
ing stock that is low in vitality. Pull
let's should not be used for breeding
purposes for the reason that hens do
their harvest laying in their pullet
year and thus their vitality is used
in producing many eggs rather than
reproducing their kind. The percen-
tage of fertility runs low When fer
tility is low the percent of the fertile
eggs that hatch is correspondingly
low and the chicks that do hatch are
usually low in vitality. Pullet eggs
hatch smaller chicks than do hens
eggs, Pullets naturally lay smaller
eggs than hens. Chicks can be no
larger than the shell which contains
them. Small eggs hatch small chicks,
which in turn develop into small hens
of tn breed, which in turn, lay small
eggs.
No fowl should be used for breeding
purposes (either male or female)
that has ever shown any signs of pny-
steal weakness, at any time in its life,
it matters not how slight, nor from
what cause. Ii is not a good plan to
mate brothers and sisters. If these
factors are eliminated there can be no
danger from inbreeding.
Community Breeding Solves Problem
Community breeding makes it pos
sible for all of the people OF a COM
munity to use the same blood line and
at the same time never mate fowls
together that are very closely related
This may be accomplished by the peo-
pie of community deciding upon Il
breed that will be suitable for that
community. Should it be impossible
to unite the entire community upon
one breed, it still would be possible
to practice the community system of
breeding, Two breeds are enough for
any community and any community
may become famous by being known
the place where the best in any one
of two breeds are being bred and pro-
ducd, Ii all the people who are inter
ested in particular breed will get
together, community cooperation in
breeding can soon be put into prac-
tice.
The first essential is good founda-
ton stock. By good foundation stock
we mean stock OF high producing
strain, Foundation stock should be
selected with great care. They should
he fowls OF known ancestry, fowls
that are noted for their egg produc-
ton. fowls with blood line back
Of them, Never overlook vigor. Real
ize that it will be necessary to spend
little good money to secure the best
in foundation stock.
Get Started Right.
Get the right start and then never
go out of the blood line fer breeders
Three or four people may use the
same blood line and never mate fowls
together that are closely related. The