POULTRY NOTES

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 34, 3 November 1928, Page 32

POULTRY NOTES

(By

“New Laid.”)

Preserving Eggs. Some years ago tests were carried out i by the Ontario Agricultural College, the : eggs being preserved in June and tested : fn December, the methods being as follow: I Method No. 1. —A solution composed of 1 one part of water glass (sodium silicate) and live parts of water that had been ’ previously boiled was used. This was • a very strong solution, and unless an egg , was perfectly fresh it would not sink in the solution. The eggs preserved thus were of good flavour. Method No. 2.—This method was similar to No. 1, except that eight parts of water were used Instead of five. The eggs 1 in this were nearly as good as in-No. 1. This is a good preservative where it is intended to keep summer eggs for winter use. Method No. 3.—This method consisted in the use of a solution of ten parts water to one part water-glass. There were no bad eggs In this solution, but the eggs were inferior in flavour and poaching quality to those kept by methods 1 and 2. Method No. 4.—This consisted in the use of the same solution as No. 2, but instead of allowing the eggs to remain in the liquid they were removed after being tn it for a week, except the last lot, which was put into the solution. The last lot was left In the solution for the remainder of the season. (a) The eggs after being in the solution for a week were removed and placed in an ordinary egg case in a cellar. They were all good when tested, but had evaporated considerably and were lacking in flavour. (b) These were the second lot of . eggs to be placed In the liquid. They were handled similarly to those in (a) and were of about equal quality, (c) These eggs were allowed to remain In the liquid. They were well preserved, all being good. They were scarcely equal in quality to ' those from method No. 2, but were superior to those from method No. 3. Method No. 5.— A lime solution waS made as follows:—Two pounds of fresh lime were slacked in a pail, and a pint of salt ■was added. After mixing, the contents of the pall were put into a tub containing four gallons of water. This was well stirred and allowed to settle, after which the clear liquid was poured over the eggs, which hud previously been placed in a crock or tub. Only the clear liquid was used. These eggs -were well preserved, but those from the bottom'of the tub had a decidedly limey taste, and the yolk in them was somewhat hardened. Both the water glass and the lime methods of preserving entail a considerable amount of handling when the eggs are required for use, the solution having to be washed off, but there are preservatives which can be used in which this drawback is to a certain extent cut out. One of these is salt, the process being to -use a small wooden cask, in the bottom of which a layer of salt is placed, followed by alternate layers of eggs and salt, the top layer of salt covering the eggs to a depth of at least an inch. Another plan is to smear the hands with salt butter, roll the eggs in the palms of the hands until every particle Is covered, and store them away in a box unfil required for use. Instead of salt butter an excellent preservative to be used in the same way can be obtained from storekeepers. Ducks. : Very few people understand the • care of ducks, and few stay in the business long enough to learn. The beginner usually sees great possibilities in duck raising, goes to work in a haphazard manner, and quits in disgust at the end of the first season. His ducklings “just die,” for no reason whatever. The eggs' for incubation should not be saved for longer than ten days, and during. the hatching period require plenty of moisture. This' is important. Houses are not a necessity for the successful keeping of ducks in most parts of New Zealand, thanks to the equable climate, but good shelter from winds is advisable. AB their eggs are laid during the night, and for that reason ducks should be penned up after having their evening meal. They drop their eggs anywhere at all, so it is useless to have nest boxes. Ducklings do not need to be fed for from 3(5 to 48 hours after being hatched, when their first feed should be a mixture of pollard ami bran in equal parts, the bran being first scalded, and great care taken that the food is crumbly, not sloppy. I or the first few days it Is a good plan to mix about live per cent, of fine grit in the food, and after that it should alwavs be before them in a box or trough. Boiled meat, put through a mincer, should be mixed at the rate of about five per cent. In/”. te ? d . ays old > nn 4 increased gradually to double that quantity as time goes ?. lal i !cll ' eal can be added to the other ingredients from about the fourteenth day. Green feed is an essential, and after the ducklings are a week old can be fed separately, if cut up fine. Water must be always available, and on no account should it be placed where the sun s rays can reach it. Swimming water is not advisable for ducklings being raised for the table,-nor is it necessary for adult birds, except for those which are kept for ~ breeding purposes. The water vessel must - be deep enough for the head to be submerged, so that the nostrils can be kept clear. After the birds have had a long fast it is a good policy to feed first before allowing the youngsters access to water, otherwise the mortality may be considerable. Ducklings being raised for the table should be ready for killing at from eight to ten weeks old, and to do this they must.make rapid and continuous growth. After this age they begin to grow feathers s' and lose weight in doing so. They should = be fed in troughs three or four times a : day, and for the last few days the meat = and greenstuff should be dropped out of = the ration, as by doing so the flesh will = keep better and have a better appearance. = The birds should be starved for twenty- r four hours before being killed. =