496 IOWA DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE 



///. Lack of Vigor, as shown by: 



a. Dull eye and listless appearance. 



b. Indications of disease, denoting low resisting power. 



c. Lack of energy, inactive. 



d. Plumage rough, not well developed. 



In order to obtain the best results from any flock, it is necessary to ob- 

 serve the condition of the individual hen at the first indications of physical 

 weakness or defects, the birds should be removed and replaced by individ- 

 uals showing every indication of good egg production. 



CONTRAST BETWEEN GOOD AND POOR LAYERS. 



Some of the features which show very clearly the contrast between good 

 and poor layers are as follows: 



GOOD LAYERS. 



1. Molt late during the last of September, October and November. 



2. Molt quickly. 



3. Yellow shank varieties show faded beaks, legs and toes. 



4. White ear lobed varieties show lobes free from creaminess. 



5. Have good width between pelvic bones. Bones are thin. 



6. Have rough, ragged and frayed plumage at time of molting. 



POOR LAYERS. 



1. Molt early in July and August. 



2. Molt slowly. 



3. Yellow shanked varieties show distinct yellow coloring in beaks, legs 



and toes. 



4. White ear-lobed varieties show lobes that are creamy. 



5. Are narrow between pelvic bones. Bones are thick. 



6. Have new and best finished plumage in the fall. (Color changes 

 should be observed in daylight.) 



As a general rule, when a fowl commences to lay, it will use up the 

 surplus fat in the body. The loss of fat from the skin is readily seen by 

 the lack of yellow coloring. The tendency of the different parts of the 

 body is to become white, this depends somewhat upon the amount of fat 

 stored in the body, and the amount of circulations through that part. The 

 changes can be noticed as follows: 



The vent changes quickly with egg production. A white or pink vent 

 on a yellow skinned bird generally means that the bird is laying. A yel- 

 low vent, rather contracted, means that a bird is not laying. It should be 

 recognized that all yellow color changes are dependent on the feed, coarse- 

 ness of skin, size, and age of bird. A heavy bird fed on an abundance of 

 green feed or other material that will color the fat deep yellow will not 

 bleach out nearly as quickly as a smaller or paler yellow bird. 



The inner edges of the eyelids bleach out more slowly than the vent, as 

 a general rule. The earlobes on Leghorns and Anconas bleach out a little 

 more slowly than the eyelids. Bleached earlobes mean a little longer or 

 greater production than a bleached vent or eyelids. 



The beak will lose its coloring, beginning at the base, and finally ex- 



