Relation of Male to Female Ratios on Fertility in Crossmated Flocks of Chickens

AS BREEDING males are one of the principal items of expense in producing chicken hatching eggs experiments were initiated in 1947 at the Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station to determine the minimum number of males required in several kinds of flock matings for consistent high fertility. Results from experiments on male to female ratios as related to fertility of New Hampshire females flock mated to New Hampshire males have already been reported by Parker and Bernier (1950). Results from subsequent experiments in which New Hampshire females were flock mated to Delaware and Dark Cornish males at varying ratios are reported in this paper. Also included are results from matings of White Leghorn females flock mated to Black Australorp males. Pertinent literature on relative number of males to fertility has been reviewed (Parker and Bernier, 1950). Recently Raskopf (1957) from a study of 517 Tennessee hatchery flocks involving both heavy breeds and . . .