Farm Poultry 



227 



cinders, etc., are desirable forms of grit. Crushed oyster- 

 shells, or bones, supply the material for making the 

 bones in young growing chickens and the egg-shells for 

 laying hens. 



312. Improving Poultry. To improve a breed or 

 flock of poultry, use the eggs from the individuals hav- 

 ing the desired characters. In breeding for increased 

 egg-production, the number of eggs laid by a hen in 

 a year is of far more importance than the color of the 

 feathers. A hen lay- 

 ing 200 or more eggs 



a year is worth many 



times more than one 



laying from 30 to 50. 



There are many poor 



layers in all flocks. 



By using trap-nests 



for a full -year test 



the Maine Experiment 



Station found that in a number of spring pullets all bred 



pure to type, only 3 laid rnore than 200 eggs; 10 laid 



175 to 200; 11 laid 150 to 174, and so on down; 11 laid 



75 to 100; 6 laid 50 to 75, and 5 laid 36 to 49. 



In the development of the breeds of poultry, much 

 attention has been given to perpetuating the color and 

 character of the feathers, combs, wattles, etc. In recent 

 years, greater efforts have been made to strengthen the 

 more important qualities, such as regularity and fre- 

 quency of laying, early maturity and other qualities, 

 depending on the kind of poultry. 



313. Preserving Eggs. Eggs decay as the result of 

 the growth of germs in the rich substances of the egg. 

 Warm temperatures favor the rapid development of 



Fig. 151. A home-made trap-nest. 



