r>K()()l)lNi:SS AM) F1XIN1>1 1 ■^ IN* FOWL 57 



l'i)(Kiui:ss TO Datk. 

 O'eiierol Proj/resx from Year to Year. 

 Taiii.k 1. Mean Degree of IJrooclincss by Years. 



* This coluinn iiuliules all Rhode Island Reds except intense bi-oodies and inl)reds. 



It will be observed that the percentage of broody birds has been reduced 

 from 90 in 1912 to 27 in 1923. Great significance should also be attached to 

 the fact that the mean annual egg yield has increased from 114 to 200 in the 

 same period. In the 1912 flock each broody hen lost 75 days in broodiness her 

 first year, while in the 1922 flock each broody hen lost but 29 days. The 

 assumption seems justified, therefore, that progress in eliminating broodiness 

 has been two-fold: namely, reduction in the percentage of broody birds, and 

 reduction in the mean degree of broodiness. 



The average number of days spent in broodiness for the 112 broody birds 

 in the 1912 flock is 74.8. For the 71 broody birds in the 1913 flock the figure 

 is 78 8 days. In the 1922 flock, made \\\) of all birds except those bred for 

 intense broodiness, there were 112 birds that were broody, with a mean of 

 28.71 days .sjient in broodiness. In the 1922 flock there were 33 birds l)red 

 for intense broodiness. These Itirds averaged 42.94 days l)roody for the ]iullet 

 year. 



Speci/ic liesulttt. * 



The non-broody strain has been strengthened during the past two years 

 by the retention of non-broody hens up to five years old. Such hens have 

 been used as breeders each season so that their genetic character for broodi- 

 ness may be confirmed by the progeny test. Aged breeding males have also 

 lieen retained for similar purposes. 



An intense broody strain has been carried on from year to year. Females 

 selected to peqietuate this strain iiave been selected with a view of combining 

 the maxinutm number of broody ])eriods with desirable traits from the stand- 

 ])oint of annual fecundity. This intense broody strain will eventually diflfer 

 from the non-liroody strain only in possessing the broody trait. It is pw.ssible 



