160 Farm Poultry 



Quality of food. It has been clearly shown by 

 experiments that the food consumed by laying 

 hens affects the flavor of the eggs. In extreme 

 cases, not only is the flavor of the food imparted, 

 but the odor as well. Onions* have been fed 

 to fowls in sufficient quantity to impart a decided 

 flavor and odor to the eggs. So marked was the 

 result, that persons wholly unacquainted with the 

 experiment had no difficulty in distinguishing 

 these eggs from those which were laid by hens 

 fed a normal ration. 



The mere fact that food influences the flavor 

 of eggs in extreme cases, is a sufficient reason 

 for the poultryman to reject all food that is not 

 strictly wholesome. It has not been determined 

 to what extent the ordinary poultry foods in- 

 fluence the flavor; but tainted food should not 

 be permitted to enter into the composition of 

 the ration. If food of high and objectionable 

 flavor imparts its peculiar taste and odor to the 

 egg, it is not safe for those who desire to pro- 

 duce a prime article to run unnecessary risks in 

 feeding doubtful food. Pure, wholesome food is 

 so abundant and cheap that there is no excuse 

 for a questionable practice. 



Forced feeding for eggs. It is maintained by 

 some authorities that, when hens are given a 



* From unpublished results of experiments conducted by the author, 

 at Cornell University. 



