CHICKENS 



225 



layers in the flock mated to a vigorous male that has come from 



a high producer of the same strain. The selection of this male is 



extremely important as he, alone, transmits half the characters 



to all of the chicks from 



this mating. Each bird in 



the -pen must be a good 



individual regardless of 



other 2:)oints. Pedigree 



must not be worshipped 



to the neglect of good 



judgment. Trap-nest 



these birds during the 



breeding season, at least, 



and mark each egg with 



the layer's number. On 



the eighteenth day, if the 



eggs are in an incubator 



put each hen's eggs in a 



separate cheese cloth or 



mosquito-nettiug bag, or if 



the eggs are under hens, 



put one hen's eggs under a single hen. 



he called the 1920 mating, the second year's the 1921 mating, etc. 



Toe-x^unch all the chicks 

 from the iirst or 1920 mat- 

 ing in the right web of the 

 riglit foot. Punch chicks 

 from the 1921 mating in 

 the inside web of the right 

 foot, etc. There are fif- 

 t e e n different combina- 

 tions of toe-punches. This 

 will permanently identify 

 each year's chicks. In ad- 

 dition to the toe-punch it 

 is advisable to at the same 

 time put small pigeon 

 bands about the chicks' 

 legs just close enough so 

 that the chicks "will not 

 lose them. Do this when 

 the chicks are taken from 

 Fig. 130.— a vigorous, active hen. the bags. A h o u t four 



Rectangular body deep in the rear. 



This first mating will 



