118 POULTRY FOR PROFIT 



long-backed, deep chested type, you must select hens 

 of this type. It is important that the hens be good 

 layers, but not so important as that the male bird 

 should be the son of a good layer. 



The Cockerel Pen 



Every up-to-date poultry ranch now has its cock- 

 erel pen. The very best layers are chosen for this 

 pen and are mated to a cockerel known to have been 

 hatched from a good layer. The cockerels from this 

 pen are carefully banded and are used to head the 

 next season's breeding pens. In this way males 

 hatched from high producers are always to be had 

 for breeding, and the average production of the flock 

 is raised year after year. 



Where only a few fowls are kept the eggs from the 

 best two or three layers may be hatched by them- 

 selves, and the cockerels from these eggs marked 

 for future breeders. 



Mating 



Mate a cockerel to two-year-old hens, or a two- 

 year-old cock to pullets. The first mating is consid- 

 ered the best, but the second will probably give more 

 pullets. 



Cockerels under ten months old should not be used 

 as breeders, and pullets should be used only when 

 mated to old cocks. Never mate pullet to cockerel. 

 Neither pullets or cockerels should be mated under 

 ten months of age. 



Matings of yearling cocks with yearling hens often 

 produce very good results, but as a rule it is better 

 not to mate fowls of the same age. 



The number of females a male can take care of 

 depends largely upon the season. In spring a cock- 

 erel of the Mediterranean breed can care for from 



