THE FARM FLOCK (POULTRY) 89 



a flock of pure-bred fowls is to purchase a pen consisting of a male and four 

 to ten females. These should be housed apart from the main flock and all 

 of the good eggs laid during the breeding season should be incubated. Pure- 

 bred fowls of good quality may be purchased in the late summer or early 

 fall for $3 to $5 each for males and $2 to $4 each for females. Yearlings or 

 two-year-old stock should be bought. After the pure-bred flock has been 

 established, the many advantages of the pure-bred fowls are obtained 

 without additional cost. 



Grading Up a Farm Flock. While pure-bred poultry are always to be 

 preferred, it is possible to improve the quality of the average farm flock 

 by the use of a pure-bred male. If a pure-bred male of the desired variety 

 is mated with ten or twelve of the best hens on the farm, the offspring will 

 carry one-half the blood of their sire. If the male is a strong, prepotent 

 individual, a large percentage of the offspring will resemble him in many of 

 his characteristics. Ten or a dozen of the best pullets resulting from the 

 original mating should be selected and mated to their sire for the second 

 season. The offspring from this mating will carry 75 per cent of the blood 

 of the pure-bred male. For the third season, ten or a dozen of the best 

 of these pullets should be mated to another pure-bred male of the same 

 variety and of similar breeding. It is advisable to obtain the second male 

 from the same breeder as the first one. If the fowls used have been care- 

 fully selected, the offspring from this third mating will be practically as 

 uniform in size, shape and color as pure-bred fowls. 



The Choice of a Variety. The choice of a variety for the farm depends 

 upon the purpose for which poultry is kept and the type of product most 

 in demand in the best available market. The efficiency of the various 

 varieties depends more upon the breeding and handling of the fowls than 

 upon breed or variety differences. 



The most popular fowl for the production of white eggs is the Single 

 Comb White Leghorn. It is not a good market fowl, however, because 

 of its small size, nervous temperament, and greater loss in dressing. The 

 cockerels make good broilers at weights of lj^ to 1^ pounds, but do not 

 make good roasters or capons. 



The Plymouth Rocks, Rhode Island Reds and Wyandottes are the 

 most satisfactory breeds for the production of both eggs and meat. The 

 solid-colored varieties of the Plymouth Rock and Wyandotte, particularly 

 the white and buff, are preferable on account of the absence of dark- 

 colored pin feathers. The Columbian varieties are rapidly increasing in 

 popularity. The most popular farm fowl in the past has been the Barred 

 Plymouth Rock. It is slowly being replaced by some of the newer vari- 

 eties. The three breeds mentioned are good layers, hardy, easily handled; 

 the chicks grow rapidly, making them well adapted to the production of 

 broilers. They make superior roasters and capons. Where the market 

 prefers brown eggs or will not pay a premium for white eggs, one of the 

 many varieties of these three breeds should be chosen. 



