The Farm-poultry . ivity, are better layersunder ordinary conditions than the larger breeds, thelong prevalent notion that large comb birds are betterlayers has operated to establish the large combed type. That there is no necessary correlation between the sizeof the comb and laying capacity, seems to me to be per-fectly clear from the fact that so many instances are tobe found of fowds with very small combs, both breedswith small combs and individuals or stocks with unusu-ally small combs for their kind, which are as productiveas large combed birds or large combed breeds. The bestlaying stock
The Farm-poultry . ivity, are better layersunder ordinary conditions than the larger breeds, thelong prevalent notion that large comb birds are betterlayers has operated to establish the large combed type. That there is no necessary correlation between the sizeof the comb and laying capacity, seems to me to be per-fectly clear from the fact that so many instances are tobe found of fowds with very small combs, both breedswith small combs and individuals or stocks with unusu-ally small combs for their kind, which are as productiveas large combed birds or large combed breeds. The bestlaying stock of Plymouth Rocks I ever handled, stockwhich for years both in my own yards and in the yardsof my customers was notable for laying qualities, hadcombs so small in the females that the development ofthe pullets combs, as they approached laying maturity,often escaped notice, even when we were watching for was, indeed, less development of the comb thandesirable merely for looks in the females, yet this stock. English Tup: Black Minorca Female. FIRST BUT°lH9<a S. C. Rhode Island Red Hen. A small combed fowl that is reckoned a good egg producer. was exceptional in laying quality, and as generally reli-able for fertility as any I have ever seen. This matter ofpossible relation of size of comb to egg production is oneI have watched closely for many years in many ago I came to the same conclusion with regard toit as I did with regard to the correlation of shape ofbody (egg type) to egg production—that it could not bedemonstrated on an impartial consideration of birds and breeds with very large combs are goodlayers. Many birds and breeds with very small combsare just as good. That excessive development of the comb is objection-able and often injurious, as Mr. Brown states, will beuniversally admitted. Such excess of development isextremely rare in this country. The whole tendency isthe other way, toward a medium to small comb, neat inappearance and
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectpoultry, bookyear1906
