Early Eggs and Chickens. 221 



There are also large dairy companies and hotels ready to 

 contract for taking fresh eggs all the year round at good 

 paying figures ; but in every case, whether the sales be made 

 privately or not, there must be the certainty of the eggs 

 being fresh. Ordinary (so-called) new-laid eggs, as sold in 

 the shops, are generally a week or ten days old at least, 

 because they are only sent to market once a week, so that 

 probably the freshest ones were laid two or three days before 

 that, and others are still older. This uncertainty makes 

 eggs really new-laid in constant demand. 



A very frequent complaint amongst poultry keepers, is 

 that they can get any number of eggs at the time when 

 they are plentiful, and therefore cheap, but when eggs are 

 scarce they get few or none. In many instances this is due 

 to the unsuitability of the breed ; but we need not say more 

 on this question, as it has been dealt with very fully in a 

 previous chapter. "What is wanted is to keep only those 

 birds known as prolific layers, such as Leghorns, Minorcas, 

 Houdans, Black Hamburgs, Langshans or Plymouth Rocks. 

 Then, again, there is the matter of housing and feeding, both 

 of which are most important, and should have the greatest 

 attention. We need not, however, say more on this matter 

 either, as we have dealt with both these questions before. 

 There are people who have the right kind of birds, who 

 house and feed them well, and yet who cannot obtain eggs 

 very early in the year, and, of course, cannot have early 

 chickens, the" entire cause being that their birds are too 

 old. Birds above two years old do not commence laying 

 until the end of February or the beginning of March, no 

 matter how good layers they may be, and if only these be 

 used, then neither early eggs nor chickens can be expected," 

 and certainly will not be obtained. 



Hence it will be seen that to obtain early eggs, only 

 young birds, that is pullets of the first or second year, must 



