Hubbard's poultry secrets. 45 



This year our egg trade started early in February, and to 

 date, which is the 7th of April, I have shipped nearly every egg 

 that our best hens and pullets have laid. Many customers 

 make a mistake in ordering their eggs too early. If they would 

 order their eggs in April and May they would get much bet- 

 ter stock. 



Nearly every breeder shows his best stock and it takes at 

 least a month to get the birds back into good breeding condi- 

 tion, especially if he makes more than one show, for by the time 

 he gets them into breeding condition the zero weather comes 

 on. Even if his birds are laying good through the zero weath- 

 er, the fertility will run low and the chickens hatched will not 

 have the life in them that they would have when the weather 

 is warmer and the breeding birds can run out of doors. I have 

 never won with a cockerel or pullet at Madison Square Gar- 

 den, in the number of years that I have been breeding Fancy 

 Poultry, that was hatched before the first of May. Three 

 years ago our winning cockerel was hatched the 17th of June. 

 Two years ago our winning cockerel was hatched the 12th of 

 June. This year the winning cockerel was hatched the i8th of 

 May. My favorite time for hatching pullets is from the mid- 

 dle of May to the middle of June, as that gives plenty of time 

 for finishing them for the show. As cockerels need about a 

 month longer to finish, a hatch about the first of May is neces- 

 sary in order to have them in good condition for the Garden 

 Show, which is usually held the latter part of December. 



The reason I have been so successful with late hatched chick- 

 ens is because I breed them as above described. Then, feed- 

 ing as I have described will put them in prime condition. They 

 will start to take on new flesh, and you will be saving their eggs 

 for hatching when they are gaining in weight. 



A sitting hen eats very little and the heat of the body dries 

 up all of the surplus fat, so when she is putting on new flesh 



