268 



MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 258 



Table 5 shows that all but two of the dams laid eggs under the standard weight 

 of 56.7 grams. There was no indication, however, of any relationship between 

 weight of eggs and hatchability. One of the sisters (C 5465) showed very low 

 hatchability. 



Chick weight at hatching was correlated with egg weight in this table. Mor- 

 tality rate in chicks up to September first tended to run higher from the low 

 hatching mothers. 



The inbred female progeny of C 1124 sired by her nephew were slightly lighter 

 in weight at first egg than were the daughters of any of the other hens. This 

 may be due entirely to the fact that C 1124 was a smaller hen than any of the 

 others and not be a concomitant of inbreeding. 



The mortality rate in the laying houses was conspicuously greater in the inbred 

 progeny from C 1124 than from check group 1, but check group 3 shows a higher 

 rate than the daughters of C 1124. The number of offspring from check group 2 

 was inadequate to be of statistical value. 



Table 6. — Record of All Surviving Daughters from the 1923 Matings 



Dam No. 



Bird No. 



Age 



at First 

 Egg 



Weight 



at First 



Egg 



Pause 



Average 

 Winter 

 Clutch 



Total 



Days 



Broody 



Annual 

 Persist- 

 ency 



Annual 

 Produc- 

 tion 



Days Lbs. \ Days Eggs 

 Check Group 1 



Days Days \ Egg. 



C6127 



C 6286 . 



C 4746 . 



C 1124 



Check Croup 3 



C7718 1 

 C 8746 I 



235 

 237 



Inbred Group 6 



3.1 

 1.7 



2.5 

 2.1 

 2.5 



19 

 20 



351 



221 



82 



158 

 95 

 201 

 151 

 175 

 193 

 94 

 155 



167 

 137 



215 

 222 

 219 



Check Group 2 — Two daughters which died before the end of the year. 

 Inbred Group 4 — All eggs were infertile. 

 Inbred Group 5 — Three chicks, all died in April. 

 Inbred Group 7 — Only one chick produced. 



Inbred daughters may be compared with the check daughters in Table 6. The 

 inbred daughters were smaller when they laid their first egg, were superior in 

 early maturity and in absence of winter pause, carried somewhat higher intensity, 

 were free from broodiness, and were more persistent layers. The annual egg 

 records of the checks averaged about 150 eggs while the inbreds averaged 219 

 eggs. These data agree with those already presented in that bj^ securing heterosis 

 many desirable fecundity traits may be sacrificed unless much care is taken in 

 selecting the outside stock for desirable fecundity traits. 



Plan of Matings — 1924 



Much difficulty was experienced because of losses, in making the matings for 

 1924 conform with the plan of 1923. 



