22 FIRST LESSONS IN POULTRY KEEPING. 



The field for the exercise of skill and good judgment is a very large one. There is prac- 

 tically no limit to experimenting in making matiugs if one undertakes to discover all the 

 possibilities a study of his fowls suggest, but the practical breeder soon learns to confine his 

 production to what he can get from the matings which will probably give him good results, 

 and the beginner may well pattern by him, and give little attention to possible results of matings 

 made merely to utilize birds for breeding purposes. 



The Double Mating System. 



The system of special matings or double matings, so called because exhibition types of the 

 sexes are produced from different matings, is a system of matings for color, devised to produce 

 color types required by the established standards, but rarely obtained in both sexes from the 

 same mating. It will be more fully explained in connection with descriptions of matings for 

 varieties with which it is practiced. Where this system is generally used for any variety, the 

 beginner will find it is to his advantage to follow it, regardless of whether he considers it 

 wrong in principle. 



Should a Novice flake His Own Matings? 



It will have occurred to many readers that it would be of material advantage to every 

 novice to have the benefit of expert advice in mating his fowls. 



There can be no doubt that this is so, and that where the results of his matings has an 

 important relation to the finances of his poultry keeping, the expense of securing the services 

 of an expert for this work might well be considered a necessary expense, and the expert 

 engaged, unless to do so would involve cost entirely out of proportion to the stock kept, in 

 which event the breeder is wisest to do the best he can for himself. 



Miscellaneous Information. 



There are a number of general questions about matters relating to the breeding of poultry, 

 which do not come under any of the topics we have considered. These we will take up here, 

 ami treat as briefly as possible, and yet make the points involved clear. 



(1). The Age of Breeding Stock. 



Under this heading we have a number of common questions which are given herewith, with 

 reply following each. 



(a). At what age is a fowl Jit for breeding? 



When full grown and well developed sexually. A cockerel will generally serve hens long 

 before he is full grown, and will fertilize eggs. A pullet will often lay before she attains her 

 full growth. Such immature stock should not be bred. It will produce, but not often stock 

 that in size and stamina will approach the offspring of better developed stock. 



(b). At what age does a fowl cease to be fit jor breeding'/ 



The age varies greatly. In general, the smaller breeds remain capable of breeding well 

 longer than the larger ones. Then the use of the same stock for laying and breeding purposes, 

 and the custom of giving the males as many mates as possible tend to greatly shorten the period 

 of usefulness of the fowls as breeders. Many fowls are serviceable breeders for only one season. 

 Generally two seasons breeding is as much as can be relied upon. A few fowls breed well for 

 much longer periods, but the fowl that is of value enough to the breeder to be used more than 

 two seasons is the exception. 



(c). Should fowls of the same age be bred together, or isit better to mate old males with 

 young females , and young males with old females f 



It is a mistake to make too much of a point of the relative age of the sexes. If the young 

 birds are well grown, fully developed, and in good condition, they will produce as good chicks 

 as old birds. It is really a question of condition rather than of age or a question of age only 

 as age may have affected condition. Young stock of both sexes is much more reliable for fertil- 

 ity early in the season. An old cock will sometimes not fertilize eggs at all till toward spring, 

 and old hens often give very unsatisfactory results in fertility, even though laying well, early 

 in the season. The advantages sometimes found in mating old stock of one sex with young 

 gtock of the other, is that if the old is a little sluggish, the greater vigor of the young may 

 increase fertility, while if the young is not fully developed the effects of immaturity are to some 

 extent overcome by the better development of the other sex. 



