The Egg- Type ffen. 121 



An Egg-Record Needed. I think the only safe way is to keep 

 an egg-record, a thing that I have done for the past six or seven 

 years. I know it is comparatively easy to select the milking-ty pe 

 in cows, but I never trusted to that alone, but kept an individ- 

 ual record with each cow. That told a story in black and 

 white, often at variance with all the most approved theoretical 

 selections. The reason why shape cannot well determine the- 

 egg-laying trait is because the birds are covered with feathers 

 which may completely hide the "egg-type." As a rule, I 

 would always prefer a fine-boned hen to a coarse-boned one. 

 The leading layers of the world are the Hamburgs, and their 

 trim bodies, fine bones, quick and nervous actions, convey the 

 impression that they are susceptible of being forced for eggs. 

 The Leghorns are in the same class. Yet when we get among 

 the heavier breeds and study the Brahmas, Cochins, Plymouth 

 Rocks and Wyandottes, we are apt to be greatly mistaken in 

 selecting layers. The best Wyandotte hen I ever owned, as re- 

 gards laying, weighed eight pounds,- was full and deep in the 

 breast, long in the body and back, and fairly long in the neck, with 

 a small, neat head. She laid 28 eggs in 36 days. The best old 

 hen I now own is four years old and lays regularly, but no man 

 would pick her out for an ' ' egg-type. " She is loosely feathered, 

 has an enlarged crop, is low down with short legs; yet she was 

 always a good layer. The Indian Game hen is exceedingly 

 well built for an " egg-type," having the stern superbly de- 

 veloped, yet I have never heard of Indian Games being supe- 

 rior layers, although some claim they are exceedingly good in 

 this respect. The egg-laying trait in a hen can be developed 

 in most breeds by proper care in feeding and handling. J. H. 

 DREVENSTEDT. 



Attention is called, in this connection, to the article by Mr. 

 Wyckoff elsewhere in this book. He has been very success- 

 ful in this matter of breeding layers. We fully agree with him 

 that selection and breeding is of the utmost importance. We 

 need a new "standard " or "scale of points" describing the 

 best laying ken, not the best looking hen. 



