POULTRY NOTES

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 87, 9 October 1937, Page 25

POULTRY NOTES

USEFUL ADVICE

MANAGEMENT OF YOUNG STOCK One of the most difficult stages of chicken-reeling is the weaning period; weaning from the heated brooder stage to that of perching in a grown-up manner, Spring weather conditions, when one night is frosty and the next is quite mild, make late brooding still more troublesome to the owner who is anxious to keep his chicks growing well. Chicks are hardy things, and it is astounding that more do not die, but the novice must appreciate that good rearing is the foundation of future profits. If the death rate, except from accidents, is above 5 per cent., then the management is at fault, and the chicks that are reared will likely be inferior adults. For the first month the chicks may be kept inside, some keep them intensively for much longer but such folk are experts, They need plenty of room and fresh greens, should be fed twice daily. Watch the feathering as an indication of good growth. Those chicks that are doing- well will feather slowly, but the feathers will be clean and tight. Their little wings will be held close to the body, not half open and drooping. The ■ healthy chick is always active, seldom under the brooder, and the more he eats the quicker he will grow. Get the water containers up on a shelf and keep | everything as clean as possible, maki ing certain that the sleeping accommodation is always bone dry Those that use a wire netting platform under the hoover are most wise, but if this is not used then several inches depth of dry litter should be provided. At from three to four weeks some of the chicks will leave the heated portion of the brooder and sleep elsewhere and this is where danger rests. If these chicks crowd in a corner the inside ones will get crushed, and instead of the whole bunch spending a restful night they will be shuffling for the inside position all night and have that "after the night before" look in the morning. By making these chicks sleep on wire floors, sufficient fresh air circulates underneath -them to keep them healthy and prevent sweating. Plenty of straw will be a help, but every endeavour should be made either to keep them in units of not more than fifty or else to get them up on the perches. Many are the systems of encouraging perching and a chat to your nearest poultryman is the easiest way of learning how. Very often, however, the easiest way is just to put them there! This means a visit to the sheds just after dark and if all of the chicks are lifted on. the perches (two can do it very quickly) for three nights on end it will be found that in future most of the chicks will be only too keen to perch. Once perched this crowding trouble is avoided and the chicks will thrive better. GRADE THE SIZES. It is a serious mistake to fuss over weak chicks or to place sickly chicks with a younger batch, as this will encourage the spreading of disease. At the same time the experienced poultryman will always remove the biggegst chicks to a separate, shed, while the smallest ones are best sold for what they will fetch. If the chicks were not sexed at hatching time, then the cockerels should be separated as soon as possible, If they are needed for selection as future breeding stock they "should be reared on range under ideal conditions. But if they are for table use they 'are best reared intensively, thus promoting quicker growth and saving the clean ground for the more wanted pullets. Few novices appreciate the need for different foodstuffs at different stages of growth. For the first six weeks Starter Mash should be fed either dry in hoppers or as a wet mash with freshly-ground mixed grains at least once daily. At six to eight weeks the starter mash can be broken down with some growing mash while whole grains can be fed instead of cracked, Then at ten to twelve weeks only growing mash and oats, wheat oats and maize should be led. Push the protein into the chicks the first six weeks- and milk is the ideal protein source. • Curds, skim milk, powder, or muttermilk powder can be us?d and as much as 15 per cent, dry weight will do no harm. But by twelve weeks this protein must be reduced to less than 5 per cent., since body growth is required before egg production commences. Lots of exercise and roughage in the form of greenstuff will help better than anything else to build strong frames and bodies. Under ideal free range conditions three small feeds a day are sufficient, since the chicks will find much in the way of greens and grubs in their wanderings, If kept intensively or in small yards, more feeds per day are advisable but always the chicks should clean up each meal without leaving any stale food to cause bowel trouble. WORLD'S POULTRY CONGRESS. News is to hand that the seventh World's Poultry Congress is to be held at Clevedon, Ohio, U.S.A., fron. July 24 to August 7, 1939. Already many committees are functioning to make this congress a success. It is estimated that at least a million delegates will be present, and the sum of a million dollars is to be spent in preparations, With several papers being read at the same periods and with an international poultry show following, this meeting of poultrymen and research workers should eclipse all previous congresses. The Crystal Palace congress in 1930 holds a good record, but the Americans have a way of staging conferences in a style difficult to beat. Already the writer has received two letters asking for information for papers being prepared for this conference. One is from the Director of the Foods and Nutrition Department of the Institute of American Poultry Industries, asking for recipes for egg and poultry dishes, "particularly those characteristic of your people and country." Also for any interesting bits of food habits of our peoples, "the latter will add to the interest of the space we wish to devote to your country in our plan." Here we'have the Americans staging an exhibit of our country! Probably the exhibit will be far from accurate, but are they to blame? Surely it is time we recognised the value of these international conferences from an educational and trade aspect. New Zealand has the best strains of White Leghorns in the world and yet our exports in stud poultry are almost less in value than the money spent in Australia each year for hatching eggs! Some years ago the writer was responsible for selecting a breeding pen of White Leghorns to be sent to a prominent United States poultry breeder. Iri due course a letter of appreciation was receievd in which the writer expressed the opinion that he expected to sell at least 100 cockerels from the imported pen the first year at not less than fifty dollars (£10) cac>*

