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Evening Star, Issue 12865, 14 July 1906, Page 10

[Bi Minorca.] Being desirous to encourage and stimulate the poultry industry, we have arranged with a member of the local Poultry Club to edit this column, and will be glad to receive and publish any items of news or notes which will be of service to readers. Contributions and questions for answering should be addressed to “ Minorca," Poultry Editor, ’ Star ’ Office, and received not later than Tuesday of each week. “ Minorca" will only answer communications through this column. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. White Wyandotte.”—The following is the table of food values promised last week. If there is food I have not given that you want let me know;—

Composition of Foods,

To find the ratio (the correct ratio for faying hens is 1 to 4i to 1 to 5) add the carbohydrates obtained from the fats and also toe other carbohydrates together, ai.d divido by the albuminoids. For instance, to find the ratio of oats, add 12.4 to 48 = 60.4, and divide by the albuminoids 15, •which equals 4.02. * Thus oats fed alone .ore rather a narrow ration. If you don't understand, write me-again, and i will explain further. " Wflite Leghorn."—The bird has scab, usually caused by a dirty yard, sometimes inherited. Rub the comb with carbolic oil (1 in 40), scrub the legs with warm •water, then apply kerosene, and afterwards rub in sulphur ointment. Give the bird ; a teaspoonful of Epsom salts in a wineglassfnl of 'warm water, Mr Jennings, of Ravensbourne. is selling out of black Minorcas. His best birds have been bought by Mr French, who took the first prize hen, Mr M'Pherson, who got the old cock bird and hen, Mr G. Smith (a cockerel and six pullets), and Mr T. JVlockford (a cockerel). These gentlemen have got some of the best blood to be bought and should do well. Local fanciers will bo pleased to see Mr .Carotin did so well at Oamaru and Naseby *£^ ns ' oi Stirlin as far north as Wellington, winning in hens and securing fiist, second, and very highly commended in pullets. Mr Brock, of Opoho, is making a start •with poultry, and intends going in on a laige stale, but is feeling his way and learning as he goes, which, I think, the best method. At present he has only one house and a splendid run. He has made a good start by buying Mr Greeham's pen of Wyandot tea. The hens are from Warien's, mated to a Howell cockerel. Mr Mulder, also of Opoho, is an old band jet the game, and knows how to look after Ws bdrde. They are not allowed out on wet Says, but have large scratching sheds. The birds kept are of the laying type, consist Ing of black Orpingtons, white Wyandottes. md white Leghorns. From conversation. [ gathered that Mr Mulder fancies the Orpington as an all-round bird, and next season it is hia intention to,go in for birds if high quality. .Where it is difficult to get fresh-cut bone *gulnrly, in email quantities, the foiiou--ng method of keeping large lots should be ried:—Get fresh-cut bone, and mix thorraghly with good, fine pollard, taking care hat every particle is well covered; out )lenty of pollard on top of the lot, and it vill keep for some time, even in summer. While green bone is the best, containing a proper proportion the ingiedients to make he shell and contents of ihe egg. it is not ite only good animal food. Lean meat of my kind is an invaluable egg food, and cnleas the birds ar<j on a range infested wth insects it is absolutely necessary to pre animal food to secure autumn and rirxter eggs. Small spota of blood are occasionally oxtnd in eggs. They may occur in the roik, which means a slight hemorrhage in he ovary, or in the white, which locates b in the oviduct. An odd instance or two neanß little, and in fact can seldom 1« aentified. A series at the breakfast-table loints to a definite inflammatory condition, aused usually by condiments, or too much oeat, or constipation. The remedy k obious. Black spots are more rare and may Man an early stage of gangrenous ovary. rbich lias once or twice occurred in Ameica in epidemic form, and is probably due j bacteria. For this reason, whenever such ccurj the bird should, if possible, be sepaited and carefully treated by herself tilL it r Sean whether the spots cease. We are frequently asked x«hv a i*-n i.s lying browner eggs than usual." This ecuot always be accounted for, but as a rule bose birds which lay the brawne«t enure vhose which come broody, and after bey have been broody and" recommence Lying their eggs are much more brown in olor than before they wanted to sit. TJncrabtedly the fancy for the brown-shelled ;gs was first brought into general favor by je knowledge that imported eggs had inariably white shells, owing to the fact of m Continental poultry-keepers raising trds of the non-sitting varieties*, on account t their producing a larger number of egra ad bo English people felt thai there was tore possibility of the egg being really new id and of home produce if the shell was Down or tinted.—Exchange.

I HINTS ON BROODY HEN'S AND CHICKS.

