PRAIRIE FARMER'S POULTRY BOOK 



three fingers to five fingers in a good layer. When the 

 measurement is only two fingers or less the test is considered 

 unfavorable. Nearly all hens during the molt, or while sitting, 

 will have a much smaller spread than while laying, and this 

 must be considered in culling. Watch for abnormalities. There 

 are certain anatomical defects which should always be sought 

 in culling demonstrations and, if found, the hen should be 

 rejected. An important one is crooked pubic bones. If these 

 are much curved so as to approach each other at their points 

 and are tied together with rigid skin and muscle, the hen is a 

 poor producer. Such a condition interferes with the process of 

 laying, so that it is attended with more or less pain. Hens 

 with this defect lay fewer eggs. Undoubtedly crooked pubic 

 bones are the cause of blood-stained eggs. Such hens should 

 not be used as breeders, and they are unprofitable layers. 



Another defect is the crooked breast bone. This defect is 

 hereditary, and birds affected should be discarded. A de- 

 formed beak and a crooked back are other defects that count 

 against the laying performance of a hen. 



Occasionally hens are poor layers on account of structural 

 defects in the egg organs. Usually these cannot be detected 

 during the life of the hen, but sometimes the shape of the egg, 

 the texture of the shell, or the condition of the contents are 

 tell-tales which indicate that the hen should be removed, at 

 least, from the breeding pen. 



Condition. A very good indication of the laying per- 

 formance of a hen is her condition at different seasons. In this 

 connection we should consider the condition of plumage, skin, 

 flesh and pigment. In September, after a long period of laying, 

 the plumage is worn and faded. This indicates a good layer. 

 The skin of a good layer upon the abdomen is found to be soft, 

 velvety, and pliable. A good layer, if fed properly, carries a 

 good supply of flesh. This is noted by the condition of the 

 keel, which is well covered. A poor layer is abnormally fat or 

 unusually thin, with little flesh on keel. At certain seasons 

 pigmentation is a very good clue by which to detect the poor 

 layers. In yellow skinned breeds the vent will continue yellow 

 in the non-layers, but becomes pale or pinkish-white among 

 the good layers. The color disappears from the beak, skin, 

 eye, and legs of the good layer, but a poor layer will retain the 

 yellow beak and skin and brilliant plumage. 



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