118 
EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN. 
large farms specializing in egg production Avould gladly pay an extra 
price to secure foundation stock that could be used profitably for several 
a ears. On many of these farms chicken raising is a great trouble and 
expense; the cockerels are considered a by-product to be disposed of 
as soon as possible. Hens bred especially to lay Avkick do AA*ell for one 
year only should be fattened. 
MATING. 
Having selected the hens that are suitable to produce eggs for hatch¬ 
ing, see that they have good, clean, comfortable quarters, Avith plenty 
of fresh air, and aH the sunshine possible. Mate them Avith a good, 
strong male which comes from productive ancestry. The male is"half 
the flock and if his dam and granddams A\ T ere producers of tAvo hundred 
eggs per year he should be worth much more as a sire than one whose 
dam produced but half that number. The question is often asked, how 
many hens should be mated with one male? This varies with the in¬ 
dividual and the breed. The best results are usually obtained bv keep¬ 
ing about fifteen of the American class (Plymouth Rocks, Wvandottes, 
etc.) with one male, while with Mediterraneans (Leghorns, Minorcas, 
etc.) one may keep as high as tAA'enty-fiA’e, while in special instances 
as high as fifty ha\'e been known to giA T e strong fertile eggs from one 
male. The Asiatics (Brahmas, Cochins and Langshans) are not as 
active and usually from seA - en to ten is about the proper number. Hua'- 
ing alloAved the male to run with the flock for a couple of Aveeks, it is 
safe to begin saving eggs for hatching. 
EGGS FOR HATCHING. 
One should be as careful in selecting eggs for hatching as in selecting 
Parent stock. Choose medium to large eggs, as nearly perfect in shape 
and color as possible. Uniformly colored eggs look much better than 
a mixed lot and aa ill usually sell better. Some select the short, round 
eggs, believing these will produce a large percentage of pullets; but the 
shape of the eggs has nothing to do with the sex of the chick. Con¬ 
tinuous selection of the roundest eggs Avill gradually produce a strain 
of hens that will lay round eggs of imperfect shape. Some hens habitu¬ 
ally lay eggs flattened on one side, others lay long, pointed ones, while 
still others lay those Avith porous, crumbly shells; such hens should be re¬ 
moved from the breeding pens as soon as discoA’ered. 
SHIPPING EGGS FOR HATCHING. 
In shipping eggs for hatching, great care must be taken to prevent 
injury in transit. There are se\ r eral methods of packing eggs; one is 
to place them in an ordinary shipping crate and fill all the spaces 
betAveen the eggs and cardboard Avith saAvdust. Another good method 
is to wind a small bunch of excelsior around each egg and pack so 
snugly in a basket or box that they cannot move about. Upon arrival, 
the eggs should be put in a room kept at an even moderate temperature 
and allowed to remain undisturbed for at least twenty-four hours, Avhen 
the package may be opened and the eggs placed under the liens or in (lie 
incubator. Because of the rough handling to Avhich eggs are subjected 
