BREEDING STOCK

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 88, 13 April 1935, Page 25

BREEDING STOCK

IMPORTANCE OF A GOOD MALE

Stud breeding is an art -which requires not only much experience, but considerable ability and an "eye" for a goßd specimen. The breeding season is still some months away, but already most keen breeders have selected their best birds and are giving them suitable treatment. The actual selection of stock for the breeding pen cannot be done casually one wet afternoon, since details of the birds should be available over a considerable period. In this respect the use of the trap-nest will be found helpful, whilst leg banding with coloured rings will assist in keeping track of different blood lines. It must be recognised that not every bird reared from a good mating will make a good breeder, and once by test a male or hen has proved 'to be a really good breeder, he or she should be retained, and if possible mated the same way again. Good matings that nick well and throw a high percentage of good stock are rare indeed, and very often are spoilt because the owner endeavours to cross in some other blood, spoiling results. Careful progeny records must be kept, and chicks must be web-marked for identification purposes. Again, those 'birds required for breeding purposes should not be forced for high egg production,- but rather should they be placed out' on open free range and/fed. mainly on a grain ration, thus getting them in good hard condition. Quality,' not quantity of egg, is required for incubation purposes. . Pedigree certainly counts, and today few breeders are using cockerels unI less their pedigree is known. To use j males from flock matings containing indifferent birds is only asking for trouble. Although such birds may appear 100 per cent, good, they may be carrying recessive faults which will take several years to work out of a strain once they are established. Of course, before selecting the breeders one must know ; what objects are in view. The good breeder can always picture his ideal,. and by continually aiming in that direction he must attain success sooner or later. As soon as any weakness is noted or may be considered as likely to crop up, precautions must be taken to strengthen that point in the breeding programme. The present is an excellent time to select the breeding females, and only adult birds should be used. The continual breeding from pullets will quickly bring disaster, and those breeders who mate up every female, including pullets, on their farms are asking for trouble. Unfortunately price-cutting tends to demand mass production, and the buyers of day-old chicks are just as much to blame as the breeders, in that they are prone to consider price before quality. In wqrking through the first-year hens, look in particular for those late moulters which are still in lay. You will find them with bright red combs, whilst their feathering will be tight and well worn. 'Look for deep-bodied bij-ds with thin silk-like,skin and fine pliable bones. Wide backs and thin necks, showing strength without coarseness, are wanted. Above all. learn to select by head points. Nicely serrated combs and clean lobes will help, but do not become too keen on, show points in a utility strain. ; Since the male ' bird is half the breeding pen, greater care should be exercised in his selection/than in that of the females. At the same time, one important point must be kept in mind which is not usually recognised by breeders. Do not introduce another fault in order to correct an existing one. For example, if a certain male bird which must be used in the breeding pen has to long a back, do not select females with very short backs in the -belief s that the progeny will have backs of correct length. Certainly a percentage will come tight, but they are really sports, carrying recessively the two extra long and extra short back faults. When bred from, they will not produce good stock. If a serious fault exists, correct it by repeatedly using and selecting the best specimens carrying the desired feature. Of all points, good health and plenty of constitutional vigour are most important. When bred from, the breeders must be in the pink of health. In selecting the male, look for a bold eye and clean face, denoting sharpness of character. An active bird is essential, and his feathering /should be tight and well polished. Examine for depth of body at the front and rear, and see that the legs are firmly set and spaced well apart. A good breeding cockerel should not carry any serious breed defects at all, and he should conform to the type set down in the utility standards for his breed. A good big bird is always better than a good little one, and a little extra weight in bone will help to maintain stamina. The cockerel that flies at the owner when in the breeding pen is a useful bird to own, even if he does dig 'you in the thigh* now and again. A rolled-up newspaper will serve to give him a good hiding, and be careful to watch him when handling the hens in his pen.