Keeping Chickens Newsletter

"The tide of eggs is steadily rising, and what are not required for breeding should, when fertile, be sold for incubating purposes. A big business is done in eggs for hatching and the price will vary from twice to six times the figure got for commercial eating eggs. March is a very busy month between looking after chickens, continuous hatching and the disposal of surplus eggs.

Fertile eggs that go by post or rail require very careful packing. Special boxes may be bought for that purpose, and great care should be taken to see that the eggs are packed tight so that the contents will not be unduly shaken.

Dominque And Sultan Chicks

If the weather is mild let the chicks out of doors as much as possible, but never go away and leave them. A sudden storm of hail or snow might lose you the lot. Even a heavy rain-storm will kill young chickens. All your incubators should now be going in full blast and light breeds should be hatched from now onwards to the end of April. Be it remembered that it is now or never with the hatching of heavy breeds. Better also to be a fortnight too early than a week too late with light breeds. Time steals away like a thief in the night, you can never catch it up again.

Do not coddle the chicks; it is wonderful how they do in dry, cold weather, but do not allow them to get wet."