170 POULTRY PRODUCTION 



on the dropping board, where he may be fed, or come and 

 eat from a dish held in the hand. 



Attention should be paid to the chxws and spurs, to see that 

 tliey are bhnit on sides and points in order to avoid torn 

 backs in the liens. This is specially important in males of 

 the heavy breeds. The feet should be examined to see that 

 he is not suffering from bumble foot or any other trouble 

 that would prevent satisfactory service. Not infrequently 

 in loose feathered breeds it will be found necessary to clip the 

 feathers about the vent before satisfactory service can be 

 secured. This may apply to the females as well. The male 

 should be kept free from lice by frequent applications of a 

 good louse powder, as lice may be rapidly spread throughout 

 an entire flock by an infested male. 



He should be watched to see that he renders service 

 completely and satisfactorily. He should be attentive but 

 not clumsy and rough. At the end of ten days after a male 

 has been placed with a flock which has not been running 

 with a male jjreviously, and at the end of two weeks wlien 

 changing males, eggs should be incubated and tested for 

 fertility at the end of five days, in order to be sure that the 

 male is fertile. 



Alternating Males. — Two practices resorted to for tlie pur- 

 pose of securing good fertility with as few males as possible 

 are the alternating of males and stud-breeding. With the 

 former, twice the number of hens that would ordinarily be 

 mated with one bird are confined in a single pen. With these 

 two males are used, but on alternate days. One is allowed 

 to run with the hens for twenty-four hours while the other 

 is confined to a coop. The following day an exchange is 

 made and the second male is gi\en the freedom of the flock, 

 while the first one is confined. 



The theory of this practice is based on the supposition of 

 favoritism on the part of males. It is generally believed 

 that there are certain hens in most breeding fiocks that are 

 slighted by the male. By alternating males it is hoped that 

 if favoritism is shown it will not be to the same hens. 



This question of favoritism on tlic p;u1 of males is mic npcm 

 which there is little definite iiifdi-iiiaticjii uiid n])uu which 



