Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 305, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 December 1919 — HINTS FOR THE POULTRY GROWER [ARTICLE]

HINTS FOR THE POULTRY GROWER

When culling a flock of hens at the end of the laying season, there are always a few individuals that may be classed as doubtful. Very often the owner of the birds allows sympathy to interfere with good business. According to G. W. Hervey of the University of Missouri college of agriculture, It is better to cull a bird that may lay five or six more eggs only this fall than to keep her all winter as an absolute expense. A hen- may show the characteristic body depth of three or more fingers and yet may have but a one-finger spread between the pelvic bones. This means that the bird has stopped laying but her period of non-production hasn’t been long enough for the body depth to close up also. She has just reached the point where she will be kept at a loss. Sometimes a bird may exhibit the desired characteristics of both good body depth and well-spread pelvic bones, yet her skin under the fluff may feel tough and leathery. Such a hen will invariably have coarse pelvic bones and a coarse breast bone. She may have had a period of production during the summer, but her total for the year would not justify retaining her another season. In culling the American breeds, the Wyandotte, Plymouth Rock and Rhode Island Red, one is apt to be confused by the shank color test. The test is. not so reliable with these heavier breeds as it is with Leghorns, for the reason that when they become broody a certain amount of pigment Is likely to return to the shank. One must make clue allowance for this, and if the bird is favorable in appearance otherwise, it may be profitable to keep her over as a breeder for the spring season. In general, then, the poultry keeper when culling must not be influenced by any single factor, but must consl’der all of them. The more rigid the culling the more capable Is the flock mariagetnent. It Is'usually 'safe to market at least half of the total number of hens at the end of the laying season, replacing them with pullets.