Jasper County Democrat, Volume 14, Number 93, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 March 1912 — POULITRY [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

POULITRY

dirty eggs decrease value Agricultural Department Estimates Loss to Farmers at $5,000,000 Every Year.® While thpre are a few egg producers who take the best of care of their product, the average fanner considers the eggs produced on the farm a byproduct and makes very little provision for their care, aside from gathering them. A large loss Is caused by dirty eggs, the number being enormous, and according to the estimate of Secretary Wilson of the department of agriculture this money loss to the farmers In the United States amounting to about $5,000,000 annually. This loss is very largely brought about by not gathering the eggs often enough. In wet weather more dirty eggs are found than at any other time. 1 This is caused by the fact that the hen's feet are often covered with mud

or oxner intu, ana~fn going on tfte nest to lay she soils the eggs already In the. nest. An insufficient number of nests is .often the cause of many of the dirty eggs found- Eggs are laid on the ground and around the hay and straw

stacks, and becoming stained, are classed as “dirties." Again, when too many eggs are allowed to remain in a nest some are broken and many of the others become smeared with broken yolks. This condition is often brought about by allowing the broody , hens to use the same nests with , the layers. On a farm where one nest to every four hens is provided and the nests are kept clean and well bedded, it is found that very few dirty eggs are produced.

After gathering the eggs, care should be taken not to put them where they will become heated, or near oil, onions, or other vegetables, as they readily absorb odors. Although dirty eggs may be perfectly fresh, they invariably sell as “seci ondßand when but a few dirty eggs are mixed with an 1 otherwise fresh, clean lot, they materially decrease the price of the clean eggs. ",