CULLING THE POULTRY FLOCK 



489 



earlier in the spring than the late-molting one. No definite 

 date can be set as to early molting. As a general rule, how- 

 ever, the first hens in the flock to molt should be sold, and 

 the last to molt should be retained for breeding purposes. 

 Hens may be caused to molt early if placed on starvation 

 diet while laying heavily; by irregular feeding; by roosting 

 in a house that is poorly ventilated, or in any way that tends 

 to check egg production suddenly. Care should be taken 

 not to let these undesirable conditions occur, otherwise a 

 lower total egg production is quite likely to follow. If the 

 pullets are hatched early, 

 they will be laying early 

 in the autumn, and thus 

 egg production will be 

 kept up. In an article 

 on culling,* Professor H. 

 C. Knandel of Pennsyl- 

 vania State College 

 touches still another side 

 to the plumage question. "* r 



He says that during the 

 fall months the condition 

 of the plumage is the 

 most noticeable indica- 

 tion of production that 

 applies to all breeds. The 

 hen whose plumage ap- 

 pears most soiled, whose tail and wing feathers are badly worn, 

 is the hen that has been laying heavily. The early-molting 

 hen during the late fall months appears very much dressed 

 up in her new suit, but has not produced a quantity of eggs 

 sufficient to pay her board bill. Hence the hen that is the 

 good producer is too busy laying eggs to stop to molt, with 

 the result that she does not shed her feathers and get ready 

 to engage in egg production until late in the year. 



*The Truth about Culling. National Stockman and Farmer, Sept. 3, 1921. 



Figure 234. A hen in heavy moulting con- 

 dition. Photograph from Prof. F. S. 

 Jacoby. 



