20 BULLETIN 561, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGEICULTURE. 
Leghorns increased about one-fifth of a pound in weight during their 
third year while the general-purpose pens increased one-third of a 
pound. In comparing the market value of the fowls this extra 
weight should be credited to the general-purpose fowls. The Leg- 
horns do not tend to become overfat during their second and third 
laying years as do most of the general-purpose breeds. 
The value per dozen of the eggs produced by the Leghorns (Pens 
4, 7, and 8) was from 1 to 3 cents less each year than that of the 
general-purpose pens. (See Table 9.) This difference in value is 
due to the fact that the general-purpose breeds are better winter 
layers than the Leghorns, while the latter give a higher production 
in the spring and summer. This difference is more marked in the 
second than in the first or third years, as shown in Table 6, where 
Pens 7 and 8 (Leghorns) laid nearly as well during their first winter 
as the general-purpose pens (Nos. 1, 2 and 3), although the average 
value of the eggs per dozen for the year was slightly less in the Leg- 
horn pens. Very few Leghorns become broody, which probably 
materially affects their egg yield as compared with the general- 
purpose breeds (see page 35). Better fertility in the eggs, especially 
with stock confined to yards, is more often secured from Leghorns 
than from the general-purpose or from any of the heavier breeds- 
No experiments have been conducted on the fertility and hatchability 
of the eggs from any of these feeding pens, but eggs have been hatched 
from several of them and no marked differences due to the feeding 
or method of management have been noted. Summing up these com- 
parisons, the Leghorns are undoubtedly more profitable fowls to keep 
for the production of eggs only than are the general-purpose breeds, 
which confirms the belief and experience of commercial poultry 
farmers producing eggs for market. 
EGG YIELD AS AFFECTED BY TIME OF MATURITY AND AGE OF FOWLS. 
The average decrease in egg production of all the general-purpose 
breeds during their second year was 42.4 eggs, or about 32 per cent, 
while the decrease in the Leghorns (Pen 4) was only 21.9 eggs, or 
about 16 per cent. The decrease in all general-purpose pens from the 
second to third year production was about 16 per cent. The de- 
crease in Pen 4 (Leghorns) was only 4 per cent. However, the 
decrease in Pens 5 and 6, which were started at the same time as 
Pen 4, was only 20 per cent during their second year and 13 per 
cent during their third year, as discussed later in this paragraph. 
The time of maturity affects this question materially, as the fowls 
which began to lay in November (Pens 1, 2, and 3) laid 17.8 more 
eggs per hen during their first year than Pens 5 and 6, which began 
to lay in January. On the other hand, Pens 1, 2, and 3 (early matur- 
