40 THE TRAP NEST TEXT BOOK 



meaning) to get a profit under a system that is illogical and blind. An 

 intimate acquaintance with hucksters who buy poultry will enable any- 

 one to substantiate this position . 



A story that I will vouch tor illustrates the, point. A simple minded 

 farmer's boy appeared at one of our stores one day with a dressed fowl 

 for sale. The merchant asked him: "When was the bird killed?" 

 "We didn't kill her, she died," replied the unsophisticated youth. 



Under the trap-nest or individual system, we do not require the aid 

 of our nests to cull out, and dispose of, runts and sick birds. We may 

 tind birds that can be honestly "killed for meat" that the veriest novice 

 could tell, by observation, were not producers; but we also find, often 

 in large numbers, birds that are not, and will not be good layers, that 

 cannot be identified without a knowledge of their laying habit. 



It is easy to tell that a bird is heavy or light, fat or lean, but we find 

 that many good layers are light, many are heavy; some are fat, many 

 are lean. The fat that interferes the most with egg production is fre- 

 quently found (by killing the bird) to be so located that its presence 

 cannot be determined while the bird is alive except by its effect upon 

 her laying, or the eggs that she lays. Such birds are often very thin in 

 flesh. We are frequently cautioned against overfeeding, but, until we 

 succeed in getting our flock into such shape that it will comprise good 

 layers only, we cannot feed properly without overfeeding some of the 

 birds or underfeeding others. It is quite difficult to overfeed a per- 

 sistent layer that is well started on a period of laying if the ration is 

 balanced, and exercise is encouraged. 



Great egg production, under normal conditions, is not necessarily a 

 great strain upon the bird, but it makes constant and forcible demand 

 upon the care-taker for a generous supply of suitable food. 



CULLING FOE PROFIT should begin with the eggs that are to be 

 used for hatching. 



A hen that is well developed, with the reproductive organs in normal 

 condition, should produce eggs of even color, (if colored) and good 

 shape, with strong shells. If she is properly nourished and in good 

 breeding condition the eggs will be of representative size. Abnormally- 

 large eggs, porous, rough, or uneven shells, ill shaped eggs, .spotted or 

 unevenly colored shells, indicate; an abnormal condition of the bird, 

 probably due to internal fat. 



Small eggs are produced by immature pullets, hens nearing the end 

 of a laying period and hens (hat naturally lay small eggs. 



Occasionally a hen that habitually lavs an egg of normal size will 

 give us an abnormally-small or -huge egg. This, in common with 

 double-yolked eggs, poorly-shelled eggs, blood-stained eggs and eggs 

 with no shells, 1 believe is due to a more or less overfat condition. 



