POULTRY SECRETS REVEALED. » 9 



largely in his fayor. This is particularly so when buying the higher 

 priced eggs. Some prominent breeders get as high as four or five 

 dollars each for eggs from their best pens. And high as this price is 

 such eggs are really the cheapest in the end; because the chances 

 are that any bird hatched from such eggs will be immensely valuable. 



It is customary to duplicate poor hatches at half price. But the 

 buyer should learn the difference between an egg that is fertile and 

 one that is not. Most beginners imagine that eggs which will rot 

 during incubation are infertile; the fact is quite the contrary, for the 

 rotten egg is almost invariably one in which the germ has started and 

 died. This death of the germ is something for which the breeder is 

 nowise responsible. It may be caused by rough handling, from 

 alternate heating and chilling, from a faulty incubator, or from a 

 faulty hen. One should not suppose that because a hen sits steadily 

 she sits properly. A hen may stick to her job so closely that the 

 eggs are not sufficiently aired. In such cases, and they are of frequent 

 occurrence, the life-giving oxygen does not reach the egg in sufficient 

 quantities and the germ dies. In using incubators faulty thermostats 

 occasionally allow a wide variation in temperature; this is likely to 

 prove fatal to the germ especially in the earlier stages. Therefore one 

 should exercise common sense when making claims for iniertility. 



The baby chick industry has some commendable features. The 

 buyer is saved all worry over cranky hens or cranky incubators. He 

 can count his chickens before they are hatched; and if he could raise 

 all that he counts, his troubles would be nil. Unfortunately these little 

 chicks are exposed to many dangers. Packed closely for shipping they 

 are liable to suffer from chilling, over-heating, and for want of fresh 

 air. Any of these causes will make them susceptible to disease, 

 particularly to the deadly white diarrhoea. But if they escape .all 

 this and are properly cared for on their arrival, there is no reason 

 why they should not do well. 



