290 MANAGEMENT OF BREEDING STOCK 



require attention differing somewhat from that given to stock 

 raised for production only. 



Hatch chicks early, to give them time for full development. 

 If this is neglected, and they are forced to premature maturity, 

 the resulting progeny will be of small size, and this will be per- 

 sistent throughout. 



Brood in small units, so that the individual may have a chance 

 to develop to the utmost. Where breeding in extremely large 

 flocks is practised, the fowls do not have an equal chance to de- 

 velop, some of the smaller ones becoming stunted by insuffi- 

 cient feed or crowding, when they otherwise would have developed 

 into good birds. From the standpoint of economy and efficiency, 

 in the commercial flock the large unit is practicable; but with a 

 few birds of exceptionally high quality and value, the smaller 

 unit has the advantage. 



Give the growing youngsters free range where there is an abun- 

 dance of natural green feed, and well ventilated coops or shelters. 



Separate the sexes as soon as practicable, and raise each inde- 

 pendently until maturity. 



Mark indelibly any chick which shows signs of weakness or 

 disease at any stage of its growth. Any that are malformed or 

 show decided lack of vitality should be slaughtered. Those of a 

 type unsuitable for breeding purposes should be placed in the 

 laying pens. 



Give the fowls an unrestricted opportunity to develop to the 

 highest possible degree, since when fully developed and matured 

 the breeder has a flock of prepotent birds capable of turning out 

 the best progeny. 



Marking Hatching Eggs.— When saving hatching eggs, where 

 no effort is made to identify the eggs from individual birds all that 

 is necessary is to mark each egg with an X, or, if desired to keep 

 a hatching record of the eggs from individual pens, the pen number 

 can be placed on each egg, viz., 46. Some mark of this kind is nec- 

 essary in order that the fertile eggs to be used or sold for hatching 

 will not become mixed by accident with the infertile eggs produced 

 only for table purposes. 



In pedigree breeding when the parentage of each chick hatched 

 must be known it is necessary to mark each egg with pencil on the 

 large end with the pen number and the hen number as follows: 



^^ the pen number being above the line. The date may be 



