540 



JUDGING AND CULLING FOWLS 



Changes in Secondary Sexual Characters. — Tlicse may be con- 

 sidered under tlie following three heads: 



Comb, ]Vattles and Ear Lobes. — The comb, wattles and ear lobes 

 enlarge or contract, depending on the activity of the ovary. If 

 the comb, wattles and ear lobes are large, full and smooth, or 

 hard and waxy, the bird is in full lay. If the comb is limp, the bird 

 is only laying slightly, but is not laying at all when the comb is 

 dried down ; especially at moulting time. If the comb is warm, it 

 is an indication that the bird is coming back to production. 



MouUing. — When a bird stops laying in summer, she usually 

 starts moulting. (Fig. 227.) The later a hen lays in the summer, 

 or the longer the period in which she lays, the greater will be her 

 production, so the high producer is the late layer, and the late 

 moults. The length of time that a hen has been moulting, or has 



stopped laying, can be deter- 

 mined by the moulting of the 

 ten large feathers at the end 

 of the wing, or in other words, 

 the primary feathers. It takes 

 about six weeks to renew com- 

 l^letely the primary feather 

 next to the middle axil feather 

 of the wing, and an additional 

 two Aveeks for each subsequent 

 or outer primary to be renewed. 

 Temperament and Activity. 

 — A good layer is more active 

 and yet more easily handled 

 than a poor layer. A good 

 her £li.eTin-lt^irJui""Thrsis^afeti i^Yer shows more friendliness 



good indication of relatively poor production, ^nd jet elusivcnCSS than a poor 



layer. A poor layer, or a bird 

 which is loafing, is apt to be shy, staying on the edge of the 

 flock, and will generally squawk, when caught. 



Other Years' Production. — Characters discussed deal with the 

 current 3'ear's production, but it should be borne in mind that a 

 high producer or good layer one year is, generally speaking, a 

 good producer in other years. 



A poultry keeper, in going over his flock according to the above 

 outline, should not base his entire judgment on any one point, but 

 should take practically all of them into consideration. 



