The first is the selection of the yearling stock. No one should keep birds on hand 

 that are over one year old, except where, under special circumstances, two year-old 

 birds are considered of a special breeding value. The selection of the yearling stock 

 should be very rigid, and everyone should aim to keep over only the birds that will lay 

 well during the winter. Select out the drones and discard them. The late moulters 

 are often the best layers. Keep only birds that are in good health and have plenty of 

 constitutional vigour. 



The second point is the selection of the pullets. Usually pullets are more profitable 

 than yearling hens as winter layers, and consequently the farmers should keep the 

 minimum number of yearlings and the maximum number of pullets. At the same time 

 a very careful selection should be practised in culling out late hatched and poorly 

 developed pullets. Early hatched birds are the more profitable, particularly among 

 the general purpose breeds. Select the early hatched birds and mark them with leg 

 bands or by some other means so that when they are placed in the laying pens you will 

 be able to discard all unprofitable birds. 



Conditions at present indicate that prices of eggs in future will be good and all 

 poultrymen should endeavour to secure as large an egg production as possible in order 

 to make good profits. The greatest hope of increasing the fresh egg supply during 

 the early months of the winter, lies in the proper handling of the pullets during the 

 growing season. Select your stock for the highest possible efficiency and thus increase 

 your profits. 



PROSPECTS FOR POULTRY IN MANITOBA 



F. S. JACOBS, B.S.A., Professor of Animal Husbandry. 



The market for both live and dressed poultry was a great deal more satis- 

 factory during 1915 than in 1914, and the present outlook is for good poultry 

 prices during the year 1916. The report of the Manitoba Department of Agriculture 

 shows the following figures as to Manitoba's poultry production for market: 



Poultry Disposed of by Farmers 



1915 1914 



Turkeys 154,969 184,236 



Geese 83,961 81,720 



Chickens 881,335 815,852 



During the late fall and early winter of 1915, Manitoba Agricultural College 

 undertook to receive chickens from the farmers of the province, fatten them according 

 to the best method and market them on a co-operative basis. There is good reason to 

 hope that in the matter of marketing poultry the College and the Department of 

 Agriculture can give considerable assistance. 



Professor Herner, head of the Poultry Division at the Manitoba Agricultural 

 College, says: "There was a shortage of eggs and diessed poultry in 1915. I would 

 advise uniform production, distribution of marketing over a longer period of time and 

 improvement of the product through education, organization and co-operation. 

 Many farmers expect high prices for a comparatively inferior product, both in 

 eggs and dressed poultry. Much of the produce is not of the highest order, and the 

 best prices cannot be paid for such products." 



With the encouragement now being given to marketing eggs by the egg circle 

 system, it seems certain that the returns from poultry keeping will be considerably 

 improved. 



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