PRAIRIE FARMER'S POULTRY BOOK 



inheres in the individual. A fowl may be strong and vigorous 

 but lack in vitality because it lacks resistance to unfavorable 

 influences. When a b.ird has good vitality it resists disease 

 and survives vi^hile others quickly, succumb. A male bird that 

 survives two or three seasons in the breeding pen certainly 

 has good vitality. 



Prepotency. This is the power that an individual has to 

 perpetuate its qualities. Vigor, vitality and prepotency often 

 go together, but a bird may have the first two qualities but 

 lack in prepotency. When a male stamps his individuality 

 upon his progeny he is said to be prepotent. Such a male is 

 invaluable. Prepotency is indicated by the jealous attention 

 of the male to the female. Strongly fertile eggs are an evi- 

 dence of prepotency in the breeding stock. 



A sure method of detecting prepotency is the trap nest. 

 Walter Hogan in his "Call of the Hen" gives a method which 

 is worth considering. A point, known as "A", is found where 

 the skull joins the atlas along the median line over top of head ; 

 and a similar point, known as "B", is found on the side just 

 behind the ear where the skull joins the neck. If A is behind 

 B, prepotency is strong; if A and B are opposite or in the same 

 plane prepotency is only average ; but if B is behind A pre- 

 potency is weak. Some consider prepotency a "breeders' 

 superstition" and that the Hogan test is only a "myth." By 

 many breeders this test is considered reliable and that it 

 should always be used in selecting special matings. It is 

 worth a trial. 



An individual may be prepotent in one character but not in 

 others. Again, an individual may be prepotent in several char- 

 acters, such as type, fecundity, vitality and color. When a 

 male is found to be prepotent he should be greatly treasured 

 on account of his influence upon the whole flock. 



Producing power. It is quite generally recognized that 

 high egg prockiction does not always come from females whose 

 dams were good producers. The male is an important factor 

 in securing large egg production. If the male is derived. from 

 a hen having a high record for egg production, his progeny will 

 be good producers. The trap nest is necessary to select the 

 high producing hens. In addition to his breeding the male 

 should pass the culling tests usually applied to the female. 

 The pubic bones should be straight, not unduly thickened at 

 the ends, and should be separated by at least one finger. The 



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