POULTRY 



641 



of course, always bring a much better 

 price than eggs sold for eating or cook- 

 ing, ranging from 75 cents to $2 a set- 

 ting. 



We strongly recommend pure breeds 

 for the farm. Pure-bred cocks should 



Pig. 406 — BUFF PLYMOUTH ROCK PULLET 



always be used and only those hens re- 

 tained for breeding purposes which show 

 in a striking degree tbe markings of the 

 breed to which they belong. Both the 

 Plymouth Rocks and Wyandottes are as 

 hardy, as good foragers, and as good 

 layers as the scrub and mixed breeds 

 commonly seen throughout the country. 

 They are as easily raised, much more 

 uniform in size, more attractive and 

 more profitable. 



FEEDING FOR EGG PRODUCTION 



Under natural conditions, fowls lay 

 the most of their eggs in the spring, and 

 under domestication this tendency is 

 still strong in all breeds. The greatest 

 profit from eggs is secured when they 

 are laid in late fall and early winter. 

 In order to induce hens to lay during 

 this period, we should surround them 

 with conditions approximating those of 

 the spring months. 



Eggs are quite similar to lean meat 

 in composition, and hence, in feeding 

 for egg production, we should feed a 

 comparatively large amount of nitrog- 

 enous material. This is best secured 

 by feeding mixed grains, succulent 

 feeds, like green grass, cut and steamed 

 clover and alfalfa hay, roots, etc., and 



also some kind of meat. In the spring 

 and summer months hens at liberty con- 

 sume an enormous quantity of bugs, 

 worms, flies, etc., and in feeding for egg 

 production in the winter a substitute in 

 the form of ground bone, meat meal, 

 beef scraps, etc, should be provided. 

 So far as experiments go, they indicate 

 that the nutritive ratio of the rations 

 fed to hens should be about 1 :4. 



Nitrogenous vs. carbonaceous rations 

 for hens — I n a test reported by the 

 West Virginia station, 100 hens re- 

 ceiving a nitrogenous ration laid 7,555 

 eggs in a year, while 100 hens fed. a car- 

 bonaceous ration laid but 3,431 eggs. 

 The Utah station reports that it secured 

 more eggs on a nitrogenous ration hav- 

 ing a nutritive ratio of 1:4.9, than on a 

 carbonaceous ration with a nutritive ra- 

 tio of 1:6.7. At the Rhode Island sta- 

 tion more eggs were produced when the 

 nutritive ratio of the ration was 1 :2.8, 

 than when 1:5 or 1:8.4, respectively; 



Fig. 407 — WHITE WYANDOTTE COCKEREL 



the fewest eggs were produced on the 

 widest ration, 1 :8.4. 



On the other hand, at the Massachu- 

 setts Hatch station, hens fed a ration 

 rich in corn, 1 :6.5, laid 25 per cent more 

 eggs in winter and 33 1-3 per cent more 



