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It is much easier to get good-shaped market pullets than good 

 cockerels. The market demands a five-pound bird when dressed, and 

 farmers have gone into raising big chickens. To that end they are 

 asking for large, overgrown cockerels, of excessive depth, for breeders ; 

 and the result is that we get dressed chickens weighing four to five 

 pounds each, that have immense, high breast-bones and very long legs. 

 These are not attractive to the buyers, and they sell at less per pound 

 than plumper birds. For example, if given two birds of the same width 

 of breast, one is one and one-half inches deeper in the breast than the 

 other. The result will be that one bird will look plump and sell readily, 

 while the other will lack in plumpness and be slow in selling. This 

 lack of plumpness can be bred out by using such males as that shown 

 4n Fig. 12. 



We like to have birds as well built as we can get them, and Fig. 

 12 is as near the ideal market chicken as we have in the breed which 

 he represents. 



The hen as seen in Fig. 15 is of a good market type. (Note the 

 width and fulness of breast.) As a breeder, she is a little fine in bone, 

 and rather too small. She has, however, that blocky appearance which 

 is desirable. 



Fig. 16 is a photo of a cross-bred chick (sire, Buff 'Orpington; 

 dam. Houdan). Note the length and fulness of the breast; also good 

 beak and eye. 



Fig. 17 is a ten weeks' old son of Fig. 12. You will observe the 

 same general characteristics as seen in the father — fair beak, good eye, 

 excellent breast, both as to length and width, without excessive depth. 

 The thigh is also medium in length. 



Fig. 18 represents the long, narrow sort. (Note the long beak, 

 the narrow head, the sunken eye, the long neck, and long, crooked 

 legs.) When dressed, his appearance will not be pleasing. 



Fig. 19 shows a good head throughout, very full and wide breast, 

 and legs that stand well under the body and well apart. This bird 

 is of the type we like to feed in the fattening crate. 



Trap-Nest. 



Fig. 20 represents a trap-nest made by the college carpenter. This 

 nest if very simple in construction. The door is adjusted low enough 

 so that the hen on entering raises it slightly, thus relieving the hook, 

 which drops back and allows the door to fall. This nest works well. 

 The only objection to it is that the fowls using it require to be pretty 

 much of the same size. A small hen may not raise the door enough 

 to unfasten it. We also use the Moyan trap nest. This nest is sold 

 by A. J. Moyan, London, Ont. 



Where one is anxious to build up a certain strain of birds, either 

 for special utility or for fancy exhibition purposes, the trap-nest, if 

 looked after, will show what hens lay, and which hens lay certain eggs, 

 thus enabling the breeder to know exactly what he is doing. 



