POULTRY NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 19634, 13 August 1927, Page 24

POULTRY NOTES

[By UTILITY-FANCY.]

“Eager.”—l do not know of any fancier having “ pure white bantams.” Perhaps, a small advb over those notes would put you in communication with a breeder. '

have room and appliance for, say, TOO eliiekcns, it is far wiser to be satisfied with a mob of eighty or ninety than to attempt to rear IttO. Tho smaller number may bo roared satisfactorily and prove profitable, while the IJU started with will not only in due course be sadly reduced in number through disease caused'by overcrowding' but tho reduced flock will in all probability prove poor layers. A few birds well roared are more profitable than a large number badly reared.

“Cleckin.” —I liavc handed your letter to a Minorca breeder. “H.AV.”—You need not be surprised if your Indian Runners do not lay every day. It is only the best strains that lay seven eggs per week regularly as the competition birds arc doing. Seeing that you cannot feed them alter their 9 o’clock morning mash till 0 p.m., you should throw some grain for them to fossick for during the day. bran is about half the weight per bushel of pollard (bran IGlb, pollard 3Ulb), so whatever measure you use give your ducks one of each, and let there be enough when properly mixed to thoroughly satisfy them. See that their water vessel is deep enough for them to bury their heads in the water, and have grit and oyster shell in abundance always before them. Don’t forget the green stiilf for their health's sakos.

Whilst the incubator is doing its work, see that the brooders are ready for the chicks when they arrive. Uy ready I mean: (i) Actually in existence; (2) thoroughly clean; (3) equipped with suitable drinking vessel (one that the chicks cannot paddle in); (4) that its corners are rounded oil’ so. that the chicks cannot smother one another by crowding into corners; (5) see that the lamp or other heating apparatus is in perfect order; (0) that it is large enough for the prospective clutch, and if not get a supplementary brooder. An extra brooder is always handy, because chickens grow quickly, and the one large enough one week may be too small tho next. Tuberculosis in chickens is caused by the specific bacillus, or germ,_ of bird or avian tuberculosis. The disease is infections, and spreads in fowl as it does in cattle. All affected fowl should bo killed and burned. Then now bouses on land nut previously used for poultry will have to ho built to accommodate eliiekcns, bought from a flock guarantee free from the disease. Old yards should be ploughed and cropped and in time will become safe.— ‘ Hoard’s Dairyman.’ Charcoal Has Value.—Charcoal is of value in poultry feeding, both to adult and growing stock, because of its effect as an intestinal corrective, it is porous and absorbs gases of tho stomach and intestines, thus aiding somewhat in the process of digestion. That it has a laxative effect may be seen in the character and color of the droppings immediately after feeding it. Birds like it and will clean up a small hopper full of it in two or three days. In the selection of charcoal for feeding the first essential is that the wood be^tboronghly carbonised so that pitch, larrv, or oily properties found in some grades of charcoal will be completely driven off and tho charcoal remains will ho practically tree from those impurities. It may be fed in hoppers by itscll or it mar he mixed in tho mash. When used in tho mash it. is mixed at the rate of I per cent, of the total weight of the mash. SEARCHIN(i FOR STOLEN NESTS. WHAT HAtTENED TO HENRY WARD HE EC HER. “One lliiug we shall never get over. Wo shall never lose enthusiasm for liens’ nests. Tho sudden cackling outcry of a fail hful old hen, proclaiming the wonder of her eggs, we shall never hear without the old flush and wish to see and bring .in the vaunted trophy. The old barn was very large. It abounded in nooks, sheds, compartments, and whatnots, admirably suited to a hen’s love ol egg seeretiveness. And no lover ever sought ilie Rost Oliieo for an expected letter with hall the alacrity with which we used to search for eggs. “Every barrel, every manger and bin, every pile of straw or stack ol cornstalks, every mow ami grain room was inspected. And there was always tho delightful hope that a new nest would suddenly open to ns. For everyone properly horn and well brought up knows that hens’ nests are lortuitons, ami arc always happening in the most surprising manner and in the most unexpected places. And though yon bring all your groat human brain to bear upon tho matter, a. silly old lien will tuck away a dozen eggs right under your eyes, and will walk iorth daily after each instalment with a most domestic air and tone of taunting, saying, as plain as inarticulate sounds can proclaim it, ‘Eve laid an egg! I’ve laid an egg! I’ve laid another! You can’t find it! You won’t find it! I know yon won’t’.’ “And sure enough, we can t find it, and don’t find it until, after a due time, the gratified ohMuss leads forth all her eggs witli infinite duckings responsive to endless peopings! Behold, there was a nest in a dump of grass not. a vard from a familiar path. “Tho knowledge that a nest might dawn upon ms at any time, kept our vonthfnl zeal more alert than ever. Columbus was to discover this little nest of a continent. Sometimes we detected the sly treasure in a box of a chaise; sometimes an old hat held more in it when east, into a. corner than in its palmy days. The ash bin was an-exedlcnl. spot. The fireplace under an old abandoned Dutch oven was a favorite haunt. Wo have crept, flat as a. serpent, under the whole barn, fearless of all the imaginary monsters whidi, to a boy’s imagination, populate dark holes, anil have come forth llaxed from head to foot with spider’s webs, well rewarded il onlv a few eggs were louml. “Now it sometimes happened that, when busy about the _ ‘ chores,’ foddering the horse, throwing down hay to the cows, we discovered a nest brimming full of hidden eggs. The hat was the bonded warehouse, ol course. _ But, sometimes it was a cap not of suitable capacity. Then the pocket came into play ami chicllv the skirt pockets. Of course we intended to transter them immccliiiiclv uftcr into iho house, for'eggs are as dangerous in the pocket, though lor dillercnt reasons ns powder would lie in a iorge,„an’s pocket. And so, having finished (he evening’s work, anil put the pm into the stable door, we sauntered towards the house, behind which, am ri.rht over Chestnut Hill, the broad moon stood showering all the eastouth silver twilight. “ All earthly cares and pleasures wore forgot in the’dreamy pleasure; and at 1,-, n<»th entering the house—supper already delayed for ns—wc drew up the chair, and peacefully sank into it with a suppressed and indescribable crunch and liquid cackle underneath ns which brought us up again in the liveliest manner, and with outcries which seemed made up of all the lions cackles of all the eggs which were now holding carnival in our pockets! It is easy to put eggs into your pocket, but how to get'them out again—that’s the question. Such a hand-dripping business—such a scene when tho slightly angrv mother and tho disgusted maid turned the pockets inside out! “ 'Wo, were, very penitent! It should never happen again! And it did not—for a month nr two. Then a sudden nost. very fulj, tempted us, and we fortified cinr courage as. of course, the same accident could not happen twice. The memory of the old disaster would certainly prevent any sucli second ridiculous experience. “ But it chanced there was company In the house—cousins and gladly-re-ceived neighbors—and amidst the congratulations and .the laugh and the handshakings they began to sit down; and we also sat quietly down, but rose up a great deal quicker! Our disgrace was total.

