POULTRY STATION.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 7 February 1927, Page 9

POULTRY STATION.

PROSPECTS FOR INDUSTRY. In April of last year a start was made by the -Public Works Depart-ment-'on the erection of buildings for the new poultry experimental and Breeding station at Wallaceville,’ and now, although the work is not completed, there are about 60 adult birds and 772 chickens already housed. The stock was selected by the Chief Poultry Instructor (Mr F. C. Brown) from the Seacliff, Ruakura and Waipukurau State Farms, and is mostly from strains which were stocked .by the Government Poultry Station at Milton before it closed down. The birds comprise White Leghorns, Black Minoreas and White Plymouth Rocks, and later there will be Black Orpingtons as well.

“One of the chief functions of the station,” , said Mr Brown to a Wellington Post reporter, “will be to investigate certain theories in regard to the various branches connected with the management of poultry, especially those problems where opinions differ as to the value from a practical standpoint, in other words, problems that are. out of reach of the average poul-try-keeper to grapple with. SELF-SUPPORTING. “It is also proposed to supply to farmers and others sittings of eggs and birds for breeding purposes, from purebred tested stock, and several hundred hens will be kept for laying purposes for the production of market eggs. In this way it is expected that the revenue derived will go a long way towards making the plant selfsupporting. “The concentrated plant covers about three acres, but in addition to • this it is proposed to • have colony bouses, chiefly for the rearing of the young stock after they have passed the brooder stage. From what I could learn, the department’s great aim is to breed a class of stock possessing a high egg capacity and particularly constitutional vigour. With the ideal natural conditions available for rearing tile stock it is confidently expected that there will be no difficulty m securing the class of bird desired.’ THE PLANT. The buildings already completed at Wallacevill© are constructed on most modern lines, and comprise an incubator room, feed room, small office, mixing feed room, two large broody sheds (each 20ft- bv 20ft), two scratching sheds (15ft x 20ft).. and a young house (20 ft x 20ft). These are all under one. roof, but there are . also two voung stock houses, 16 single pens, and eight experimental pens to hold six birds each. At present Mr Free thy. one of the poultry instructors. is in charge and doing all the work, but it is proposed to later make it a “two-man” plant. “One point, which I would particulary stress,” said Mr Brown, “is the co-operation, which will exist at Wallaoeville between the scientific officers of the veterinary laboratory and the Poultry officers "for the combating of poultry diseases. I am . convinced that a reallv good work will he done for the benefit of the poultry industry by this close co-operation.” CHEERFUL PROSPECTS. Mr Brown holds out cheerful prospects for the poultry -industry. He said: “There is little need to fear that egg production in particular can be overdone in the Dominion. We have one of the best local markets in the world, and can easily get rid of any surplus. Other countries, besides England, want our goods. To the side-line poultry-keeper, the small settler on the land, the industry holds out the greatest promise, hut it is unfortunate that more fanners do not avail themselves of the free practical advice and assistance of the poultry instructors and of the literature is-

sued by the department. Although foodstuffs are highly priced, eggs, and table poultry are correspondingly high, and with the knowledge at his disposal and the class of stock available there is no excuse, other than bad management, for the poultrykeeper if his, birds do not pay.” The new Wallaceville branch will he under the control of the Live Stock Division of the Department of Agriculture, and poultry-farmers shouldview with pleasure the establishment of such a useful institution for their benefit.