Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1925-12-31
FARM !
POULTRY
PLAN TO PRODUCE
STRONG CHICKS

The condition and health of the par
ent stock largely determine the con-
dition and health Of the offspring. No
question is more important than that
Of constitutional vigor.
The actions of the fowl indicate to
considerable extent it's physical con-
dition. A weak bird is usually mac
tive>and droopy. 1t does not scratch
or forage actively. The loudness and
frequency of the crow OF the male and
the cackle of the female are indica-
tons of strength. The large. bright
red comb and wattles Indicate health.
The eve is the mirror of the body and
isa good indication OF either health
or disease, the healthy fowl having
good, bright, clear eye, while the dis
eased birds eyelids droop and present
q sleepy appearance.
The brightness and brilliancy of the
plumage are indications Of constitu-
tional vigor Feathers on fowl of
low vigor usually grow slowly and
appear to be dull and ruffied. as COM
pared with the close-fitting, smooth,
fully developed, bright plumage of the
vigorous fowl. The strong bird also
has good appetite and large crop.
The causes of loss of vigor may be
summed up as follows:
First-Inbreeding without knowledge
OF the principles of breeding. Poultry
raisers sometimes have a bird with ex-
ceptionally fine plumage, and for that
reason mate the bird in their breeding
pens regardless Of it's vigor or its rela-
tion to other birds in the same pen.
There is a distinction between line
breeding and inbreeding.
Second-Use of pullets and imma-
tupe male birds AS a rule. pullets
lay more eggs than hens, yet it has
been proven by experiments that the
chicks from hens are larger when
Matched and that they mature more
quickly and produce stronger and more
vigorous specimens than those Matched
from pullets. A half-grown cockerel
should never be used for breeding pur-
poses.
Third-Increased egg production.
Forcing fowls to lay by continuously
feeding heavy, rich foods tells upon
the health of the females and often in
jures their breeding qualities
Fourth Crowding. Poultry raisers
make mistake too Otter Of crowding
great number of birds into small
quarters and then expecting the best
results from the flock
Fifth--Lack Of exercise. If strong,
healthy chicks are desired, the fowls
in the breeding flock must be required
to exercise by being forced to scratch
for part Of their food in litter, or
by being given plenty of range.
Sixth-Care of eggs for Matching.
Eggs for Matching are often kept in
places that are too hot or too cold.
Clean nests should be provided, eggs
gathered daily and kept in a tempera-
ture of from so to go degrees and not
held more than ten days before being
set.
Seventh-Improper incubation. An
incubator which cannot be regulated
with any degree Of satisfaction, which
lacks the proper provision for both
ventilation and moisture, which Is first
too hot and then too cold, should not
be used. The germ Of the egg is weak
ened so that it cannot free itself from
the shell, and the chicks which hatch
are poor and sickly, either dying in
less than two weeks after Matching or
having very low vigOr.
Eighth-Insanitar quarters. Where
the poultry house is allowed to be-
come filed with filth, lice and mites,
which suck the life blood from the
fowls, chickens cannot be strong and
healthy.
Ninth-1nferior breeding stock. No
one should attempt to raise chickens
from drones, from birds that are not
true to type, from birds that have been
seriously sick with some disease, if he
expects to be successful in the poultry
business. All these things can and
should be avoided.
Tenth Breeding from a flock indis-
criminately. Many focks contain a
great many birds which lay only dur
ing the spring season. Breeding should
be done with birds which are known
to be good winter layers.-T. w. No
land, Director, Missouri State Poultry
Experiment Station, Mountain Grove.