72 THE TRAP NEST TEXT BOOK 



from her own inclination; for the "litter of eggs" is nature's num- 

 ber, and, as far as we have yet been able to determine, is designed 

 by nature to be incubated by the bird that produced them. 



What constitutes forced egg production? What is commonly under- 

 stood by the term: "forcing for eggs?" There may be a difference in 

 the minds of different people as to what forces really operate to produce 

 a large yield of eggs. There ma}^ be a great difference in the forces 

 themselves, as brought to bear by different people, in different places 

 and with different hens, that will and do promote great egg production. 



The writer endeavors to feed his hens well because they lay well and not 

 with the idea of making them lay well. Is he wrong or right? The 

 hen that is not provided with suitable food to repair those tissues of her 

 body that have been used in the feeding for growth of the eggs within 

 her is not properly supported in her efforts to add to our revenues. 



Are we forcing anything when we supply the right elements to repair 

 used up tissues and energy? 



Drugs and condiments may stimulate the reproductive organs and 

 cause the eggs to be passed down from the ovaries abnormally fast, but 

 they will not feed the eggs. The growth of the egg begins in the bird's 

 body and ends with the completion of the egg, if it be not incubated, 

 or the death of the germ or the resultant body if it is incubated. 



We are not forcing nature when we feed the egg within the parent 

 body, any more than we are when we feed the chick after it is hatched 

 and it has digested all that was left of the egg but the shell. 



Inherited and acquired tendencies will cause the eggs to become de- 

 tached from the ovaries very rapidly with some birds. A pullet owned 

 by the writer laid her first 20 eggs in 21 days and she had not been 

 forced for eggs or forced for growth but had roamed over free range at 

 will. 



The more rapidly these eggs come down I he more pressing will be the 

 demands made upon the bird's body for suitable food elements to feed 

 them and perfect their growth. Supplying the bird with suitable food 

 elements to balance this drain is not forcing egg production. Should 

 these elements be provided in excess of Ihe egg supply, or be converted 

 to other uses in (lie economy of the body unfavorable changes may take 

 place in the physical condition of the bird; but if the reproductive, the 

 digestive and the assimilative functions of the bird are working in 

 full harmony we arc feeding the bird and her eggs: we arc forcing 

 neither. 



The harmful effects of a failure to understand tliis principle ora neglect 

 or inability to work il out correctly are well shown in the following 

 clipping from The, Di.eie. Fancier. 



