10 



of good-sized, white eggs. They are fair sitters and mothers. They 

 have white legs, white skin, and five toes. 



The fault of this breed in Ontario is that they do not do well in 

 confinement, and are not considered hardy. With some farmers, how- 

 ever, they are very popular. 



Standard weight of Silver Grey variety : Cock, 8 lbs. ; hen, 6£ lbs. ; 

 cockerel, 7 lbs., pullet, 5^ lbs. 



Egg Production. 



To produce eggs in winter time, we have to consider the stock, the 

 quarters or housing, the feed, and the weather. 



Stock. — The stock needs to be the best obtainable. An ideal bird 

 for winter egg production is a pullet that is mature at about Nov. 1st, 

 and is strong and vigorous, and of a good laying strain. * Something 

 depends upon the breed, but more on the strain of the breed ; also 

 much upon a good strong constitution, and an abundance of vigor. 

 These are the essential points. 



To get pullets of such birds as Rocks, Wyandottes, and Orping- 

 tons matured by November, it is necessary to hatch them in April. 

 Some seasons May chicks mature quickly and begin laying about the 

 first day of December, but not as a rule. If a pullet does not commence 

 to lay before Christmas, it is doubtful if she will begin much before 

 March, unless the weather is favorable. Then again, good yearling 

 hens that have moulted early are likely layers. The problem, how to 

 get hens to moult early, is not entirely solved as yet. No doubt it has 

 been noticed that hens which sit and bring out a brood of chicks from 

 June 10th to July, usually moult about the time they are leaving their 

 chicks. Some hens that sit earlier also moult early ; but as a rule they 

 begin to lay after sitting, and are rather inclined to late moulting. 



From the above, Lt would appear that the best method to get the 

 flock in general to moult would be to place the flock under conditions 

 similar to those of the sitting hen. This is done by some egg-farmers 

 with more or less success. The plan followed is to change the hens to 

 a new, free range about July 1st, and feed but very lightly, not more 

 than one handful of grain to each hen daily. The object is to induce 

 the hens to dine largely on grass and water, and stop egg production. 

 After being thus treated for from two to three weeks, the hens are 

 again well fed on a good laying ration. In many cases they begin to 

 moult, and, if fed well, get their new coat of feathers in quickly, and 

 thereby save time. I have had a few hens which have begun to lay 

 heavily as soon as I have started to feed them well ; but this is not 

 very often the case. 



Hens over two years of age are seldom good layers. Leghorns, 

 Minorcas, etc., are sometimes good during their third and fourth years; 

 but, generally speaking, the Rocks and such fowls are of little or no 

 use as layers after the second year, being much inclined to become 

 excessively fat. 



For summer egg production the lighter breeds and late-hatched 

 pullets of the heavier breeds are best. Do not expect a hen that has 



