l8 MAINE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. I902. 



CONTINUANCE OE FERTILITY OF HENS EGGS AFTER MATING 



CEASES. 



To learn how long after the mating of hens and cockerels has 

 been discontinued, the eggs remain sufficiently fertile to yield 

 healthy chickens, 20 Barred Plymouth Rock hens were selected 

 and the cockerel that had been mated with them since February 

 1st was removed on the evening of May 24th and was not 

 returned again. The eggs laid on May 25th and on each suc- 

 ceeding day, to and including June 6th, were incubated and 

 their fertility noted. Each day's eggs were kept in separate 

 lots in the incubator so that at the completion of the period all 

 eggs could be accounted for. 



On the last day the eggs were saved — June 6th — the male 

 bird had been removed from the pen containing the hens 13 

 days and the hens had had no opportunity to mate with other 

 males, yet the eight eggs laid that day yielded three good chicks. 

 The 27 eggs laid during the first three days after the removal of 

 the male yielded ten chicks. The 30 eggs laid on the nth, 12th 

 and 13th days after the removal of the males yielded seven chicks. 



TABLE SHOWING THE NUMBER OF EGGS SECURED FROM THE HENS 

 EACH DAY AFTER THE REMOVAL OF THE COCKEREL THE NIGHT OF 

 MAY 24 AND THE NUMBER OF CHICKS HATCHED FROM THEM. 



T. . 





May 25 . 

 May 26 . - 

 May 27 . 

 May 28 . 

 May 29. 

 May 30.. 

 May 31 . 

 June 1 .. 

 June 2 . 

 June 3 . 

 June 4 . 

 June 5 . 

 June 6 . 



11 



5 

 11 

 10 



9 

 12 

 10 

 11 



6 



10 

 12 

 10 



8 



i 



2 

 4 

 4 



3 

 4 



4 

 3 

 2 

 2 

 4 

 

 3 



