THE FARM FLOCK (POULTRY) 623 



Selection of the Breeding Stock. — It is seldom necessary and never 

 desirable to use all of the fowls on the farm for breeding. Special matings 

 are necessary each season in order to make any definite improvement in 

 the quality of the flock. It is seldom necessary to use more than 20 per 

 cent of the entire flock for breeding. The fowls used for this purpose 

 should be the choicest on the farm. They should be strong, healthy and 

 vigorous, above the average in size for the variety, good layers and fully 

 matured. Hens are always preferable to pullets, because the eggs from 

 hens are larger, hatch better and produce larger and more vigorous chicks. 

 Strong, vigorous, early-hatched cockerels may be used, but yearling or 

 two-year-old cocks of proven breeding ability are to be preferred. Care 

 should be taken to avoid using for breeding purposes any fowl which has 

 had any sickness at any time, no matter how well it may appear to have 

 recovered. 



Housing the Breeding Stock. — It is not necessary to house the breed- 

 ing flock separately during the entire year. The fowls to be used for 

 breeding should be separated from the main flock three or four weeks 

 before it is necessary to save eggs for hatching. They should be housed 

 in portable colony houses during the breeding season, and may be returned 

 to the main flock as soon as the last eggs needed for hatching are gathered. 

 The colony houses may then be used for the growing chicks or for some 

 other purpose. 



INCUBATION 



Selection of Eggs for Hatching. — Eggs for hatching should weigh not 

 less than two nor more than two and one-half ounces each. They should 

 be of a medium type, neither very long and pointed nor very short and 

 rounded. The shells should be clean, smooth and strong, free from ridges, 

 cracks, transparent spots or lime deposits. The eggs selected should be 

 as uniform in color as possible. Dead chalk-white or uniform brown eggs 

 are to be preferred. Careful selection of the eggs to be incubated will aid 

 greatly in improving the general quality of the eggs produced by the flock. 



Care of Eggs for Hatching. — Eggs for hatching should be gathered 

 frequently, two or three times daily, and immediately removed to a clean, 

 dry place where the temperature is less than 68° F. A temperature of 

 50° to 60° F. is best. Eggs for hatching should not be held longer than 

 two weeks, as there is a rapid loss of vitality after that time. They should 

 not be washed. Eggs hatch better if they are turned once daily from the 

 time they are laid until set. 



Natural or Artificial Incubation. — Whether hens or incubators should 

 be used depends upon local conditions. If chicks are wanted before 

 April 1st, or if non-setting varieties are kept, or if more than 150 chicks are 

 to be reared each season, incubators should be used. There is no apparent 

 difference between the vigor and vitality of hen-hatched and incubator- 

 hatched chicks. 



Hatching with Hens. — Hens of medium weight, from five to seven 



