CHAPTER VI 

 Breedins and Breeds 



Such proofs as the following show the reason 

 why pure-bred fowls, especially of utility strains, 

 are replacing the scrub fowls on farms throughout 

 the country. This case happens to be with White 

 Leghorn fowls ; it would be similarly true were 

 the fowls Plymouth Rock, Wyandotte, Rhode 

 Island Red, or any other utility breed. 



Fifty White Leghorns were compared with 50 

 mongrels for one year at the West Virginia experi- 

 ment station as to cost of food and egg production, 

 ordinary care and attention being given them such 

 as they would receive on the average farm. In 

 addition to skim milk used to moisten the mash the 

 Leghorns consumed 61 pounds of food, costing 85.3 

 cents a hen, and the mongrels 66.8 pounds of the 

 same materials, costing 92.1 cents. During the year 

 the Leghorns laid 116.5 eggs, worth $2.24, and 

 the mongrels 96.1 eggs, worth $1.78 a hen. The 

 Leghorns gave a profit over the cost of food of 

 $1.39 and the mongrels a profit of 86 cents a hen. 



The mongrels gained in weight i pound a head 

 more than the Leghorns. If this increase in weight 

 is taken into consideration then the Leghorns still 

 gave a profit of 40 cents a hen more than the mon- 

 grels. The highest prices for fresh eggs usually 

 prevail between November and February. During- 

 these four months the mongrels laid only 364 eggs, 

 but the Leghorns 1,029, or practically three times 



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