84 THE CALL OF THE HEN. 



that a thick bone in a hen of small abdominal capacity would mean a 

 practical non-producer, while the same thickness of bone in a hen of 

 much larger capacity would mean simply a more beefy hen. 



The next hen may be three fingers abdomen, in normal condition, 

 as in Fig. 19, and pelvic bone. 3 /s of an inch thick. This hen has the 

 same abdominal depth as the preceding, but her pelvic bones being 

 /s of an inch thick would make her a 110-egg type hen, and with us no 

 hen that lays 120 eggs pays to keep two seasons. We put this hen in 

 the shipping-crate for market, as it will not pay to keep her any longer, 

 if in Petaluma. She will not pay for her board after this time and leave 

 enough profit. 



The next hen may be four fingers abdomen, in normal condition, 

 and 7 /ie-inch pelvic bone. She, being a 130-egg type hen, it will pay 

 to keep her another year, so we drop her. 



The next hen may be four fingers abdomen, in normal condition, 

 and J^-inch pelvic bones; this hen will lay approximately 115 eggs her 

 first laying year, but not enough her second year; so we put her in the 

 shipping-crate for market. 



The next hen may be five-finger abdomen hen and in good condi- 

 tion; 9 /ie-inch pelvic bone. She is a 130-egg type hen, so we drop her. 

 While this hen has a pelvic bone 9 /ie of an inch thick, she has the abdom- 

 inal capacity to supply herself with food enough to lay a profitable number 

 of eggs and put on flesh at the same time. 



The next hen is five fingers abdomen, in normal condition, and 

 5 / 8 -inch pelvic bones; this is a 115-egg type hen, so we put her in the 

 shipping-crate. The hen we had just before this one was kept; but when 

 we come to the 6 /g-inch pelvic bone, we decide that we have reached 

 the lowest-limit of egg-production. 



The next hen may be six fingers abdomen, in normal condition, 

 and u /i6-inch pelvic bone; she will be a 130-egg type hen, so we drop 

 her. 



The next hen may be six fingers abdomen, in normal condition; 

 pelvic bones % of an inch thick; she will be a 115-egg type hen, so we 

 will put her in the shipping-crate. 



The next hen may be three fingers abdomen, three fingers out of 

 condition, and l /&-mch pelvic bones. If her comb and wattles are pale 

 and bloodless, she is no doubt diseased and should be disposed of; but 

 if her comb and wattles are red, it indicates, as a rule, that she is out of 

 condition on account of accident or lack of feed. In her present condition 

 she scores 166-egg type. If we get her in one finger better condition, 

 she will measure four fingers abdomen, and score 205-egg type; if we 

 can get her in two fingers better condition, she will measure five fingers 

 abdomen and may be 8 /i6-mch pelvic bones, on account of becoming a 

 little more fleshy, and score 220-egg type; and if we get her in three 

 fingers better condition, she would then be in normal condition, and her 

 pelvic bones might be Vie or % inch thick; if the latter, she would 

 score 235-egg type. (We will have more to say on the changing of thick- 

 ness of the pelvic bone in the last of Chapter XVIII.) 



We will continue selecting or separating the good from the poor 

 layers in the same manner, keeping every hen for another year in the 

 three-finger-abdomen class that is 6 /i 6 -inch pelvic bones and thinner, and 

 sending every hen to market that is over 5 /ie-inch pelvic bone in the three- 

 finger-abdomen class; keeping every hen in the four-finger-abdomen class 



