THE POULTRY INDUSTRY.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VII, Issue 1956, 22 May 1920, Page 3

THE POULTRY INDUSTRY.

WORK FOR THE MONTH. {Edited by J. B. Merrett.] The principal work on the commercial poultry farm for this month will be tiie getting together of the breeding stock. It is most desirable that this work be completed this month, therefore, where new stock has to be introduced, no time should be lost in making purchases. The main portion of the work, however, is with the hens or pullets that are to be bred from. The male birds need not be rput in the pen quite so early, though it is desirable that they be in the pen by the middle of next month. It may not be possible, of course, in every case to make up all the breeding pens' required so early, particularly the second-year hen portion of the matings. Many of these might be still fairly heavy in the moult, and if they are on a good extensive ran, and are being kept under better conditions than would obtain in the breeding pens, it might be advisable to leave them till a little later. It does not follow that because hens have not quite completed their moult they should uot be put into the breeding pens to settle down before the time when they are required for breeding from; that is a matter where the discretion of the breeder should be exercised. One of the most fatal misfakes made by poultry breeders is to leave the mating of their breeding birds until too late in the season. A' Common Error.

One of the errors made by poultrykeepers with limited experience is to attempt to hatch only heavy breeds at first, say during the months of June and luly, and to leave the hatching of light breeds, such as Leghorns, until August ind September. This practice is responsible for many thousands of late •md unprofitable chickens being hatched, ft is far preferable to have some early ■hickens of both breeds. Unless this is lone, the light breeds will very soon leteriorate just by reason of the fact of iieitig continually hatched too late, and lie impossibility of securing wellnatured stock to breed from the following year. Thus the effects of late hatching are cumulative, to the detriment of he breeds.

Again, there are but comparatively few poultry-keepers who can ensure sufficient eggs of one breed (if they keep two breeds) to enable them to keep their incubators full, so early in the season. This will be better understood when it is stated that the highest average egglaying made in one year in the competitions at Hawkesbury Agricultural College was 17 eggs per pullet for the month of June for first-year hens. Seeing that these are all selected hens representing the best that their owners could bring up, it is not likely that the average farm pullet or hen will come up to this record, although as in the competitions, individual pens will, of course, put up higher tallies. Probably the June average for birds penned" for breeding purposes would be nearer eight and three respectively. However, the fact remains that the average poultry-farmer finds it difficult to secure sufficient eggs from his breeding pens in June to enable him to set all that are desirable, and he has generally to be content with what he can get. This is all the more reason why he should set all the suitable eggs available, whether from heavy or light breeds, because whatever might be said against early hatching of light breeds, one thing is certain fas many are now being brought to realise), namely: early hatching is preferable to late hatching in any breed. Notes. An American company which is devoted to the hatching of chicks for the baby chick trade claims to have the largest incubator in the world. The machine is said to hold over 1.000,000 eggs. equal to 60 tons weight, at one sitting. In this machine the air is changed every three minutes, and the moisture is supplied by live steam. It is said that chicks are hatched every hour of the day and every day in the week.

The Wellington members of the executive of the Poultry Association took advantage of Mr J. B. Merrett's presence in Wellington before he left, and interviewed the Wheat Controller (Mr W. G. McDonald) for a further supply of wheat. They received a very sympathetic hearing, and were promised that every effort would be made to secure a further allot.in.ent for the poultry industry. The deputation pointed out that it would mean ruin to many poultrviiien unless the food supply were assured.