MORE EGGS, BUT NO IVIORE MONEY 



Facsimile of the egg report for the same pen during April, 1916. Bird No. 550 was killed by 

 a hawk on the ninth; bird 1878 laid the last egg on the twenty-second; bird 1895 on the 

 eighteenth. These birds were missing at the next weigh-day. April is the month of 

 heaviest production. The birds are vigorously responding to nature's call. The total 

 production for this pen for the month is 583 eggs. Eliminating the three birds mentioned, 

 the production is 547 eggs, an average of over twenty eggs daily, and a percentage of almost 

 68. Every one's hens are laying now, however, and the total value is no more than in 

 January. N signifies that the bird went on the nest but did not lay. -Y signifies that the 

 egg was broken. Eggs laid on the floor are shown on the bottom line. The dots have 

 no significance. Record from experimental farm of the Bureau of Animal Industry. 

 (Fig. 16.) 



habit of sprcadiiij; out the egg-laying 

 period by occasional short rests. To 

 meet the situation, ho\ve\'er, we must 

 rely on simple and definite rules of 

 flock management. 



HATCH CHICKENS E.VRUV 



The first and most imporUuil ol 

 these niles is "Hatch Chickens ii^arly." 



134 



Egg laying begins in yotuig pullets 

 at quite definite jjcriods. In breeds of 

 the American class, such as Pl>Tnouth 

 Rocks, Wyandottes, Rhode Island Reds, 

 etc., jmllets begin to lay at an average 

 age of 7 months. The Mediterranean 

 breeds (Leghtjrns. Minorcas, etc.) begin 

 laying a month sooner, when about 

 6 months old. So, if we want to 



