Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1916-11-22
POULTRY
CONSULTING DEPARTMENT



Observations made at the Connect
cut Storrs Station show that con-
trary to current belief neither small
nor large eggs are necessarily laid,
either at the beginning or end of a
hens laying period, but that they are
most often laid during the time of
heavy egg production.
The number of eggs laid by 1920
hens during a 20-months' laying per-
iod was 1913 of which 103 were
small (less than 90 pound) and SO
were large lover .179 pound). The
103 small eggs were laid by only IS
hens, showing that only a small per-
centage of the hens laid a small egg
during their first year of laying. Four
hens out of the S5 laid two small eggs
at different periods of their produc-
tivity. 1t was found that only two
eggs out of total of 103 indicate
a resting period after the produc-
tion of a small egg.
The figures also show that as a
rule hens do not lay etremely small
eggs at the beginning of their lay
ing periods, but that such eggs are
laid at time when the hen is laying
most heavily. 1t seems clear that
small egg is not due to the fact that
it is the hens first attempt, or to the
fact that it is the end of her laying
period and represents exhausted
power. A fairer assumption as to
the cause of these small eggs would
be that they are due to some mechan-
ical interference with the hens nor
NAL functions-that they are laid
whenever a particle of blood, foreign
element, or an undeveloped yolk is
| drawn into the passage where the
shells are formed, and that contrac-
tions of the oviduct then cause an
egg to be laid completely formed,
but without having undergone normal
development.
Of the 80 large eggs, nearly SO
per cent were laid at the time of
heavy production, and in most cases
| the hen did not rest after laying such
an egg, but continued her interrupt
ed yield of normal eggs. 1t further
appeared that in most cases the hen
dbl not rest before laying large
egg any more than she did after
such a performance. Forty-five Of
| large eggs were laid without any
previous resting period, 81 were laid
with a resting period of one day be-
| fore, and 10 were laid with resting
period of two days.
Blue Ointment
/ saw an item in your paper about
using blue ointment on poultry. Will
you tell me what it is made from, or
where can buy it?
Blue ointment which is used on
poultry to rid them of lice, is stan
dard product, the formula of which
is given in the u. S. Pharmacopecia.
Any druggist can fill the formula for
you, as he can refer to this book for
it.
There is another ointment Used in
similar manner which is somewhat
more economical to use and almost
as efficient in its results; this is am
nominated mercurial ointment. This
is also a standardized ointment, and
! a druggist will know its formula
However, for use on poultry it could
be made little more economical by
using lard as a base instead of lanolin
which is prescribed in the u. S. p.
To make either of these formulas
effective they should be rubbed on
the hens body in three places, viz:
under the vent and under each wing.
1t should also be rubbed on quite
thoroughly so that no Jumps are left
| that the hens might pick off, as both
these ointments are poisonous if TAX
en- internally.