METHODS OF FEEDING 273 



the lack of vigor may not be always apparent in the young 

 stock, it is always apparent in some and when found the 

 poultryman should cull rigorously. "Where there is a con- 

 siderable percentage of culls and this persists under best 

 methods of hatching and brooding, the breeding stock should 

 be changed. A change of males may be all that is neces- 

 sary. 



Poultrymen who use artificial hatching and rearing 

 should set a hen or two at the time incubators are set and 

 with the same kind of eggs and compare the results with 

 those in the incubator. This will give a check on the breed- 

 ing stock, as well as on the incubator. If the chicks under 

 both methods show equally good growth and low mortality 

 the poultryman should be satisfied that both the breeding 

 stock and the incubation are all right. If, however, the 

 chicks show poor results both in mortality and rate of 

 growth, the evidence would point to the breeding stock as 

 lacking in vigor ; but if the hen-hatched chicks show good 

 vigor and the incubator chicks poor vigor, the trouble is 

 in the incubator or brooder. To determine whether the 

 trouble is in the incubator or brooder, some of the in- 

 cubator chicks should be brooded by hens. If the chicks 

 show good vigor brooded under hens and poor vigor in 

 brooders, the fault is in the brooding, not in the incubation. 



Under best conditions, however, some culling will be 

 found to be necessary. If at the age of two months some 

 chicks have failed to make growth the poultryman will be 

 money in the pocket if Dr. Hatchet is given a job. They 

 are taking up room, eating food that will bring no return 

 and are more or less of a menace to the rest of the flock. 



The Cockerels. rA mistake is often made in retaining 

 the cockerels too long. If they are hatched early in the 

 season they will come to broiler maturity at a time when 

 prices are at their highest for broilers. That is the time to 



