36 NATURE AND ITS' 



In mating these pullets for breeding- use a cock over one 

 year old and put one cock for fifteen pullets in one pen. If 

 you are selling eggs for the market you don't need the cock 

 and the eggs will always keep better if not fertilized. You 

 need not be afraid that some one will set the eggs, as the 

 pullets having been without a cock, the eggs will not hatch. 



Pullets are the only money makers. The hens do not 

 lay one-third as many eggs as the pullets during the winter 

 and all the hens over two years old sell for breeders or to a. 

 market. They sell best about July. 



But if you want good, strong, large, healthy chicks for 

 next year's layers, keep the eggs from the hens for hatch- 

 ing. If you want to keep eggs for hatching from pullets do 

 so from February and March hatched pullets, and keep eggs 

 for hatching after pullets are a year old. 



Never force hens or pullets to lay when you want eggs 

 for hatching, and never feed mash food when saving the 

 eggs for hatching. Grain makes strong rich yellow yolks, 

 especially corn, and if you force the hens with all kinds of 

 powders, pepper, etc., the eggs will not hatch good nor be 

 very fertile, and most of the chicksi will die in the shell. 

 Throw the grain in straw and make them scratch for a liv- 

 ing, but don't overdo that either. Keep them in good flesh, 

 and to every pen or house give them a pail of coal ashes. 

 This is a great egg food and is healthy for chickens of all 

 ages. So is lime and charcoal and clover hay cut up fine. 

 Never feed hot mashes or have a stove in the hen house in 

 winter. 



Water Fowls arc Money Makers. 



China Pekin ducks are the best money makers and pay 

 better for marketing thanj broilers or spring chickens be- 

 cause they grow so fast. A ten weeks duckling often weighs 

 six pounds and in May sells for*-ninety cents each at that 

 age in almost any market. This is fifteen cents per pound. 

 A spring chicken weighs only two pounds at ten weeks of 



