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Rural School Leaflet 



2. Only those eggs should be used for hatching that are of best market 

 type as to size, color, and texture. Pure-bred fowls will be likely to lay 

 eggs similar to the eggs from which they were hatched. In other words, 

 the kind of eggs that we select for hatching will determine the kind of 

 eggs that will be laid by the chickens that are hatched from the eggs. 



When eggs from the same variety of fowls are compared, the size of an 

 egg apparently determines to a considerable extent the size of the chicken 

 that will hatch from it. Therefore, if we wish to have chickens of good 

 size we must set good-sized eggs. Hence, we see that there are at least 

 two good reasons why all the eggs that are selected for hatching should 

 be full size, perfect in shape, and of the right color and texture. 



Groups of eggs showing the various sizes and shapes that are obtained from almost 

 any flock. All the eggs in the same row were laid by one hen. Note that the eggs laid 

 by one hen have a characteristic shape. Only uniformly shaped eggs should be 

 marked as first class 



Eggs for hatching should weigh at least two ounces and should not 

 exceed two and one half ounces each. They should be perfect in shape 

 so that they will pack well in the shipping case, that is, so that they will 

 fill the compartments without danger of breakage from top or side pressure. 

 They should be uniform in color, that is, each egg should be of one color 

 and the right color over its entire surface, and all the eggs should be of 

 the same color. The two colors that are most in demand arc pure white 

 and pure brown. There are many degrees of white and of brown in eggs, 

 which will be seen only when the eggs are carefully examined in a good light. 



The texture of the eggshell should be smooth, hard, and free from 

 transparent spots when examined with a tester. Eggs having defective 

 shells are not so likely to hatch well or to produce strong chickens. 



