52 A REVOLUTION IN EGG PRODUCTION 



and withholding the extra feed required which would produce 

 the eggs to pay their board, and leave a surplus as a profit. 



Winter eggs cost money — they cost, in most cases, far 

 more than they will sell for — even if sold as high as seventy- 

 five cents per dozen. Even when obtained in winter, in liberal 

 quantity, eggs will pay a better profit at thirty cents per 

 dozen in spring than at fifty cents per dozen in winter, be- 

 cause it takes much less feed to maintain the fowls in spring, 

 and this leaves a surplus of food and energy to produce 

 more eggs. 



The quantity of feed required for good production is as- 

 tounding to most people; and these quantities can be judged 

 by the statistics shown later on in this book. (Pages 56 and 79 



However, if hens do not pay any of their feed bills in 

 winter, the profits of spring and summer will mostly disappear 

 in making this loss good. We must, therefore, strive to get 

 eggs in winter, even if we have to sell them at fancy prices 

 below cost of production. 



Care of Eggs 



Fresh laid eggs are a delicacy, but to retain this delicacy 

 they must be handled and cared for in a delicate way. The 

 shell of an egg is porous, so porous that, during the process of 

 hatching, air is supplied to the growing chicken through the 

 shell. 



If an tgg is kept in an unsanitary condition or near strong 

 odors, it will be affected thereby. If eggs are kept on musty 

 hay, or packed in a case where a little musty hay is used as 

 part of the packing, they will become so musty as to be inedi- 

 ble, although otherwise in good fresh condition. Xest eggs 

 are made, and are offered for sale, which contain carbolic acid 

 and other disinfectants, on the theory that they keep away 

 lice from the nests. It will be found that where these are 

 used, when the hens begin to get broody, the eggs will be 

 flavored by such nest eggs. 



Eggs where roosters run with the fiock will also be fer- 

 tilized, and therefore contain potential life — only needing tem- 

 peratures of eighty-five degrees or ninety degrees, and above, 

 to start this potential life into growth. 



The process of successful incubation onlv requires tem- 

 peratures between one hundred degrees and one hundred 



