FEEDING AND CARE OF POULTRY 



387 



coagulates or hardens. The yolk, forming about one-third of the egg, 

 is enclosed in a delicate membrane which keeps it spherical in shape. 

 The yolk contains about 49 per ct. water, 18 per ct. protein, 32 per ct. 

 fat, and 1.5 per ct. ash. The germ in the fresh-laid egg is a white 

 speck about one-eighth of an inch in diameter on one side of the yolk. 



The eggs of the different breeds of chickens vary somewhat in size, 

 the average hen's egg being 2.27 inches long and 1.72 inches in di- 

 ameter, and weighing about 2 ounces. This brings the weight of a 

 dozen eggs to 1.5 lbs. Eggs from pullets are generally smaller than 

 those laid by mature hens. 



Selecting the flock.* — Under any method of feeding and care, suc- 

 cess with poultry is possible only when good stock is kept. Since pure- 

 bred fowls or eggs from such fowls for hatching can be obtained at rea- 

 sonable prices, the wise poultryman will start with good stock and, if 

 possible, keep improving it. To obtain the best chicks, eggs should be 

 saved from strong, vigorous, reasonably mature stock. Only the best 

 of each year's crop of pullets, those which mature early and are per- 

 sistent layers, should be selected for breeding purposes. Such stock 

 should be mated with vigorous males from a high-producing strain. 



It will pay everyone who 



raises poultry to spend a lit- 

 tle time during the fall and 

 winter in marking the laying 

 hens and pullets, leg bands 

 being commonly used for this 

 purpose. Good layers are 

 first of¥ the roost in the morn- 

 ing and the last to go to roost 

 at night, are always busy 

 looking for feed, and have 

 full crops at night. They 

 are bright-eyed, go about 

 singing, and have full-sized 

 red combs that are pliable and 

 inclined to be slippery. Late 

 moulting hens are really the 

 best layers, but are discarded by many farmers, who have a mistaken 

 belief that early moulting hens are the winter layers. Tho the close 

 observer can usually distinguish between hens which are layers and 

 those which are drones, the breeder who wishes to build up a high-pro- 



8 This and the following paragraphs on incubation and raising and feeding 

 chicks are largely adapted from Halpin, Wis. Bui. 261. 



Fig. 110. — A Hen in a Trap Nest 



By using trap nests the poultryman can 

 find out how many eggs each hen actually 

 produces. (From Halpin, Wisconsin Sta- 

 tion.) 



