Chapter IX 



Mating and Culling 



THE following are important steps in breeding: 

 The Ideal. The first step in breeding is determining the 

 ideal. This is formed by a study of the breed as exemplified 

 in living birds or by a careful study of distinguishing char- 

 acters as set forth in the Standard of Perfection. The ideal 

 is necessary to progress. Otherwise all efforts to produce or 

 improve a breed will be aimless. Chance will be the control- 

 ling factor. When the mind has a perfect picture of the type 

 and color of the variety chosen, the breeder is then ready to 

 select his foundation stock with discrimination. 



Selecting the Foundation Stock 



Success or failure will depend on this step. Here are some 

 of the general principles concerned in the selection of breeding 

 stock : 



1. Sire and dam should not be related closely if it can be avoided. 



2. Reject all specimens from the breeding pen that have ever been 

 sick or that have any constitutional weakness. 



3. Insist that every specimen shall approach the ideal, as near as 

 possible, in type, color, and stamina. 



4. Avoid all disqualifications in either sex. The more important 

 general disqualifications are the following: Side sprigs on single combs; 

 absence of spike on rose combs; feathers on shanks or toes of clean- 

 legged varieties; absence of feathers on toes or shanks where they 

 should occur; deformed beaks, wry tails, crooked backs, crooked keels, 

 squirrel tail; color of feet other than required by the standard; color 

 of face and ear lobes white, when the standard requirement is red, and 

 vice versa. 



4. Avoid birds too large or too small for the breed. In most cases 

 the standard weight will give best results. 



How to Select the Male 



In selecting the head of the flock or pen, the following 

 factors should be considered : Vigor, vitality, prepotency, pro- 

 ductive power. 



Vigor. Physical stamina and energy of action are the 

 proof of vigor. If I were asked to select a male of strong 



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