INBREEDING IN RELATION TO EGG PRODUCTION 277 



Crossbreeding Inbred Lines 



Plan of Matings — 1926 



For the matings of 1926 it was decided best to crossbreed the inbred lines 

 among themselves and to inbreed the former check lines. The plan of matings 

 for 1926 was as follows: 



Check group consisted of three females F 7, F 525 and F 943, all coming from 

 a cross of Station-bred stock with outside "Standard" male C 75411. These 

 three birds were mated to their sire C 7984. 



All available inbred females were divided into two pens. The first pen was 

 mated to male F 1489 from group 7, he being from a mother-son mating and not 

 related to any of the females used. In this pen were placed two of the original 

 sisters C 6127 and C 6286, and pullets F 725, F 1449 and F 2149, all from a 

 half brother-sister mating. The other pullet in this pen was F 1465 from mother- 

 son mating, not related to male F 1489. 



The second pen of inbreds was mated to male F 433 from a half brother-sister 

 mating, he being inbred to foundation hen C 1124. The females used in this 

 pen were: C 1124 a double granddam of the male; E 425 whose pedigree showed 

 her mother to be inbred but not related to her sire and E 425 was not related to 

 male F 433; F 1340 not inbred and not related to male F433; three sisters, 

 F 1488, F 1589 and F 2147, from a mother-son mating and not related to male 

 F 433. The results of inbreeding the checks and of crossing the inbred Unes may 

 be studied in the following tables: 



TABLE 13. — Character of Female Breeders — 1926 



Bird 



No. 



Age 



at First 



Egg 



Weight 



at First 



Egg 



Pause 



Average 

 Winter 

 Clutch 



Total 



Days 



Broody 



Annual 



Persist- 

 ency 



Annual 

 Produc- 

 tion 



1926 

 Hatch- 

 ability 



Off- 

 spring 



Days 



Lbs. 



Days Eggs 



Check Pen 



Days 

 Inbred 



Days 



Eggs 



Inbred Pen 1 — Crossed 



Inbred Pen 2 — Crossed 



The three check birds, available for mating to their sire in 1926, may be con- 

 sidered rather inferior in several ways. They did show early sexual maturity 

 and satisfactory body weight, but were very inferior in winter pause and one 

 was broody. All were genetically highly persistent, but low intensity made them 

 inferior layers. Their hatching records fell below average also. 



Inbred pen 1 was made up entirely of early maturing females and their weight 

 at first egg was satisfactory. All but one showed a pronounced winter pause 

 and only one carried high intensity. All were free from broodiness in the pullet 



