AS TO "SLCRLT5" IN EGG PRODUCTION. 147 



tbe wieh to have the heiia laying iu early winter, joined to a lair appreclallon of the means 

 o( getting them ready, to lay iu winter, that makes some poultrymea work (or this steadily 

 and without intermission from season to season. I have never known anyone who was so uni- 

 formly successful in getting winter eggs that he or she might rightly be said to know how to 

 "make hens lay," but I have known many poultry keepers who were much more successful 

 than the average poultry keeper, and I think that those most successful in getting winter eggs 

 divide quite naturally into two classes: Those who, in connection with more or less unneces- 

 sary "fussing" with the fowls, do the things essential to egg production; and those who do 

 the essential things and nothing more. Poultry keepers of the first class are likely to get big 

 egg yields and make large " per hen '' profits; those of the second class to make more on their 

 labor. 



Essentials in Winter Egg Production. 



One of the best pouitrymen I know, a man who grew up iu the business, and has been In it 

 on Ula own account since before he was out of his teens, once said that the only " secret" he 

 knew anything about in getting winter eggs was to have the pullets ready to lay at the begin- 

 ning of winter, and then give them enough to eat. The kind of food — within the ordinary 

 range of poultry foods — lie considered of little Importance. Another good poultryman who 

 violated many of the common rules of " correct" poultry keeping, speaking only of the hand- 

 ling of hens in laying condition, said that in his opinion the all important points were to give 

 the hens an aliundance of food, and to give it regularly. It was said by some pouitrymen who 

 knew him that they knew of no poultryman who could be away from home so much and yet get 

 good results— belter than any of those who looked after their stock much more closely. Asked 

 about this, he replied that it was true that he took time off frequently In the middle of the 

 day. He would not deny that at such times he " loafed," but he stated a fact which they had 

 not observed, when he said that no one ever saw him leave or be away to the neglect of his 

 stock, while various neighbors he mentioned would look carefully after their fowls for days or 

 weeks at-a time, and then for some reason or other there would be neglect, perhaps one feed 

 omitted, perhaps the regular routine of feeding interrupted for one or several days, and this 

 happening frequently, the hens did not get their full rations with the regularity essential to 

 egg production. 



Comparisons of the conditions, methods, and rations of poultry keepers and of the results 

 they are getting, will clearly disprove any theory of breed, feed, or system of housing as 

 superior to others, or as in itself essential to or assuring results, for in such comparisons we 

 have to consider all kinds of results. We cannot consider only favorable results as advocates 

 of special theories or ideas in any of these lines are wont to do. Comparisons such as I have 

 j II -t described would not so clearly prove the correctness of the ideas of abundant feeding and 

 regularity as the essential things in egg production, for it is much easier in such cases to dis- 

 prove a theory than to prove one, but such comparisons do generally indicate that good feeding 

 — heavy feeding is essential to continued large egg production, and the reports and records of 

 those who g, 1 large egg yields in winter especially generally indicate that the fowls get regular 

 care. 



Conditions of Greatest Egg Production. 



A fair comparison of results in different types of poultry houses will show — I think — the 

 greatest winter egg production in the warmest houses, provided the ventilation of these houses 

 is given proper attention. The same comparison would show very poor egg production, and 

 often a great deal of sickness in flocks housed in this way. Investigation will generally show 

 that in such cases the houses are not properly ventilated. The proper ventilation of warm 

 tight houses by the doors and windows is a very simple matter — if the poultry keeper can open 

 and close them as temperature conditions require. In theory this is easy — nothing could be 

 easier. In general practice I have found that very few of those who use warm tight houses 

 ventilate them properly. The common thing is to find houses still closed long after they should 

 be open in the morning ; then — if opened at all — left open long after they should be closed in 

 the afternoon. The result of this is that the fowls become overheated and then chilled. 



The proper way to ventilate such a house is to open the windows, or doors, or both, a little 



