POULTRY NOTES

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIX, Issue 79, 2 March 1929, Page 11

POULTRY NOTES

(By “Brooder.”) With the rise in prices of eggs there is always the temptation to get pullets going, especially when there is a marked falling off in laying amongst the hens. Repeatedly in itnese notes poultrykeepers have been warned that such a practice is calculated to do a great deal of harm. If eggs are required in big quantities in February, the only right way to get them is to hatch out in early July. It is wrong to start and force pullets along when they are, say, only four months old. They are far from the matured stage, when eggs can reasonably bo expected, and to have , them laying before they are grown stunts them for life and thus is deterioration amongst fowls accelerated. Besides, there is no gain in any way. A few eggs may be secured when they are fairly dear, but usually birds started before they are ready crumple up and are out of action long before they should be. Leave out, then, the forcing stuff until your pullets are fully grown. A lot of advice is offered continually regarding the preparation of breeding birds, that is, the hens. But little is ever said about the male birds, excepting the choosing of young cockerels, their type,, condition, etc. And yet it is just as important that male birds, have care and attention as the liens, probably more so for there is usually only one male where there are ten hens, lienee its importance. How is it then that in a good many cases wo find male birds still running amongst the flock, -vlierea3 they should have been separated long ago; in fact, once breeding time is over there is no reason why the two sexes should be together. We are now within a few months of breeding time again. Successful very early hatches are only possible when the birds of both sexes are in the pink of condition. Reference had already been made to the need for eggs in early March. These are only possible in paying numbers to the poultryman who is ready. Of course, where cockerels are being used then need for action is not so urgent. But where male birds, three and four years old, .are to he used, it is not fair to let these muddle through the moults. Separate pens should be provided, or better still, free open runs made possible, so that these birds after the moult may get back into condition in good time for the early breeding season. Some may consider these remarks a little premature. They are not So by any means. The success of all hatches is dependant upon the state of health of the breeders, and more especially is thij so where very early hatches are attempted. How is ft possible for any male bird to be ready, unless’ it receives the care it deserves. Hens are known to lay right tbrorgn the moult where forcing diet -.s excessively used. But where is the poultryman who does this with all liis birds? Many may do it with lirds that are being forced until they give out, or die or are sold for fattening, but who would attempt to c-nnpel all their birds, breeders included, to lay in season-and out of season, i nd still expect them to give forth good hatchable eggs. Such one might reasonably say, is expecting the impossible. “On every farm there are alwrvs hens that should bo sold, and the farmer will find this to be true if he will go through his flocks regularly and handle them, always remembering that every dud hen is robbing him of about 3d a week or every 160 at them 2os a week. On every farm there should be a small pen in which these passengers can be put as soon as discovered, and, as soon as inere is enough to fill a crate, _ sell them. There is no room for sentiment cn a commercial poultry farm. Because cocks or hens are bred from Mr Somebody’s 330 egg strain, is no excuse for you to waste good food on them if they are past profitable production.” —W. C. Rugg, Australian Poultry Journal.