132 POULTRY BREEDING AND MANAGEMENT 



Measure of Hen's Laying Capacity. The egg record 

 in the first three months' laying (November, December, 

 January) will enable the poultryman to pick out the hens 

 that will, on the average, prove to be the best layers 

 during the year. If the poultryman will trapnest his 

 fowls during those three months, he will find that the 

 hens that lay 30 eggs or more in those months will lay 

 during the year about 200 eggs. These should be kept 

 for breeders. Those that lay less than 10 or 12 will, 



OREGON EXPERIMENT STATION 



GOOD FALL AND WINTER PRODUCERS THE BEST LAYERS 



on the average, prove to be unprofitable, and should 

 be disposed of. Those that lay 20 may make a profit. The 

 above conclusions are based on the Oregon experiments, 

 which are shown above in detail. 



Early Laying Maturity Characteristic. Summarizing 

 the Oregon Station records, it was found that pullets that 

 began to lay under 200 days of age (approximately 6^ 

 months), laid on the average about 200 eggs in the year. As 

 this age advanced the number of eggs laid decreased. This 

 is shown graphically on page 133. "With or without the aid 

 of a trapnest, the poultryman, by observing the date the 

 first egg is laid, may pick out the pullets that will lay the 

 best throughout the year. If the pullets have been hatched 