At the very least we should send an official delegate with ail exhibit o£ our White Leghorns. In the past, however, suggestions have been left until a few weeks before sailing time for the congress, with the result that little active interest has been taken by us. Because we are so far away is all the more reason why we should be actively interested in these meetings. EGG PRICES. Many poultrymen are concerned as to whether the price received for their produce is going to be a payable one. Certainly eggs are higher in value today than they have been for some years at this season, but grain and mash prices are proportionally as high. No one can accurately forecast market rates, but it appears that last autumn there was less egg pulp in store than is usual, and this season nas seen a far keener demand for eggs for preserving for next autumn's use and this demand has kept up the glut price. Again the tomato crop last year was a failure, so that more eggs were psed in the summer period and the price then did not drop. The demand for day-old chicks has been very keen this season, which might imply that more fowls are being kept; at the same time the wage earner is better able to afford two eggs for breakfast today than he was during the depression Much hope has been placed in the Director of Internal Marketing regarding the establishment of a marketing scheme which, would stabilise egg prices, but so far details of a scheme have not been published. There ia much to be done in connection with grading both for quality and size, but the problem is one which cannot be easily solved without adding overhead costs which might reflect back on the producer. Certainly there is a most keen demand today for carefullyselected fresh infertile eggs for preserving purposes, and as much as Is 8d is being paid in some cases by buyers anxious to procure really reliable eggs One authority recently expressed the opinion that autumn prices would not be so high this coming year as usual, since a more'stable price would encourage consumption. In New South Wales, under the Egg Board, the retail price of eggs has been kept steady with a minimum of about Is 4d in the spring and a maximum of about 2s in the autumn for retail values. It should be noted that wheat is about 2s per bushel cheaper in New South Wales than in New Zealand, yet Australian poultrymen are complaining bitterly that they are unable to make a reasonable profit!

Those poultrykeepers that retail eggs direct to consumers should endeavour to obtain the full retail value. Much harm is done to marketing organisations attempting to stabilise prices by those who "cut" prices. Of course, the buyer who goes out to the farm to get his eggs considers he should be able to buy more cheaply, but on the other hand he has the advantage of knowing that the eggs obtained are genuinely fresh and not several weeks old! Above all, every producer should use the utmost care to market only fresh, clean eggs. Any doubtful eggs can be sold as such to a pastrycook or used at home. A bad egg for breakfast means that the particular household concerned will stop buying eggs for some time! EGG-LAYING CONTEST

