136 AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



INSTITUTE PAPERS. 



WINTER EGG PRODUCTION. 



By George L. Gileingham, Moorestown, N. J. 



To secure eggs in winter in paying quantities we must de- 

 pend upon pullets. Old fowl, over one year old, cannot be de- 

 pended on, as there is no certain date when they will go into the 

 molt or definite length of time when they will be molting; and 

 as a hen will not produce eggs and grow a new coat of feathers 

 at the same time, she will lay but few eggs during the cold 

 winter months. But the pullets should be hatched from adult 

 hens — hens that are strong and healthy and mated with a 

 strong, vigorous cock bird or early hatched cockerel. 



The pullets should be hatched in early spring, but not too 

 early, as if hatched before March i they will go into the molt 

 before winter and you will not -have anything better than an 

 old hen. From the middle of March to the middle of April is 

 the proper hatching season. With all of our domestic animals, 

 well born means half raised, hence the importance of having 

 these pullets well hatdhed from strong, vigorous parents, as 

 one will have to keep enough yearling hens from which to get 

 the eggs for hatching. 



In this business there are four important essentials : First, 

 the man ; second, the breed ; third, the feed, and fourth, the 

 care. The two latter are so closely connected that they may 

 be treated under one head. The man, which also means 

 woman, as she it is who often takes care of the poultry on the 

 farm, must first have knowledge and, lastly but most important, 

 a love for the occupation, for unless one has this he will not 

 succeed, as he will negledt the little things that go to make 

 a success as a whole. It is the little things in our work that 

 tell in the long run. 



