THE SELECTION AND CARE OF POULTRY 
BREEDING STOCK. 
Rob R. Slocum, 
Animal Husbandry Division. 
Keep standardised stock. 
Health and vigor 
Object of breeding 
Time of mating 
Size of matings 
CONTENTS. 
Page. 
3 
3 
4 
6 
6 
Age of breeding stock . 
Free range for the breeding pen. 
Maintaining flock fertility 
Housing breeding stock 
1 Feeding breeding stock 
Page. 
7 
8 
8 
9 
9 
KEEP STANDARDBRED STOCK. 
O NE of the essentials for success in poultry-club work is good 
stock. This means standardbred stock ; 1 for this stock has 
been bred and developed for specific purposes and therefore best 
meets the needs of the boy or girl. A flock of standardbred fowls 
possesses a uniformity of appearance which the mongrel flock never 
has, and will arouse the club member’s pride and lead to better care. 
Moreover, standardbred fowls produce eggs and table carcasses 
which are much more nearly uniform in size, shape, and color, and 
which therefore bring better prices. It costs no more to feed and 
care for standardbred fowls than for mongrels, and there is often an 
added income possible from them, which may amount to a hand- 
some profit from the sale of breeding stock or eggs for hatching. 
HEALTH AND VIGOR. 
Only by continuous selection for health and vigor is it possible to 
build up a flock which will produce fertile eggs, strong chicks capable 
of making quick growth, and pullets with sufficient stamina to 
withstand the strain of heavy egg production. The appearance of 
a bird is not always a sure indication of its vigor, but appearance 
and action taken together are a fairly reliable guide for picking out 
vigorous birds. 
The comb, face, and wattles should have a good, bright color; the 
eyes should be bright and fairly prominent, and the head should be 
comparatively broad and short, having a fairly short, well-curved 
beak and showing no tendency to be long, ‘ ‘snaky,” or “crow- 
1 Standard varieties of chickens are described and illustrated in Farmers’ Bulletins 806 (the American 
class), 898 (the Medit .-ranean and Continental classes), and 1052 (the Asiatic, English, and French classes). 
187384° — 2 r 3 
