File:A chance for the hen in northern New England (1910) (14572713577).jpg

Identifier: chanceforheninno00bost (find matches)
Title: A chance for the hen in northern New England
Year: 1910 (1910s)
Authors: Boston and Maine Railroad. Industrial Dept
Subjects: Poultry New England
Publisher: Concord, N.H., Boston and Maine Railroad, Industrial Dept.
Contributing Library: U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Library
Digitizing Sponsor: U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Library

View Book Page: Book Viewer
About This Book: Catalog Entry
View All Images: All Images From Book
Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book.

Text Appearing Before Image:
tion. It was formerlythe custom to feed them soft feed, but in recent years the dry system of feedinghas been found to be more satisfactory. The dry mash is substituted for thewet mash. Plenty of grit should be furnished and green food is as essential forchickens as for laying hen-. Henry Van Dreser, while lecturing at farmers institutes a few years since,described his method of securing a large number of eggs at the time when theybrought the highest price. He took the hens at a much earlier period thanthey usually moulted, shut them up, and gave them a light ration, thus reduc-ing them in flesh. Then he largely increased their ration, and they began tothrive rapidly and in a short time would moult. Moulting early they wouldcommence to lay early and in this Way they produced eggs when they wereworth the most. Color of Eggs a Consideration The color of eggs has become an important consideration. Some markets,such as Boston and the majority of the New England towns and cities, desire 19
Text Appearing After Image:
a brown egg and will pay a slight premium for the .same; while New York, SanFrancisco, etc., prefer a while egg. It is the common impression in northernNew England that a brown egg is richer. It is usually rather difficult to getthe person making the statement to explain what is meant by richer. As amatter of fact the chemical analysis shows little or no difference between thecontent of a brown and a white egg. The shell of the brown egg is usuallythicker, has a trifle more mineral matter, and, of course, contains the pigment.Perhaps the great value of color is in grading and it certainly makes a muchmore uniform and attractive looking package if the eggs are not only gradedinto brown and white, but also into the different shades of brown and white. There is more or less shell variation in eggs. There are round eggs, pointedeggs, flat eggs, wrinkled eggs, etc. These egus should not be included in t hebest dozens or in the best cases, but should be marketed together in separateboxes or

Note About Images