POULTRY NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 48, 26 February 1937, Page 14

POULTRY NOTES.

PUNNED BREEDING. i MATING CONSIDERATIONS. (By ORPINGTON.) All breeders should be able to produce eggs showing 20 per cent fertility and hatchability. Should the figure fall below that it not only means that the cost of producing birds for sale or replacement pullets for home needs is greater than it should be, but that the chicks are likely to be lacking in vigour. The perfect poultry inatings should be such that t lie maximum numjber of females are mated to each male and that as many eggs as possible produce vigorolis chicks. Firstly, the question of age. In the hands of an experienced poultry keeper it would be safer to use females which are over-yeared, i.e., those which have completed their first laying year. By doing this we can be assured of the ability of the bird to live and of its full maturity, and are also more likely to use only 2oz eggs or over. In the hands of an expert pullets may bo used for breeding so long as the birds are fully mature and of good body weight and breeding shape. One has to steer the middle course. To hreed from a small, immature pullet would result in poor fertility and low hatchability, but to use a fat-ridden, aged lien would give equally poor results. The ideal female is one which is fully mature has obvious vitality, is well up in weight and has a properly shaped breeding body. It may be that certain birds are at the moment unsuitable, tout that they can be improved by the time they will be required for breeding. The Male's Age. It is difficult to define an agQ for the male, for present condition plays such an important part. For really good fertility he should not be less than eleven months old nor more than two years. One must not forget the important question of retaining, while they will still breed something, super-special birds which year after year have unlieatatole stock. We cannot expect many eggs nor perhaps a high fertility, but such valuable birds should be retained until one breeds other birds of equal value.

Highest fertility come* from hens which moult easily and quickly, which have a youthful face free from wrinkles, which retain their activity, which possess a lean body, and which still lay well-shelled eggs.

The best hatching results come from birds which are single pen mated, i.e., only one cockerel in each pen with the hens. We would go so far as to say that where the birds are of sufficiently good quality the improved hatching results will pay for the erection of an increased number of pens of wire netting. Flock mating, i.e., running two or more cockerels in one Hock, often gives uneven fertility, because of the frequent interference of a bird in the act of mating by the other males. Alternate Mating Plan. For the very finest results it is an excellent plan to practise alternate mating, for then the eggs have the highest possible fertility and the chicks have supreme vigour. The idea is to have two cockerels for the one breeding pen, using one male one week and one the other, so that there is always one resting. Now is the fime to handle the birds from which the breeders shall tie taken in order to observe body condition, progress of moulting and nearness to lay. When moulting birds which will be used for breeders, it would be a good plan to select now and move them to their proper breeding pens. By doing this the birds will have settled down in their new positions when they return to lay after the moult, whereas, if they were shifted after they had returned to lay, not only would production t>e interfered with, but fertility would be reduced. Breeding Pen Position.

Now is the time to plan the position of your breeding pens, choosing the areas on your farm which are most sheltered, protected and free from disturbance. An open, wind-swept situation is bound to lower fertility and hatcliability. If there is no natural protection, erect shelters.

There is often much argument as to how many females to mate with each male, and it is well to realise that infertility may he caused hy giving the male too few as well as too many. It is impossible to lay down hard and fast rules. For instance, one should use a smaller number of hens per male if the birds are of an exhibition strain, if the range is limited or if the cocks are old. More females can be allowed if they are of the smaller, tighter feathered utility type, if they are pullets or if they are 011 wide range.

Only good breeding birds must be used for breeding. Rather than mate up a few birds of doubtful quality, go to the other extreme of excluding all those which are the least bit questionable.

Every bird which will be used for breeding in the near future must be kept in a lean, hard condition and supremely lit. The grain should be carefully regulated in the morning and fed either in deep, loose Jitter or scattered widely on grass range.