28 THE CALL OF THE HEN. 
the different types, he did not want to dispose of any of his flock, so I 
segregated them into three divisions: the egg type, the dual-purpose 
type, and the meat type. After that he fed the egg type all the grain 
they could clean up in the scratching-shed and kept a balance-ration 
of dry ground feed before them all the time. The dual-purpose hens 
were fed all the grain they could clean up in the scratching-shed, with 
a small amount of dry ground feed each day. The meat type hens 
were fed a smaller amount of grain in the scratching-shed, with a couple 
of feeds each week of dry ground mash—just enough to keep them in 
condition. After this he had no more trouble with his hens not laying 
in the proper season and dying from being too fat. He would occasionally 
pick up hens in the different pens and note their condition and feed them 
accordingly. He told me later that before he had taken the lessons he 
had been working completely in the dark, but now he understood the 
matter thoroughly and knew what to do. 
Fig. 9. After examining the hen as in Fig. 8, place the hand as 
an Fig. 9, and hold right hand firmly enough to prevent her from slipping 
own. 
Fig. 10. Then move the left hand down, as in Fig. 10, and hold 
left hand firm enough to keep her in place while removing right hand. 
TYPE. 
Fig. 11. Now, brush feathers away from vent with back of hand 
and part! the feathers near pelvic bones with fingers. Then grasp end 
of pelvic bone so that it comes flush with outside of fingers, as in Figs. 
Fic. 11—Shows method of testing types. The thumb and forefinger are 
placed one on each side of the pelvic bone so that you may estimate the thickness 
of the same, including flesh, fat, gristle, etc. 
