PRAIRIE FARMER'S POULTRY BOOK 



Keeping, Preserving and Storing Eggs 



Infertile eggs keep the best, hence the slogan "Swat the 

 Rooster" (after the breeding season) is a good one. A cool 

 dry cellar is the most desirable place to keep eggs. The tem- 

 perature should not be allowed to go above 70° nor below 35°, 

 the correct temperature being 50°. The place where they are 

 kept should be clean and sweet. Foul odors injure the quality, 

 and dampness produces mold. Eggs for the incubator should 

 be turned daily and may be kept in cabinets having drawers 

 with movable, slatted bottoms. 



Every producer should preserve eggs for future home con- 

 sumption. November is the lean month, and a few dozen eggs 

 stored for this season of scarcity will be greatly appreciated. 

 Further, such eggs can be sold as storage eggs when the 

 prices are high. The time to do this is in the time of plenty 

 when eggs are cheap. 



Three methods of preserving eggs are in use. 



1. Preserving in salt. This method is very simple and 

 requires only a good tight box with a quantity of salt. The 

 eggs are packed in the salt, a layer at a time, until the box is 

 filled. The eggs for preserving should be clean and fresh. If 

 there is any doubt about their freshness, they should be can- 

 dled. Place the container in a cool place, and the eggs will 

 keep several months. Infertile eggs for this purpose can be 

 obtained by removing the males from the flock fo*r two or three 

 weeks. 



2. Preserving with lime water. This method is considered 

 more satisfactory than the salt method. Dissolve about three 

 pounds of unslaked lime in a small quantity of water and 

 then add about seven gallons of water sterilized by boiling. 

 Use a five gallon or a ten gallon crock and, after scalding it, 

 place the eggs in position and pour upon them the clear solu- 

 tion of lime water. Enough water should be added to cover 

 the eggs about two inches. 



3. Preserving with water glass. This is the most satis- 

 factory method, though more expensive. If a five gallon crock 

 is used it should be cleaned thoroughly and scalded. Then 

 pour into it nine quarts of water that has been sterilized by 

 boiling find to this add one quart of water glass (sodium 

 silicate) and put the eggs in carefully so as not to crack the 



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