TKADE IN PURE-BRED POULTRY AND EGGS 585 



bought in quantity, in " knocl<down " form, at very moderate prices. 

 Formerly light boxes used for light, bulky groceries were much 

 used for shipping poultry, and some of them were easily converted 

 into very satisfactory shipping coops. Since paper cartons have 

 come into extensive use, the supply of second-hand boxes is limited, 

 and most breeders find it more satisfactory, on the whole, to use 

 the regulation coops. These are made in several sizes, from single- 

 bird size up to a size large enough for a pen of five medium-to- 

 small fowls. Valuable males should always be shipped in single 

 coops. Ordinary good males, not to be exhibited soon, may be 

 shipped in coops with females, but there is always some risk of 

 the females injuring the comb or plumage of a male when closely 

 confined with him for a long period. For a short shipment — say, 

 of one day — it is not necessary to provide for feeding and water- 

 ing in transit. For long shipments the coops should have tin 

 drinking cups attached in a corner inside, and a small bag of feed 

 should be fastened to the coop. 



Eggs. Small lots of eggs for hatching are shipped either in 

 common flat splint baskets, with or without pasteboard fillers or 

 boxes, or in specially constructed boxes, with fillers. Valuable 

 eggs sold in large quantities are usually packed in small lots, but 

 sometimes heavy round half-bushel or bushel baskets are used, 

 and the eggs packed in excelsior without other filler. Low-priced 

 eggs in large lots are often shipped in ordinary egg cases or in 

 cases of the same kind, with a little packing material to relieve 

 the jar. While it is difficult to ascertain the facts, comparisons of 

 results of hatches indicate that a jar which does not break eggs 

 may seriously affect their hatching, and that, other things being 

 equal, carefully packed eggs give the best hatches. For packing 

 material in pasteboard fillers, bran, fine chaff, and broken cork are 

 used. The fillers or boxes are usually placed in a basket or wooden 

 box, with a packing of fine hay or excelsior under, around, and 

 sometimes over them. For packing without fillers, in baskets, ex- 

 celsior alone may be used, a thick layer being placed in the bottom 

 of the basket, each egg wrapped in excelsior, and enough of the 

 same material placed between the sides of the basket and the eggs, 

 and over the eggs, to protect them. When the baskets used are of 

 ample size, and sufficient excelsior is used, this is the best way to 



