A POPULAR BREED OF EGG-PRODUCERS 



No fowl is more widely known and liked for egg-laying than the Single Comb White Leghorn, 

 but it will not be as valuable to its owner as it should be, unless it is hatched early. The 

 above photograph of part of the Bureau of Animal Industry's flock at Beltsville, Md., 

 shows the appearance of the pullets in their first fall, when they were beginning to lay, 

 at a period when eggs were scarce and high in price. (Fig. 21.) 



The records of any well-managed 

 flock demonstrate this fact. For ex- 

 ample, in the flock of the Bm-eau of 

 Animal Industry, 220 pullets averaged 

 273^% daily egg production during 

 November, December and January last. 

 That is to say, the egg production of 

 these ptillets was better than one egg 

 every day for every four hens. These 

 pullets averaged 16% in November, 

 25% in December and 40% in January. 

 The best pen of thirty birds averaged 

 30% in November (nine eggs daily), 

 35% in December (better than ten eggs 

 daily) and 30% for January. One 

 other pen of thirty birds made a record 

 of 50% in January, but had not laid 

 so well in the preceding months. These 



were the best and earliest pullets in the 

 Government flock, but the yield for 

 the entire flock of 650 pullets wa,s 

 better than 20% (one egg daily for 

 ever}^ five pullets) . Now the important 

 part of this to the poultry raiser (and to 

 the consumer as well), is that this 

 production was being accomplished 

 when fresh, new-laid eggs were selling 

 at unheard-of prices in Washington. 

 For weeks during this period fresh 

 eggs brought over 50 cents per dozen 

 and at one time they sold for 75 cents 

 per dozen. The same was true in other 

 cities. Such a market should attract 

 the producer because these prices yield 

 a very good profit. Of course, if a 

 large number of poultrymen went into- 



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