Results of the twenty-eighth week of the egg-laying contest conducted at Massey College are as fpllows:— SINGLE PENS. Section A,—A. G. Mumby (4>, 149; J. Wilson (6), 148; W. Scott (5), 145; A. A. Hoare (4), 141; O. H. Marklancf (5); 134; J. A. Annan (4), 133; Miss IJ. Keddell (6), 132; A. G. Mumby (5), 131; O. H. Markland (6). 125; O. H. Markland (5), 122; W. N. Laws (4), 120; A. S. Harrison (4), 119; J. Mold (6), 118: A. A. Hoare (6), 117; J. T. Hazel wood (5). 116; P. Wills (3), 116; A. J. Severn (5), 114; A. J. Shailer (6), 112; G. F. Moody (5), 110; Miss H. Keddell (5), 109; A. G. Mumby (5). 109; Sunny River P.F. (C), 168; Miss H. Keddell (6). 103; A. J. Severn (5), 103; P. Wills (0). 102; Rangiuru Egg Ranch (5). 101; J. Reilly (0), 101; 0.. H. Markland (4). 98; A. S. Harrison (51, 96; J. A. Fearce (5), 96; Mrs. R. R. Cannon (6), 95; A. G. Mumby (5), 95; P. Mummery (51, 94; Ancona Stud P.F. (5). 92; W. N. Laws (f), 92; Whenuapai P.F. (7), 90: Rangiuru Egg Ranch (4), 89; Mrs. M. L. Douglas, 84; G. W. Hawkins (6), 60; W. Scott (3), 77; W. Scott (5). 73; A. J. Severn (3), 72; P. Mummery (41, 71; Mrs. L. Hubbard (5), 61; C. L. W. Urquhart (41. 54; Sunny River P.F. (11, 37; bunny River P.F., 31: Rangiuru Egg Ranch (0). 11. Section B.—Miss E. T. Somer (6), 163; Miss E. T. Somer (6), 155; Mrs. M. L. Douglas (51, 151; Mrs. R. Willers (5), 146; Mrs. W. J. Huxtable (4), 135; W. A. Larsen (41, 131; D. E. Hopkins (01, 130; Huxtable Bros. (31,130; W. A. Larsen (61, 129; Mrs. W. O. Gould (51, 128; T. Dowthwaite (51, 122; Huxtable Bros. (41, 122; W. Fletcher (31, 120; E. Jensen (41 120; T. Dowthwaite (51, 118; Ancona Stud P.F. (61. 114: R. Feist (51, 111; T. B. Holdaway (01, 108; E. Jens i (51, 105; T. Dowthwaite (51, 98; J. D. Rowlands (2), 96; W. A. Larsen (51, 90; W. Fletcher (31. 84; Miss E. T. Somer (61. 75; John Walker (51, 65; W. A. Larsen (31. 59.' TEAMS RESULTS. Section C.—H. A. Lucas, 147, 103. 115 141, 115, 132 (22). 753; Ancona Stud P.F., 137, 113, 136 $6, 108, 102 (251, 682; Mrs. G. E. £>ewell. 82. 128, 79 121. 94, 138 (27), 642; C. L. W. Urquhart, 133, 68, 117, 90. 106, 56 (261. 570; S. G, Batten, 84, 95, 118, 84, 77. 84 <23) .542; J. T. Hazelwood, 87. 94, 90, 58, 69, 74 (23). 472" Costwold P.F., 48, 56, 115, 110, 3 r 89 (17), 448; M. Stephenson, 84, 31, O.'llO, 55 109 (15). 389. Section D.—L. G. Hooper, 134, 137, 131 113 149. 106 (31), 770: W. A. Larsen, t3li. 104. 134. 166, 118 67 (24), 727: F. A. Dewhurst, 9r \ Hn' 11C (19) 659; Austral P.F. 1 01 - i 9' 109 101 78 (24), 646; G. A. Mitchell, 84 3 99 133 64 75 (13). 485: G. A. Eciae 83 117 91 67. 33. 86 (231, 477; Bliss' Bros.. 29, 60.. 80. 28. 37. 104 (241. 338. . =======s===== t: