Show EGG SHORTAGE IS threatened more laying hens needed to meet demand by LESLIE M BLACK extension new jersey college of agriculture rutgers university keep your pullets and turn them into info laying hens instead of putting them on the market thereby providing more eggs for uncle sams food for defense program and aiding your own income theres no definite egg shortage now but there may be in the future unless egg production is increased people are eating more ea eggs gs at home the army needs lots of eggs and large quantities are scheduled for shipment overseas the go government recently asked poultry producers to increase egg production cases during a 15 month period ending next summer and they have responded but later figures indicate the increase will fall short of that figure we know that we can produce all the eggs needed in the food for de bense program its just a matter of having plenty of laying hens and taking carea care of them properly eggs are one of the best foods and no one should eliminate them from ones diet because of shortage on the average each person in the th united states uses 26 dozen eggs a year this average should be maintained along with supplies for the army and britain A recent united states department of agriculture report shows that about 19 per cent more chicks have been hatched since january 1 than a year ago but the increase in numbers of young chicks on farms on june 1 was disappointing this would indicate that many pullets are being sold as meat along with cockerels cocker els for the broiler market the egg feed price ratio is attractive to the poultry producer now and the government has announced that a favorable ratio will be maintained it looks like this was the year to fill all available poultry houses with well matured laying pullets A special effort should be made to withhold all well developed pullets from slaughter the market for poultry meat can be fully supplied from the cockerels cockerell cocker els out of this years hatch because prices will be better if the broiler market is not overloaded |