The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1909-12-10
Poultry and Farm Notes

annoying ~ the BREEDER Of high clare
utility or exhibition birds too learn
that his nest valued egg producers,
instead OF producing eggs for hatch
lug purposes, are .Clegating them to
that source from whence they came
I When fowl acquires taste for new
LAID eggs she Is apt to influence for
bad the rest of her companions One
bird is seen enjoying an egg and
naturally others endedvor to share
the dainty morsal, and 80 the egg
eating vice spreads until the demand
for "new lads" far exceeds the supply
and not only do the birds suffer
through being over stimulated with
animal matter, but worse still their
owners suffer considerably both In
temper and from pocket. 1t is
strange, bat nevertheless true, that
she most active and productive birds
turn ost to be the egg eaters, and
this can only be accounted for by the
fact that the good layer feels q
craving for animal food, and being
naturally an active bird is ever on the
lockout for something to scratch at.
Where scratching shed IL not
provided, the active bird makes for
such nest boxes as are placed in a
light position, and are lined with hay
or straw and such are converted into
scratching sheds on miniature scale.
Ifan egg has been deposited in one Of
the nests it IL almost certain to be
broken while the bird Is scratching,
and the FOWL upon smelling something
palatable part kes Of her fist meal Of
delicious egg, and in aoment her
system IL pregnated with vice not
easily stamped out. now often do we
see pallets coming in to lay, scratch
iBg away in the nest boxes until their
contsnts are .cratched to the four
walls OF the house. We see here the
sbsurdity of having nest boxes whose
fronts admit light. Fowls like Sc
cluded quarters in which to deposit
their eggs. outlets will visit quiet
and shady places and lay without
such preliminaries as scratching about
and lot OF cackling, and will leave
their deposits uninjured. Nest boxes
should not adAit too much light,
neither should they be Of sufficient
height to allow the fowls to stand
upright In them. 1t is impossible
here to give the exact height that
the boxes should be as fowls vary so
much ia stature, but it 10 sufficient to
say that they should be so constructed
as to emily allow the birds to Comfor-
tably enter them.
shelless eggs dropped while the fowls
are at raost are, il broken In their
fall, apt to be consumed and 80 create
the egg eating vice. Indeed the
writer thinks 1t safe to assert that
the two main causes OF egg eating
are traceable to nest boxes Of too
large size and admitting too much
light, and to shelless eggs dropped
from the perch. The former can be
remedled by the carpenter, and the
latter by the timely provision OF she'll |
forming materials, or In the case OF
an over fat candtion OF fowls a
change OF diet. The writer has never
known an instance where fowl has
acquired the vice of egg eating by
breaking through the shell OF a
perfect egg.
Many CERTAIN cures" have been
written and spoken Of to check the
egg eating vice, such as leaving about
the house and nest boxes a surfeit OF
stale eggs, filing egg shells with
puugent spices, ETC., and sometimes
these bring about cure, but more
often than not the birds after
sampling such fakes gain knowledge,
and consume only such eggs AZ are Of
their own or known production. One
might as we'll try TO cure confirmed
drunkard Of his craving for alcohol
by giving him bad whiskey, as to try
to cure The confirmed egg eater by the
offer Of doubtful eggs.
An insufficient number of nests for
the quantity Of laying hens kept is
sometimes accountable for the egg
eating vice. Where nest boxes are
too few In number 1t often happens
that two or more hens will crowd into
the same nest, and eggs are liable to
become broken and consumed. II THE
birds kept are Of no great value, and
the culprit eau he detected the
quickest cure Is dislocating or
wringing OF the neck ami stew pot,
but fortunately, wise readers OF
Poultry Gazette do not allow worth
less mongrels to Infest their yards.