POULTRT-CRAFT. 123 



161. What is a Good Egg Yield ? There are ordinary, extraordinary, 

 and VERY EXTRAORDINARY egg yields. 



An ordinary egg yield is from six to ten dozen eggs per hen per year. 

 An extraordinary yield is from ten to fourteen dozen per hen. Anything 

 over fourteen dozen eggs per hen is a very extraordinary egg yield. 



Ordinary egg yields are obtained from average fowls under the general 

 conditions found on most farms, and from small flocks not given special 

 attention. Ordinary egg yields from flocks handled specially for heavy 

 laying, are also quite common when unfavorable weather or other unavoidable 

 contingency depresses the yield. The figures given for extraordinary egg 

 yields indicate the normal fluctuations in the product from good stock well 

 managed. Skill does not allow it to remain below the lower figure, and can 

 rarely sustain it above the higher. Whatever may be said of the desirability 

 of reaching an average of two hundred (or more) eggs per year per hen, the 

 cold fact is that a twelve dozen per hen flock is an uncommonly good bunch 

 of hens. Its record speaks well for its management. 



162. The Early Winter Egg Crop. Eggs in early winter are usually 

 the feature of a large egg yield, though very prolific layers beginning to lay 

 in mid- winter and continuing well into the fall can easily reach a high mark. 

 In handling hens for eggs only, it is in every way desirable to get the hens 

 to laying as early as possible, and take the chances of keeping them laying. 

 (Some early winter layers lack staying qualities, and are poor layers). One 

 who keeps fowls for eggs ought to do all in his power to get early winter 

 eggs, but need not feel unduly discouraged if his best plans and efforts result 

 sometimes in failure total or partial for here again the cold facts have 

 consolation and encouragement for those that fail. The usual condition 

 through November and December is that the hens are " getting ready to lay." 

 The beginning of the season of good laying is from December 15 to January 

 15, and, as has been said, hens beginning then can do highly satisfactory 

 work. Beginners in egg farming commonly think that by selection, breeding 

 for eggs, and feeding for eggs, they can establish a strain of hens that will 

 begin laying as naturally in November as most hens do three or four months 

 later. Selection and management help to get stock that can be put in 

 condition to begin laying early in the winter ; but there are some very potent 

 factors working against early winter egg yields. These factors are : unfavor- 

 able weather, which may be expected about two years out of three ; and the 

 natural reversionary tendency of hens not to lay in early winter, this 

 tendency is always present, and acts with more or less strength, if given the 

 least opportunity. Those two factors can put up a combination against which 

 all the good breeding and skill in the world are powerless, unless resort is 

 made to hot-house conditions for laying stock a cure which, in the end, is 

 worse than the disease. If this were not so very extraordinary egg yields 

 and good egg yields in November and December would be the rule among 



