76 POULTRY SECRETS REVEALED. 



longer. Tiey are published with such additions or improvements as 

 experience dictates. Others are new discoveries now made public 

 for the first time. 



MATING SECRETS. 



The great breeder is one who has learned how to mate his birds 

 for best results for eggs, meat or exhibition. Percy A. Cook, with his 

 wonderful Orpingtons ; Fishel with his massive, snow-white, non-sitting 

 Plym.outh Rocks; Lester Tompkins and Kaufman and Windheim with 

 the Rhode Island Reds; Parks, the "bred to lay" Barred Rock man; 

 Young's White Leghorns and Tecktonius with his superb Buff Leghorns 

 are instances of what can be done in scientific mating. 



Let us consider the proper mating of certain varieties: 



Barred R6cks. The secret of mating this grand old variety for 

 producing big birds and big layers is this: Breed to the female line, 

 using light colored males, and always from two-year old hens. Select 

 big, active hens that have large, red combs, and are broad between 

 the legs; whose feathers, on each side of the comb "stand out" instead 

 of lying smooth; the singers, eaters, scratchers; the first off the roost 

 in the morning; the last on at night. Select those that lay best the 

 second winter, rather than those that have laid themselves oiit In their 

 pullet year. In other words, breed from those that are on the up grade 

 instead of down. Do not use a male that is too heavy, nor one that 

 bullies the hens. And be sure that his dam was a good layer. When 

 the breeding season is near give muscle making, strength building 

 food. You want abounding vitality, rather than quantity, in the eggs 

 laid for hatching. 



In order that the fertility may be good the male should be a well 

 developed cockerel or a lusty yearling. Old males are not good 

 breeders. These rules are general and apply to all breeds and varieties. 



