Milford chronicle., 1928-07-06
POULTRYMEN SHOULD
KEEP MORE OLD HENS
H. S. Palmer Says Practice OF Sell
ing Old Stock Is Wrong

Copies of a circular letter prepar-
ed by H. S. Palmer, Extension POul-
tryman of the University of Della
ware, were mailed last week from
the Office of County Agent c. r.
Snyder to the ninety poultrymen in
Sussex who are keeping egg rec
ords.
Mr.. Palmer in this letter speaks
chiefly on the value and reasons for
keeping more old hens. He states
that there is a general feeling
among Delaware poultrymen that
pullets in their first year are more
profitable than hens. Many farmers
systematically sell their old hens
every year and replace them with
pullets that have not been culled at
all. This is a serious mistake, be-
cause many hens in the average flock
could be kept with more profit than
some of the pullets that are used to
replace them. A far better plan is
to keep the best hens and Gull the
.pullets more carefully.
About 500 of the Delaware farm
poultry flock should be hens, and
409d early Matched pullets which
have been grown under favorable
condition and carefully culled
throughout the growing period. The
selection of hens to be carried over
should be made on the basis of act
ual quality, health, production, ETC.,
rather than upon age alone which
seems to be the present practice.
Reports of production in the Della
ware Farm Egg Record Club for the
years November 1, 1925 to October
81, 1926, and November 1, 1926 to
October 81, 1927, present some inter
esting data in regard to the relative
value of pullets and 1els for egg
During the year 1925-26, the aver
age egg production per pullet was
141. The average production per
hen was 1914, a difference of 1876 |
eggs per bird in favor of the pullets.
During the year 1926-27, the aver
age pullet production was 1857, the
average hen production 134.4, a diff
of 21.3 eggs per bird in fav-
)r of the pullets.
That pullets are superior to hens
n number of eggs produced cannot
)e questioned. There are, however,
! number of other factors which
should be considered in deciding
lpon the relative percentages of
lens and pullets to be carried in
he farm flock,
A larger number of pullets than
lens will be removed from the flock
Turing the year because of death or
ulling on account Of poor condi-
ion and production. During the
ear 1926-27, 1920 of the pullets
we're removed while only 41.6% of
he hens were taken out for the
anne reasons. If egg production is
ased on the number of fowls at the
eginning Of the year, the average
reduction per pulIet is found to be {
ia while the average production j
er bird is 11.4, a difference Of only +
tx eggs per bird. ]
Pullet eggs have lower market b
alue than hen eggs because of their i
ize. 1t usually requires period of G
To to four months after the first T
gg before a pullet produces eggs of
ormal size. Whether a definite dis
notion between hen and pullet eggs
made in marketing or not, the
ulet eggs tend to pull down the t
Verage price so that the apparent S
1vantage of increased numbers is ]
ten over balanced by the lower e
rice received.
It costs money and time 10 grow b
pullet to productive age. The high b
: the percentage of hens carried in o
e farm flock, the fewer chicks are a
,quired. This is an item of con-
derable Importance on the busy b
rm. The higher the percentage of c.
,ns, the greater the opportunity W
r culling the pullets. The average Il
'odIction of both hens and pullets d
n be greatly improved by more ft
reful culling of the pullets Turing Il
e growing period. a.
Generally eggs from hens produce n
UGH better chicks than eggs from
lllets. This fact is realized by ev- 81
y COuluGIC4etA ndJCASASs InS udI-
ery industry in Delaware has
own rapidly during the past five
ars and has created a home mar il
t for millions of Delaware eggs at eT
substantial premium over top ia
liladelphia quotations. This phase th
the poultry industry in Delaware
omises to make further growth as G.
e quality Of Delaware chicks be- R;
mes better known. There is an Bl
creasing demand for Matching
gs of good quality, especially for ca
gs from hens of the heavy birds tn
r fall and winter broilers. Some pr
the commercial hatcherymen are to
king of paying a bonus on hen so
gs to encourage the keeping Of ST
IRE hens. to