C'ULLINO 1(11! I'liuI'lT 47 



Contrary to common opinion (lie first egg of the pullet is not neeessari- 

 ly stained with blood. Overfat liens often lay blood-stained eggs. 

 Blood upon the first egg of the pullet has been an exception rather than 

 a rule in my flocks. I have known a pullet to lay a double-yolked egg 

 for her first. 



While eggs that are small for the breed are often hafeliable, and may 

 produce strong chicks, (hey should, as a rule, be avoided. 



Abnormally-large, double-yolked eggs, and eggs of bad shape or poor 

 slvells seldom hatch. ]f they do they are- likely to produce weak chicks, 

 cripples or monstrosities. They should be avoided. The claim is 

 made that thin-shelled e«gs and eggs without shells (soft-shelled, so- 

 called,) are due to an absence of shell-making materials in the ration. 

 This may be true in some cases, but I have never been able to prove it 

 so in my flocks. The absence of lime, and other shell makers, tends to 

 induce mal-assiniilation, and the formation of internal fat. This condi- 

 tion promotes the production of abnormal eggs, liy withholding oys- 

 ter shell, bone and clover I have reduced the ego- yield, but what eggs 

 were laid were as well shelled as when those materials were supplied. 



With a constant and abundant supply of shell making material some 

 individuals would produce thin-shelled eggs and '-soft-shelled'' eggs. 

 It was quite clearly accompanied by an overfat condition. 



It is my belief that a hen in normal condition will not lay more eggs 

 than she can shell properly Hence a lack of shell-making material in 

 the ration will diminish the agjr yield. Whatever effect it may have on 

 the shell is secondary, not primary, 



Tn selecting eggs for hatching, then, we should cull out all abnormal 

 eggs and all eggs that are small for the breed, no matter how good the 

 hens that produced them may appear to be, or what their previous egg 

 record has been. 



If we are breeding for egg production, we will use for hatching only 

 eggs of good shape and size having strong shells of good texture and 

 smooth surface and (if colored) even color, laid by individuals that have 

 shown by their work in the nest that they are likely to transmit a per- 

 sistent laying habit, together with other desired features, to their off- 

 spring; and are in active, vigorous, breeding condition in the breed- 

 ing season. I appreciate the extent of the task that I have set before 

 you. 



With all our care we may have more culling to do when the hatch is 

 off. Sickly sentiment has no place here. Every chick that is crippled, 

 weak, puny, dumpish, ••had-to-be-helped-out-of-the-shell," should be 

 destroved. A convenient and humane way is to insert the hand in a 

 pail of water for a minute. The chick should be in the hand. 



This is a hard thing to do but it should be done. Such chicks will 

 never be of any honest value to anyone. 



