LIMAffY OF THE 



lassactinsptts A^rlCQimnl rollege, 



AMHEHST, i)^^&^. 



Massachusetts 

 Agricultural Experiment Station 



TECHNICAL BULLETIN No. 7 MARCH, 1926 



BROODINESS 



IN RELATION TO FECUNDITY 



IN THE DOMESTIC FOWL 



By F. A. HAYS and RUBY SANBORN 



This bulletin is the seventh in the series of bulletins reporting the in- 

 vestigations of the Massachusetts Agricultural Experiment Station on 

 heredity in the Rhode Island Red breed of poultry; and the second giving 

 report of the study on broodiness in the same breed. In addition there 

 have been published at various times scientific papers presenting the results 

 of certain more or less minor phases of this study. 



Expressed in terms of change in the character of the breeding flock, 

 the data show that the percentage of broody birds has decreased from 90 

 in the foundation flock of 1912 to 27 in 1923, the last year reported in 

 this publication. Associated with this decrease in broodiness, the average 

 annual egg production has increased from 114 to 200 eggs. The data 

 sho^v, however, that decrease in broodiness is but one of many factors 

 which have contributed to increased production. 



Requests for bulletins should be addressed to the 



AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION 



AMHERST, MASS. 



