CONDITIONS AFFECT FERTILITY 9 



quarters, without enough exercise, will soon have impaired 

 health and caiinot, on any account, produce very many 

 fertile eggs, and those that are fertile will generally hatch' 

 chickens that are low in vitality. 



Feeding the Breeders. 



Few stop to bonsider the importance of the influence 

 of food on the breeding stock. Do not use too stimulating 

 foods, "as it will force the breeders, thus causing weaker 

 ' germs. It would be wise to feed more on grains with meat 

 and vegetables frequently until the fowls are wanted to 

 perpetuate their kind. Then feed them on an egg making 

 ration with the moist mash fed at noon, or with the dry 

 mash before them at all times. The value of greten material 

 cannot be overestimated. It should be supplied in liberal 

 quantities and include cabbage, turnips, carrots, beets, man- 

 gel-wurzels, potatoes, alfalfa or clover. Morning and 

 night they work for food, composed of various grains scat- 

 tered in the straw. Too much moist food will make watery 

 eggs which will not hatch; or, if they do, the offspring will 

 be weak in vitality. Grit, oyster shell and charcoal should 

 be where the fowls can get them at all times. Fresh water 

 is essential, and should always be within their reach. 



Proper Housing is Important. 



The breeding birds should be comfortably housed. This 

 means that they should be in a reasonably warm, airy 

 house. It need not be heated for better results are obtained 

 in cooler houses. The safest plan is to provide a comfortable 

 building, so arranged that it can be thoroughly aired and 

 sunned daily while the birds are exercising. Fresh air is 

 one of the most important factors in obtaining good fertile 

 eggs that will hatch good strong chickens. Do not keep your 

 houses tightly closed at night, but ventilate, by means of 

 cloth curtains. Keep the house clean and in good sanitary 

 condition and keep the fowls free from lice and mites. Do 

 not allow t)reeding fowls to run out on the snow and ice 

 or to get wet in any way, as it will produce a shock tO' their 

 systems which will reduce the fertility in the eggs. The 

 curtain front poultry house is used at the Minnesota North- 

 western Experiment Station with success. Dry, cool 



