Report of Missouri Farmers' Week. 507 



less. The breeding stock then should come in for consideration 

 in the discussion of brooding. Weak stock, showing poor constitu- 

 tion, is unsuitable as breeders. Fowls which have been troubled 

 with diseases, such as roup, white diarrhea, etc., should never ba 

 used because of the transmission of the tendency to contract these 

 diseases to their offspring. In the case of bacilliary white diarrhea, 

 it has been shown at the Connecticut experiment station that the 

 parent stock infect the chick during the formation of the egg in 

 the oviduct. This is an example of when the disease itself is 

 transmitted. In addition, chicks from stock of weak vitality do 

 not possess the same amount of resistive power toward disease, and 

 are more liable to contract various ailments, while chicks of poor 

 vitality never make satisfactory growth. Careful selection then 

 of vigorous, healthy parent stock is essential to successful 

 brooding. 



The care of the breeding stock is also an important factor. 

 Excessive egg production, caused by forcing the hen for heavy 

 production or even by the use of stimulants in the food, are not 

 conducive to strong chicks. In general it is believed that immature 

 stock, also, causes a weaker progeny. Birds which come into the 

 breeding season after a long period of heavy egg production, rarely 

 produce as vigorous offspring. Breeding stock should be compelled 

 to take a large amount of exercise by being made to work for the 

 graii^ fed in straw litters, and should be fed liberal amounts of 

 green food. The feed should not contain a large percentage of 

 meat foods, such as commercial meat foods or green cut bone. Ex- 

 periments at the Ontario experiment station tend to prove that 

 these, when fed to promote egg production, tend to weaken the 

 vitality of the chicks. Also, breeding stock should be permitted 

 range in winter during pleasant weather. Birds closely confined 

 in crowded conditions, poorly ventilated or damp quarters, lice, 

 cold, under and overfeeding, rations of only one grain, anything 

 which tends to weaken the fowls will result in weakened vitality in 

 the chicks. It is generally conceded that a large amount of trouble 

 with incubators can be traced to improper care and poor breeding 

 stock. 



The problem of incubation is an important discussion. Arti- 

 ficial incubation is not perfect and many believe that the most suc- 

 cessful results can be obtained by the use of hens for incubation. 

 Assuming that the chicks are properly hatched, the next problem 

 is that of brooding. 



