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their feathers, grow a new coat and begin to lay. Exceptional 

 birds will not require as much time as specified, but they are 

 not very common. Considering, then, that hens require a long 

 resting period during the molt, it is easily understood that 

 pullets will be much more profitable. 



Males in the Back Yard Flock. 

 A male is not necessary for egg production, and should be 

 kept only when eggs are being saved for hatching. Compara- 

 tively few back yard poultry keepers raise their chicks, and 

 those who do will find it more profitable to buy hatching eggs 

 or baby chicks from a well-known breeder keeping good stock 

 than to purchase a male and feed him for a year. A good male 

 will cost not less than $5, and cannot be fed for less than $4 

 per year. When killed or sold for meat he will bring $2 or less. 

 Moreover, he is likely to injure some of the females, and his 

 crowing is considered a nuisance by most neighbors; in fact, 

 this very thing has done more than anything else to legislate 

 poultry out of cities and towns. Therefore if a male is kept 

 for breeding purposes dispose of him as soon as the breeding 

 season is over. 



Purchasing Stock. 



In purchasing stock or hatching eggs it is advisable to apply 

 to reputable poultry breeders or consult a neighbor who is 

 interested in poultry and widely acquainted with poultrymen. 

 Too often people buy from a distance and ignore their neigh- 

 'bors. We believe this to be a great mistake in many instances, 

 as there is plenty of stock in almost every community, and the 

 home people should be patronized when possible. In Boston 

 there are two or three firms who buy and sell pullets, hens and 

 baby chicks, and there may be such firms in other cities. These 

 should be patronized, and they may be able to put you in 

 touch with some one who has exactly what you want in the 

 way of stock. Because of the comparatively small number of 

 chicks raised this year there may be a scarcity of pullets in the 

 fall. It is advisable, therefore, for back yard poultry keepers 

 to place their orders for pullets as early as possible. As a matter 

 of fact, this condition may prevail throughout the entire war 



