284 POULTRY BREEDING AND MANAGEMENT 



THE BEGINNING OF THE END OF INCUBATION 

 The prison walls being broken down. 



Where maturity is reached in the fall and laying begins 

 then, the average flock results invariably showed that the 

 first year is the most productive or profitable, and that 

 there is a gradual decrease each succeeding year. 



This means that the hens must be killed off at the end of 

 their second laying year and their places taken by pullets. 

 Some poultry-keepers practice renewing the flock of layers 

 every year others keep them three years. 



Renewal of the Flock. The point is that the frequent 

 renewal of the flock constitutes a large and costly part of 

 the business of egg production. If the productive life of 

 the hen could be lengthened to say five years instead of 



THE YOUNG GRADUATE 

 It has broken its way out into the world the fruits of successful incubation. 



