POULTRY NOTES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 228, 25 August 1938, Page 6

POULTRY NOTES

INCUBATION. (By “Brooder.”) Though the respiratory process of a chick in shell does not begin properly until the head of the chick is pushed through the membrane into the air cell of the egg, respiration does take place throughout the period of incubation. For this reason great importance is attached to the cooling periods each day, and the proper ventilation of the incubator room. Right from the day respiration begins, oxygen is drawn in by the young life coming into being. At the same time carbon dioxide gases are being thrown out and if there is no outlet for this, well, many dead in shell, dead chicks in various stages of development, will be the outcome. Some would call this bad luck! Nothing of the kind, it is simply bad management and what one would expect from the most inexperienced novice. An incubator room must . admit a continuous stream of fresh air. The incubators draw on this supply, imparting to the eggs that supply of oxygen so necessary to life. Never forget that this supply of fresh, pure air not only has to percolate into the machine and then through the shell of the egg. It is true the porous nature of tne shell will allow for this; nevertheless, there is a handicap and Nature provides only for natural conditions. Remember, artificial incubation is not Nature, though it is as near to it as invention can get. Tile airing and cooling process was devised for the purpose of giving oxygen to the egg, but that brief period each day will not counteract the harm done if the incubator itself cannot contain an atmosphere sufficient to supply the needs of the voung life to be. Hence we see that the incubators depend on the room, artd if the room is stuffy and ill-ventilated there will be trouble. In short, no matter if the temperature is normal, there are bound to be many, if not all, suffocated chicks. All sorts of things are blamed; breeders, male or female, sometimes both ; machine not working correctly; temperature too high or too low; eggs allowed too much, or too little time, to cool; and perhaps, after all, it, is just because there was not enough of that which is essential to all life, just fresh air. Too many failures in incubation can be attributed to this, and they are certainly preventible, if only simply conditions obtain. In reply to a claim that methods of transport, so far as eggs for hatching purposes were concerned, had been made easier by the use of air-liners, a writer on poultry states that in time importation of eggs from England and their successful incubation may become an accomplished fact, but at present it appears to be purely a. gamble, with the odds very much against the importer. He cites two instances, in 1935. The eggs were coated with a special preparation to minimise evaporation; two chicks only were hatched. In the other case a Queensland breeder, last year, spent over £lO in procuring two settings by a.ir from England. The charges amounted to £6 6s 8d; notone egg hatched; the yolk of every one (except for a fewrinfertiles) was fractured. It would seem then that the chances are against the importers. However, such wonderful progress is being made in transport by air that one would think that anything is possible. Soon, then, we can hope that the securing of new blood by means of fertile eggs will be made possible. That it can be done is proved by the 1935 experiment. Only two eggs hatched, it is true, but, assuming that two good chicks evolved, they would be sufficient to give the new blood the importer desired. In another year or so, perhaps, it will be no uncommon occurrence to import for those who can afford it. Broody hens are valuable just now and a good price is obtainable at present. The time comes, though, when these are a nuisance and a loss, greater or less, just as the owner knows how to deal with them. Provide one or two wire bottomed coops to have handy when unwanted broodies are about. Placed in these, raised from the ground the birds, if well treated, will soon lose the fever, for such it is. Starving is not good treatment. More to be recommended is a good protein mash supplemented with good grain. Neglect the birds and the- cure is as bad as the disease, for the birds cannot return to profit on such diet. If the birds are to be brought into lay again, they should he fed accordingly.

EGG-LAYING. MASSEY COLLEGE CONTEST. The fold-wing are the 21at -week’s remits for the eighth egg-laying contest conducted at Masscv Agricultural College: SINGLE PENS.

Section B. Mrs R. Willers, B.O 7 128 W. A. Larsen, A.O 5 123 L. Mason, R.I.R 2 5 122 S. Wilkinson, R.I.R ' 5 122 L. Mason, R.I.R 1 7 112 S. T. Bason, Lang 1 6 106 3 5 99 K. Mullins, R.I.R 5 99 Mrs M. M. Chapman, WAV. 4 98 E. II. Berger, B.O 5 91 S. T. Bason, Lang 2 3 79 J. D. Rowlands, R.I.R. ... 5 64 T. Dowthwaite, B.O 5 60 Section A. F. S. Allen, W.L 4 6 134 J. A. Annan, W.L 5 122 F. S. Allen, W.L. : 3 6 118 Ancona Stud P.F., W.L. ... A. G. Mumby, W.L 5 118 2 >4 115 Mrs M. M. Chapman, W.L. 1 7 114 A. G. Mumby, W.L 1 6 113 3 5 109 F. S. Allen. W.L 1 4 105 Mrs M. M. Chapman, W.L. 2 5 100 F. Ecob. W.L 2 0 96 P. Mummery, Min 5 96 F. S. Allen, W.L 2 6 95 T. E. Kor, W.L 2 5 95 II. Poison, W.L 3 90 W. F. Stent, W.L. .: 2 6 90 A. G. Mumby, W.L 4 5 89 F. Ecob, W.L. 1 5 85 4 5 80 A. A. Hoarc, W.L 2 5 72 1 5 65 F. Ecob, W.L 3 3 64 W. F. Stent, W.L 1 0 63 3 6 38 T. E. Ivor. W.L 1 5 20r TEAMS RESULTS. Section D. W. A. Larsen, A.O. — 122 132 124 101 126 Ilf (30) —723 G. A. Edge. R.I.R.— 123 104 116 136 90 124 (30)—693 E. W. Stephenson, A.O. — 124 122 108 82 105 98 (30)-639 L. G. Ilooper, B.O. — 76 88 105 110 130 93 (32)—602 Miss E. T. Senior, R.I.R — 55 48 102 99 100 79 (28)-483 Section C. F. S. Allen, W.L. — 111 110 121 117 107 120 (34)-686 J. Wilson, W.L.— 114 108 116 131 108 103 (26)-680 H. A. Lucas, W.L.— (321—655 127 106 116 93r 103 110 ,1. Mold. W.L — 104 111 106 107 113 97 (301-638 Cotswold P. Farm, W.L.— 99 88r 106 108 113 121 (361—635 F. Ecob. W.L.— ... ... 125 48r 85 105 102 99 (281—564 “r” Replace bird.