Page 20 - Poultry Review June 2008

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