THE POULTRY FARMER

Northern Advocate, 28 November 1936, Page 7 (Supplement)

THE POULTRY FARMER

The Extension Of The Breeding Season

EARLY LOSSES NECESSITATES LATE HATCHING. Looking back upon the past few months, we cannot truthfully say they have been favourable as regards hatching and rearing in general. True, there are doubtless to be found many poultry-rearers who for one reason or another “have never had a better season,” but these are the exceptions which only go to prove the rule. The puzzle is, to most of us at any rate, to put a finger on the precise seat of the trouble. We know the weather has been bad, but has it been bad enough to account for such poor hatching and early chick mortality in these days of enlightenment and improved systems? Probably not, especially as we do riot hear any particular complaints about the behaviour of stock birds, whose laying performances and fertility seem to have been remarkably good on the whole. Personally, nevertheless, I have a strong feeling that the extreme variability of atmospheric conditions played a great part in producing such a large number of “duds” among ouv early-hatching eggs, for not only those in incubators, by the way, but also such as were entrusted to the care of Mother Biddy were affected. In other words, I mean to suggest that it was our old friend the moisture problem that proved too difficult for most of us to solve.

The Effect of Variable Weather. Did we but start by filling our trays with water, or by placing fresh sods of grass beneath the broodies’ nests, there promptly ensued weeks of wet weather on end, while when we turned about and resolved next time to omit all applied moisture, a contrary period set in, during which a drying east or south wind blew for days continuously. This state of things was perhaps succeeded by a period in which one got all kinds of weather almost on successive days, so that it is not so remarkable, after all, that many of the embryos gave up the struggle and addled themselves! Having regard to the above, it is not altogether unreasonable to suppose that there is some ground for the dictum that a poor hatch means a poor brood afterwards. Conditions that during the three weeks qf incubation have been so unpropitious that a number of embryos have succumbed in consequence, cannot merely have given even the strong survivors the most favourable of starts, and that is why, I consider, many of the earlier chicks died off. But before leaving the subject of incubation I venture to offer one piece of advice to all who hatch artificially, and that is “Watch your air-spaces.”

A General Rule. From long observation and no little experience, I have come to the clusion that most incubatists supply too much moisture in one way or another from June to November, and too little thereafter. This general rule must be borne in mind—namely, that an over large air-space indicates too little moisture, and vice versa. In order to decide upon this point it is, of course, necessary to make a fairly early testing (and a good\ lamp must be used) at the end, say, of the first week, so that there is still plenty of time to take the steps necessary to in-:, crease or diminish the moisture supply. First of all, needless to add, the novice should make himself familiar with the generally accepted standards of air-space sizes during various'periods of incubation.

Harking back to rearing troubles, the prevalence of strong cold winds doubtless has had much to do with them, for there is nothing young chicks dislike more than these. With hen,-reared chickens it does not matter nearly so much, but where those reared in foster-mothers or brooderhouses are concerned, a continued wind is often disastrous for a combination of the three following reasons: — (1) Young chicks that do venture into the open from the shelter of their artificially-heated parent soon become bewildered, apparently, by the force of a high wind which speedily numbs their scantily-clothed limbs, the result being that the little chaps sink down and perish within a few yards of their domicile, if .not rescued. (2) The wind generally manages to find a way in somehow or other to the lamp or brooder stove, and, though it may not actually put them out, it will cause a perceptible diminution of heat owing to the added draught. (3) Should a high and cold wind continue to blow during the first fortnight of a brooder lot’s existence, the chicks can scarce-

Written for the “Northern Advocate” by Geo. H. Aw.bler.

Effect the Same,

ly be persuaded to emerge at all, and eventually become confirmed weaklings. You all know the type—longwinged ones with heads sunk into their shoulders; the sort, in fact, that make you feel ashamed of being a poultry-farmer every time you go to feed them. There they are, always round the stove, and practically doomed already! Well, we have had a good few of this sort with us this season, and I believe rude Boreas to have been more to blame for it than anything else.

Whatever the cause may have been, the effect remains the same, and undoubtedly we have not got so many early chickens as usual. This state of things is not confined to the fancier or pedigree breeder of any kind, and brings us to the subject of late hatching.

This must be practised without fail if we are to make up for the lost leeway, and though in theory we find no reason whatever why November or December chicks should not do well, yet in practice they so generally do not that it is not worth while to delve around for the cause thereof. After all, one has not long to spend in the search, for given a newly-mated pen of stock and a fresh plot of ground for rearing purposes there should be

no reason whatever why these later

broods should not come on even faster proportionately than the early ones; indeed, it is by no means uncommon to find the cottager who hatches but one or perhaps two broods in November or later able to bring the pullets on to lay before July, and if he, with his very primitive methods, can accomplish this, then surely the “professional” rearer can do it also! The chicks, however, from worn-out stock birds, running on stale ground, and that have to contend with much bigger brethren all their growing lives, certainly will not thrive, and it is these causes, combined with a certain more or less general lack of enthusiasm on the rearer’s part, that usually militate against the well-being of the summer chick.

It should be remembered, too, that though November and later chicks enjoy special facilities in the way of long days, insect life and finer weather, yet there are other kinds of insects which also thrive in hot weather, while there are other possible drawbacks to be guarded against at that season, e.g., long wet grass and sun-spoiled drinking-water. , Yes, perhaps, we can with justice blame the broad-shouldered Clerk of the Weather for the majority of our non-successes during this hitherto thoroughly un-Spring-like Spring.

ANSWER TO CORRESPONDENT. Sussex, Whangarei.—Pleased to hear my article on the Light Sussex interested you so much. Will make inquiries and furnish you with information required.