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Show BETTER BREEDERS BETTER RESITS (By H. M. tnokle, Iowa State Agricultural Agri-cultural College.) Whether or not better poultry Is raised next season will depend primarily pri-marily upon the kind of stock that Is used for breeding. Every baby chick is entitled to be "well born" and unless un-less its parents are strong, vigorous, hardy and highly resistant to disease, a relatively "poor hatch" of weak and puny chicks is sure to result One of the most frequent causes of poor success suc-cess In Incubation and a highd oath rate In brooding is low vitality in breeders. Chicks hatched from poor breeding stock grow slowly, lack energy en-ergy to range widely, mature late, and do not reach the size of good strong birds. The pullets fall to lay during the winter and generally do not pro- uuco enougn to pay for their feed. If tho farm flock is to be Improved only such fowl as show size, vigor and egg producing qualities desired should be used as breeders. Twenty-five good females confined In a roomy pen with a couple of good males will furnish eggs for incubation which will produce the kind of chicks that will live, If they got half a chance, and grow out Into big follows worth a good round sum on the market mar-ket The pullots from such a mating will mature rapidly and bo in condition condi-tion to produce eggs when the temperature tem-perature is low and tho price Is high. In selecting birds for a breeding pen strength and vigor aro of first Importance. Impor-tance. This applies to both males and fomales and tho following characteristics characteris-tics may bo rolled upon as indicating whether or not the bird Is fit to use: Weak Birds. Head Long, narrow, shallow. Beak Long, straight, sharp. Eyes Dull and sunken. Comb Undeveloped, pale. Back Narrow. Breast Sloping, sharp. Legs Long, bone fine. Toes Long, toenails sharp. Feathors Rough, dull. ' Activity ListlesB, dull. Hoalth Evidence of disease. Strong Birds. ' Head Short, deep, wide Beak SborJ., well curved, blunt Eyes--Bright, prominent Comb Bright, good size. Back Wide across. Breast Full,, well rounded. Legs Sturdy, strong. Toes Stout, toenails blunt v Feathers Well preened Activity Active, good hustler. Health-Healthy and strong. If flocks were rigidly culled out and weak fowls eliminated they would not have an opportunity to reproduce themselves and Btamp tholr weaknesses weakness-es upon the flock next year. A poor male can do more harm in a flock In one year than can bo remedied In flvo, and.It. 18 much better to socuro from a good breeder two good males to placo In a breeding pen with tho best fomales fo-males than to buy ten or fifteen poor ones at little above market price. Put the money Into a few standard-bred fowls of better qunllty and mate them with the best hens and the results will speak for themselves. Those who have tried the breeding pen once seldom go back to the old system of flock selection selec-tion of hatching eggs. Better eggs, better hatches, chicks easier to raise and much better quality of stock when mature are the results which follow a practice of this sort. |