Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-12-08
THE POULTRY YARD
WINTER EGG PROBLEM.
BY ED WEBER

Why are eggs so much higher N
winter than in summer? 1t is eviden,
that there must be large number oil
hens not paying their keep. They are
evidently fed all winter and not laying
Fan egg. Any breed or variety can be
forced to lay eggs during the winter
months if fed and cared for with rea-
sonable intelligence, hence the supply
of eggs could be increased sufficiently
to meet the demand If every keeper OF
hens would feed them properly.
The demand for eggs in winter Is
possibly not so great as in the spring
and summer, because but few people
incuhate eggs in winter. and conse-
Guently the lack of supply is the whole
cause of eggs reaching a maximum
price during the winter months. Some
people appear to be puzzled and can
understand why their fowls viii not
lay in winter. Such people don't be-
come Interested in eggs until they near
of the prices reaching an interesting
height Then they begin in an impul-
sive way TO feed the hens on every :
thing they can hear of as being just
the thing 10 start them to laying eggs
in abundance. Such individuals are
impulsive They are going to miss the
high prices for eggs simply because
they do not make any preparations Tor
eggs until eggs are ruling supreme ana
then it is poor time, indeed to try to
fatten up lot of old hens in time to
get them to laying during the season
of high prices.
Hens Poor in Flesh Do Not Lay.
the weather is cold and bad. and then
il is poor time to try 10 fatten up ~
lot OF half starved hens and put them
into laying condition. When all-wite
people tell you in the winter that Ecur
hens are too fat to lay. just set sucn
individuals down as ignoramuses, Tor
you will seldom. if ever get hens too
fat in winter TO lay eggs. Hens which
produce the eggs for us in winter are
those which are plump and tat: thai
which were started to laying before
the cold weather approached. Some
will tel. You that il Is the breed. To
be true some breeds and varieties nave
much TO do with the production OF
heavy egg yield. but no matter how
we'll bred your hens are for laying, IL
You neglect them and allow them To
become poor. and roost in cold. nncnm-
Portable quarters. they will not lay. No
hens will lay unless they are intel!i-
gently fed and managed. You can nos
transform q poor razor, back" into
fine. fat porker IN moments time.
and on the other hand. You can not
expect something fancy outof the bsst
bred Poland China pig which ever lived
If you starve il to death. but you cali
easily transform il into a razor back.
Get Hens in Shape Early.
Get Your hens into prime condition
before frost comes and then it is no
trouble TO get them 10 laying during
the extreme cold weather. One great
mistake hundreds OF people make far
mers especially. is that they keep about
three times as many fowls, of all sizes
and ages at the same time, and expect
to get eggs. If you want TO get eggs
during the next few months of cold
weather, Gull out. sell OF dispose OF in
some manner every inferior specimen,
such as aged hens. small, late cockerels,
in-shaped or deforrned fowls, and re-
tain only the very best plumpest pull
lets and yearling hens. and house them
in a good comfortable house not over
thirty females to a flock, and limiting
the number to Twenty-Five would be
better Then feed them on the hest
egg foods possible, such as wheat bran,
oats. and wheat bran. with corn at
night Turnips and cabbages for them
to pick al thru The day will increase
the egg Yield. II you don't get eggs
under these conditions there is some
thing the matter with your hens Any
healthy hen will lay with such treat
irient. regardless Of breed or variety.