50a EXPERBIEXT STATION. [Jan. 



DEPARTMENT OF POULTRY HUSBANDRY. 



H. D. GOODALE. 



Improvement in egg production continues steadily. Pullets 

 laying 200 or more eggs have become very common. More- 

 over, many birds continue to lay for several weeks after the 

 completion of the three hundred and sixty-five day period. 

 The average production of the high lines (269 birds) is nearly 

 three dozen eggs more than the average flock production in 

 1915-16. 



Eliminating Broodiness. — Starting with foundation stock 

 that was extremely broody, a strain of Rhode Island Reds 

 has been established that is almost as free from broodiness 

 as White Leghorns. In the original flock, 87 per cent became 

 broody, with an average of 4.9 broody periods for each broody 

 hen. In the non-broody line of Reds, 19.8 per cent became 

 broody, with an average of 1.9 times broody. Corresponding 

 figures for the Leghorns at the Storrs Contest, fifth report, 

 are 13.6 per cent broody, with an average of 1.3 broody 

 periods per bird. 



Fortune has favored us, and the quick establishment of a 

 non-broody line of high producers seems assured through the 

 appearance of non-broody males in the high lines. 



One of the most important results of this year's work is 

 the proof that high winter production descends directly from 

 mother to daughter; at least, this is true for the Rhode 

 Island Reds, since the offspring of high-producing Rhode 

 Island Red females by a Cornish male (poor winter layers) 

 were high producers. 



The isolation method of rearing chicks continues to give 

 the same fine results, as always. Roup and colds can be 

 prevented as long as an unbroken quarantine is maintained. 



