254 THE AMERICAN BREEDS OF POULTRY 



Banding the newly hatched chicks. We now have the chicks hatched in the 

 pedigree compartments in such a mariner that their parentage is known. When they 

 are taken out of these compartments, however, it becomes necessary to mark them 

 in some way immediately, otherwise the pedigree would be lost. The usual method 

 of marking the chicks is to leg-band them w r ith numbered, metal leg bands. Those 

 used at the Government Farm are No. 2 open pigeon bands, which have a simple 

 fastener that can be employed after the bands are transferred to the wings. For 

 the purpose of greater accuracy in our records, and to prevent the loss of the chick's 

 pedigree through the occasional loss of a leg band, two bands are used on each 

 chick. These bands bear the same number, and one is placed around each leg. 



In attaching the band, one end of it is formed in a half circle, slipped around 

 the leg, and the rest of the band simply folded around the leg. Care must be 

 taken to see that the bands are not put on so tightly as to pinch the leg, as this 

 would cause a severe injury. On the other hand, bands must not be put on so 

 loosely that they will slip off over the foot and become lost. 



As the bands are placed on the chick, a record is made of the number of the 

 band, the pen number from which the egg came, the number of the hen which 

 laid the egg, the date of hatching, and any other information desired. 



Enlarging the leg bands. As the chicks grow, the size of the leg increases 

 quite rapidly. Early in the second week the chicks should all be gone over care- 

 fully and the bands opened up to provide for the growth of the leg. The bands 

 should be opened just as far as possible without their slipping off over the feet. 



Transferring the bands to the wings. At any time after the chicks are three 

 weeks old they will be large enough for the removal of the bands from the legs 

 to the wings. This is desirable, since it will make it unnecessary to go over the 

 chicks a 'second time for the purpose of opening up the bands to accommodate 

 the growth of the legs. Once the bands are inserted in the wings, no further 

 attention need be given them, as they become permanent marks. The way in which 

 the bands are inserted in the wings is as follows : 



When the wing of the chick is opened, a flap of skin will be noticed which ex- 

 tends from the shoulder joint across to the third joint of the wing, counting the 

 shoulder joint as the first joint. By holding this skin up to the light, a place 

 can be selected about a quarter-inch from the edge of the skin where there are 

 no large blood vessels. At this point run the small blade of a penknife through 

 the wing. Little bleeding will result. Remove the band from the leg, insert 

 it through the slit in the skin, and bring the ends together, forming the band into 

 a circle. The ends of the band can then be fastened together by means of its 

 fastening device. 



Care must be taken in placing the band in the wing that it is not pressed 

 together so as to squeeze or pinch the skin of the wing. 'If this is done, the 

 circulation will be cut off, a sore will result, and the band may slough out and 

 be lost. These bands, when put in properly, will remain in the wing of the fowl 

 through mature life and will always serve as a permanent identification mark. 

 However, it will be found that it is not easy to read the numbers on these bands 

 on account of the feathers which interfere. On this account these bands do not 

 make suitable means of identification when the fowls have reached maturity and 

 are placed in separate pens or trapnested. Because of this, leg bands may be used 

 when the fowls are removed to thir winter quarters in the fall. 



Opportunity for pedigree poultry breeding. Pedigreed breeding cannot be made 

 a simple process. It takes time, it takes pains, and unless one is prepared to give 

 it the time and attention necessary, he had best not attempt pedigree breeding in 

 poultry. For the general poultry keeper it is probable that trapnesting and pedi- 

 gree breeding are both impracticable. It is only the specialist, who has some par- 

 ticular purpose in his breeding operations and can afford to give the time and at- 

 tention necessary, who can go to the expense of this kind of breeding. For such 

 a specialist, whether he is breeding for exhibition stock, for stock of heavy egg- 

 producing proclivities, or for a combination of the two, there is a splendid widen- 

 ing field and a constantly growing demand for stock of known pedigree and per- 

 formance. 



