Constitutional Vigor in Poultry 



6oi 



In Table 25 it is shown that more pounds of food per pound Hve weight 

 were required by the weaker flocks, except for the progeny of the summer- 

 selected White Leghorns. The number of pounds of dry matter required 

 to produce a pound of eggs varied in proportion to the consumption of 

 meat scraps rather than to the consumption of food. The pounds of feed 

 required to produce each dozen of eggs varied in Hke manner. 



broodiness and mortality 



It is shown in Table 26 that the strong fowls were broody more frequently 

 than the weak ones. This was true in all but one comparison. Ihe same 

 condition existed in the parent stock during the pullet year, but changed 

 during the second year to such an extent that the weak ones were broody 

 more frequentl}': 



TABLE 26. Broodiness and Mortality 

 (November 24, 1908, to November 22, 1909) 



The mortality was higher in the two strong White Leghorn pens than 

 in the weak, but was lower in the strong Barred Plymouth Rock pen 

 than in the corresponding weak pen. There was no apparent cause 

 for this mortality. The percentage of mortality to which we would 

 naturally look as an indication of constitutional vigor was very uneven 

 and irregular in all the pens in the three experiments. Instead of assist- 

 ing, it made the interpretation of these results more difficult. 



EGG PRODUCTION 



The average egg production is decidedly in favor of the strong flocks. 

 (Table 27.) In one comparison, however, pen 13 (weak) produced more 

 than pen 11 (strong), due to an unusual laying rally during July, August, 

 and September. The parents of this flock were considered the weakest 

 of all flocks and the males used were also weak indi\dduals. The pullets 

 themselves were lighter and less developed in the fall. 



