The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-12-27
FEEDING FOR
FERTILE EGGS
By Mrs. ]. M. Hart, College
Park, Ga.

Sometimes eggs fail to hatch, or if
they do hatch, produce chicks with
little vitality. In such cases, the in
cubator may run smoothly and the
hens set faithfully and all conditions
seem favorable to good hatch. yet
there is only a small per cent of
strong chicks.
All fertile eggs do not hatch, which
is due to weak germs, and many times
weak germs hatch out chicks only to
live a short life. Chicks dying in the
shell is due to weak germs, caused
by unhealthy breeding stock, or from
hens overfat, lack Of exercise and i'm
healthy and active and your fertility
will run high.
There is nothing so important to
fertility in eggs as fresh air and pure
water. Do not allow them to roost in
unclean, close quarters. Feed freely
mixed grain in litter, so they will be
kept busy scratching, as the busy hen
is the one that pays. If confined in
runs, supply green food and meat in
some form, as nothing makes more
fertile eggs than green and animal
food. Farmers get eggs because their
fowls run at large, picking UP green
blades of grass and bugs here and
there, and the exercise in obtaining
these elements Of egg product from
mother earth all go to fill the egg
basket. This is living near to nature,
and we must not violate natures law,
If we are successful egg farmers.
Feed a balanced ration that contains
sufficient protein foods to build up and
maintain the muscle and bone of the
fowls: enough of the carbohydrates
as fat producers and heat producers
and you have the proper com Animation
to maintain the constant drain of egg
production and the proper combina-
ton to keep your flock in perfect
health, producing fertile eggs which
hatch chicks of strong vitality. When
1t is possible to raise your chicks on
free range until time for mating UP
your yards. it is better to do SO. Oats
wheat, ka4f1r corn, alfalfa, neatscrap
and green bone contain the protein
elements in excess, while corn, barley
sunfower seed, cotton seed meal and
elements. Corn is valuable in win
ter to keep up heat Of the BODY, ard
should not be fed alone or to ex-
cess, as it produces too much fat, and
infertile eggs and weak germs is the
result.
Wheat is the most valuable of any
one single grain and contains the pro
tein. the aIbumen, the very elements
of egg production. Kaff7r corn is rich
in protein, an egg producer. Barley is
also excellent and is less expensive
than wheat. Buckwheat and sun flow
er seed are both excellent for fitting
birds for the show room, as they i'm
part a silken gloss to the plumage.
Ground or cut alfalfa contains all
these elements for egg production and
fertility, but on account of its bulk
not enough can be fed at one time:
so it is used largely as a base for a
mash food. Mix in the evening before
using and allow it to swell
All in all, the question of judicious
feeding for eggs and fertility is one of
judgment, coupled with the knowledge
of the food value of the material used
On this your success depends largely
for egg production and fertility. With
a careful study of food value Of diff
| ferent materials and the condition OF
your fowls in their best form for ex-
| increase or decrease at will their egg
producing powers and can also place
| your owls in their best form for ex-
| hibition.