Show IMPROVING HEN FLOCK great deal depends on selection of setting eggs should be those from year old barda a chicks will bo larger and stronger than those from pullets by A J WILDER care should be taken to save for beatings Bet tings only the eggs from the beat hens A very great difference can be made in a flock in a few seasons by the selection of the eggs tor hatching by choosing the largest eggs the fowls will be much larger in size but there Is a great probability that they will not be good layers the hen that lays an unusually large egg is quite likely to lay only every other day by setting her eggs and again the next season setting the largest eggs you will develop a strain of large fowls that will lay very large eggs but will lay only every other day or even less on the other hand it you set the eggs from the hens that as pullets laid during their first fall and win ter and continue to set eggs from such hens you will develop a strain of early winter layers the eggs tor settings should be from year old hens as the chicks will be larger and stronger than those from pullet eggs it Is best to mate every poultry home should have some convenience for confining broody hens cockerell cockerels cocker els instead of old cocks with these hens as the eggs are more apt to be fertile and there will be alara er percentage of pullets choose the medium sized well shaped eggs and be sure the shell is firm and strong A weak shell is sure to be broken and besides the loss of tho egg itself will likely ruin several of the other eggs in the nest and may even teach the hen to break and eat them fed the hens a little air slacked limn in the mash to give the eggs a gocel strong shell be sure the lime Is well slacked and give two tablespoon fuls to hens ayery day art not force the breeding stock tor egg production feed them mostly whole grain wheat oats corn and barley let the mash be a light teed and alvo them fresh sweet meat scraps twice a week fead plenty of green food unless tho fowls have range where they can find i tor themselves keep them supplied with pure clean drinking wa ter and have charcoal grit oyster shell and dry bone always before them dont forget a little salt in the mash it should always be salted as much as the same quantity of food would be tor the table the hens must be made to exercise by scratching tor their grain in the utter they must be healthy and in good condition it you are to raise strong healthy chicks A diseased condition of the hen Is transmitted to the egg and will appear in the chick when batched |