Egg Production in Winter.

Manawatu Standard, Volume X, Issue 1466, 28 September 1885, Page 4

Egg Production m Winter.

W. H. Rndd, of Sciiuato, Mass., m a communication to the Poultry World, gives the details of experiments undertaken by him to ascertain the utmost that conld he -real ised m ejrsf production m winter, when eggs command the highest price. He selected twenty pullet*, which he had placed m a poultry house 6ft liy 14ft, with six p'ows. The house faced south, on which side were three windows, each twelve lights of Bin by 12in glass, wiih two right-light window s of ihe same sized glass m the cast end. Thorough drainage was provided hy excavating to the depth of 4ft and filling with stones, over which was a covering of earth. Over tbia was a layer of sravfll, and on this a 3inor4in m depth" of dry forest leaves. The twenty pullets were kept m this house from November 1 tn May 1, not being, let out at all. Their fo id was asfollows : For breakfast* a hot meal of shorts and maize nu»«l, sometimes maize, oats, and buck-wheat srronnd together and .scalded, to which was usually added phoep or hog's plucks, boile.l the night before and chopped fine. In .-place of this he sometimes lined ground scraps soaked over night, with grain mixed, and then wotted vrith boiling water, sometimes mixing m ground bone. There was always a seasoning of Cayenne pepper given m the breakfast meal, and the water used m mixing thin food was always salted slightly^ "Boiled turnips and potatoes mashed were sometimes added. As soon as the pullets had eaten what, they wantprl of the hot breakfast the remainder was taken away. A daily ration of chopped cabbage was suppli#d, and the remaining food was dry maize and oats scattered on the leaves, which were then forked over so as to mix it -thoroughly with them, so as to require a deal of scratching to find the grain. The maize was given 1 apt a little before sundown: "Waim waiefr was supplied through the entire day. Now for results. The twenty pullets produced from Doc. 1 to April 80, or m 151 days. 1976 egjjs, or a fraction over an average of thirteen eggs per day. The causes of this great egg yield aie easily percivable. They had a comfortable hou^e, a variety of food, warm drink, and plenty of scratching among the leaves. .These combined kept them m vigorous health, and stimulated to ihe utmost thpir egg-producing capabilities.