THE BREEDING OF CHICKENS i:!0 



To these characteristics of vigor must be added the liigh 

 development of those appearances associated with sex. 

 Poultrymen often speak of the " sweet" appearance of a pullet 

 or the "matronliiiess" of a hen as being desirable character- 

 istics. This is simply one way of expressing the desirability 

 of a decidedly feminine appearance which is likely to be 

 most heavily marked in those hens which lay most hea\ ily. 



Evidences of strong masculinity on the part of the males is 

 equally desirable. Great gallantry, fearlessness in fighting, 

 a i)ersistence in the crowing challenge, and the sidling strut 

 before the hens, taken together, denote sexual strength. 

 The cock-crowing contests in Belgium are not so far wrong 

 as a basis for the selection of breeding males. As already 

 shown, the secondary sexual characters Ijy which we dis- 

 tinguish the sexes, are directly dependent upon the sex glands. 

 Any lack of de\elopment in these characters very probably 

 points to more or less undeveloped o\'aries or testes as the 

 case may be. 



The Meat Type. — It would seem, perhaps, that with 

 meat an important by-product some attention should be 

 given the deepness of muscling over the breast or the thick- 

 ness of flesh over the thighs. As a matter of fact, the bird 

 that enjoys the robustness of perfect health, or that is a good 

 performer at the nest, will nearly always be found to be well 

 meated. 



With meat practically a by-product, and the whole carcass 

 the retail market unit, the question of a meat type is not so 

 important as in the case of beef cattle. There, meat is the 

 principal product, and there is a great range of value between 

 the various cuts. These cuts are sold separately, and are, 

 in point of fact, the retail market units. The proportion 

 between the more and the less expensive ones in the carcass 

 makes considerable difference iu its value. Different por- 

 tions of the poultry carcass are not given different market 

 values. It is the general condition of the whole carcass that 

 governs its desirability. 



Hatching Power. — If constitutional \'igor is the condu^-tor 

 which connects the generator with its motors, hatching j^owcr 

 is the switch that closes the circuit. Without it production 



