THE BREEDING OF C HFC KENS 171 



further investigation is needed. Philips' has made a limited 

 number of ol>servations upon the mating habits of Leghorns, 

 Plymouth Rocks, Rhode Island Reds and Langshans and 

 and hnds that mating or failure to mate is a matter largely 

 controlled by the individual hen. Tiie sex reaction appears 

 to be much more marked in some than in others. The 

 former respond to the advances of the male and the mating 

 act is accomplished. The latter fail to respond and no 

 mating takes jilace. Should these ob.servations be further 

 sul)stantiated it would appear that the alternating of males 

 is unnecessary. It is imjjracticable where pedigreeing is 

 practised because the ])aternal ancestry of the offspring is 

 always in doubt. 



Stud-breeding. — With the larger animals It is considered 

 necessary to limit the number of services of a sire very 

 strictly, for the purposeof conserving his strength and potency. 



Assuming that the same principle holds with fowls and 

 that the mating of a male with a female more than once 

 within a given period of time is a waste of his powers, certain 

 breeders have adopted the plan of controlling the number of 

 times a male and a given female mate. Such a practice has 

 been termed "stud-breeding." It is accomplished by keep- 

 ing the males and hens in separate pens. The hens are one 

 by one dropped in with the male. As soon as mating occurs, 

 they are removed to their own pen. 



Just what practical advantage there is in such a practice 

 has not been determined. It would seem to be worth while 

 only in case of extremely valuable birds. 



Artificial Insemination.— It has been demonstrated at the 

 Oklahoma Station, by Payne- that hens may be successfully 

 inseminated by artificial means, and eggs fertilized and 

 hatched. It is possible that in the future such a practice 

 may be resorted to in an effort to conserve the power of an 

 exceptional male but at present no jiractical use is made of it. 



Double Mating.— Double mating refers to the practice of 

 using separate groups of breeders to produce exhibition birds 



' Jour. Am. Assii. Inst, ami Invest, in I'oul. Huslj., \'i)l. v, No. •!. 

 ' Oklahoma Circular, No, 30. 



