POULTRY BREEDING FLOCKS.

Dunstan Times, Issue 3129, 7 August 1922, Page 8

POULTRY BREEDING FLOCKS.

IMPORTANCE OF GOOD BIRDS. The importance of good breeding stock to poultry farmers was stressed by Mr E. Cuesensj Government Poultry Expert, in the course of an interview recently. , , , ~ “Upon breeding stock depends the success of the poultry farmer,” said Mr Cussens, “so the utmost care and attention should be given to the selection of these birds at this time of the year. Breeding stock should be selected some time before the birds go into the moult, sail'd the expert, and as a rule, late moulting birds are the most desirable to breed from. A method adopted by many is to select the birds about March, place them on grain rations, with plenty of litter on the flodr and a plentiful supply of green food. Birds so treated get through the moult quickly and! are in good breeding condition this time ot the year. If the intended breeders have been fed on mashes and animal food, it is almost impossible to expect strong, healthy chicks. For the benefit of those who have not selected breeders, Mr Cussens gave a few points that may he helpful. The best birds are those with ai bold_ prominent eve, a. clean red face, comb fine in texture and not_ too large, as any excess development in the comb generally means diminished egg production. The birds are always l dean, close, hard and tight feathered. This is essential as in many cases the importance of tightness in the leathers' in breeding stock is entirely neglected. One seldom finds loose soft feathered birds good 1 long season layers. The body wants to have good length, breadth and depth, with plenty of width across the baeir, and depth' between the pelvis and breastbone. Care must bc_ taken that fineness in the texture is in alt breeding stock, especially females. Coarseness in the abdomen, the pelvis bone*?, the comb or head should be strictly guarded against. A little maisli, fed twice a week, will be an undoubted aid to egg production, but too niuch meat or animal food must be avoided. Breeders heavily fed on meat will not Produce eggs that contain good fertility or produce strong healthy chicks. Another point that requires attention is to see that the birds are perfectly free from insects, particularly the males, as many birds when examined are found to be swarming with parasites, and in this condition they cannot prove to be too fertile. Birds of this description should be dusted with sulphur or rnsevtitude. “In fact,” said Mr Cussens, “a good and effective mixture is made up of one-third lime, one-third sulphur, and one-third road dust. This should lie thrown under the bird’s feathers so as to reach the skin.” “As regards hatching ind incubation.” continued the expert, “this is a subject which will occupy the attention of poultry-men a good deal during tlie next few months. No doubt many failures in this _ business can be attributed to the inability of the poultry keeper to renew the flock than from any other cause. Old second-hand machines may ho purchased for a few pounds less than new ones, hut a. new machine of reliable make will pay best in the long run. Eggs should he set as fresh as possible and as a. matter of foot, two weeks is any amount long enough to keep eggs. When saving eggs for incubation, they should he kept in as even a temperature as possible, the ideal being from 50 to 60 degrees. Once eggs are exposed to a temperature of less than 40 degrees or greater than 70, the genu is more or loss injured and its vitality affected. Eggs should not bo exposed to dampness or musty smells. Every incubator manufacturer sends out a hook of instruction with his machine and ray best advice to the beginner is to follow the maker’s directions.” A good idea is to keep a record of the temperature at morning, noon and night, the weather conditions and when moisture was applied. By this means, a person can get sonic reliable information and if the results are not satisfactory, a. copy of this chart should be sent to the manufacturer who would then ho able to give some advice as how to get fho best results. Culling, continued Mr Cussens, must specially bo watched by all poul-try-keepers. As success depends on the, egg-production, if there are a number of unprofitable birds in the flock, one cannot expect success. The unprofitable birds should he culled out as soon as they are detected. The host season for culling is during the months of .January, February and March, hut by careful studying of the birds, one can detect almost at any time those birds which have ceased to become profitable. A bird with bright yellow legs in November is usually a drone and should ho disposed of. A coarse headed bird with a. dull, sunken eye, hairy faced, coarse in the abdomen and in at the pelvis bones, is not a profitable one. As soon as the birds have ceased to he profitable they should be disposed of and not be kept until culling is done in the fall of the year. Mr Cussens said that anyone seeking advice, or the Poultry Bulletin, issued gratis by the Department, can receive same by applying to Mr Brown, chief poultry instructor, Department of Agriculture, Wellington, or the speaker at tho Department of A grid* It u re. Christ cl i uroh.