Show TRY SHOULD BREED FOR HIGH PRICED EGGS size as well as production equally important by dr IV C thompson po poultry u itry hus hug bandman in new jersey co college elege oi of agriculture service since big eggs make for increased poultry farm income because of the emphasis placed on size in grading eggs and since the ability to produce duce big eggs is heritable poultry men should breed for egg size as well as for production and other inherited traits fresh quality table eggs are sold on an egg size quality basis this means that price returns are to a large extent at least based on the egg size quality of respective packs the poultry breeder who is interested te in improving the average egg size of the yield produced by Ws his pullet layers should remember that there is no significant correlation between the number of eggs that a bird lays and the size of those eggs and that the poultry breeder must select his breeding stock both with regard to the quantity and egg size quality he should also keep in mind that egg size quality may be very materially increased by a proper introduction of this element clement into the poultry breeding improvement program the nearer the can come to produce pullet laying flocks which yield eggs of such size and quality as will command first grade prices the more profitable will be the egg farming enterprise in the practical application of such principles two tiro methods are offered first it if trap nesting is being done pullets which show 60 per cent or more of first grade eggs or eggs weighing 24 ounces or more to the dozen should be separately banded with a legband future breeders bleeders bre eders other things being equal are best chosen from that group this involves weighing eggs produced during any 30 day period after three months of production have passed according to the second method suggested when no trap nesting is being done the breeding stock is selected with regard to all the characteristics acte considered to be important and the are made up as usual in any case only eggs wel weighing thing 24 to 23 ounces per dozen are placed in the incubator figures gathered on several hundred layers indicate that the adoption of the 24 ounce to the dozen minimum or preferably the 26 ounce to the dozen minimum f for 0 r hatching eggs will accomplish distinct improvement in the average egg size of the resultant pullet flocks cites high standards in in choosing hatching eggs egg selecting eggs for hatching according to a definite standard aids materially in improving the size shape and color of eggs produced on the poultry farm J C taylor associate extension at the new jersey college of agriculture rutgers university tells egg producers the standard of egg selection for hatching suggested by taylor is that no egg shall weigh less than 24 ounces to the dozen nor more than 28 23 the size he says should be uniform and the shape normal do not use eggs which are long short round or oddly shaped the color should also be uniform no cream colored or other tinted shells in the white eggs and the brown eggs should be of a shade most characteristic of the flock the care of eggs before they are placed in the incubator determines deter mints to some extent the success of the hatch collect the hatching eggs frequently ly at least two or three times a day store the eggs in a clean cool room or cellar where the temperature pera ture does not go above 55 or 60 degrees fahrenheit be sure that all hatching eggs are turned once a day and do not hold eggs longer than ean 10 days before putting them in the incubator raising broiler birds the cross of rhode island red hens and barred rock males is a popular broiler bird it Is said that they grow taster faster and are easier to raise than most pure breeds broilers are started on a chick starting ration and can be given hard grain after a short time or raised on an all mash feed A special broiler ration gives well fleshed birds the loss in dressing broilers ranges between 13 and 14 per cent in the henyard latching hatching I eggs held longer than tuan 10 IQ days decrease in hatchability the principal poultry markets ol of the country are new york boston chicago and philadelphia 0 0 0 prevent floor drafts by whatever treatment of 0 the poultry house may be necessary but break up these drafts at all costs the usual number ot of males used in breeding flocks is one male to 15 hens or six to Is the usual number in commercial hatching egg flocks ot of white leghorns Leg horns |