rate of change from yellow to paleness. The yellow color is withdrawn from the body as production increases 

 and gradually returns with the molt when few eggs are laid. The use of the pigment color test is of most valuerv. 

 during June, July, and August. The early molters of a flock with yellow coloring in shanks, beak, earlobes, 

 and skin after July ist are usually culls. 



Body Capacity. The distance between the end of keel bone and ends of pelvic bones is a measurement 

 of abdominal capacity. The laying hen must have a good sized abdomen in which to digest feed and manu- 

 facture eggs. In the good layer the abdomen should be full, soft, and flexible. During the summer months 

 fowls measuring less than three fingers between these points are usually culls, as shown by other indications. 



Pelvic Bones. Pelvic bones should be thin, straight, and flexible. They tend to thicken on the ends as 

 the hen gets older. The cull generally has pelvic bones which are thick, near together, and not flexible as in 

 the good layers. 



Comb and Wattles. The size of the comb, in relation to the size for that breed, is correlated with the 

 hen's laying ability. The comb and wattles of a good layer are red, full, and waxy. In the poor layers these 

 are shriveled and scaly. (Pis. I and II.) 



PULLET MARKING 



The use of colored leg bands (see PI. II) to identify those pullets that are early maturing and winter egg 

 producers will prove valuable during the culling period. A large percentage of these early maturing pullets 

 will be late molters the following year, one indication of high yearly production, and therefore the type to 

 keep for layers or breeders the following year. 



HOW TO CULL 



The Catching Coop. This coop is a very convenient appliance and useful throughout the year either for 

 sorting, transferring fowls between pens and houses, or culling. The front end of the coop is pushed tightly 

 against the house exit, a coopful of fowls run in and the sliding door closed. The fowls can be taken out through 

 one of the top doors and examined individually. A convenient size for such a coop is 5 feet long, 2 feet wide. 

 i% feet in height. 



Body capacity as indicated by abdominal measurement between the keel and 

 pelvic bones. (Left The laying hen with full, soft, and flexible abdomen measur- 

 ing four fingers. (Right) The cull with contracted and hard abdomen measuring 

 two fingers. 



