350 POULTRY BREEDING AND MANAGEMENT 



quently reaches a point where incubation will begin, the 

 eggs must be frequently gathered. The rule for gathering 

 the eggs should be, once a day, except in warm weather 

 when it should be twice a day. 



Storing or Keeping the Eggs. Cooling the eggs checks 

 deterioration. After being gathered they should be kept 

 in a moderately cool place until shipped. The best tem- 

 perature is between 45 and 60 degrees. A cool, dry cellar 

 is the best place. Objectionable odors may pass through 

 the shell to the contents. The eggs should not, therefore, 

 be stored near decaying vegetables, coal oil, or other things 

 that may injure their flavor. 



Shipping the Eggs. The eggs should be shipped to 

 market as frequently as possible, at least once a week, and 

 in warm weather twice a week. The fresh egg soon be- 

 comes a stale egg. 



Clean Eggs. To grade as first quality the eggs must 

 be clean. The hen covers the egg contents with a clean 

 shell to preserve its purity; the poultryman should be as 

 careful to keep its exterior clean. Dirty nests and dirty 

 yards cause the dirty eggs. Dirty yards mean dirty feet 

 and dirty feet mean dirty eggs, and dirty eggs mean loss 

 of profits. 



Washing the Eggs. Washing the eggs may injure their 

 keeping qualities and spoil their natural appearance. It 

 is better, however, to wash the eggs than to market them 

 dirty. Rubbing with a clean, moist cloth may be all that 

 is necessary. A little washing powder or sapolio may be 

 used where necessary. 



Taking the Eggs to Market. Sometimes the quality of 

 the eggs is injured on the way from farm to town. If the 

 sun on a hot day in a long drive strikes on the eggs it will 

 injure them seriously. The sun is an incubator, and it is 

 not well to incubate eggs that are intended for the break- 



