POULTRY SCRATCHINGS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXV, Issue 250, 19 October 1904, Page 7

POULTRY SCRATCHINGS.

Selecting 3reeding Fowls.—Something to more than simply a good breed of fowls is to be thought cf. In determining the breed, you first decide just what you "want. Do you want good layers? Is your aim to get as many eggs as possible, or are you planning to raise chickens for market? If the latter, you want a breed that will bring you avoirdupois and at the same time a chicken that will be pronounced sweet and toothsome. But it was our purpose to say that whatever the particular breed, you want to know that your particular birds come from a healthy flock. It will pay to inquire whether they are from a locality where no disease has prevailed during the last season. After you have decided these general questions, covering breed, stock and locality, then do not think it. too much trouble to examine every fowl. You can only, in this way, be sure that you have those that are healthy, strong and free from! lice. We have seen it noted by good i authority that even eggs from hens that i are not known to be in the best corndi- j tion should be rejected, as disease can i be transmitted by parent to offspring in the eggs. j Suggestions and experiments have) frequently been made in regard to the influence of food on the colour of the egg-yolks, and it is pretty generally accepted that the season, and thereby the food, have as much to do in giving that rich colour to the yolk so greatly prized. It is noticeable that when' fowls can obtain good green grass or other sweet green stuff the yolks are the proper colour, and that when, as is usually the case ia the summer, green grass is not available, the egg-yolks are of the palest straw colour. In recent experiments made at the West Virginia Experiment Station it was clearly noticeable that the different rations very clearly affected the colour of the yolk. It is reported that when the grain ration, consisted of wheat, oats, or white corn,! fed either alone or in combination withj each other, the yolks were so light-j coloured that the eggs would be quite unsuitable for family trade. When the grain consisted, entirely of white corn I the yolks were very light-coloured,! while, on the other hand, the feeding of j yellow corn imparted to the yolks that! rich yellow colour which is so desir-l able. Similar experiments were made as to food affecting the flavour of egg*, and celery oil. oil of sassafras, dried I herring, etc., were tried. "Quite contrary to expectations, the flavour of the e.ug was not noticeably affected by any of the rations- or flavouring materials employed, although it has been shown by investigations at the North Carolina Station that the feeding of onions imparts a very distinct and undesirable flavour." Ducklings should not be allowed to go on the water till feathers hare supplied the place of the early down, for the latter will become saturated with water, while tlie former throws off the wet. Though young ducks take early to water, it is best that they should gain a little strength before allowing them access in running streams. The following eommonsense rrmarks on the rearing of ducklings is given in the '"'Agricultural Gazette" (-England). The treatment suggested is suitable to tills climate: "Upon the early treatment of the ducklings a great deal depends— in fact, it may be said that the first couple of weeks is the most important time in their lives. When they are for killing immediately they are large enough forcing food .must be supplied, together with as little exercise as possible. On the other hand, when • they are for stock purposes the idea should be to allow them to grow and develop j slowly,- as only in this manner is It ; possible for them to attain a large size and a good sound constitution. In : the former case the ducklings should hot have access to water in which to swim, as the less exercise they are given the ' more rapidly will they add on flesh. When for stock purposes they may be permitted into the water as soon as they are old euough, the age depending upon the weather. As soon as Ayle=-bui-y ducklings are about five weeks old, the Pekins about seven, and the Rouens about nine, the fattening should commence, as by this time they should be large enough for the process to begin. During the period of fattening, lasting about three weeks, the staple food is cooked rice, prepared in the manner above indicated, but in this ease, when required for fattening, a little fat •yr tallow greaves should be added in the proportion of about one-eighth tallow to the rice, by bulk. There is no finer or more economical food for ducklings than this, and they will be almost seen t6 grewj so rapidly do they put on flesh."