One Thousand Ways to Make a Living; or, An Encyclopædia of Plans to Make Money

by Harold Morse Dunphy

[4] Copies of these publications may be obtained free from the Division of Publications, U. S. Department of Agriculture.

The hatching should be done early in the spring and should be completed if possible by the first of May. Chicks hatched before this time will have a good chance to mature and be in laying condition as pullets before the cold weather of fall sets in, and should in consequence be producers during the entire fall and winter. Early-hatched chicks are also easier to raise, as they live and thrive better than those which are still small when the hot weather begins. If it is desired to hatch and raise chicks, the reader is referred to Farmers’ Bulletin 585, “Natural and Artificial Incubation of Hens’ Eggs,” and 624, “Natural and Artificial Brooding of Chickens.”[5]

[5] Copies of these publications may be obtained free from the Division of Publications, U. S. Department of Agriculture.

Culling the Hens

In any flock some hens will be found to be much better producers than others. Often there are a few hens which are such poor producers that they are unprofitable. Where the flock is comparatively small, the owner is often able to determine by observation which are the poor producing hens. Needless to say, these should be the ones to kill and eat as fowls are desired for the table. All hens molt in the fall and early winter. During this molting season, which usually takes about three months, the hens lay few or no eggs. It is advisable, if well-matured pullets can be purchased at a reasonable price, to kill and eat the hens as they begin to molt, replacing the flock with newly purchased pullets. The hens should not be killed, however, until they begin to molt and their comb begins to lose its size, color, and flexibility, for if these changes have not taken place the hens will probably still be laying and at a time of year when eggs are especially valuable.

Preserving Eggs

A small flock of hens, even five or six, may produce enough eggs during the greater part of the year to supply the needs of a medium-sized family. Where a larger flock is kept, there will be a time during the spring and early summer when more eggs are produced than are used. These surplus eggs can either be sold or, what is perhaps more desirable, preserved in the spring for home use during the fall and early winter, when eggs are high in price and much more difficult to obtain from the flock.

The eggs to be preserved must be fresh. They should be put in the preserver on the day on which they are laid. The eggs should be clean, but it is better not to wash them. Eggs with dirty shells can be used for immediate consumption and the clean eggs preserved. Cracked eggs or those with thin or weak shells should never be used for preservation. Not only will the cracked egg itself spoil, but it will cause many of the other eggs packed in the same jar with it to spoil as well.

One of the best methods of preserving eggs is by the use of waterglass. This material can be purchased by the quart from the druggist or poultry supply men. It is a pale yellow, odorless, sirupy liquid. It should be diluted in the proportion of 1 part of waterglass to 9 parts of water which has been boiled and allowed to cool. Earthenware crocks or jars are the best containers for the purpose, since they have a glazed surface and are not subject to chemical action from the solution. The crocks or cans should be scalded out, so that they will be perfectly clean, and allowed to cool before they are used. A container holding 6 gallons will accommodate 18 dozen eggs and will require about 22 pints of solution. Too large containers are not desirable, since they increase the liability of breaking some of the eggs. Half fill the container with the waterglass solution and place the eggs in it. Eggs can be added from day to day as they are obtained, until the container is filled. Be sure that the eggs are covered with about 2 inches of waterglass solution. Cover the container and place it in a cool place, where it will not have to be moved. It should be looked at from time to time to see that not enough of the water has evaporated so that the eggs are uncovered. If there seems to be any danger of this, sufficient cool boiled water should be added to keep them covered.

Remove the eggs from the solution as desired for use and rinse them in clean, cold water. Before boiling such eggs prick a tiny hole in the large end of the shell with a needle, to keep them from cracking. As the eggs age the white becomes thinner and is harder to beat. The yolk membrane becomes more delicate, and it is correspondingly difficult to separate the whites from the yolks.