Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1913-06-26
EARL YEGGS HATCH
VIGOROUS CHICKS
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 Inn
portant Requisites.

One Of the most important things in
keeping fowls. either. for pleasure OF
profit, is the ability to hatch chickens
that are strong and vigorous. for, un-
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 thap
chicks Matched from small eggs.
Use Mature Stock for Breeders
Pullet eggs are considerably small
er than eggs laid by old henss and
chicks Matched from such eggs are
small and weak. Breeding from Inn
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 long time is re
duced In viger. Reproduction is one
OF the most exhaustive processes OF
nature. Many plants die after pro
ductng seed, and many animals give
birth to young only at long intervals
Egg production lis essentially 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
tiles were not rare. Our ancestors
were good breeders. Necessity made
them active; they had a continent te
down, Indians and wild beasts to con
tend with, and stubborn soil to bring
into cultivation. Their families were
large and the children strong. Vigol
is largely matter OF exercise, fresh
air, and wholesome food. Keep tbs
breeders active.
Feed Literally.
Too sscanty feeding reduces the size
Of the egg and decreases the fertility
Fowls should be well fed
~, ,,I13 6TaoNorer Pot Ty3Id
animals in captivity frequently do not
breed. This is probably due in a 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
Freshaair is the cheapest and best
poultry tonic known. AS 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 ter
days before incubating them. II they
must be held several days, place them
In as cool place as possible and keel
them covered.
Do not incubate misshapen eggs
Eggs irregular in shape are generally
laid by hens that are so fat that the
eviduetAis= 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 un
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 b.
much better than has been the case
heretofore. HORACE. ATWOOD.
Agricultural Experiment Station,
West Virginia University.
/