Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1913-05-29
Heaviest Eggs Are Laid Early
in Spring and Hatch Larg-
est and Strongest Chicks
FEED AFFECTS THE FERTILITY
Both Scanty and Excessive Feeding
Reduce the FertlIity-Exercise
and Fresh Air Are I'M
portant Requisites.

One of the most important things in
keeping fowls, either for pleasure or
profit, is the ability to hatch chickens
that are strong and vigorous, for, UNI
less the little chicks are robust and
hearty, neither pleasure nor profit can
be obtained from them.
Eggs for Matching should be select
ed early. The reason for this advice
is that eggs early in the spring are
heavier than at any other time of the
year. Chicks Matched from heavy
eggs are larger and stronger than
chicks Matched from small eggs.
Use Mature Stock for Breeders.
Pullet eggs are considerably small
er than eggs laid by old hens, and
chicks Matched from such eggs are
small and weak Breeding from i'm
mature stock decreases the yigor and
reduces the size of the offspring. Hens
at least two years old should be used
whenever possible.
Do not breed from fowls fed heav-
lily for egg production during the pre-
ceding winter. A hen that has been
laying heavily for a long time Is re-
duced in vigor Reproduction is one
of the most exhaustive processes of
nature, Many plants die after pro
ducing seed, and many animals give
birth to young only at long intervals.
Egg production is essentially a repro,
ductive process, the equivalent to Civ
ing birth to young, and it is reason
able to suppose that hen after lay
ing heavily for long time is not sex
ually as vigorous as at the beginning
OF the laying period. Knowing that
reduced vigor of the mother reduces
the vigor of the offspring, breeding
stock should never be expected to lay
heavily during the preceding winter.
Keep breeding stock active. In the
early history of our country large fam
lilies were not rare. Our ancestors
were good breeders. Necessity made
subdue. an unbroken forest to chop
down, Indians and wild beasts to con-
tend with, and a stubborn soil to bring
into cultivation. Their families were
large and the children strong. Vigor
is largely a matter of exercise, fresh
air, and wholesome food. Keep the
breeders active.
Feed Literally.
Too scanty feeding reduces the size
of the egg and decreases the fertility.
Fowls should be well fed
Do not get breeders too fat. Wild
animals in captivity frequently do not
breed. This is probably due in large
degree to lack of exercise which in
duces over-fatness. Fowls too fat lay
eggs smaller than otherwise, and
chicks Matched from such eggs are al
ways weak and hard to raise.
Keep breeders in an open-air house.
Fresh air is the cheapest and best
poultry tonic known AS a rule, West
Virginia poultry houses are too close
and stuffy Windows should be re-
moved completely in the summer
Incubate Fresh Eggs Only.
AS eggs become old, the germs be-
come weak For best results. do not
hold eggs more than week or ten
days before incubating them. II they
must be held several days, place them
in as cool place as possible and keep
them covered.
Do not incubate misshapen eggs.
Eggs irregular in shape are generally
laid by hens that are so fat that the
oyiduct is compressed, thus causing
the egg to be irregular. Such eggs
should not be used
Reject all eggs with notified shells.
Notified eggs are those in which the
shell substance has been deposited I'M
evenly. This condition of the shell
may be detected by Gambling the eggs.
Such eggs are practically all unfertile.
If these simple directions are fol-
lowed by the farmers of West Vir-
ginia, many eggs which are suitable
only for eating purposes will be
saved, and the chicken crop will be
much better than has been the case
heretofore. HORACE ATWOOD.
Agricultural Experiment Station,
West Virginia University