Evening star., 1915-06-13
PROFITABLE MARKET
FOR SUMMER EGGS
Can Be Produced at Small Cost if
Proper Precautions Are
Observed.
What to Do and What to Avoid in
Order to Get Best
Results.
BY REESE Y. HICKS.

tCDTyrfght. lSio.l
Really good fresh summer eggs are
hard to find. except on the farms and
ranches run by poultrymen. \ large
proportion of the eggs produced under
average farm conditions after May l
are subject to heat that has started the
germ to developing This developing
germs dies in few days. and the egg
spoils and is unfit for food
Owing to the scarcity of really fresh
eggs in warm summer weather, the
market price in the larger cities usnai-
ly shows steady upward tendency
from some time in May or June through
the summer and fall months. even un-
til after the holidays.
As matter of fact really good fresh
eggs can be produced cheaper in the
summer than at any other time of the
year. but it requires more care and
system than just to allow the hens to
attend to il themselves.
Separate Males and Females.
The first important step is to separate
all males from the hens SO the eggs will
be sterile. If the males are of enough
quality to be held over for breeding an
other year. they should be confined in
Il IL
essary to pull the main flight feathers
out of one wing on each male. But un-
less they have special value for future
breeders. it pays to send them to mar
ket rather than to feed them a year
before they will be needed again for
breeding purposes. The hens lay just
as well, if not better, without the males.
and the eggs will keep fresher and bet
ter.
Another feature too often overlooked
lie fhaD NINfC fhSr loo 1ct
day, and, if at all possible. marketing
the same day as gathered If 1T is not
convenient on account of the small
number gathered, the eggs may be
every other day. but while they are
being held for the market they must
be kept in a cool place-never in the
kitchen or warm room.
AS the warm weather of summer ap-
proaches. some special care must be
given the laying hens if the maximum
egg yield is to be expected during the
extremely hot weather.
Kinds of Feeds Important.
The feed should be gradually changed
so as to have less fattening properties.
because the hen does not need the fatty
material to keep up her bodily heat
when she is not resisting cold. This
means feeding less corn and cornmeal
IN the summer than IN the winter and
spring. Vegetables and green feed
should be increased, as these tend to
cool off the blood and increase the
amount of water in the system of the
hens Since vegetables. such as beets,
cabbage, etc. abound in the summer,
they should be fed literally. Grasses.
such as clover. alfalfa and even blue
grass lawn clippings, are a good green
feed for hens. Green feed is the cheap
est feed the poultry raiser can use, and
should be freely used at this important
time of the year. If the proper variety
is given, and If it is properly prepared,
a laying hen will eat from 20 to 30 per
cent of her rations of succulent green
feed.
Again, the methods of feeding should
be different in the summer from those
practiced in the winter. An abundance
of exercise is necessary in the winter.
but 1T is not SO important in the sum-
mer. There should be enough to keep
the hens from becoming over-fat, but
usually with range and open weather of
summer there is not much danger of
over-fat
Shade Should Be Ample.
II possible, hens should have more
range in summer and have plenty of