POULTRY NOTES — 1909. • 73 



shown in the table is 9.75, whereas the 8-year general average 

 of the Station flocks is only 8.91. Reckoning the average net 

 return on eggs for the four months of 1909 covered in the table 

 to have been 40 cents per dozen, which is as near as can be 

 estimated to what the Station actually received for these eggs, 

 it appears that each one of these ^00 pullets had averaged to 

 return to the Station 55 cents in eggs alone before January 1 

 of her pullet year. 



The facts regarding egg production are brought out by Figure 

 72 in another way. This diagram shows the daily egg produc- 

 tion for each day after the birds were put into the house in 

 September. The abscissae give the days of the month and the 

 ordinates the number of eggs produced by the 300 pullets on 

 each day. The daily production curve is here taken only to 

 the end of December. It will be noted that there is a gradual 

 and steady increase in egg production from early in the month of 

 September until well on in November, then there is a slight 

 decline in the curve, which from the low point reached rises 

 very rapidly to a maximum point at the end of December. 

 It should be said that this high point at the end of December 

 really represents the winter maximum. From that point on the 

 curve declines to a February minimum, which has been found 

 to be a characteristic of egg production curves at this Station. 

 The daily egg production curve for the fall of 1908 shows an 

 even more steady rise from its beginning in September up to 

 the February drop than does this curve for 1909. It is not 

 necessary, however, to illustrate here more than the daily curve 

 for one year, and 1909 has been chosen for the purpose. 



FEEDING THE HENS, COCKERELS AND COCKS KEPT OVER THE 

 WINTER FOR BREEDING PURPOSES. 



Observations made in connection with the work of this Sta- 

 tion, as well as a study of the literature which exists upon the 

 subject, have led to the opinion that in order to get the best 

 results in respect to the fertility and hatching quality of eggs 

 it is not desirable to feed birds which are to be used as breeders 

 the heavy laying ration which is used to force egg production 

 during the winter months in pullets. The feeding of such rich 

 food has a tendency, it is believed, to reduce or impair the fer- 

 tility and hatching quality of the eggs. Therefore, a plan of 



