THE MOULTING SEASON 259 
to compensate for the deficiency caused by their sterile seniors. 
Once pullets are properly developed no cold, frost or snow will 
prevent them laying. The moral of all the foregoing is to make 
sure that your pullets are hatched not later than March or early 
April of each year. 
If the moult is too long delayed so that the birds will run far 
into the cold weather, it will pay to assist the effort of Nature by 
putting the birds on half rations for a week without any stimulat- 
ing food. As soon as the moult begins in earnest plenty of good 
nourishing food should be given, including a small proportion of 
linseed meal—say a dessertspoonful per bird mixed in the mash. 
This will assist to loosen the feathers, and the abundance of good 
food will assist in building up the bird’s system. It is dangerous 
to allow the moult to linger beyond September before making a 
start, because of the cold weather which the bird will have to 
endure before it is fully covered. The moult lasts from ten to 
twelve weeks and it is very rarely that the fowl will reeommence 
to lay before that period. If possible the house should be kept 
clear of the moulted feathers, and where the moult has been assisted 
it is better to keep the moulting birds separate from the others. 
A little epsom salts twice a week in the drinking water will be 
found beneficial. 
EFfrect oN Ecc-PRODUCTION 
There can be no doubt whatever but that the moulting period, 
or periods, in a bird’s existence influences it constitutionally and, 
as a natural result, the egg supply is affected. 
As a close record of the number of birds which moulted during 
the Harper-Adams trials was kept, some deductions may be drawn 
from these records. 
It was particularly noticed that, during the first three periods— 
31st October to 27th November, 28th November to 25th December, 
and 26th December to 22nd January—in Section I. a much larger 
number of birds dropped into moult as compared with the other 
sections. 