‘‘R.W.II.” —1 do not advise mating cockerels and pullets. Jl you do that you will (ind a preponderance of cockerels in the progeny, and it the practice is continued the constitution ol the Hock depreciates. The best mating is that of a cockerel with second or third year hens. Managing the liroody.— It it is desired to have a good hatch great attent: :i must be paid to the sitting hen and the accommodation provided for her. Some hens may sit well, but there is always a certain risk that they may not sit'thc full time out. They should be let otf the nest every day, the time allowed being according to the weather. Ten minutes is long enough it the weather is not severe, but when snowy or frosty they should be returned to the nest in live minutes. Should any eggs become broken, the nest must no cleaned out, and any eggs which are soiled should ho well washed in warm water. Each hen and nest should bo well dusted with insect powder the day on which she is sot, and repeated again once a week, and especially so the day before the chicks are due to arrive. The majority of hens which leave the nest or are uneasy do so because of lice and red mites. As to tho food they should have, nothing beats maize, and very seldom will the hens partake of aby grit. An old belief, and a good one, too, is to supply the drinking water in a warm condition. Always be punctual in letting the hen off the neist each day, and, if possible! sit two hens at once, which is a great saving of time, especially early in the year, when fertile eggs are not so plentiful. As material for the nest nothing heats plenty of hay. There is no need for a sod nest during the early months, as moisture is then plentiful.

