REPORT OF TEE POULTRY MANAGER 315 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



version into broilers to sell at $1.25 to $1.50 per pair. I think it best to sell the eggs 

 at city prices. Unless a fai'mer had all the necessary plant and number of hens he 

 could not make broiler raising pay. 



' MRS. W. J. N.' 



SOME OBSERVATIONS CONFIRMED. 



The observations of last winter were confirmatory of those of the previous season. 

 If they pointed to one of the suspected causes more strongly than another it was to the 

 effect of the extremely artificial conditions under which the laying stock existed. It 

 again seemed evident that until the hens had a run outside, and so had opportunity to 

 recuperate from this long term of artificial life that a satisfactory percentage of strong 

 germs could not be had. And the term of artificial life last season was unusually long, 

 the hens going into winter quarters in mid-November and so remaining until the dis- 

 appearance of the snow in the following spring. A secondary course, perhaps, may be 

 traced to the composition of the rations, quantity and frequency with which they were 

 fed. The composition and manner of feeding the rations is shown in another page. 



It was remarked in report of last year that variety in the composition of and me- 

 thod of feeding the rations was beneficial, at all times, but indispensable in the month 

 of March, if egg eating and feather picking were to be avoided. The observations of 

 last spring emphasized this in no uncertain manner. This experience coming after an 

 unusually long term of winter confinement makes it all the more striking. 



Indeed, the observations of many years go to show that a regular supply of pure 

 water, green food, grit, &c, are imperative, where success is the object. 



THE WORK OF LAST WINTER AND RESULTS. 



The work of last winter may briefly be described as follows : — Soon after going into 

 winter quarters the hens were mated up, when possible, with two-year old male birds. 

 At the end of December the eggs were saved for hatching. At that time the hens had 

 been laying fairly well for a month. On the 6th of January an hundred egg incubator 

 was filled, and throughout the winter months more eggs were placed in other incuba- 

 tors, which were as carefully attended to as circumstances would permit. The condi- 

 tions under which the incubators were operated were perhaps a little harder, owing to 

 the more severe and protracted season, but results were little different from those of 

 the previous year and were most discouraging. 



December and January eggs showed on examination a much larger percentage of 

 dead germs in different stages of development than unfertile or clear eggs. Numerous 

 fully developed chicks dead in shell, many at pipping stage. In some cases they were 

 nearly 50 per cent of the tested eggs. This clearly pointed to weak germs. Some idea 

 of the unsatisfactory results may be had from the following instance. On the 5th of 

 February 180 eggs laid during the previous month of January by Plymouth Rock, 

 Wyandotte, Langshan, Indian Game and White, Buff and Brown Leghorn hens were 

 placed in an incubator. These eggs were hatched on the 26th of February, and result- 

 ed in 26 chickens. Six of the number were cripples and were killed. In this case after 

 deducting 30 per cent of clear eggs and three full grown chicks which died in coming 

 out of the shell, the memorandum made at the time reads : ' That all the remaining 

 eggs contained dead germs in different stages of development. The hens were appar- 

 ently in the best of condition and the eggs from them were large and full.' It may be 

 noted that a Brown Leghorn pullet, one of the 26 hatched on February 26, laid her 

 first egg on the 17th of July following, 4 months and 17 days after coming from the 

 shell. Five days later two White Plymouth Rock pullets, and a cross pullet of the 

 same group, laid their first eggs. Whether it is advisable to have such early laying 

 pullets or not is shown on a following page. 



