PROGRESSIVE POULTRY RAISING 



while the high layers are likely to appear old and ragged. 

 The body feathers change first and the main wing feathers 

 last. As it requires about six weeks to grow the first 

 new flight feather and two weeks more for each succeed- 

 ing one and as hens seldom lay while molting, it is pos- 

 sible to estimate fairly closely how long it will be before 

 they will get into laying condition again. This is done 

 by counting the new flight feathers beginning at the 

 elbow and subtracting the number of weeks indicated 

 from 24. To tell the length of time since the hen stopped 

 laying add up the number of new flights. The late 

 molters will usually be birds of good vigor. 



A strong constitution is so tremendously important in 

 either the laying or breeding flock that even the late 

 molters should be carefully scrutinized in this regard. 

 Only females which exhibit activity and vitality should 

 be kept over for laying or breeding. All specimens that 

 are scrawny, undersized, weak on the legs, light in weight, 

 excessively fat, or which have deformities such as crooked 

 legs, back or beak, should be eliminated. It is well to 

 dispose of birds that have long toe nails, overhanging 

 eyelids, or any defect which handicaps them in their 

 search for food. The long slender head (crow head) or 

 spindling shanks indicate the lack of thrift and vigor. 

 Such individuals cannot be profitable producers. A 

 bright red comb and wattles indicate a good circulation. 

 The laying hen is a hustler and working all the time. 

 She sings at her work and is usually more gentle and 

 sociable than the non-layer. 



In order to lay a large number of eggs a hen must have 

 large organs of digestion and of reproduction. In the 

 live bird these of course cannot be examined. It goes 

 without saying, however, that an individual cannot have 

 a large and well developed digestive and reproductive 

 apparatus unless it also exhibits a capacious body. 

 Capacity is indicated by a long keel (breast bone) and 

 the long deep and wide body. 



Page Thirteen 



