POULTRY NOTES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 257, 27 September 1935, Page 12

POULTRY NOTES

(By “Brooder.”)

No greater disappointment can come to a poultry rearer who, successfully bringing a batch of chicks to six weeks, sees them receive a real setback resulting in many deaths. The fact that a good many die is not the only loss; added to this is the fact that the remainder usually develop into anything but profitable birds. During the first six weeks chicks should be gradually hardened off by reducing the temperature of the brooder from 90 degrees to 60, or about o degrees per week. On good days the windows of the brooder house must be opened to admit direct light which is so essential in the building up of strong hone, and also in the proper assimilation of food into the system. Keep the floor well littered as this also assists development and the prevention of log weakness. For birds continuously inside. and especially when bred from birds more Or less confined, cod-liver oil should he mixed with the mash. A good, proportion is one pint to every lOOlbs of mash. Mash should be used fresh. A word for those who have chicks passed the brooder stage. Corners rounded off may save the crushing of many a valuable chick. It often happens that when chickens are deprived of their brooder, they crowd to the corners of the house. Quite apart from the fact that some will he crushed there fs the sweating which results from birds crowding into a mass in some corner. Where there is a slatted platform used in the rounded corner for which the chicks have a preference, the danger from crushing is minimised and air can get under and between the rows of chicks. However, the better tiling to do is to encourage perching as early as possible. It requires patience, ' but after a night or two when they are placed on the perches about dusk by the poultrykeeper. the chickens learn what is required of them and they go to the perches themselves. Once they have acquired the habit, further trouble in this respect need not be anticipated; from then on growth really begins. Some idea of the popularity of certain breeds is gained from the following report cf laying trials in England :—During the years 1933-34 there were 39 county laying trials with a total entry of 1521 pens, or 9126 birds. Rhode Island Reds topped the list, there being in all of this breed 40 per cent of the total entries. The remainder were made up of White Leghorns. 18 per cent; White Wyandottes. 28 per cent; and Light Sussex. 14 per cent. The average egg production was 178.7 for Rhode Island Reds, 180.7 for WTiite Wyandottes, and 178 for WTiite Leghorns. An alarming feature whs the high percentage of mortality, the figures being 11.9 per cent, 15.4 per cent, and 14.6 per cent in the three first named breeds. The deaths doubtless were excessive and a close enquiry regarding tin’s will no doubt follow. The Millers’ Mutual Association, in England, some years ago presented a gold cup for competition among the county trials. Last year this was won by Lancashire with 4 pens (24 birds) of Rhode Island Reds, with an average of 247.12 eggs per bird. It is not to be wondered at that a new idea in these trials is to be tried this year. Many people have criticised the idea of awarding the prize always to the highest scorers and have agitated for reforms, with the result that the next county trials, which commence in October, will award the cup to the trial showing the least mortality; that is, if the average of eggs is at least 170 per bird.

With the coming of finer weather and with grass growing, food expenses can or should be lowered. Eggs are cheap now, and the cost of production, if possible, should be lowered. Soon there will be an abundance of grass. Short, sweet grass is in itself a good egg producer, and also has medicinal value to poultry stock. Advantage of this, therefore, should be taken; where possible, freedom should be given birds in order that they may eat of this grass so beneficial to them.

A lien's egg of remarkable size and weight, laid by a Rhode Island Red lien owned by Air D. Priest, of Poukawa, was shown to a Hawke’,-; Bay Tribune reporter. Tiie egg is a little over four ounces in weight, and measures eight inches around its length by seven inches.

