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Show POULTRY CACKLES RIGHT FOWLS FOR BREEDING Heno Are Preferable to Pullets at They Lay Larger Egga Free Range Is Favored, trrejiare-l l.y tho United Stales Deportment Deport-ment of Agriculture) If cockerels or pullets aro used In the breeding flock ihuy should he well matured, poultry specialists In tho United Slates Department of Agriculture Agricul-ture advise. Hens are better. than pullets'. They lay larger eggs, which produce stronger chicks. Yearling and tvt-yenr-old hens are better than older ones. Pullets used ns breeders should he mated with n cock rather than with u cockerel. If n cockerel (s used he houhl be mated with hens rather than with pullets. As 11 rule, well-matured cockerels will give better bet-ter fertility Minn cocks. When possible, free range should be provided for the breeding stock. It Is better to provide It during th6 entire fall and winter before the breeding sensou, but, If this fs .not possible, free range Just preceding and during the breeding season will bo of great value. Itlnl. on free Breeding Flock on Government Poultry Poul-try Farm, Beltsvllle, Md. rnngb will get more exercise and, therefore, will he In better health and will glvo higher fertility, better hatches, hatch-es, and stronger chicks. The breeding flock needs careful supervision to mnko sure that the fowls keep In good brcvdlng condition. condi-tion. Thu birds nnd the houses should be examined often to see thnt they are not Infested with lice or mites. Kithcr of these pests in any numbers will seriously se-riously affect or totally destroy fertility. fer-tility. Care. must bo exercised also to seOrlhn'f tiw-nmle does not frost his comb or wattles. If these are frosted his ability to fertilize eggs will he Impaired Im-paired and may not be recovered for several weeks. On very cold nights when there Is danger of tho combs be Ing frosted the males to be used as breedeis must bo put In a wnnn place such as a box or crate of suitable size partly covered by 11 bag or cloth. The breeding mnle should bo examined occasionally oc-casionally after feeding to see that his crop Is full anil that he Is not growing grow-ing thin. Some males will allow the hens to eat all tho feed, with tho result re-sult that thoy get out of condition, If this happens the mnle must be fed separately from tho hens nt least once a day. Provide tho breeding stock with comfortnblo qunrters. Tho house must bo draft proof, yet well ventilated venti-lated nnd dry. Tho birds should not ho crowded. If the birds nro yarded, 4 square feet of floor spaco per bird fchould be allowed, but on free range from 3 to 3 square feet per bird will he enough. Tho breeders must ho fd so ns to keep them In such condition that they will produce eggs. Any good laying ration Is suitable for this purpose. Hoof scrap should not run above 10 or 10 per cent of tho total ration, The birds ghould be kept In good flosh but should not bo allowed to become ex-cesIoly ex-cesIoly fat. All wholo or cracked xrnin should be fed In llttor. This forces the fowls to exercise by scratch-ng scratch-ng for II. As a supply of green feed is usually lacking late In tho winter nr early In the spring, sproi.ted oats, i-nhhage. mangols, or cut clover nr alfalfa should be fed. |