GENERAL INFORMATION 



The experienced poultryman watches up the 

 records and the good and bad points of his fowls 

 Mating throughout the entire winter, and then 



up the when spring arrives he is well quali- 



Breeding Pen fied to ; nte ii; gent i y an d systematically 



mate his birds. The fowls should be mated up at 

 least two weeks before their eggs will be needed 

 for hatching purposes, in order to insure good 

 fertility. 



On the author's plant, culling is about the most 

 important work at mating time. We discard every 

 bird that is not in vigorous, rugged health, so far 

 as can be determined by a careful examination. 

 This is done with absolutely no regard to the score 

 or the egg record of the individual. The remain- 

 ing healthy, vigorous stock are again culled this 

 time with a view to Standard requirements. Every 

 hen showing an improbability to throw chicks as 

 good or better than the average of the flock is 

 promptly removed. 



The Benefits of Gulling. Most persons, espe- 

 cially beginners, are prone to add doubtful birds to 

 their breeding yards in order to increase the num- 

 ber of laying stock. It is quality and not quantity 

 that counts, however, and the man who gets to the 

 " top " the quickest is the one who hatches a com- 

 paratively small number of chicks from his few best 

 birds, rather than a large number from over-large 

 pens of doubtful quality. A little flock well culled, 



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