488 POULTRY CULTURE 



same birds produce in their second and third breeding seasons. In 

 the larger kinds, as geese and turkeys, the yearling males in par- 

 ticular lack development and the two- and three-year-old males are 

 usually in every way much better breeders. With regard to fowls 

 and ducks — especially the former — many instances of great 

 breeding vigor after the first year show that the common failure 

 is due to conditions and management. Males are overworked dur- 

 ing the breeding season and not given proper care after it. While 

 old cocks are usually much less fertile in winter than cockerels, 

 if in equally good condition they are as serviceable when spring 

 approaches and will get larger and more uniform chickens. In 

 general this is true also as to pullets and hens. It is largely a 

 question of condition. The older the bird grows, the more diffi- 

 cult it is to keep it in good breeding condition. Few fowls and 

 ducks are as good breeders the third year as the second, fewer 

 still are good after the third year ; yet occasionally four- and five- 

 year-old birds of both sexes will breed as well and the hens lay 

 as well as young stock, and there are authentic instances of fowls 

 breeding well at seven and eight years of age. 



Ratio of females to males. In ordinary breeding, with quantity 

 the first consideration, it is usual to make the mating ratio as wide 

 as possible, mating with each male the largest number of females 

 that can be kept with him and a satisfactory percentage of fertile 

 eggs secured. This number varies greatly for individuals of the 

 same variety, and also in averages for males of different classes of 

 fowls and of different kinds of poultry. In fowls it varies notably, 

 also, with conditions of mating. When one male is penned for the 

 season with the same lot of females, the usual practice is to mate 

 with a male of the small breeds, from ten to fifteen hens ; with a 

 male of the medium-sized breeds, from eight to twelve hens ; with a 

 male of the largest breeds, from six to ten hens. These are about 

 the numbers used by fanciers and breeders who select and breed 

 closely for general matings. In special matings the breeder mates 

 with each male such females as closely match, in appearance and 

 breeding, the one selected as the best mate for that male. In mating 

 as carefully as this a breeder rarely finds more than three or four 

 females for a pen, and frequently finds only one. To get full serv- 

 ice from the male in such cases, he may either alternate him in 



