THE PROBLEMS IN MATING AND IN EGG PRODUCTION 83 



that enables the male to beget progeny like himself, irrespec- 

 tive of the characteristics of the females he may be mated 

 with, or a female to produce progeny like herself, regardless of 

 the properties of the male with which she is mated. The fe- 

 male may be equally prepotent with the male. 



Birds for the breeding pens should have the right kind of 

 ancestry, for unless they have been bred true to standard for 

 many generations and their various desirable points thoroughly 

 fixed reversion to undesirable points are more likely to occur. 

 In this instance, if reversion takes place, it is more likely to 

 be of the desirable- qualities, and if variations take place it is 

 more likely to be a favorable variation. 



Qualities, good or bad, can be intensified by mating together 

 fowls possessing such qualities. If one desires to produce 

 good length of body he should mate together both males and 

 females with good length of bodies. In this instance not only 

 will the quality be likely to be inherited, but inherited in an 

 increased and intensified degree. If fowls closely related in 

 blood have some constitutional weakness and are mated to- 

 gether, it is reasonable to suppose that such weakness will 

 be inherited in an intensified form and that such inbreeding 

 will be disastrous; if both fowls are vigorous and healthy, even 

 though nearly related in blood, there is no reason to believe 

 that their progeny will be conscitutionally weak. The great- 

 est factor in inbreeding is the intensifying of the qualities 

 common to both parents, either good or bad, which if bad 

 produces an impairment of vigor and a decline in health. 

 Two-year-old hens are preferable to pullets, they lay a larger 

 egg, hatch a larger chick, and the chicks develop into larger 

 fowls. If pullets are used they must be full grown. The first 

 batch of eggs a pullet lays should never under any considera- 

 tion be set. Cockerels should be mated with hens and not 

 pullets. 



Pullets should be mated with cocks and not cockerels. 

 The number of females to be mated with one male depends 

 upon the breed, age, and activity of the male. This is, in 

 part, determined by observation. 



In mating see that the birds conform to the American Stand- 

 ard of Perfection in shape, height, length of body, neck. 



