130 THE CALL OP THE HEN. 



280 egg hens that measure as high as two and five-eights 

 inches in the flush of laying, will show about three-eights to 

 one-half inch less when not laying, and this shrinkage in 

 measurement, will apply to all other grades in about this pro- 

 portion. 



SELECTING FOR FALL MARKETING. 



We do not like to kill birds about to begin laying, that 

 are laying, or really good ones that are just through laying; 

 particularly when there are plenty in the flock that do not 

 come under any of these heads. 



In this alone, the cost of this method, when once well 

 understood, can be saved several times in a single season with 

 a good sized flock of birds. 



While the exceptionally good layers can be told readily 

 and at almost any time, laying or not, and an absolutely worth- 

 less bird can be told the same way, there is a time, just when 

 the real good layer is resting and the common to poor layei 

 is doing her best, when they come for a short time only 

 close together in pelvic appearance. 



While it is not safe to kill a bird that measures one and 

 one-eighth inches or over, it is possible for a very fair layer to 

 not be much wider than that at the close of laying out her lit- 

 ter. Some good layers, that in the flush of laying will meas- 

 ure one and three-quarters to two inches, at the close of their 

 laying period will sometimes close up to about one and one- 

 eighth inches. A very poor layer in the flush of her laying 

 time, might be one and one fourth to one and one eighth in- 

 ches, so care must be taken at this period not to con- 

 found the two conditions, which do not exist at any other 

 time. This is referred to in the introduction. To wholly pre- 

 vent this when it is desired to save every at all good layer 

 it is well to make two, or possibly three examinations, a week 

 or so apart. In this way there will be no danger of confound- 

 ing the one about to begin laying, with the one about to quit ; 

 ind the poor layer can be told from the good one. 



When killing a whole flock at two or three years old, as 

 many do, no hen measuring one and one-eighth inches and un- 



