COMMERCIAL EGG FARM

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 114, 10 November 1934, Page 15

COMMERCIAL EGG FARM

SELECTING, PLANNING, AND

STOCKING

In so far as cluuatjc conditions are concerned poultry-keeping can be sue ccasfully earned out near any large town, in New Zealand. Idfial conditions ctist -n hero cheap land can, be obtained near a port, suth conditions a cxi t at Foxtoa and the sui rounding distnet. Whilst the intensive syatem lias been proved profitable, it requires fur more expert attention and greater capital m ■ye tmerit than does management uiidd free range conditions. It i» a mis take to start a fainv too far distant Jtiom the !>ourco of feed supplies and from the town -nheic the eggs and table poultry produced are to be sold Ball fieight on eggs and poultry is hot as important as rail charges on feed which are very heavy to those in outlying dis tricts,; some distance from a railway or road transport dehyeiy. It is generally acknowledged that Wellington is the best buying centre for eggs, though this city is liable to be a dump mg ground for supplies from the Can terbury district. J?ive acres is the minimum amount of land needed, but twenty acres should be procured if possible, for under ideal tree Tange conditions not more than 20Q birds should be run to the acre, even allowing for some birds kept under the semi intensive s> stem. Spare land can alwajs be used for giazing purposes until required for adult stock, whilst rearing operations will be much easier if fresh land can bo used for each year'» hatchings. Far too often insufficient attention is paid to the chosen site, and full consideration should be given to the type of soil, the possible incrca.se in the value of the land, the amount of shelter available, social conveniences, water and power supply, and road frontages, Suitable land should be available at less than £30 acre, while good shelter on the southern and western boundaries adds as much as £10 an acre more value to the site, For preference the land should have a slight slope towards the north and rocky positions should be avoided, i