The Medina sentinel. [volume] (Medina, Ohio) 1888-1961, 1921-10-06
OUR POULTRY
DEPARTMENT
Conducted by S. P. Porter
PULLETS VS.. HENS
AS WINTER LAYERS

While it is little late in the sea-
son TO arrange for best results in
winter egg production, much can be
done in the way Of selection, even yet,
that will aid considerable in a good
supply of winter eggs.
Right now, at this.time of year, it
is nothing uncommon to see the
farmers or poultryman's wife in early
morning, feeding and admiring her
flock Of growing pullets, and she
muses. to herself, as she looks them
over, "Well, I've got a good start for
winter eggs this time;" but has she!
Let's see. She has pullets and cock
erels hatched in March, April, May
and June and few came as late as
the first week in July, all running to-
gether with the last years layers;
yet, October first, now, she has al
ready made several serious mistakes,
and by learning what these mistakes
are it will perhaps save some of US
from making the same blunder an
other year.
First, if it's winter eggs we seek,
we should not hatch too early, neither
too late. If hatched in March, or say
from Feb. IS to April /, they will be-
gin to lay too early, and late in fall
they will go thru partial molt, which
necessitates stop in egg production,
after which it's hard matter to get
them started again, at least until
we'll toward spring. But if we aim to
hatch from April to May 10 the
pullets will begin to lay late enough
so they will not be troubled with
pullet mott, as it is sometimes called,
and by proper care and feed should
keep right on the job all winter; and
even if hatched at the right time there
should be at least two cuttings.
All cockerels should be sold or at
least separated from the pullets as
soon as it can be possible to tell
which they are. Even if we lose a
little in disposing Of them at so early
date we more than make it up by
giving the pullets entire freedom,
that they may develop into perfect,
strong birds, by the time that egg
production should begin. The first
culling should be done as soon as the
shape and habits Of the pullets can be
noticed-say about midsummer; and
here are some of the kinds we should
discard: A short in body with low
carriage pullet, a pullet that sticks to
the perch in the morning (when the
flock is being fed) after Others are
down trying to beat each other to it
(the early bird gets the worm, and
the worm makes eggs); pu1fet that
develops the habit of preferring to
pick on or chase off her mates rather
than mind her own business and pick
up her share of the grain; pullet
that's always afraid to come up and
eat with the rest of the flock, but in
sists on standing back, cackling and
looking on (wild fowls are not desir-
able in any breed; pullet that is
slower in developing than are her
mates of the same age.
These rules should be applied again
and perhaps with little more vigor.
In addition to these rules of culling,
separate the hens from the growing
pullets say in August, and we will go
into winter quarters with an even lot
of quiet pullets that will certainly give
us good returns for good care and
proper feeding.
Hens
Hens, from year old up, are in
no way equal to pullets in their first
year as winter layers, but, of course,
the hens that made good in their pull
let year thru proper selection and
care would give best results. AS a
rule, hens after the fall molt are slow
in getting started at egg production
again and seldom get right busy in
the laying game till well toward
spring, thereby nearly disqualifying
them as winter layers. This is gen.
eral rule, and the exception being only
a small percent, but let it be well un-
derstood that for breeders from which
to raise ogod winter layers, year-olt
hens are far superior to pullets; ane
if they are off the egg job for tins
in winter, it only makes them til,
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