I Hens -which Lave come from a distance be used as sitters should be placed in a op and given water and a good feed of y food, then, at dark, be placed on the st prepared for them, a few dummy eggs ing placed in the nest. Don't disturb e hen for two days, then take her oil for od and drink. If a hen is veiy wild, it better to take her off after dark and feed lift Ox hen off the eggs at a regular

hour each day. You will often find then mat she will come off the nest herself ae eoon as you open the box. Chicks hatched during cold weather should be fed on warm, soft food for the brst two meals- in the morning; then place dry food among litter to keep the chicks scratching; the exercise keeps them warm., and help? to digest their food. Many breeders have chicks with cramp in their toes and legs. This is sometimes caused by damp grouud, but also from keeping the chicks in stables, sheds, greenhouses, etc, away from fresh air. Cold weather does not hurt the chicks. Supply shelter from cold wind, and see they have a dry floor to sleep on. If the hen breaks an egg while sitting, the eggs should be removed from the nest and fresh hay put in. Wash the eggs if they are dirty with warm water, taking care to dry them tlwro-ighly afterwords. " Many people think it unpossible to rear good, healthy chicks in small yards. This 15 a great mistake; the chicks do almost as well as those that have a good run, but a lot more work is in keeping the place clean mid supplying grit and green food.

During cold w(\Ulw>r the hen should rot bo allowed to oil the nest more than ten or fifteen minutes. If she won't go on the eggs again in tbat time, it is best to lay a warm, dry cloth over the eggs. In cold weather eggs should be set as soon as possible after being laid. The eggs sl»ould not be kept in a room which gets N-ery cold at night time. A cellar is th<> best place, as the temperature is more even. It is best to turn the eggs every two days when keeping them for setting.

SEVEN REASONS WHY POULTRY IP VALUABLE.

Profea-Tor A: G. Gilbert, of Ottawa, gives the following reasons why poultry is valuable to the farmer :

" Because he ought, by their means, to

convert a, great deal of the waste of his farm into money rn the sliape of eggs and chickens for market.

" Because with intelligent management they ought to be all year revenue-pro-ducer?, with the exception of perhaps two months during the moulting season.

" Because poultry will yield him a quicker return for the capital invested than any other department of agriculture.

"Because while cereals and fruits can be successfully grown only in certain sections, poultry can be raised" in all parts of the country.

" Because poultry raisdug is an employ ment in which the farmer's wife ami daughters can engage, and leave him free to attend to other departments. " Because it will bring him • the best re suit.-? in the shape of new-hud eggs during the winter season when tho farmer lias time on his hands.

" Because to start poultry raising on the farm requires little or no capital. Bv good management poultry oan bo made with little cost a valuable adjunct to the farm."

TO "CURE" A BROODY HEN

You also ask me about iny method o r feeding broody hens. They" are fed <t\ actly as are my laying hens. Bach on. of my pens is equipped with what I ten a " breaking-up coop." This coop'is con strut*ed of la.ths upon all sides, including the bottom, the laths' being placed about one inch apart. The coop is two by fmr feet, with legs raising it two feet from th floor. . This coop is placed in the scratchim. pen, where it is constantly surrounded b-. the node during the day, and when a hei becomes broody she is placed in it. Thenbeing no comfortable place in this coop fry her to construct a nest, she, gives up sitting and is constantly on the move during thi day. Her activity is also caused in a measure by the presence of the of the flock about her coop. I would ad<" that at one end of this coop is a shelf of sufficient width to hold a feeding dish an<" a wafer dish, and the broody hens are fed and watered a> regularly and as bounti fully as those that are at liberty in the pen In nearly all cases, n few days of confine ment in a coop of this character will discourage the most persistent sitter.—R.P.J.

o 6 (ft i Article of "o H 5 -g . .V * Food. 6 u * = 5 ° X 3J £ a ® o ■Mg * * 3i | o Oi oinseed Meal.. 32.9 24 7-0=17.8 35.4 5.7 8.9 9.2 Beansand Peas 1.5= 3.4 48 2.5 10 14 Oatmeal IS 6 =13.5 G3.5 1.5 9 Middlings (Pollard}.. 16 4=9 TU 4.3 4.5 14 Bran .. 15.5 4=9 44 0 10.5 14 Oats and Ground Oats 15 5.5=12.4 48 19 10 Wheat.. 12 1.8= 4 70.1 1.8 O O 12 Sarey.. 12 1 4= 3.2 66 3.6 14 13 AilletSecd .. 11.3 4=9 00 3 9.4 12.3 ilaize .. 10.6 S =18 1.5 11 ‘.letup Seed .. 10 21 =47.2 45 14 s Potatoes 6.6 0=0 41 *f 0 50.5 Bed Ciover .. 5 .3= 1.8 2,4 7° Cabbage 2.4 .4= .9 38 1.4 1.6 90.5 Turnips .5 .1= .2 4 1 1.4 93 Lean of Beet.. 20.5 3.5= 7.9 0 1.6 0 74.4 Milk .. 4 3.5= 7.9 4.S .7 0 87 Fresh Oat Bone 20.3 26.1=53.7 0 2.4 0 29.7