FERTILITY AND SEX OF EGGS. 33 



occurred in this portion of the brood ; but that if none of the 

 eggs were more than four or five days old, they not only 

 hatched nearly every one, and within an hour or two of each 

 other, but the losses in an ordinary season were veiy few. 



There is, however, one partial exception to this statement, 

 which is only generally true in reference to breeding at 

 the natural seasons. Nature does not, however, intend fowls 

 to breed in winter; and during that season and very early 

 spring, the male birds especially are far less vigorous. This 

 is partly shown in sterile eggs, which need no comment. 

 But growth in the egg and final hatching out are as much 

 tests of comparative strength as anything in the future lives 

 of the chickens; and hence many eggs which begin to de- 

 velop have not strength to finish, or if they do, may not 

 have muscular strength for what is really the great exertion 

 of final hatching. 



When the eggs are from the home stock, their quality 

 should, of course, be above suspicion. It is scarcely necessary 

 to say, that in order to ensure this, every egg before storing 

 should have legibly written upon it in pencil the date on which 

 it was laid. Eggs intended for setting are best kept in bran, 

 the large end downward, and shoidd never be exposed to 

 concussion. Another very good plan is to have a large board 

 pierced with a number of round holes in regular rows to 

 receive the eggs. 



Hundreds of years ago it was thought that the sex of eggs 

 could be distinguished by the shape the cocks being produced 

 from those of elongated shape, and hens from the short or 

 round. Others have pretended to discern the future sex 

 from the position of the air-bubble at the large end. These 

 and every other nostrum have, hundreds of times, been proved 

 to be erroneous. There is not a breeder of prize poultry in 

 England who would not gladly give twenty pounds for the 

 coveted knowledge, and thenceforth breed no more cockerels 



D 



