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Show POULTRY CACKLES o RIGHT FOWLS FOR BREEDING Hens Are Preferable to Pulleta as They Lay Larger Eggs Free Range Is Favored. (Prepared bv the United Stale. Department Depart-ment or Agriculture) If cockerels or pullets arq usud In the breeding flock they should b well matured, poultry specialists la the United States Department of Agriculture Agricul-ture advise. Hens are better than pullets. They lay larger eggs, which produce stronger chicks. Tearling and two-year-old hens are better than older ones. Pullets used aa breeders should be muted with a cock rather than with a cockerel. If a cockerel Is used he should be mated with hens rather than with pullets. As a rule, well-matured cockerels will give better bet-ter fertility than cocks. When possible, free range should be provided for the breeding stock. It is better to provide it during the entire fall and winter before the breeding season, but, If this Is not possible, free range Just preceding and during the breeding season will be of great value. Birds on free I : : " 1 I Breeding Flock on Government Poultry Poul-try Farm, Beltsville, Md. range will get more exercise and, therefore, will be In better health and will give higher fertility, better hatches, hatch-es, and stronger chicks. The breeding flock needs careful supervision to make sure that the fowls keep in good breeding condition. condi-tion. The birds and the houses should be examined often to see that they are not infested with lice or mites. Either of these pests in any numbers will seriously se-riously affect or totally destroy fertility. fer-tility. Care must be exercised also to see that the mal3 does not frost his comb or wattles. If these are frosted his ability to fertilize eggs will be Impaired Im-paired and may not be recovered for several weeks. ' On very cold nights when there is danger of the combs being be-ing frosted the males to lie used as breeders must he put In a warm place, such as a box or crate of suitable glze partly covered by a bag or cloth. The breeding male should be examined occasionally oc-casionally after feeding to see that his crop Is full and that he Is not growing grow-ing thin. Some males will allow the hens to eat all the feed, with the result re-sult that they get out of condition. If this happens the mule must be fed separately from the hens at least once ft day. Provide the breeding stock with comfortable quarters. The house must be draft proof, yet well ventilated venti-lated and dry. The birds should not fee crowded. If the birds are yarded, 4 square feet of floor space per bird should be allowed, but on free range from 3 to 3V3 square feet per bird will lie ennnfh The breeders must be fed so as to keep them In such condition that they will produce eggs. Any good laying ration Is suitable for this purpose. Beef scrap should not run above 10 or 15 per cent of the total ration. The birds should be kept in good flesh but should not be allowed to become excessively ex-cessively fat. All whole or cracked grain should be fed In litter. This forces the fowls to exercise by scratching scratch-ing for it. As a supply of green feed Is usually lacking late In the winter or early In the spring, sprouted oats, cabbage, mangels, or cut clover or alfalfa should bo fed |