The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-01-04
EGG LAYING RECORDS
LIKELY TO Be BEATEN
First Month of International
Competition Shows Great
Improvement.

II a gain IN egg production over
former. years liz an Indication there are
big things In store for the third year OF
the international egg laying competition,
now running AZ Thorndale. Pa. After the
fourth week II looks as IL some records
for both individuals and five bird pens
are going To be broken. An American
pen holds the record TO date for the
greatest number of eggs laid since
November I, 1918. the opening day of
the third year, with seyenty-three eggs
The number OF eggs laid each week o!
the four OF the present event exceeds BY
fair margin the weekly records of last
year. and last year enjoys two notable
distinctions; one, the breaking OF the
worlds individual record for authenti-
Gated egg laying contests with ESQ eggs !:
second. an average OF 1876 eggs for 500
layers between the arbitrary dates OF
November |, 1872, and October 81, 1913,
no reference having been had as TO
whether the several individuals were
ready TO lay or not.
Ordinarily. egg records, made by
parties on private grounds without au-
thenticity or governmental supervision do
not carry much weight with the public {:
under usual conditions the average egg
farmer does not secure any such flock
average as has been made In these laying
contests, hence the educational value Of
such projects. Aside from demonstrating
the care used In obtaining birds that can
average 156 eggs when selected from 100
widely different and differing hocks Of
twenty or mora breeds and varieties
gathered together from all parts Of the
United States, Canada and England, the
potent, obvious fact that care and selec-
tion does produce heavy LAYERS Is OF itself
paramount 10 all other poultry educa.
tional consideration
Just stop for moment and analyze
the vast possibilities In n flock of fowls
that produces five members which averag e
In year cas- eggs each, when employed
collectively In ono pen II is astound-
ing when we remember that the average
farm egg production OF these United
Statcr Is less than seventy eggs per In
dividual In existence each year. and yet
tho eggs laid annually arc alone worth
over $500, 00O, 900.
The individual In the second year Of
these contests which laid 2se eggs con-
sumed not over $3.50 worth OF food.
weighed 81 pounds laid twenty-thrce
and half dozen eggs thirty-Nve pounds
In weight and nj nm average OF 30 cents
dozen earned 1906. or profit OF s455
One hundred and hfty-six eggs, the
average for the 500 birds. at the same
rate of cost and return. gave thirteen
dozen eggs and $40 In profit to her
owner. Now then, ~ the seventy egg
hen shows a profit to her owner clearly
the cost OF food IL estimated at too high
n figure In these calculations and con-
sequently the profit too low; as "A matter
OF fact the cost OF feeding the layers In
these events Is about $3.50 each
Taking the four weeks In November.
when tho common fiocks do not lay, and
the esq yield so far IN this third year Is
most promising for profitable output
for tho entire period, I,657 eggs were
laid by seventy-two pens, or $50 birds
some pens laying as high as twenty-one
eggs in a single week, others. Just start
Ing to lay, laying only one.
For the twenty-eiGht days the average
was 4 20 eggs per bird; In another
month this average win be doubled ana
the month OF March will find the birds
laying an average OF five eggs per week.
As has been usual each year quite a num-
Der OF individuals have laid an egg day
each week in November. December and
January; In one case bird laid so eggs
In 81 days.
Four or fivs individuals have started n
similar performance this year their value
as fall layers (nnd for breeding fall lay
ers FROM at once raises them TO a value
tenfold greater than tho layer In the
spring. when eggs go as low as IS cents a
dozen In some sections.
Each year further establishes tho fact
that more early fall layers must be pro-