304 MY POULTRY DAY BY DAY 
These parts are very closely correlated in size. After a bird has 
stopped laying, or as it gets ready to stop, the abdomen shrinks. 
The actual distance between these parts depends on the size of the 
bird, and the size of her egg, as well as the number of eggs about 
to belaid. The system is of value in telling what the bird may do 
for the next two or three weeks, or by knowing that the bird is 
laying at certain times of year, it indicates high or low production. 
It does not eliminate sick birds with distended abdomens. 
It has been known for a long time, and reported occasionally 
in the poultry Press, that the heavy eaters are generally the best 
layers, or are at least laying heavily at the time. Also the birds 
that are last to roost and first to get up are usually laying heavily, 
or, as a contributor to Farm Poultry in 1905 remarks, the non- 
laying hens are usually found at the back of the perches in the 
places that get dark first. 
In addition to the four groups given, the question of type and 
egg-production is always one of much discussion. As yet, as far 
as I can learn, there isn’t any part of the bird that can be measured 
in inches, and this measurement correlated with egg-production. 
A bird that is laying has a full abdomen, but the same bird has a 
small abdomen when she has stopped laying. Some birds with 
large combs have made high records, and so have some with small 
combs. The same thing is true of size. 
I do not for a minute contend that it is not possible to go into 
a large flock of pullets and pick out a small flock that will nearly 
all be good layers, and another that will be poor. This selection, 
however, is based on maturity, health and vigour. If a selection 
were based on type it would be possible to go into a flock of pullets 
and tell not merely which are medium, good or poor producers, 
but by seeing or measuring how closely they conform to a certain 
type, it would be possible to tell how good they are—that is, Just 
how many eggs they are going to lay. As far as I know, this has 
never been done, and I do not believe it is any more possible 
than it is to accurately tell the production of a dairy cow when 
she is dry. 
Some poultrymen assert that they can tell a good laying hen 
