Middletown transcript., 1901-12-07
FARM NOTES
FERTILE EGGS IN WINTER


the paving chicken, be it cockerel or
pullet, is the chicken that is early hatched.
The early cockerel strikes the market
before prices have fallen--in June, per-
haps, when roasting chickens bring from
20 to 80 cents a pound; and the early
pullet begins to lay in October, when
eggs are rising, and, if properly cared for,
continues to lay all through the winter,
when eggs are at the highest notch, and
is ready to lie turned off at good price
as market poultry when eggs drop TO
their lowest point, the following spring.
A pullet thus furnishes the maximum
amount of profit, bit does it largely be-
cause, she was Matched early enough to
come to tie laying point at just the
right time. A pullet hatched two or
three months later does not begin to
lay before winter has set in, and then
is rarely found to lay much before the
warmth of spring appears. 1t is decid-
sdly the early chicken that gives the
best profit; and this being so, it is wise
to consider plans whereby one may get
chicks Matched in February and March,
instead of May and June. The great |
difficulty in getting out early chicks is in |
procuring fertile eggs in winter and early |
spring. Incuhators and brooders can be
used at any time OF year, SO the rarity |
of setting hens in February is not a
barrier to Matching early chickens; but
even where one must depend upon hens
for incubation, it will be found that,
if once started in the annual production
of early birds, the hens will begin to
lay so early that they will be ready to set
by February-at least many of them will
be ready. The chief trouble therefore to
be overcome is the infertility of winter
eggs. That eggs will prove very fertile
in May and June and quite the opposite
in February is due very largely to diff
ference in conditions between the early
and later dates. If we can partially, at I
least, surround the hen in February with
the conditions that naturally surround
her in May and June, we shall find the {
eggs becoming much more fertile and 6
the chicks from them much stronger
when Matched, and much more vigorous i
all through their existence.
The hens that in February are laying
eggs for Matching must have a large
amount of exercise, and must be fed
ration that will keep them in good con-
too fat nor too poor-and
they must have good, fresh air, for eggs
laid in ill-smelling quarters are not the
eggs from which to expect chickens. 1t
is easy enough to secure exercise for the
poultry in winter. Just fill the pens Il
eight or ten inches deep with refuse hay,
corn butts, chaff and other litter, the
whole underlaid with gravel, and keep I
the hens hungry enough to work dill s
gently for tine grain that is scattered in Q
it. Feed scant breakfast of mush that U
has bran, -four, cornmeal, crushed oats v
and some kind of meat meal in it, and P
then keep the hens scratching all day
for the few handfuls of wheat and cracked P
corn that is thrown, little at time, s.
into the litter, keeping q window open "
in the pen when the weather will per- IL
nit. At night give the hens all they 81
want of cracked corn, oats, wheat and le
barley, and keep grit, charcoal and clean y
water before them all the time. u
There is one other item in the bill of 81
are that must not be overlooked if we 1C
would approximate toward summerscon=
litions. The fowls must have green
ood, and a certain amount of bulky
uod. So feed cabbage, raw, and cut
,lover that has been soaked in boiling =
water, giving these at night, or with the =, y
morning mush, or occasionally at noon '
though not at this time in quantities to =
atisfy the fowls hunger, else scratching -
will cease) and it will be found that the 3
ggs, if not allowed to get chilled, contain :f
trong and fertile germs. II 7,
1t should be remembered also that :,
When early chicks are to be hatched by "
lens, not more than nine or ten eggs "
hould be given to hen, else the chicks -
viii hatch weak, and amount to but little =
fterward. For early settlers make deep !"
lest in the middle of large box, the .@ =.
lay or straw around the hen coming up ~
evel with her back. In this way there
will be less likelihood of the eggs be- ~
oming chilled. For early broods that y, u
re to be cared for by the hen, a tight y
'oom, with sunny windows, should be :. :.
provided, and the floor should be COW =
red with two or three inches of chaff in
vhich to scratch for grain. Under such
onditions good start can be had before
he weather makes outdoor life possible r,
or the chicks. Tribune Farmer.