Poultry that Pay a Profit. 63 



as being best suited to my purpose and market. So far my 

 labor in this direction has given me quite satisfactory results, 

 and with the knowledge gained, I see a good prospect for still 

 further improvement. I consider the improvement in the lay- 

 ing qualities in the last few years due more to the selection of 

 the breeding stock than to any improvement in methods of 

 care or feeding, as the latter have not changed materially dur- 

 ing the time. 



The improvement in laying qualities has been somewhat 

 hindered by the attempt at the same time to improve the gen- 

 eral appearance of the eggs by getting them all of a fair size, 

 uniform in shape and color, thus increasing their market 

 value. A hen that persists in laying a very small or ill-shaped 

 egg is never used for breeding, no matter how good a layer she 

 may be. My hens are always kept in confinement in flocks of 

 about 50 in a house 12x20 feet, with a park 2x8 rods. For- 

 merly, when such flocks averaged 150 eggs per hen yearly, I 

 considered it a large yield ; now I have several flocks that 

 average 200 or more per year. I am quite sure that I have 

 individual hens that lay an average of 250 eggs each per year, 

 and that is the point for which I have started with the whole 

 number kept 600. Whether I reach it or not is a question to 

 be answered later. 



In selecting my breeding flocks I find it necessary to exer- 

 cise great care to avoid mistakes. The best time of the year for 

 this work is when the hens generally are not laying well. 

 Spring and early summer is not a good time because almost 

 any hen will lay at that time ; but late in summer during the 

 moulting period, and in winter, are my times to decide which 

 shall be selected for breeding the following spring. While I 

 pay considerable attention to the external characteristics, the 

 all-important thing is to know that the hen to be selected is 

 laying the greater part of the year, and this can be determined 

 only by close observation, and requires the outlay of a good 

 deal of time and patience. The hens, as fast as selected, are 

 placed in flocks by themselves ; and a record is kept of the 



