Poultry Keeping 



303 



W. T. Shilling 



How to 

 determine 

 which hens 

 are good 

 layers; color 

 of legs 



FIG. 244. Trap nests. It is necessary to visit the nests several times a day, 

 and to record the number on the leg band of each hen that lays. 



It has been proved that hens having faded white 

 shanks are good layers. The eggs from a hen whose 

 legs are still yellow after one laying season should not 

 be saved to set. The coloring matter of the breeds hav- 

 ing yellow legs seems to be used up in producing eggs. 

 This theory is of no value in the case of breeds having 

 naturally white legs, such as the Orpington. 



Another way to tell whether or not a hen is a good Hoganizing 

 layer is to measure the space between the end of the 

 breastbone and the pin bones, and also the space be- 

 tween the pin bones. The more fingers one can lay in 

 these spaces, the better layer a hen is likely to be. Mr. 

 Hogan of Petaluna, California, originated this test. 



To find out with certainty which hens are good layers Trap nests 



