POULTRY, 



THE SELECTION OF BREEDING STOCK. 



By W. R. Graham, 



A., Manager ami Lecturer Poultry Department, Ontario AKrlcuIniral 

 College, Guelph, Ontario. 



Like breeding other kinds of live stock, there are certain conforma- 

 tions that are desirable, and are sought after more or less, and there are 

 other shapes which are not desirable. 



It is not the purpose of this article to go into the detail of breeding 



fowls, but more particularly to 

 try and show that there are vast 

 differences in the shape of differ- 

 ent representatives of the same 

 breed; some of which we con- 

 sider desirable, while others are 

 not what one would wish to use 

 in a breeding pen. , 



From observation and study we 

 have learned that birds of a cer- 

 tain type or shape have usually a 

 good constitution, and have the 

 ability to make good use of the 

 food, while other birds repre- 

 senting other types are more or 

 less lacking in vigor and in feed- 

 ing qualifications. 



Take, for example, cut No. 1. 

 This is the cut of a Barred Kock 

 cockerel, which has a very desir 

 able conformation. You will no- 

 tice that the beak (bill) is short 

 and stout, being well curved; 

 also that the head is moderate in 

 width and the eye bright. These 

 are all indications of constitution. 

 Now, compare this head with 

 that in cut No. 2. Here you see a long, narrow head, a very long 

 beak, and a sluggish eye. These are not desirable points. We natur- 

 ally expect this bimi to be lacking in vigor, constitution, etc., whi'^'*" 

 is actually the case. 



1367 



No. 1. 



