OCR Text |
Show PROPER PROPORTION OF MALES IN FLOCK Local Conditions Enter Largely Into Mating Problem. Question Cannot Be Answered by Any Hard-and-Fast Rule Much Will Depend Upon Space Available for Ranging. What Is the proper proportion of males and females In the poultry yard? is a most Important question. Host people who keep medium-siaed fowls (like Rocks, Reds and 'Dottes) allow one male bird to each dozen hens, but local conditions, age, breed, etc., enter so largely Into the mating problem that the question cannot be answered by any hard-and-fast rule. With the smaller and more active breeds, such as Leghorns and An- , Jr -1 1 y Prize-Winning White Wyandotte. conae, one male can look after 15 or 18 females with satisfaction. The extra-large breeda, such as Cochins and ; Brahmas, give best results when not ' more than eight or ten females are allowed al-lowed to each male. Often a male penned up with cer- tain number of females will produce more fertile eggs than a like condition when the birds are on the open range with other males. When a large number num-ber of fowls are permitted to run together to-gether much time Is occupied by the i. masculine members of the flock In . fighting in defense of honor, family tlea, etc. When It Is impossible to divide the flock into small breeding pens with only one male In each pen better results will be obtained with a large flock In which several males are necessary if plenty of ranging space is obtainable and the bird gets plenty of wholesome exercise. - There is, of course, a great difference differ-ence In roosters. One may be vigor-: vigor-: ous and "scrappy," with another will ' be feminine and cowardly. The lat-' lat-' ter kind Is of practically no value on . the range, because he Is always in ' flight or hiding from his antagonist. It Is, therefore, best to select evenly matched males and soon their family i differences will be adjusted, each will ; gather his favorites about him and ! there will be little interference. |