422 



COMMERCIAL POULTRY RAISING 



is practically dead from the first of June until cool weather in 

 the fall. The losses are so great, and the net returns so small, 

 that the majority of the farmers hardly consider it worth while 

 to collect their eggs at all during the summer months. It is a 

 common thing to find fully hatched, live chicks in cases of market 

 eggs from these sections. In fact, the heat damage and other 

 losses are so heavy that producers do well to receive a net price 

 of five cents per dozen. 



An average lot of summer southern eggs would candle about as 

 follows: Light floats, 80 per cent; heavy floats, 15 per cent; 



Weed nest. Nest in straw stack. 



(Courtesy V. S. Dep't Agriculture) 



Fig. 272. — Stolen nests are responsible for a liuge wastage of eggs. 



blood rings and checks, 5 per cent. As bakers' stock the light 

 floats might bring twelve cents a dozen, the heavy floats five 

 cents a dozen, and the blood rings nothing. Deduct for break- 

 age, commission, candling, freight and haulage, and the net re- 

 turns are insignificant. 



One in Four Lost.-^As near as it can be estimated, the loss in 

 southern and western eggs due to heat is one-fourth of the original 

 value of the crop. For the entire country this element of waste 

 is estimated at fully five per cent of the total valuation of the 



