POULTRY MOTES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIII, Issue 350, 18 March 1922, Page 2

POULTRY MOTES.

(1 >y “ Rrooder.”)

I >i;rii Iho moilll ino period fowls should have ihe lie.'i alicniioii. I(i is a common mistake mI ii peony wise mid pound foolish policy lo slim do fowls at this time, merely because eggs are nm forthcoming. This is the lime when Ihe bird requires the ben. of food, hi ihe 'production of its new coat of feathers; it is undergoing extra strain upon its vitality—hence it is wise lo see i.nal it has food in quality and quantity. A little linseed meal is pariienlarly valuable dining tin l moulting period. Not only does ii hasten the shedding of the old coat, but it gives lustre- to ihe new, and ponllrynien find that nature is assisted and ihe si rain upon the fowl minimised. Moat can be given without fear, and. indeed, tlie more nourishing food supplied the heller tins results. Instead of cutting down derations ol the flock, belter is if lo gel lid of the drones, enll out those which are known Id be unprofitable. Saving in this way can be. effected and the standard of the flock considerably improved, besides, ii mosi always he remembered that moulting is the natural rest, ut the birds. It is i-be lime when the system is fortifying it self for future labours. Probably they will be required as breeders, and if so, how can they gel back into condition lit lor reproduction if the requisite care in feeding, as wall as housing and general attention, is not administered ? Look to your birds new. as hitiire profits depend upon the treatment they receive.

A question which is engaging the minds ol tioidtrvmen now, more than ever, is the fixing of a standard size of eggs. P,specially is this -0 in connection wiih the various competitions held throughout (he year. For marketing, of course, it is known that grading takes place, and probably in the near future eggs will he purchased only on n standard .system of grading. It is therefore import,ml lint poultry-keepers should give special attention to the size of ihe egg which their fowls produce and ever seek in maintain a good standard, ll is generally recognised that breeding plays the mosi important pari when endeavouring to produce these eggs of a good big size, tjnaniiiv is not everything and a hen may produce eggs prolificly, hut if (hose are undersized she is not I lie best type lo breed from unless this weakness is counteracted by tin- influence of a male bird Irorn a strain of high producers in size and number. As one writer fails if; “ r lbe male bird influences hundreds ot the progeny, whereas the hen only influences the chicks from the eggs she laid.” To improve tile type ot egg then, it follows that tin's can easily be done by careful selection of the male bird. Indeed, it is in this way that the type of bird and size ol egg are most easily acquired, ami too much care cannot be exercised by the breeder in this direction. As indicated, size of eggs is a question which always has and always will blinder consideration, and the time will come when profitable returns from poultrykeeping will largely depend upon the class or grade ol egg produced.

Many poultry keepers—probably more particularly those who keep a few fowls lor domestic purposes —experience a good deal of (rouble and loss owing to the bens laying soft shelled eggs. This is often found ro exist after a period of fast laying and is due more i ften than not to feeding u deficiency of lime. Many experiments and also chemical analyses of foods and of eggs shew that there is not sutiioient lime consumed hv the fowls in ordinary poultry foods to form the shells of eggs produced by laying bens when they are producing eggs abundantly. It is -therefore necessary to supply lime in some form. (/rushed oyster shell is recommended for this purpose. It is found to lie satisfactory to place the crushed oyster shell before the fowls in such manner that they may eat the amount needed, and it is usually safe to rely on the judgment of the fowls in this respect. Some poiiltrynlen, however, mix crushed oyster shell with the mash in

addition to the supply which should he kept before them all the lime- One pound will eon tain lime enough for the ■ Hi’ll.' of -tI >OIM seven dozen eggs, so it is i tided. Pine gravel containing lime,it one ■/ probably'do as well in supplying

the deficiency in lime of most foods, but the use of some sharper grit with it may he of advantage. Poultry keepers, therefore, to save the annoyance and consequent loss through the soil-shelled egg would he well advised to look to the proportion ol lime served lb their fowls. Here it might he well emphasised that most troubles come from injudicious feeding.

Poultry mo 11 should study carefully all tl.d is iviiovvii regarding markets overseas for the eggs protlucocl above the requirement’s in New'Zealand. Certainly this movement needs every encouragement, and I it is sincerely hoped that success will attend the efforts put forth by those trying to develop an export trade. Hut till tit mice we should not be too sanguine. Writing to the N.Z.P.A,, Colonel Studholme, i ... New Zealand representative tit the British Empire producers’ conference in London, says that he adheres to what he had staled predously—- relative to a market for New Zealand eggs in England—but that he stive no legitimate encouragement to any poultryfanner in New Zealand to increase his (locks immediately. He further adds that what he had stated was to show that England could obtain from within the Empire till the eggs she required in import if only she would provide it slabC and assured market by a preferential tariff against imports from foreign countries. But, and this is the point to which attention should ho called, he says: “The fact that it is possible for New Zealand to so increase her egg export does not necessarily mean that it would be either advisable or profitable for her to at temp,t to do so as this will depend on the ‘prices likely to be obtainable' in .England in three or lour years’ lime, cost in New Zealand and other factors.” Briefly, ColoneJ Studholme wishes to warn New Zealand poiiltrvmen against undue haste, and urges them not to risk too much capital in the extension of plant, etc., until the position is 'more assured. IBs reference to prices obtainable ie three or four years time probably means, when the New Zealand poultrymen have reared poultry enough to do export on a large scale. It is with regard to this outlay that the warning is made and poultrymen generally should ponder well the points raised and look before they leap.