22G 



PRACTICAL POULTRY PRODUCTION 



Figure 217. — A Barred Plymouth Rock 

 lien in full molt. 



distinguished in that they are 

 usually lifeless, inactive and 

 have a tendency to stay on 

 the roost all or part of the 

 day. Likewise they show but 

 little desire to eat and their 

 comb is usually very pale or 

 of a dark or bluish color. 

 Fowls with long toe nails, a 

 snaky or crow head, and dull 

 sunken eyes can safely be 

 culled as possessing but Ht- 

 tle vigor or constitutional, 

 strength. 



Molt. Molting is the proc- 

 ess of shedding the old feath- 

 ers and the growing of new feathers to take their place. 

 This condition or process is one of the most valuable and 

 easily appKed tests as an index of production. Most hens 

 cease laying completely or 

 practically so during the molt, 

 as but few hens can grow 

 feathers and produce eggs at 

 the same time. It will be 

 observed that hens of the 

 general-purpose breeds lay 

 more or less during the molt. 

 This condition is less fre- 

 quently found in the lighter 

 breeds, such as the Leghorn. 

 The best producers continue 

 laying well into the fall, be- 

 fore molting. The poor pro- 

 ducers usually molt early in ^■«"- 'i^n-hat^S^no^ToUed. ^"^ 



