20 Farm Poultry 



ing period are producing feathers, which make 

 great demands on their systems, their condition 

 is very similar to that of the young fowl that is 

 producing feathers for protection at the expense 

 of its physical organization. It is difficult, if not 

 impossible, for a fowl having a weak constitution 

 to produce feathers rapidly. 



While all egg breeds are not of equal hardiness 

 in this respect, yet as a class they pass rapidly 

 through the most delicate periods of infancy, 

 which goes a long way toward placing them as 

 the most hardy of fowls. The individuals of egg 

 breeds develop combs and wattles early in life, 

 which still further give them the appearance of 

 small adults. At no time do they appear so ill 

 proportioned and awkward as do the good-sized 

 though undeveloped young of the larger breeds. 



Poor sitters. All noted egg-producing fowls are 

 poor and uncertain sitters. The term "non-sitters" 

 has frequently been used to designate various 

 breeds of fowls possessed of a marked tendency 

 toward egg production at the expense of a dis- 

 position to incubate. 



Breeders have long been trying to further 

 develop the tendency of egg production that is 

 inherent in all the Mediterranean fowls, which has 

 resulted in producing an exclusively egg-producing 

 machine. The marked development in egg pro- 

 duction in this class of fowls has been accomplished 