EGG-LAYING. MASSEY COLLEGE CONTEST. The following are the 26th week's results for llie fifth annual egg-laying contest conducted at Massey Agricultural Col lege, Palmerston North:—

SINGLE PENS. Section ii. T. Dowthwaitc, 15.0 3 6 150 W. A. Larsen, B.O. Mrs D. M. Wadded, L.S. 1 5 142 1 6 127 6 125 J5. Hausen, B.U 5 125 V. J. Billinglon, B.O. .. 6 115 Miss E. semtr, R.LR. 3 6 110 T. Dowthwaitc, 13.U 2 5 102 \V. A. Larsen, B.U. . 2 0 95 Miss E. X. Seiner, li.l.K. 2 5 89 K. Mouklev, R.l R 1 1 78 0 59 E. Seymour, 13.U ..v 0 o5 Section A. 11. Poison, W.L 2 6 147x iJ. Moreland, \v. L 6 L AI WMienuapai P.E., W.L. .. 6 138 A. juudson, W.L 7 lo2 ,). T. Hazelwood, W.L. 2 5 180 A. G. Mum by, VV.L 2 6 la9 H. Poison, W.L 1 5 127 A. G. Muniby, W.L 1 5 122 J. A. Annan, W.L 6 120 K. Lang, A lie 2 3 116 Miss E. Ladd, W.L 6 117r A. J. Davey, W.L 2 5 114 . E. J3. Wainscott, W.L. ... 5 108 J. Reilly, W.L 4 105 J. T. Hazelwood, W .1,. ... 1 5 105 11. Poison, W.L 3 4 103 E. Lang, Ane A. G. Murnbv, W.L 1 6 1U2 4 5 1U0 A. J. Davey, W.L 1 6 81 A. G. Muniby, W.L 5 2 66 Emery Bros., W.L 2 2 65 TEAM RESULTS. 1 5 61 Section 1). Mrs U. Willers. B.U. 138 114x 117 81x 117x 108 (321—675 ii. H. iMurrison, 13.U., 112x 108 121 95x 127x 96x (23) —659 h\ A. Hewnuiat, ii. i.it. 120 87 112 107 81 78 (30)-585 j. B. Dutnic. U i.ii. 77 96 134 95 88 94 (28)—584 W. A. Larsen, B.O. 85 63 114x 82 74 102x (33)-520 iVl. L. Boyce, B.U. 133 49r 106 44 123 56 (15)—511 (J. A. Lone, it.Lit. ft 76 50 90 107 106 87 (34)—516 Mrs N. Ii. anon, B.O 38r 63x 73x 99r 118 106 (31)—497 W. E. JoncsJ Il.Lii. 70 97x 84x 43 54d 76x . (27)—424 A. Wood, Lantr. 86 48r 89x 52 70 60 (17)—4C5 Section C. M. Stephenson, W.L. 93 119 75r 129 124 111 -(35) —651 A. J. Davey, W.L. 94 132 99 127 107 87 (35)—646 S. D. Morris. W.L. 100 83 84 134 132 83 (24)—616 11. A. Linas. W.L. Ill 100 104 119 90 64 (32)—588 E. B. Wainscott, W.L. 85 102 103x 72 128x 92 (31)— 582 Miss 11. Keddell, W.L. 77x 64 99 78 123 (30)—574,

c. J. Hubbard. No. 1. W.L. 105 65 94 80 104 75 (33)--523 Mias Mor"shrad, W.L. 44 70x 128 107 122 51x (26)— -522 Mrs M. L. Williams. W.L. 63 67 112 77 77x 124x (22)— -520 H. Poison. No. 2, W.L. Ill 116 82 111 57 37 (30)— -514 J. Graham. W.L. 119 • 53 65x 91 49 92 (29)— -469 C. J. Huh hard. No. 2. W.L 85 133 73 36 68 "68 (28)--463 J. T. Hardwood, W.L. 132x 106 61xr 36x 68 33 l2d) — -436 Mrs R. R Cannon. W.L. 60 43 60 86 54 66r (30) — -369 H. Poison. \'o. 1, W.L. 52 24 44 66 72 85 (28) - -343 “r”—Replacement. “d”—Bird dead. :, x”—Disqualified Egg Wei ght Clause.