Page 20 - Poultry Review June 2008
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20                         POULTRY REVIEW

            Breeding and Care for Early Maturity.

                                         By E. W. PHILO.
              Although we have bred and handled     The  other  hen,  about two pounds
            fancy poultry for over  thirty  years,  heavier, laid fully as many eggs before
            there  is much yet to be learned, and a  moulting and was the first to commence
            day seldom passes without adding some-  laying steadily, but did not lay any eggs
            thing to the store of knowledge.      during the  time  of growing the new
              While firm believers in pedigree breed-  feathers, which lasted but a few days
            ing to get certain results, we never have  over three weeks.  The two hens were
            seen the results so plainly manifested as  mated to a pedigreed cock bird which
            at the present time in noting the pro-  was bred for early maturity, and was
            gress of development and maturity  of  also an exceptional show bird, weighing
            our January-hatched pullets.          eleven pounds  at eleven months and
              Sixteen  Orpington  pullets and nine  was hatched early in September, 1906.
            cockerels were the result of our twenty-  The tenth  of December we started
            seven  chickens  hatched January  ist,  the  hatcher  with  thirty-three  eggs,
            1908.  Four of the pullets were  bred  twenty-two  from  the two productive
            from a  three-year-old  hen and  three  hens and eleven from our best exhibition
            from  another  hen  of  the same age,  mating.  Every one of the smaller hen's
            the only hens in the yard, with but one  eggs produced a  chick and  the other
            exception, that were not hatched  last  eggs  hatched  well and  the  chickens
            season.  They  are  not  show  birds,  were all strong or they would not have
            although  carefully bred from the best  stood the out-door  brooding on  the
            eggs and fowls we couid buy, and on   second of January.
            this account were not used  for breeders  Although the development was not as
            last season.  Although three  years old  rapid  during the  short,  cold days of
            they are decidedly the most productive  January and February as it would have
            hens we ever raised and it was only by  been later in the season, they continued
            accident  that they were not marketed  to grow and develop naturally, without
            last  season,  as both hens were to be  any setback and when nine weeks old
            dressed for market on  a  certain day,  averaged two pounds each, the cocker-
            when they were found on the nest lay-  els being about a quarter pound heavier
            ^^S eggs when nearly  all others were  and the pullets a quarter pound lighter.
            resting and the eggs were bringing forty  At  this  age the  sixteen pullets were
            cents a  dozen  in  the home market.  separated from the cockerels and given
            This, of course, saved their necks until  a new brooder coop, three by six  feet,
            they were found non-productive.       and, on account of being crowded for
              The  smaller hen  of  the two com-  room, were  still confined to this small
            menced  moulting  after  laying  about  coop  until May  30th, when we were
            forty eggs more making  it necessary to  surprised to find the first egg from one
            hold her over the  moult.  Even then  of the three pullets  hatched from an
            slic was too much for us as she laid an  egg of the heavier hen and on the two
            egg every week v/hen her feathers  ^v•e^e  succeeding days  the  two  full  sisters
            nearly stripped, and at the end of three  commenced laying and were then only
            weeks,  before the feathers were  fully  about half matured, weighing but four
            matured,  she gave  us five eggs  in a  and a  half pounds each.  Two days
            week and the  following week, early  in  later all four of the pullets hatched from
            pecenr)ber, laid six eggs.            the small hen comtnenced to lay, while
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