What Is An Egg? 27 



ill the composition, but the difference is there nevertheless. Hens that are 

 closely confined to limited quarters where they do not get exercise nor 

 have access to sunshine and fresh air, even though well fed, are almost 

 certain to produce eggs low in fertility and weak in vitality. Over-fat 

 hens and very poor hens, if they lay at all, are certain to produce eggs 

 which are almost devoid of the life-giving principles. 



While forced feeding of highly stimulating foods during Fall and 

 Winter might result in a condition of nerve exhaustion during the hatch- 

 ing season and would naturally result in less fertile eggs, it does not 

 follow that just because hens do not lay during Fall and Winter that 

 they will give more fertile eggs during the Spring. Most frequently the 

 hens that do not lay during the Winter have not been properly cared for, 

 they being either too fat from over-feeding or improper feeding, or too 

 poor because underfed. The fowl that lays the most fertile eggs is the 

 one that is in the best health. She may be the hen that has laid regularly 

 for a long period of time. To get fertile eggs, open-air exercise and 

 plenty of meat and green food are necessary. 



The proportion of males to females in the breeding of flock depends 

 upon the breed, also upon the individual. One vigorous, active, prepotent 

 male will give greater fertility than three or four sluggish, effeminate 

 males. I have known almost perfect fertility with 36 White Leghorn 

 females to one male, and have seen almost absolute infertility where one 

 male ran with 15 females. Other conditions being equal, the Mediter- 

 ranean, Leghorns, Minorcas, etc., class can usually be mated 20 to 25 

 females to one male; the American class (Plymouth Rocks, Wyandottes, 

 Javas, etc.) 15 to 20 females to one male; Asiatic (Cochins, Brahmas, etc.) 

 10 to 15 females to one male. Where fowls are kept in flocks wTiich 

 require two males (for instance, 40 or 50 Leghorn females,) it is better 

 to allow only one of the males at a time with the flock. The other one 

 should be kept in a coop with plenty of water, grit and food containing 

 an abundance of meat. Two males running together in the same flock 

 dissipate too much of their energy in fighting. This is particularly true if 

 they are in limited quarters. Very good results, huwever, are obtained 

 by allowing one male to 25 females where fowls run together in flocks of 

 several hundred on unlimited range. 



The shape, size and color of the egg being comparatively constant with 

 individuals, it is evident that like other characteristics they can be trans- 

 mitted from one generation to another, and therefore by selecting only 

 eggs of a certain size, shape and color for hatching, their characteristics 

 become fixed so that a strain of hens will be developed which will lay 

 eggs of the desired type with great regularity.. This has been demon- 

 strated in my own experience, where for years we have used only eggs that 

 weigh two ounces or more, of perfect shape, pure white color, for hatching. 



