POULTRY NOTES

Northern Advocate, 29 October 1932, Page 7

POULTRY NOTES

HOW TO SUCCEED

BUY ONLY THE BEST. It is much better for those who wish to breed good layers, and birds which possess the characteristics of their variety to buy their birds from breeders who have the interests of their customers at heart, as well as their own reputation at stake, because, even although they may pay a little more for them in the first place, the results are so much better all round that the extra money invested is repaid many time over. They get a great many more eggs from the pen of birds on account of their being good layers, and this means that a much larger number of chickens are hatched out than would be possible from a pen of bad layers, and every bird is turned to profitable account, which is not possible wdien a great many mis-marked birds are hatched.

Above all, there is the important question of vitality and stamina possessed by those birds which are bred for sale to purchasers by poultry breeders who supply regularly, year by year, for vitality and stamina are absolutely necessary "when the birds are to be bred from. Serious losses are sustained by the unsuspecting poultry-keepers who purchase fowls and chicks promiscuously, and who have difficulties in getting eggs at all, and when they do, find it impossible to rear their chickens on account of their general debility.

In spite of the use of some of the best foods on the market, the fate of many frail chickens is sealed by reason of their inherited Aveakness, which is entirely due to the unfortunate custom of those Avho mate together, season after season, closely-related birds, and those Avho do not regard with sufficient importance the health of their stock. RISKS IN BROODING, That there are many unreliable thermometers in use on poultry farms can be gathered from some recent discoAreries. Experienced users are also aware that thermometers are liable to be inaccurate even when new, or to go wrong Avith time and use. But the potential' serious consequences that can arise from inaccurate thermometers used in brooding are perhaps not generally understood oAving to the fact that one or tAvo degrees out, cue way or another, Avould not be regarded seriously except in the case of incubator Avork, Avhere accuracy is important. How serious a matter inaccurate thermometers may prove in brooding is slioavu by tAvo cases recently brought under notice, where tAA r o thermometers Avero found to lurvo- been defective to the extent of 20 degrees, and others to a less extent. In the one'ease the defective thermometer is considered to have been the indirect cause of a fire that destroyed 500 chickens and caused considerable damage to property, In both of the cases mentioned the diseoA'ery was made from the fact of not being able to raise the temperatures in the brooder units concerned to within’2o degrees of that required; but in the one case the discovery was made too late.

The importance of using fairly accurate thermometers in the brooding of chickens "will bo seen from the fact that the temperatures required at different ages range from 90 -degrees Fah. at one day old, down to about 70 degrees at six weeks of age.