288 EXPERIMEyiAL FARMS 



4-5 EDWARD VII., A. 1905 



the resumption of winter laying has been more marked in the present season than in 

 any previous one. While there are doubtless causes, yet not apparent, close observa- 

 tion has shown that any of the following too common practices, is deterrant to early 

 winter laying, viz. : — 



1. In the case of pullets, neglect in care or feeding which has resulted in their 

 becoming immature. 



2. Moving hens or pullets from place to place when winter egg laying is expected. 

 Put the birds into their winter quarters and let them remain in them, undisturbed. 

 A run from pen to limited outside run is beneficial. 



3. Overcrowding after being put into winter quarters. This applies to both hens 

 and pullets and is more generally practised than is imagined. 



4. Unnecessary exposure of pullets or newly moulted hens to cold fall rains, or, 

 damp quarters. 



5. Placing birds, suffering from colds, in laying pens instead of hospital. Neglect- 

 ed colds generally end in roup. 



6. Lice infested fowls which, usually, is synonomous with filthy quarters. 



7. Pullets from constitutionally weak, poor egg laying, or slow maturing strains 

 of fowls. 



8. A mistaken notion of economy which leads to the feeding — to growing pullets — 

 of oats (very often of poor quality) instead of wheat, buckwheat or corn. 



9. -HeiLs improperly fed during their moult or allowed to hatch chickens late in 

 the season. 



10. Hens which have become overfat from being overfed during, or, soon after 

 moulting. 



EARLY HATCHED PULLETS TO THE RESCUE. 



For the scarcity of eggs during the months of September, October and early part 

 of November, and which has already been commented on, the practical remedy seems 

 to be early-hatched pullets. In order to have pullets laying in these months they would 

 requir,e to be hatched out in April and early May at the very latest. Farmers should 

 certainly have no difficulty in having them at that time. Experience has shown that 

 to have pullets laying in July or August would necessitate their being hatched in 

 January or February, and by artificial rnean^, for it would be almost impossible to 

 get broody hens at that season. For this reason, pullets so hatched are not likely — 

 for some time to come, at least — to be as numerous as those later hatched. Records 

 of our department show the following dates at which early artificially-hatched and 

 reared pullets began to lay : — 



1. Brown Leghorn pullet, first egg in July 17, when 4 months and 20 days old. 



2. Two White Plymouth Rock pullets, first eggs on July 28, when 5 months of age. 



3. A Cross-bred pullet, on July 28, when 5 montlxs old. 



4. A W. P. Rock pullet, on August 1, when 5 months and 3 days old. 



On another occasion several Barred P. Rock pullets hatched on March 26, began 

 laying when 5 months of age, which would be at the end of August. 



April and early May pullets laid at different dates in late September and October. 

 Some of these were hatched by hens and others by incubator. 



WHAT EXPERIEXCE HAS SHOAVN RELATIVE TO EARLY PULLETS. 



Experience in connection with the hatching of pullets, intended for early layers, 

 leads to the following conclusions : — 



Pullets to prove early layers should come from hens which have shown them- 

 selves to be early and prolific layers. 



