The Poultry Yard.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 503, 10 January 1906, Page 5

The Poultry Yard.

Eggs that are required for setting purposes should be kept and handled carefully. The germ of fertilisation is very easily disturbed, and this fact accounts for many of the unsatisfactory results in hatching from eggs that have been handled roughly, or shaken much in transit. Eggs that are sent by rail should never be put down as soon as they are received, they should be kept in a moderate temperature for 12 hours before being set. Bad hatching results are often attributed to the dishonesty of the vendor when the fault lies with the purchaser and the carrier only. The cause of the coloration of spots, streaks, stripes, shape and coloration of the eggs of wild birds has always been a problem for the scientist. A few have solved it to their own satisfaction, the theories advanced being as varied as coloration, whioh still leaves the matter in the region of dispute, At a recent meeting of the Reading Natural History Society, Mr Edwin S. Brown, F.L.S., read a paper on the subject, and treated it from the view of a poultry-breeder. After examining the various theories advanced as to the cause of the coloration in wild birds' eggs, he applied those theories to domestic poultry. Mr Brown concluded by saying that up to the present it appeared impossible to account for the cause of the coloration by any theory supported by adequate evidence.'

It is often tne case at this season of the year that one finds thriving birds, especially cockerels, suddenly become debilitated. Frequently this is the result of intense heat, and in such circumstances to give the birds liberal stimulating food aggravates the evil. In hot weather shady places must be provided, and green food allowed in abundance. If there are no trees or. other natural shade the necessary shelter should be provided. As vegetaole food, a supply of lettuce or cabbage leaves hung in the run is excellent. The strictest cleanliness should be observed in hot weather, and all food should be perfectly fresh. Stale food, and particularly if acid fermentation has sot in, is a constant source of dysentry and diarrhoea, and many birds are lost annually through neglect in this matter. As soon as a bird is noticed to droop, change its food. A small quantity of raw meat chopped fine may with advantage be given, and medicinally two drops of tincture of perchloride of iron morning and night. Poultry-keepers whose stock are yet too young to market would do well to push them along as quickly as possible. Young meaty birds are fetching good prices, but such will not always obtain, henoe it will be more profitable to feed well and market early. A good thing to assist in chicken growing is liberty, and as this o*btains on the farms where a large part of the supply is raised, food is the chief consideration. The usual soft food—poliard and bran—with some meat or a little fresh-cut bone, is sufficient for all purposes of growth, but where potatoes can be had cheaply these assist largely in putting on flesh. Maize is a good evening food for fattening purposes, but the high price ruling for this popular grain is obliging many to fall back on cheaper cereals. With plenty of the above simple foods, healthy young stock will always be fit for the local market. The special fattening by artificial means, as practised largely in England, has not been attempted here, the belief being i\kqi. the small demand for the specially goods would not warrant the experiment. The Government Export Depot and private stores have been fairly busy of late in the preparation of fowls for export, largely for South Africa. The officers at the Export Depot report that for several weeks about 1500 head of boiling fowls have been prepared weekly, a continuance being likely for some time yet. During one week a city firm were offered an export order for 9000 fowls, with three months in which to execute it. The priee was about a payable one, and had it been for two or three thousand would have been accepted, but realising the limited possibilities of the Sydney market to secure the quantity mentioned would have exhausted the supply, and consequently raised the purchasing price to an unpayable extent, with the result that although anxious for the order the firm, rather than be bound by contract with the possibility of a loss, declined the business. It was suggested to divide the order firm, but the same difficulty arose j the other people would have to go to the same source of supply, the Sydney salerooms, with the consequent competition and ultimate loss to the exporters, —Sydney Morning Herald.