254 PRACTICE OF POULTRY BREEDING 
Birds with Large Appetites—-The consumption of a large 
amount of feed is essential in the case of the heavy layer, in order 
to secure the materials necessary for the egg, and it has been 
found that heavy egg production is always accompanied by heavy 
eating. The bird with a vigorous appetite should be selected, not 
the one which is a small and delicate feeder. A bird which does 
not eat cannot provide material for both maintenance and_ pro- 
duction, and hence is unprofitable, even though her cost for keep 
is but slight. 
Early Risers and Late Retirers.—In the selection of breeders, 
it is well to choose birds which are off the roost early in the morn- 
ing and the last on the roost at night. This habit indicates a keen 
appetite, since they are up with the first break of morn looking 
for feed, and are the last to give up the search at night. This also 
shows vitality, for any bird out of condition or with low vitality 
will leave the roost late in the morning and with reluctance. 
Selection.—At the same time that one is breeding for this 
quality in accordance with the preceding brief suggestions, it is 
essential to select for the following features: (1) Constitutional 
vigor; (2) egg type; and (8) size. 
Constitutional vigor means the health, activity, and vitality 
seen in strong fowls, the lack of which in weak ones makes them 
unsatisfactory producers and reproducers. 
There is great need of breeding and selecting for constitutional 
vigor, because we are expecting more of the modern hen in pro- 
portion to her live weight and size than from any other class of 
domestic or farm animals (not including honeybees). As a result 
of heavy strain from overproduction, fowls often break down, and 
the effect is shown in the future progeny. Much of the low fer- 
tility and low hatching power in poultry, the weakness of chicks 
and mortality in mature stock, when such conditions arise, can 
be traced in large measure to the broken-down constitution of 
the fowl under exacting requirements. 
A good hen is expected, on an average, to lay in one year five 
times her body weight in eggs. This would equal one egg every 
three days during the year. In order to accomplish what is 
expected of her, she must consume about 30 times her body 
weight of feed. 
By observing one or more flocks, it will be noted that from hatch- 
ing time till death fowls differ considerably in regard to their consti- 
tutional vigor, all flocks showing strong and weak fowls, regardless 
