252 PRACTICE OF POULTRY BREEDING 



at any time, a lack of constitutional vigor will never prove profit- 

 able for any purpose. 



Further possibilities in selection are discussed under the sub- 

 ject of breeding for definite purposes, also Chapter XXX. 



BREEDING FOR EGG PRODUCTION. 



It is probable that more poultrymen are endeavoring to increase 

 the egg-producing qualities of their birds indirectly by breeding 

 and selection than are attempting to improve all other qualities 

 combined. This is due to the fact that egg production represents 

 a direct money return which, under farming conditions, is the 

 one factor of greatest definite value. 



The Poultry Department of Cornell University has been a 

 pioneer in advocating the selection and breeding for egg production. 

 As a result of its investigations and teachings, the following rules 

 or guides have been laid down, and success will follow their use. 



The rules follow and should be kept in mind when breeding for 

 egg production: (1) Keep only pure-bred birds; (2) breed from 

 heavy producers and persistent layers; (3) breed from mature birds; 

 (4) practice line breeding; (5) breed from early-producing pullets; 

 (6) breed from late molters ; (7) breed from heavy eaters ; (8) breed 

 from early risers and late retirers; (9) practice proper management. 



Keep pure-bred birds of one well-established egg breed. They 

 have proved to be the most economical producers of market eggs, 

 laying the greatest quantity of excellent quality, while the feed 

 consumed is utilized to better advantage than in other types. 

 There is also greater uniformity in the shape, size, and color of 

 the eggs, and a greater demand and selling value in general and 

 special markets. The uniformity with which pure-bred birds may 

 be bred and developed for a given purpose, such as egg production, 

 is much greater than with mixed or impure stock. 



Breed from Heavy Producers.— This is one of the leading rules 

 in breeding for egg production. The average productive power 

 of the progeny may be greatly increased. This can only be accu- 

 rately carried on by the use of the trap nest and by special matings 

 for breeding purposes. The most persistent layers are those which 

 begin to lay early in the fall (October or November) and continue 

 to lay regularly throughout the winter and spring months, also 

 laying well during the summer, and which, after undergoing a 

 quick, complete molt, begin again to lay in the early fall of the 

 following year. In selecting a breeder it is not safe to take the 



