Poultry Notes

Hutt News, Volume 16, Issue 47, 26 May 1943, Page 3

Poultry Notes

(By "Red Comb.")

PLAN AHEAD

It will be too late in August or September to decide that you are goin'g to buy some chickens. Breeders throughout New Zealand are booking orders now for day-old pullets to be available in the spring, and if you require chickens this year I advise you to get in touch immediately with the man you intend to deal with, Hutt Valley residents are fortunate in- having within the Valley, poultry-men who • can offer hatching eggs or chicks from strains which are equal to the best in the Dominion. Production of eggs during the winter months depends on the pullets, and it is a wise policy to add to your flock a few pullets each year Be sure to mark them carefully or you'll find great difficulty in distinguishing them from the older hens after the first year. DltY MASH This method of feeding poultry has bccome very popular during recent years. The ingredients of the mash are mixed dry and tno resultant mash placed in hoppers which are available to the birds throughout the day. Such a hopper can be made to hold a week's supply and one daily visit to the fowls can thus be eliminated. There are few men to-day who are not working long hi un- -to such men, the dry mash system should appeal. Each system has, of course, its string adherents who for many years have waged war on each other. It is all rather foolish and obstinate, for the truth is that the birds will get used to any system, provided it is regular. The secret of the matter lies in the quality of the ingredients and not in whether it is fed wet or dry. With dry mash it is most important to see that the birds have a regular supply of clean fresh water. Many poultrymen too, hare found that better results are obtained if the water is warmed very slightly on cold winter mornings. It must "be remembered that 65i per cent of the total content of an egg consists of wafer, and egg production will suit'ci seriously if the birds are expected 1 o drink water which is almost at freezing point. FOOD CHANGES Never make any change in feeding suddenly. The rival claims of different foodstuffs often tempt one to try a change. Naturally when you hear that a man is getting wonderful results by feeding some particular foodstuff, you are anxious to try it on your own birds. Accordingly, you suddenly cease the accustomed mash to substitute something entirely different—and you are amazed to find that, far from increasing your egg production, the new food has put the hens' completely off. You probably feel resentment against the other man; but the troubUe lay in suddenly putting Elr.ui-e food before the birds and u:>K' J Ung their contentment. Strive fxf impi cument certainly, but new foods should be introduced Very gradually.