JUDGING A FOWL'S AGE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 24, 28 January 1910, Page 9

JUDGING A FOWL'S AGE.

.Among the mct jods used by the poultryniari is exanw:ation of the leatners, tie shanks, the spurs, the head, and the comb. If the spurs of the male bird are kag, ceavy, and coarse, and the scales of the shank ari rough and uneven, the eanduaon can be saiely reached £ha.t tie fowl is rat'af.r old.

Cockerelsfrequently have long spurs, hut &c spurs will be clear and free of roughStes on the surface, and tlie shanks will be smooth and clean. The same evidence can be used for aens ftnd pullets. Old hens will have longer toe-nails, fts ends of -which will bp worn or broken OS from seratcbins. The scales of the ■leak will be cuirse and rough, and fcequeatly have dirt beneath them, while tt« shanks and toes of pullets arc usualjy iresh-lookLng jnd smooth. Fowls that 'are black =han!cs will change the colour lith age. Older fowls, of this kind will felve shanks au.i toes of an ashy grey tolonr rather tJi&u black. Fowls with Jellow siianks and usually turn white Sitii age. _ In pullets the points of the pelvis bone *21 be much closer together than they *R-\» in old hens. Ea-L-h jear the space between thf-se becomes wider. When noticeably wide erart, the hen will very ~^ e ly be more t'jan two years old. The f&a of old fowl-,, both male and female, Becomes coarse and rough, and the holes from which the feathers have be?n taken Diore prominent. The head and eyes *j old fowls n-ecome rough and coarse, ibe-eyes beeoiae sunken and the skin °r projection over them more strong and prominent

One of the most perfect tests wniefi jVttsed by expert market poultrymen esaminaUcn of the whig fathers. • it tie conclusion of tho firs-t complete moult, which takes place when the fowls. twehe months old, the secalter in shape, and bear evidence 2 s to. tiie divid.ug line having passed. J£°s c wh 0 are thoroughly familiar with -ib? * ? e e£tn tell at '• S l3 - 110 ® whether.