HENS THEIR OWN ACCOUNTANTS.

Mataura Ensign, 15 January 1913, Page 4

HENS THEIR OWN ACCOUNTANTS.

The astute and enterprising gentlemen who pursue poultry farming for profit in America fully appreciate the importance of keeping an accurate record of the actual laying performances of their liens. Without some .such record the systematic culling and weeding of unprofitable hens cannot bo conducted with any degree of certainty. Most poultrynien, says the 'Scientific American,' have their own rule-of-tluunb methods of arriving at a record, and the results they have attained have given very general satisfaction. lint investigations on an experimental poultry farm have proved that these methods are faulty. One hen estimated to lay 'J";0 eggs a year laid only 80, while another with a reputation for 80 per annum laid IS2. More accurate methods of arriving at the actual laying capacity were clearly needed. 'Hie poultry farmer, however, cannot afford the elaborate methods of the experimental farm, so a couple' of Staten Island noTltrymen have put their heads together and invented a very simple device which makes each hen her own book-keeper. Each hen is induced to sign its autograph as soon as it has laid an C'tg. The manner in which this seeming miracle is accomplished is verv simrle. The nests where the hens lav the eggs are fitted with ■< little inclined platform, up which the fowl must walk to get to the nest. A« it walks up the hoard its hack stri a little trigger which releases a li.rbt wire frame, swinging outwards frothe nest. This closes the entrance against any other hen while the nest is in use. Attached to each leg ' each hen is a colored cravon, the co'or for each leg beKng different. The crayons are secured spurwise, and on leaving the nest and ciwlinn; the swinging barrier that has let d'own, the fowl makes its distinctive cravon marks on a iv-ve nt r ■> l ••• laid on. the inclined hoar''. The r-'f'-remains down till attendantrives -nrl r"set« it. +'»k'nr ill' 1 re "• 1 Bv the use of various combina*' of colored I'l-rivons a t i\-"'v larg? flock of fow's can thn« be c''«c'<--ed an rl the results are said to have given the fullest satisfaction in practice.