32 The Essentials of Poultry Raising 



two years of his life. The duck should be more than two years 

 old for breeding purposes. 



57. How to Distinguish Sex of Ducks. The drake seldom 

 quacks and has a harsh voice. The drakes are usually larger 

 than the ducks and have a curled feather at the front and top 

 part of the tail. 



58. Selecting Gees« for Breeding. The gander may be used 

 the first season, but the goose should not be used as a breeder 

 until she is one year old. 



59. Number of Females to Mate to Each Male. Among the 

 larger breeds of fowls ten to twelve hens may be mated to one 

 male. Young males will take more females than old males. In 

 the smaller breeds, such as the Leghorn, twelve to fifteen females 

 may be given each male. One male turkey may be mated to as 

 many as fifteen females. One gander may be mated to two or 

 three geese. One drake may be mated to four or five dticks. 



60. Results of Crossbreeding. Do not crossbreed, as the sec- 

 ond generation will be scrubs. Scrubs do not produce eggs that 

 are uniform in shape, color, and size, and the birds are never 

 uniform in color or size. If a product is not of the best quality, 

 the producer will not receive the highest market price for it. 

 Study Fig. 16 for results of crossbreeding. 



The first year a Single-Comb White Leghorn was mated with 

 Light Brahma females and the progeny were uniform. The 

 second year these birds were mated together and the progeny 

 of this second breeding were nothing but scrubs, producing eggs 

 "and birds of different shapes and sizes. This always happens. 

 Never crossbreed. Always breed pure-bred poultry ; then your 

 product will be uniform and you will receive the best prices. 



