Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-03-06
PICKING OUT BREEDERS

In looking for breeders pick the
| birds with the following ideas in
mind: l, strong, healthy, high vital
lty birds; 2, high egg production;
q, standard shape or as near to It
| as possible; 4, standard color or as
| near to 1T as possible; S, standard
weight as nearly so as possible:
., maturity of stock. Hens which
nave gone through one or more sea-
sons OF heavy egg production sue
cessfully should be given the prefer
| ence over pullets if their other
| qualities are satisfactory; ~ early
Matched pullets should have the
preference over late, immature stock:
8, disqualified birds should not be
considered for these matings.
The male used should be superior
/ IL possible, to the females. He
should be from a flock noted for its
! nigh production and standard quail
ties. Ii he is pedigreed bird with
all these qualities present in his
ancestors for several generations
, PACK his Ni.lue as g breeder will be
still greater.
The extra good birds produced
from the special matings can be used
a year from now in other special
matings in either your own or your
/ customers flock. The second choice
| male can be used In your general
or flock mating.
1t is very poor and dangerous
breeding practice to get in new blood
| just for the idea of getting in I'M
related stock. New blood should be
! introduced into the flock If it has
| the ability to improve your flock
but not otherwise. II you cannot
obtain males which are superior to
your own, use your own by all
means, even for several years, if nee
essary. This method of breeding
will not prove injurious If there is
no serious weakness in the flock
In fact this method of breeding will
intensity its good qualities.
Some breeders prefer to mate up
| their pens Just as soon as their young
| stock is mature. In this way the
| females will be well used to their
! quarters and in good laying condi-
! ton when setting eggs are desired
! Others who do not begin saving
| eggs will later in the season mate
I them up two or three weeks before
/ they wish the pen eggs. Where NO
males have been with the females,
! eggs can be saved for setting seven
/ to ten days after the matings are
made. But if males have been with
| the hens, and particularly if these
males are undesirable ones, it will be
/ necessary to wait three weeks before
| eggs from the pens can be saved
; Eggs are usually fertile from seven
: 10 ten days at least after all males
/ have been removed.
Poor fertility is sometimes due to
7 lack of vigor on the part of the male
An old male should not be mated
| with as many hens as a young one
An unbalanced ration often lowers
! fertility. This is particularly true if
an excess of protein is fed. Some
! females never produce fertile eggs
i 1t is hard, however, to locate such
hens, except by trapnesting and
pedigreeing. Low fertility can often
J be traced to heavy fluff on the alb
domen, This is particularly true of
well-shaped Wyandottes. 1t can be
overcome by clipping the fluff around
, the vent. Do not pull the feathers
! or they viii grow in again in very
| short time. Severe frosting of the
males comb usually results in lower
| ed fertility until he RECEIVERS. Dis
ease also lowers fertility. Constant
! fighting among the males has the
same result.