142 SELECTING HENS FOR EGG PRODUCTION 



the years 1917 and 1918 eggs sold in the London market 

 at about 20c. to 25c. a dozen more than they were sold 

 for in the New York market. 



The indications are that eggs will continue to be very 

 high in price throughout the world for several years. 



The prices paid for eggs in America during the winter 

 and spring of 1918 and 1919 are some indication of what 

 they are likely to sell for in the future. The grading 

 of eggs is likely to be changed throughout the world, 

 thus to standardize, if possible, all grades of eggs in all 

 countries. There will be an effort to do the same as to 

 price grading of market poultry. 



SELECTING HENS FOR EGG PRO- 

 DUCTION 



RULES FOR JUDGING 



The poultry departments of agricultural colleges and 

 of experiment stations have worked continually for 

 several years to devise a plan or method which might 

 be followed in the selecting of the best laying hens in 

 flocks of poultry. 



The pelvic-bone system which is a part of the Hogan 

 system has been used to a considerable extent. This 

 system describes the best layers as having pelvic bones 

 that are thin and so placed that four fingers may be held 

 between the point of the breast bone and the end of the 

 pelvic bone. This can be done only when the hen is a 

 prolific layer and in full lay. Another test is that the 

 points of the pelvic bone of a good layer stand wide 

 apart. The disadvantage of this system is that if the 

 best layers are examined when in full lay and examined 

 again when not laying at all there will be a marked 

 difference in the distances between both of these meas- 

 urements. This is caused by a shrinkage in the abdomen 

 when the hen is not laying. 



