The Lynden tribune. [volume] (Lynden, Wash.) 1908-current, 1920-09-16
STEW THE HENS
THAT WONT LAY
STATE COL EGE EXPERT
GIVES ADVICE ON CULLING
THE BARN YARD FLOCK.
Says Sick Hen Wont Lay and
That Nom Producers Have No
Right to Roost Space-Farmers
Should Begin Culling Early.

Right to RoOSt Space-FarmerS
Should Begin Culling Early.
When is a hen laying and when is
she lying is a question that vexes ev-
cry farmer and most townspeople.
The experts at Washington State Col
lege, Pullman, believe that they have
found the answer to the riddle and
A. E. Anderson, of the Pullman staff,
is giving demonstrations throughout
the Puget Sound country of how to
pick laying hens and Gull the non-pro-
ducers. He works on the theory that
hen is an egg factory, that when she
turns out eggs with anything like reg
ularity she is functioning properly,
but that when she puts in most of her
time eating, sleeping and gossiping
with the other hens she is better in
the stew pot.
There are three tests by which to
tell when a hen is laying, according
to Mr.. Anderson, the fermentation
test, body test and melting test. The
pigment, or coloring matter, that COL
ors the yolk of the egg is the same
pigment that colors the hens vent, ear
lobes, eyelids and shanks and when
she is laying eggs regularly the pig
ment will bleach from those parts in
the order named until when a hen has
been laying every day for four or five
months her shanks will be bleached
white clear up to and including the
hook joint.
Watch Their Ears
When a hen starts laying the vent
shows open and moist and all of the
pigment fades from it. Later the
yellow color in the eyelids fades, then
that in the ear lobes, then that on the
shanks beginning on the front side of
the leg and running down to the feet
and then up the back of the leg to
the hook.
There is no doubt about this pig
mentation test" said Mr.. Anderson,
sit has been tried out until we are
sure of our ground with trap-nested
hens. The time to Gull is all of the
time. Begin with your eggs when you
set them. Set only eggs Of uniform
color, size, shape and texture of shell.
Then when hens hatch don't run a
nursery for sick hens. Sickly hens
will never lay. Don't be chicken heart
ed about culling if you want results
in the shape of eggs.
Pull for the PuIlets
"As soon as you can tell them sepa-
rate the hens from the cockerels. Do
not rush the pullets into laying too
early before they are fully developed
as you will never have a good laying
hen if you do. The first, or pullet year,
is the hens best year and she should
not be kept over if you want eggs ex'
cept for breeding purposes. Keep the
good hens for breeders"
The body test is applied to the
shape and texture of the abdomen OF
the hen, the space between the pelvic
bones and the keel. In good layer
that space should be deep enough to
be as wide or wider than a mans four
fingers and should be wide across in
proportion. The pelvic bones should
be thin, soft and pliable and the meat
between should be soft. A hen that
is not that large will not have room
for large cluster of yolks, for a we'll
developed oviduct and sac for the de-
velopment of albumen. A fat hen will
be hard through the abdomen and the
pelvic bones will feel thick and hard.
Xiii the Early MoIter
A laying hen molts late in the sum
mer, according to Mr., Anderson, and
when a hen begins Noting in June
July or August she should be eiIminat
ed from the flock. An early melting
hen takes long time to mott while a
late molter molts quick and gets to
laying again. In picking hens Mr.
Anderson said to choose those with
short stubby beaks, bright, prominent
eyes and feet that show they are will
ing to dig for a living. Heads with
long, snaky heads and beaks and Ions
toenails do not have a great deal OF
energy. A hen that is using her en-
ergy to lay will be out early to feet
for she will digest all she has eater
during the night and will be hungry
while a lazy hen will still have some
of her supper in her crop and will no
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