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of themselves. The first great rule for winter eggs is as follows : 

 Get out your chicks early and keep them coming from the day 

 they break the she'll down to the day they go into the laying pens 

 in the fall. 



AMERICAN BREEDS BEST. 



The breed has something to do with it. As a rule the Amer- 

 ican breeds are the best winter layers. I know that this state- 

 ment will be challenged, and that instances will be given where 

 the Mediterraneans or Asiatics have equalled or surpassed the 

 Americans in egg production ; but the statement will stand. The 

 Mediterraneans are thin feathered and are very susceptible to 

 climatic conditions. A sudden cold snap will often cause the 

 egg product to drop to zero. The Asiatics, on the other hand, 

 are thick feathered, but slow in maturing they do not get ready 

 to lay until well on towards spring. The man who wants winter 

 eggs will make no mistake if he fills his pens with well matured 

 pullets of the American class. 



A WARM HOUSE ESSENTIAL. 



In olden times hens were not expected to lay in 

 winter. No wonder they did not! They were not 

 hatched out until June, and were expected to pick up 

 their living in the fields. After it become too cold for them to 

 roost in trees they were allowed to stay in the barn nights, roost- 

 ing on the big beams, or were thrust down into the noisome barn 

 cellar. A few handfuls of corn were thrown down to them from 

 time to time, and if they wanted to quench their thirst they could 

 eat snow or break the ice in the horse trough. It is a marvel they 

 ever lived through the winter, to say nothing of laying eggs. 

 Even to-day, when poultry keeping is so much better understood, 

 the importance of a warm house is not half enough appreciated. 



The West Virginia Experiment station a few years ago scien- 

 tifically demonstrated the importance of a warm house in the pro- 

 duction of winter eggs. "Two houses situated side by side and 

 similar in all respects were selected for the experiment. The 

 houses had been constructed with matched siding and shingle 

 roofs. Before the experiment began, one house was sheathed on 

 the inside with boards and then thoroughly papered so as to cover 

 all the cracks. The experiment began November 24th, and con- 

 tinued for five periods of 30 days each. The two flocks were fed 



