ELEMENTS OF HIGHER FECUNDITY. 



M. E. DICKSON. 



The number of eggs the heu lays is taken as tbe measure of her producing 

 power. At birth a miscroscopic examination of the ovary reveals innumerable 

 ovules and at death, from old age, autopsy shows apparently like number^! 

 of undeveloped yolks. The number produced is insignificant. I'henomenal 

 individuals make today the maximum production at 314 eggs in twelve months, 

 while not infrequently do we find hens that have never laid, although exter- 

 nally and internally identical. Influences, however, within the physical efforts 

 of the caretaker in his feed and management of the flock bear directly upon 

 the results obtained. From our observations, breeding for egg yield has not 

 approved itself.. It is not possible for poultry breeders to sell males for 

 fabulous prices, based upon a parentage of high production. Continuous work 

 with trap-nests on inheritance of high production and dominant aspects of 

 fecundity has proved disappointing. Close breeding for egg yield apparently 

 is invariably coupled with an intolerant tax on vitality — until in a course of 

 four or five generations the germs lack sufficient strength to develop properly 

 and fail to perpetuate the high laying factoi-. An out cross of blood lines at 

 this point restores the vitality and the egg production is improved. More 

 slrength is bred into the fowls and evidence of more producing power is mani- 

 fested in the egg yield. 



To withstand the tax of higher production there must be a corresponding 

 understanding of higher vitality as a basis for selection, independent of and 

 unbiased by egg yield. Such selection methods having among others the fol- 

 lowing : The most important factors are, namely, the size of the fowl, coupled 

 with distinctly early maturing characteristics, as would be evidenced in 

 rapidity of growth of the secondary sexual organs, such as the comb of the 

 pullet or male, the age of the cockerel at first crowing and age of pullet at 

 time of her first egg; the rapidity of feathering in feather tracts and quick 

 moulting as chic" s, all of which are correlated with fecundity. The variety 

 of fowl to be disregarded, excepting, however, those breeds having marked 

 tendencies toward meat production and the extreme of this type, bantams, 

 etc., including the Asiatic, Oriental and Ornamental classes, and possibly a 

 few minor classes. 



The relationship of the producing powers in the common varieties is 

 surprisingly close, particularly will this be noticed in taking the average egg 

 yield of a large number of individuals for comparison. The following figures 

 illustrate this. The figures were taken from five egg-laying contests held at 



21st Mich. Acad. Sci. Kept., 1919. 