Don’t Try to Hatch Stale Eggs. One of tho cardinal secrets of successful hatching, whether by incubator or hen. is new-laid eggs, and if poultrykeepers will hear this in mind fewer failures will he-heard of. All eggs for incubation mubt have twelve hours’ rest before being placed in tho machine to s allow of the germ settling properly. Do not use either extra large or very small eggs in the same egg chamber, but select those of an average .size, also those with smooth shells in preference to rough. Eggs part with much of their moisture before they can bo hatched, and the egg chamber demands a certain quantity of moisture, or the drier tho 'air outside the egg chamber the more is required inside: therefore the humidity of the hatching room must be watched, (Treat care in cooling the eggs is necessary—much airing in cold weather is injurious; but, on the other hand, too little in hot weather is a mistake. How Many Eggs to Set.—How many eggs are necessary to produce a pullet? It is the general practice to figure that five eggs should lie set for each pullet desired. ’ In order to figure on getting 100 pullets when fully matured, 600 eggs must be set. Ol the original number set 10 per cent, must he figured oil for infertility; of the remaining eggs it is figured that 60 per cent, will hatch: a ‘JO per cent, mortality is figured on tho chicks that hatch; 50 per cent, of the remainder will _ be cockerels. According to this figuring, of the original 600 eggs 108 will turn out to bo pullets. When buying chicks, throe chicks are figured for each pullet, so if it is desired to have 100 pullets .’3OO chicks most he bought. These are average figures, and may vary a little one way or tho other. An incubator hint is timely just now. Experiments have proved that the amount of moisture eggs should lose during incubation works out, for lOOoz of eggs set, 950 z at the end of the first week, 90oz at the end of the second week, ami Sooz at hatching time.

There is great temptation in the hateliing season to try to handle a greafcr'numhrr of chickens than there is proper accommodation for. If you

* “Three times within our melancholy remembrance did wo perform (his shameful act. until a ’hen's nest affected us with peculiar horror.'’

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PAPANUI EGG-LAYING CONTEST. Leading Pens, Seventeenth Week, Ended July ,30 (119 days). FLOCK TEAMS CONTEST. Six Birds. —Whit© Leghorns.—

SINGLE HEN OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP. Light and Heavy Breeds. —-Black Orpingtons.—

SFNGLE BUCK CONTEST. Owner Enters Three Birds. —lndian Bunners.—

SINGLE HEN CONTEST. Owner Enters Three Birds. —A.O.V Heavy Breeds.— Week’s

WHITE LEGHORN SINGLE HEN CONTEST. Owner Enters Three Birds. ' ■ Week's

Week’s Weight, Eggs. oz. dr. Tl. J. G. Verrall ... 33 (16 1 507 J. Biggins ... ... 27 57 n 298 H. C. West ... ... 32 72 n 4SS A. Woolley ... ... ’29 6-2 13 4S6 T. C. Wilue ... ... 27 60 11 472 Green Bros. ... 35 72 5 469

Week’s Weight, Eggs. oz. dr. Tl. H. W. Beck .. 7 16 0 , 97 Mrs Hellaby . 6 ■12 8 90 H. J. Ballin 4 8 5 80 A. M. Espio 5 10 8 SO J, Kiugslaml 3 5 10 81 —Win'to Leghorns.— E. Hawes ‘ 5 Id 1 DS W. E. Ward . 0 n 3 89 A. C. Goodlet .. 10 13 87S. E. Davey o n 5 87 H. C. West 5 u ii 87

Week’s ' Eggs. Tl. F. Jl. Cotton, No. 1 . , 7 113 A. G. F. Ross, No. 3 . . 7 116 Mrs Geo, No. 1 ... . , 7 111 A. G. F. Rose, No. 3 . , 7 113 G. Voire, No. 3 ... . . 7 112 J. W. Thomson, No. 2 . . ft 111 Mrs Gee, No. 3 ... . , 7 110 —Pekings.- — Mrs Little, No. 1 ... . 7 109

Sgs. Tl. P. Bailor, I'.I.I!,, No. 1 7 104 P. Bailey, R.I.R., No. 2 0 97 P. A. Cornish, L.S., No. 1 7 94 —Black Orpingtons — 0. A. Grainger, No. 1 ... 4 ]02 T. 1). Dalziol, No. 2 6 400 R. M. Cookson, No. .3 ... a 97 Kingslancl, No. 1 (3 94 ,!. Kingslanci, No. 2 5 94 'J'. D. Dalziel, No. 1 5 92

Eggs. TI. A, R. Hi’cnvnr. No. 1 .. G ioo .11. Williams, No. 1 ... .. G 105 W H. West , No. 2 .. 6 101 W 11. West, No. 1 ... .. 6 100 If. Wiliams, No. ;i ... .. G O'.) II. C. West, No. 2 ... 5 97 L. J. Knowles, No. A .. 6 97