OCR Text |
Show KEEP TAB ON AGE OF FOWLS Enables Foultryman to Cull Out Hen That are Unprofitable One Method Favored. It is mere guess work to tell th? ase of a. hen after she has passed the mllet stage. To the good poultryman it is important that the exact a;;e o! -v,-;ry fowl on his premises be known. Hens that are past the age for profit should bo culled out and their places taken by the younger stock. Legbands with numbers may be used when the pullets arrive at maturity, and, if rec-s rec-s . ords are kept, the identity of each fowl is easily established. A less elaborate elab-orate method, and one which no poul-rykeeper poul-rykeeper can afford not to follow, is .0 punch a hole in one of the four v.ebs of the feet, each web representing represent-ing a certain year. Special punches ;or this purpose may be purchased from any poultry supply house, but a small sized leather belt punch can be used to good advantage. The hole is punched very easily when the newly hatched chick is first taken from the nest or incubator. All of one season's chicks may be marked on the same web, although if special hatchings are to be kept separately as high as . fifteen combinations can be used. If properly done the hole or traces of the scar will always remain and the Identity of the fowl cannot be lost. |