Mork, Irving J.

English

NDSU Libraries Institutional Repository

cull your hens Irving J. Mork Extension Agent, Poultry Marketln ~30.7/7 /l/~Z If( /1M) .Il~ l ~'b •• I C~ StVUUc., "J.tVIfO .. ORTH DAICOTA AtRIGULTURAL OOLLrer Cullin ultry Culling is the proce s of separating the good egg layers from the poor layers, guided by external app earance and examination of the birds. WHAT CULLING DOES Careful examination makes it possible for you to tell the "layers" from the "loafers". It enables you to figure with SOITle degree of ac­curacy how long a hen has been laying and whether or not she has taken a .long vacation. Cull ing does not predict the future egg production of you hens or pullets. WHAT ISTHE BASIS OF CULLING? Birds should be culled on the basis of their thrift; size, and trueness of type and color. II your flock is fairly free of disease, amI ha been properly fed, housed and managed, you should he aLl e to estimate the past performance of Lhe hens, if you are familiar \ ilh the princi­ples 0 r cull ing. WHEN TO CULL Cul} all the }car aroun"l L} removing sick and untllriiitr LinL. '11Je til! e for ri ,ill cull ing is generally June 15 LO July 15. Cull ~()ur flock at least t~ice during this period. VI:: only tl.e he st 18Y r. e11 all otLer , or d ispos of tbe 1\I ~orue othel' way. '1ou cun cull at ni ·ht or Jurinl;.- th do.) . ,ul] at ni[,IJl L) fJandlint' t1Jl 'r,:~ rlir ct from the roo "ls. 1\ f1a::shH ilL or an c:\tcn.·ion corel ,dth a ::,uull huJL "ill dlo "Oil to tl I egre ' of y 110\\ in I' b k, e 'eliJ. • earloue. o. nJ hanks 0 r ello -~kinn'" 1) ir sid t r-mine \\ II i h he n s are L ' j n • COMB - - -EYE -­BODY CAPACITY -GOOD LAYERS Large, red . glossy Bright -More than two fin­gers spread between pub i c bo n e s . HANDLING QUALITY ­ - Abdomen: Sof t , pI i­able, enlarged. POOR LAYERS Small . pale, scaly Dull Less than two fingers spread between pubic bones. Abdomen: Fatty. hard , contracted. VENT Large, moist , oblong. Small. dry, round . BEAK AND SHANK -(yellow skinne d birds only) Wh it e. - - - - - -Good layers do not molt until fall. The best layers molt and lay at the same time. The feathers are worn and ragged. ~@(O)~ ~rR1~~~s) Yellow. Poor 1ayers mol t early and slowly. They often show many new feathers by early summer. JUDGING FOR PRESEHT PRODUCTIO Parts Good Layers Poor Laying Hen Comb Large, red, full, glossy Small, pole, scaly Eye Bright Dull Vent Lorge, dilah:d, oblons, moist Small, contracted, round,dry Pubic bone spread Two to five fingers spread Less than two fingers spread Body capacity More than two fingers spread Less than two fingers spread between keel and pubic bones. between keel and public bones. JUDGIHG FOR PAST PRODUCTION Parts Long Laying Period Short Laying Period Vent Bluish white Flesh colored Eyelids Th in and edges wh ite Thick, yellow tinted Eye Prominent, keer., sparkl ing L istles s, sunken Beak Pearl y white Yellow-tinted Face Clean cut, 5 unken Full, well fleshed Shanks White, flot, thin Yellow, round, smooth Phllnage Worn, soi led, Iifeless ,close Signs of molting, loose feathered fathered ESTIMAliNG MERITS OF LAYERS Parts Good Layers Poor Layers Head Beak Eye Face Comb Breast Back Abdomen Skin Pubic bones Keel Capacity Shonks Molt Broad, square short Bright, bulgi n9 Lean, smooth Large, fine Full, brood Broad, long Soft, pliable, di lated Soft, thin loose, silky Tips thin, point straight out Slopes downward Four to five fingers Lean, flot, fine scaled Late, rapid Crow-headed, round Long Dull, sunken Meaty, wrinkled Small, coarse Shallow, narrow Narrow, pinched Fatty, hard, contracted Thick, dry underlaid with fat Tips thick, curved in Slope s upward Two fingers Fat, round coorse scaled Early, slow orth Dcr.Itola Aqrlcultura} College and the United States 0 artm nt of Agriculture CooperaUn. E. J. Haslerud, Director or Extension Service. Dlstrl uled tn furtherance of the Acte of Congress of M y 8 n June 30, 1914. 

Cull Your Hens

https://library.ndsu.edu/ir/bitstream/10365/7783/1/a_176_1960.pdf

Cull Your Hens

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

NDSU Libraries Institutional Repository