POULTRY RAISING CHICKENS 317 



8. Sort Eggs. Sort the eggs before sending them to market. Have 

 those of like color together. Use the small or dirty eggs at home. Insist 

 upon selling them on a quality basis. 



Grading Eggs. 



Proper grading and marketing of eggs is an important subject and one 

 which does not receive the attention it deserves. It is neglected mostly by 

 the smaller egg producer who is not properly posted along this line. He is 

 not informed on market conditions and does not realize the losses which 

 result from the lack of attention to grading. 



Grades of Eggs. 







Fresh Eggs. An egg to be accepted as a first class, or fresh egg, must 

 be newly laid, clean, of normal size, showing a very small air cell, and must 

 have a strong, smooth shell, of even color and free from cracks. With the 

 exception of the air cell, which is only visible through the aid of the candle, 

 these are the points by which eggs are graded in the early spring, at which 

 time they are quite uniform in quality, thereby making candling unnecessary. 



Checks. This term applies to eggs which are cracked but not leaking. 



Leakers. As indicated by the name, this term applies to eggs which 

 have lost a pait of their contents. 



Seconds. The term "seconds" applies to eggs which have deteriorated to 

 a sufficient extent as to be rejected as firsts. 1'hey are, however, of a high 

 enough quality to be used for human consumption. The several classes of 

 eggs which go to make this grade may be defined as follows : 



(a) Heated egg: One in which the embryo has proceeded to a point cor- 

 responding to about 18 to 24 hours' normal incubation. In the infertile egg 

 this condition can be recognized by the increased color of the yolk; when 

 held before the candle it will appear heavy and slightly darker than the fertile 

 egg. 



(b) Shrunken egg: This class of seconds can be easily distinguished by 

 the size of the air cell. It may occupy from one-fifth to one-third of the space 

 inside the shell. The holding of the eggs for a sufficient length of time to 

 allow a portion of the contents to evaporate, is the main cause of this con- 

 dition. 



(c) Small egg: Any egg that will detract from the appearance of normal 

 eggs on account of its small size, will come under this class although it may 

 be a new laid egg. 



(d) Dirty egg : Fresh eggs which have been soiled with earth, droppings, 

 or egg contents, or badly stained by coming in contact with wet straw, hay, 

 etc., are classed as seconds. 



(e) Watery egg: Those in which the inner membrane of the air cell is 

 ruptured, allowing the air to escape into the contents of the egg and thereby 

 giving a watery or frothy appearance. 



