POULTRY NOTES

Northern Advocate, 7 November 1931, Page 11

POULTRY NOTES

, HOW TO SUCCEED. SIZE OF EGGS, T’TJOI'ESSOR ’S OPINION. | Professor Willard C. Thompson, of the Non - derscy Experiment Station, discussing the relation of egg size to egg yioid, gives some farts and figures that are interesting and enlightening. During the past year ProLssor Thompson has made a thorough study of the actual trapnest records of 717 layers, carefully weighing and recording every egg laid. As a result of this experiment ho finds that “there is apparently no relationship between the number of eggs which a hen lays and the proportion of large or small eggs in that record, . . . that the characteristics of egg size behaves independently of number of eggs in inheritance.'’ Records of the individual hens show that some of the heaviest layers laid the largest eggs, while the smallest eggs wore laid by birds that also laid a lowest number of eggs, disproving the theory that as you increase egg size you decrease the yield. The sum and substance of Professor Thompson's conclusions seems to be that egg size and egg yield arc both the result of breeding, and that-neith-er is in any way dependent on or related to the other.

CONTROLLING WORMS. The most important factor in controlling worms in a flock is preventing the young birds from becoming infected, poultry specialists of ’ tho lowa -State College of Agriculture state. They also list the following practices to bo followed to avoid worm infection. 1. Keep the young and old stock separate throughout the spring and summer. 2. Provide clean, cultivated range 'fiach year that poultry has not ranged over for two years previously. 3. Provide a well-drained and enclosed range for the laying stock, seeding it to crops each year. 4. Fill or drain all wet spots near the chicken house, and arrange the fences so that all of the range may be cultivated. 5. Clean propping boards regularly, remove dirty litter, <jnd disinfect drinking utensils. Also clean the poultry house frequently, and twice each year in warm weather scrub the floor and droppings board with, boiling hot iye water. (J. Allow abundant sunlight to reach the parts of the floor of the chicken houses as well as the ground which the poultry ranges. Once worms have obtained a, start in the birds, however, it will be necessary to use some treatment to rid the flock of these parasites. If either the young or old stock appear out of condition, it will 2mobably be well to examine them carefullv for worms.

PULLET FLOCKS PAY BEST. A three.years' study of commercial pool fry farms in Florida by F. W. Brumley, farm management specialist, showed that poultry flocks composed of less than 50 per cent, pullets had an average egg production of 335 eggs a bird. Flocks with 50 to 75 per cent, pullets had an average egg production of 150 eggs a bird, while those flocks with more than 75 per cent, pullets had an average production of 158 eggs. Not only did the flocks with a high percentage of pullets lay more eggs, but they laid them when eggs were highest iu price. The average flock contained G2 per cent, pullets, while tho average flocks ranged from 100 jier cent, pullets to no pullets at all. In general it is probably advisable to keep approximately from one-fourth to one-third hens each year especially if breeding work -is being canned on. The exact percentage to keep will depend on The ability which the pullets have shown the first year and on the cost of replacing them.

FEEDING THE CHICK. The method employed by the National Poultry Institute (Eng.) in the feeding of chicks is as follows: ’ Nothing whatever is given for the first 48 to CO hours, except fine grit and water, after that the chicks are fed four times a day on No. 1 “chick reed"—that is, n mixture cl; grains finely crushed. As a drink, water is given the first week, and after that sour skimmed milk diluted with equal parts of water. The second week dry chick mash is fed, gradually increasing the quantity till it is always- before them. The component parts of this mash are bran .'5, pollard 1, maize 1, ground oats .1, lucerne 1, meat meal i, sterilised bone flour granulated charcoal and cod liver oil 2 per cent. After six weeks the No. 2 chick feed (whole wheat 2 parts, cracked maize 1 part) is gradually mixed into the No. 1 until at about the eighth week tlie No. 1 is eliminated. At the eighth or tenth week the chicks go on free range, the lucerne and eoj liver oil are deleted, and No. 2 chick mash is given—viz., bran d parts, pollard 1 part, yellow maize 1 part, ground oats I parr, meat meal part, sterilised bone meal I part. Do not neglect the birds because they are not laying. Producing feathers is often more exhausting than producing eggs.