116 POULTRY FOR PROFIT 



indications of vigor or the lack of it. The strong 

 fowl has a fairly large head, well-rounded, with 

 bright red, well-shaped comb. The weak fowl is apt 

 to have what is called a "crow's head," rather long 

 and thin. 



A vigorous bird holds the tail well up. It is also 

 active and alert in its manner. Suspect every bird 

 that slouches around with its tail down or mopes in 

 corners or on the roost. These actions may indicate 

 illness, and they always indicate lack of a vigorous 

 constitution. The hen that gets off the roost first 

 in the morning and goes back to it last at night and 

 is always on the move is the hen we want to breed 

 from. 



Well colored shanks of the color characteristic of 

 the breed are another indication of vigor. Never 

 select a breeding bird with pale shanks or shanks 

 that are long and thin and cold. 



Probably no one thing is a surer indication of the 

 health and stamina of a bird than the appetite. The 

 hen that stands back when the other fowls crowd 

 around the feeding trough should be watched. Abil- 

 ity to consume and assimilate large quantities of 

 food is an absolute necessity, whether we want eggs, 

 good, fat market birds, or fertility. All birds should 

 be examined on the roost at night from time to time, 

 and those with little feed in the crop marked as 

 probably of doubtful vigor. This is a test that rarely 

 fails. 



The Male Bird 



The male bird chosen to head the breeding pen 

 should have not only the marks of vigorous consti- 

 tution which are common to all fowls, but he should 

 have also the marks of a vigorous male, — in other 

 words, he should be well sexed, with well developed 



