POULTRY EXPERIMENTS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIV, Issue 16327, 25 August 1913, Page 2

POULTRY EXPERIMENTS.

A bulletin issued by the Maine Agricultural Experimental Station deals in the first place with certain modifications which it was considered desirable to introduce at the station into the methods of feeding the laying pullets. All adult birds, whether puOets or not, received (a) whole or cracked grains scattered in the litter, (b) the mixture of dry ground grains known as a dry mash. The birds were also given oyster-shell, dry cracked bone, girit and charcoal, together with an ample supply of clean water. In addition clover hay was provided. The whole or broken grains were preferred to the dry mash, but while the latter was taken freely, the birds showed no tendency to gorge themselves with it or to become lazy and over-fat. It is also claimed that by feeding a dry mash in hoppers there is none of tlio mobting which characterises trough feeding, there is little or no waste, and the amount of labour is considerably reduced. The dry grains were fed early

in the morning, being scattered on the litter, which consisted of a mixture of fine shaving and straw, the amount of whole com allowed for every 100 hens being four quarts; at ten o’clock they were given in the same way two quarts of wheat and two quarts of oats. This was all the regular feeding which the birds received.

The dry mash formerly used at the station had tho following composition:—

Wheat bran .... 200 Maize meal .... ICO Middlings 100 Gluten meal or brewers’ grains 100 Linseed meal .... 100 Beef scrap . . . . 100 Experience had shown that this mash, containing comparatively large quantities of such concentrated foods as gluten and linseed meal, was rather too rich.

In considering the most desirable modifications to introduce into a new mash it was necessary to take into account tho circumstances connected with tho transfer of the birds to the laying houses from the range on which they had grown up, and experience led to the conclusion that this period was a very important one, and th.-tfc the egg production during the winter was dependent to a large extent on the way in which this transition was made. It seemed desirable that this change should be effected as gradually as possible, . and with this end in view the pullets were transferred from the range soon in the autumn," when they were placed in a house with a freshly-seeded yard full of green grass accessible to them, and here" they remained until oold weather set in. Thus thoy were brought from a free range to a restricted range, but with better pasturage on the restricted than on the free range. In order, to bring the birds gradually to. a rich ration the following modifications were made in the composition of the dry mash: — • First month in laying-house—-lb Bran .... 300 Maize .meal ;» . . 100 - ” Middlings . . . . 100 Meat scrap . . 100 . Second month in laying-house— Bran .... 200 Maize meal , . . 100 Middlings .... 100 Gluten meal . . . 100 Meat scrap . .. . 100” Third month in laying-house—Thi. mash was similar to that given in the second month, with the addition of 501 b of linseed meal. Fourth month 'in laying-house—Tlie ■mash had the. same composition as that of the second month. Fifth month in laying-housc—The mash had the same composition as that of the third month. Every alternate month after this time 501 b of linseed meal was put into the mash, as given for the second month. This dry mash was kept before the birds all the time in open hoppers. Tne. character of the egg production resulting from this method of feeding is shown below :-r- ‘ Egg Production of 300 Barred Plymouth Rook Pullets, Autumn- and Winter of 1909. '

From this table it is evident that the average production made no sudden increase in early autumn, but rose gradually, until in the fourth month it rose quite rapidly at the time of year when a high egg average is most desired. On this system of feeding, the pullets were found to bo much freer from digestive troubles and diseases involving the liver, and there was no moulting in the early winter. The dry mash used at tho station for birds kept as breeders after they have moulted was as follows: lb. Bran .... 400 , Maize meal . . . 51) Middlings ... 50 Meat Scrap . . . 100 From about a month before the birds to be used as breeders (old hens, cockerels and cocks) were mated up, they received richer food, and were eventually fed on the third month ration as described above for pullets. .This method of feeding breeders appeared to increase fertility and the hatching quality of the eggs and the vigour of the chicks.

Month. Total Number of Eggs laid. Average per bird. 1st . . 139 0.46 2nd . . 725 2.42 3rd . . 984 3.28 4th . . 2926 9.75Totals . . 4774” 15.91