112 



POULTRY CULTURE 



Pubic Span. — ^As indicated by the space between the pubic 

 bones: 4 finger's breadth, 1; 3 finger's breadth, 2; 2 finger's 

 breadth 3; 1 finger's breadth, 4. 



Thickness of Ischium. — Score as indicated by thickness of 

 bone: Thin, 1; medium thick, 2; thick, 3. 



Position of Lateral Sternal Processes. — Score as indicated 

 by position of process: Tendency to be forced down and out, 

 1; tendency to be parallel to the long axis of the sternum, 2. 



Length of the Toe Nails. — ^Short, 1; medium short, 2; 

 long, 3. 



Disease. — Absence of disease, 1; presence of disease, 2. 



Laying Now. — As indicated by full, moist, flabby, large 

 vent. 



Positive, 1; negative, 2. 



Estimate laying past year on above indications. 



Actual laying as told by the trap nest. 



Age Identifications. — As a bird becomes older the scales 

 do not lie so closely, have a tendency to become rough and 

 possibly scaly leg develops, though the scab parasites may be 

 contracted by the chick from the hen brooding it. There 

 may be a loss of points of the comb due to freezing. The spurs 

 have a tendency to turn up with age. The degree of develop- 

 ment of the spur is useful in estimating the age. As a rule the 

 primary feathers, one each year, commencing at the axillary 

 feathers, become shorter each year; however this is not always 



