Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-02-24
SELECTING EGGS FOR
THE SPRING MATCHING
No Theory or Practice Known to
60. Distinguish Sex or
A-'-'-r Fertility.
RED PIE GAME BANTANls
F,lncicrs Advised to Beware OF En-
trcmc Heat or Cold or Other In
nucnccs That Work Injury to the
Flock.
2 HN ROBERT ARMSTRONG;.
Expert poultrymau and Writer.

IN ROBERT ARMSTRONG.
.fs Expert Houltryman and Writer.
= There IS no phase OF poultry raising
which reflects The stamina and quail
;ties OF a flock OF fowls so accurately
as ,incuha ton. II the birds arc in good
health and vigorous and the feeding
aud housing conditions arc As they
should he. their eggs Will hatch We'll.
II tho birds are out of condition, MS tho
result OF careless breeding. in!udicious
feeding defective housing and tho like.
their eggs will no; produce satisfactory
matches. Successful incubation. whether
artificial natural. depends largely on
tho selection and care of the eggs. as
We shall see from the following article:
1t is a mistake 10 assume that in
Cubatjon commences with placing eggs
inside Of an incubator or under Il hen.
II poor matches are experienced, ii is
wrong to condemn the incubator or
hen without first invest eating the cir
cumStanCes preliminary 10 tho actual
Matching process. IL is possible that
the eggs arc AT fault. And it is prob
able that the generator is 10 blame for
tho evils in tho eggs.
Strictly speaking. The first step in
incubation begins in tho breeding pens;
the second step is in tho selection Of
eggs which have the qualifications of
Matching eggs, and the third step lies
in the care OF the eggs prior TO hatch
Ing. All OF these factors have greater
Influence than is generally supposed.
Common sense dictates that it is use
less 10 ATTEMPT to secure strong off
spring from ancmic, poorly fed, listlcss
sickly or inbred parent stock. Prime
6atching cEEs are laid by fowls in
prime condition. This is a natural law.
strong. healthy. lively chicks are
hatched from prime csss and no others
The poultry raiser should see TO il that
his breeding stock possesses standard
requirements for Il given variety. and
that every specimen is in sound health
En!il this condition is established he
yond All doubt Matching is a gamble.
Realizing the immense advantage OF
ScinS able to predeterminc tho fertility
of eggs and their sex. from time to time
claims arc made that this Information
can DC obtained through particular
system. instrument or secret. As
matter Of fact these methods" ar" all
unsupported by scientific evidence.
There is no theory or practice by which
1t is possible to distinguish tn" sex of
I'm cSs, and it is not possible to mat.
a pom 50 tina, the sex can he controlled.
Moreover. it is not possible TO determine
whether an cgg is fertile without open
ing the cGg. All claims to the contrary
are notions.
Tho od-fashioncd idea thn; round
eggs would hatch pulicts and long or
pointed eggs cockcrcla is entirely
without foundation. The shane OF an
CSC is Influenced by the contour oil
the oN!duct or organ in which The cgg
receives it's a!bnmcr ana shell, ana this
characteristic is peculiar TO the indi-
Nidual hen.
rho idea that the position OF The air
cell indicates sex is equally unreliable
Mud the weight or specific gravity OF
th"'cEg is no Indication OF sex or fer
;ility.
HON SrEcgFIr GRAVITY COUNTS
~ SELECTING TIE EGGS
knowlcdGc Of the specific gravity
"i an Csc has certain advantages. ],
tends to show which eggs huvc tho
best chances OF being Matched. For OK
ample, there seems 10 be some rorrcla-
ton between the specific gravity of an
"nE and the Vigor OF tho hen tiiat Ia iii
il; hut this observation Indicates a
state Of health aud nothing more
Then. TOO, the specific gravity serves
i".cS;abiish tho ago of AN egg. and this
factor. OF course, has muCh ~ do Win
Tho Matching qualities. II has been
innnd that the specific gravity of the
average new laid cEg is l.09; after ten
DAYS ii IS l.07@; after three weeks.
l.053. and after month. 1895
inc inheritance Of selecting none but
wcl-formcd eggs for Matching pur
poses cannot he ovcrcatinlatcd Not
only will such4.a- selection produce big
Ger hatchcs..- bgA twin result in inn
provemcnts generally. Normal eggs
arc almost certain TO produce chickens
Which Will lay normal eggs, While The
1cv"lso is equally true.
Discard all GEES which are ah-
formally large or small those which
;'fe too long. too round. nattennd OF,
"uc side. cNiptical. wcdcc-shapcd. ana
nose which have any cvCrcscuCc o.,
ll!ge ~ Il general rule. no eggs
should be incuhatod which wcieh less
''itn ~" ounces nor over two ana a
M"if ounces tue ideal css weighs
'r"'" tW'niy-clsht TO thirty ounces 10
Inc dozen. u Is un egg shaped spcc.
men. nicely rounded at one end. win
gradual taper 10 tho other. and hay
nv = firm she'll OF good texture frce
from BUMPS corrueatious and .iG-cs
Nc careful not to use eggs wi;h ex-
'"eH!HElE thtn Or vcrv thick shells. or
'hos" having invisihle cracks termed
after defects can be determined by
tanning the shell gently VIII ones
anger nail or lead pencil.
GEES Intended for Matching are So,
hadlY &o!sed mat the poultrymau 10
DISPOSED I" "a.n them. this ;prnrcrt
neresfi,v should nar them rs dcsirahlc
patching eggs Yv AL means ayoi,,
washing cBEs. because 10 do So dc
S'rc!a the musrilaEcuous coating or
bloom" which is iutcrdcd to pro,cc.
ID" cEE against lndGn evaporation, and
ne entrance Of germs through tn,
pores IN tho sncn
Badly soilra eggs are not likely To
hatch VOL. because Of tho soiled mat
ter "llnGinS 10 tho shell. in which c.e.
washing Nigh, rrovc somewhat; hnnn.
iclal; hut a. previously mentioned q,
ycrr better not so use such eggs at an
they arc used. and washed mnIcrsc
ne eggs IN alcohol and thcn allow thcn,
." drain and dry or thctr own ,rcorI
10 not rub th"rn with cloth AZ .
rrecautton against disease eggs arc
"tmetimrs dipped IN a mile disinfcc,ai,.
-'.cohol may be used for this purposo
inEsH EGGS hHE Nest
FOR TIE STRING HATru
Needless to say, eggs intended for
patching should i,e set az soon az ucssi
te after they are laid Not alone ho
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