70 THE GALL OF THE HEN. 



make her a six-finger-abdomen hen if in condition. We look 

 on Chart 6 at 1 /ie-inch pelvic bone, and find our last hen is a 

 280-egg type hen, if in condition, and it is up to us to put 

 her in condition and keep her there as nearly as possible. 



I will admit it is a hard proposition to keep the non- 

 setting typical-egg type hen in condition, but the man that 

 comes the nearest doing so is the best feeder. I will have 

 more to say in regard to the matter of condition in the chapter 

 on Judging Utility Fowls at the Poultry Shows. This work 

 is a matter of line upon line, and I must necessarily repeat 

 the same matter in some respects time after time. But as 

 this is an educational more than an entertaining proposition, 

 I hope that my readers will bear with me. 



As I have said before, there are three types of hens. The 

 hen listed on Chart 1 as Vie-mch pelvic bone is a typical 

 egg-type hen, because all she consumes over bodily main- 

 tenance goes to the production of eggs. The hen listed as 

 3 /s-inch pelvic bone is a dual-purpose hen; half of her vitality 

 is used in producing eggs and half in producing meat. The 

 hen listed as 5 / 8 -inch is a typical meat- type hen; all she 

 consumes goes to the production of meat, except what she 

 uses in bodily maintenance. The hen listed as Vie-mch pelvic 

 bone on Chart 2 is a typical egg-type hen; the hen listed as 

 3 /s-inch pelvic bone on same chart is a dual-purpose hen; 

 and the one listed as 3 /4-inch pelvic bones is a typical meat- 

 type hen; the same rule follows in all the charts. All the 

 hens listed as 1 /ie-inch pelvic bone are typical egg-type 

 hens, and they can't be made to pay as a meat proposition. 

 The hens listed in the center of each chart are the dual-pur- 

 pose hens; they can be used as an egg and as a meat proposi- 

 tion. The hens listed on the bottom of each chart are the 

 meat-type hens. Nature has fitted them for the production 

 of flesh, and there is no human energy that can change them 

 to a paying egg proposition. 



Between the above three distinct types there are com- 

 binations of each adjoining type. This allows sufficient 

 latitude for the preference of each individual breeder. A 

 person can breed the typical egg-type hen and cock bird with 

 pelvic bones Vie of an inch thick. If he thinks this type 

 is too delicate, he can breed from the 3 /i 6 -inch pelvic bone 

 stock; this is my favorite type; the hen of this type is better 



