THE POULTRY YARD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18225, 19 October 1922, Page 10

THE POULTRY YARD.

HATCHING OPERATIONS. . CHICKS AND DUCKLINGS. BY S.U.S. Often tlio question is asked should chicks or ducklings be assisted from the shells. Generally speaking- they should not, especially chicks. All poultry keepers who have had any experience at. all with incubators know how useless it is to help chicks out of the. shell that cannot get out by their own efforts, and rather than do it they destroy such a chick. . Personally I think it is the safest and best way with chickens. What wo must have is strong, vigorous young stock and if they aro not strong enough to light their way out of an egg shell, it is a guarantee in almost every case that thoy aro weak specimens and lack the stamina so necessary to enable them to grow into profitable fowls. The instructions with most incubators state, that as soon as the eggs start to pip and there are signs of tho chickens coming out the door of the incubator must be shut and kept shut until tho hatch is complete on tlio 21st day so that no moisture may get out. If this rule is not followed and because we wish to see how the hatch is getting on we get curious and keep opening the door then tlio skin inside the shell will become dry and tough and the chick will be unable to forco its way out. It is the right thing to keep the door shut and if the machine has been run aright all through the hatch and the temperature is right when the chicks arc hatching, there is no risk in keeping the door closed, but there is if wo open it during tho hatching stage. We only need to watch mother hen how she keeps all the eggs covered and does not attempt to get on the nest while the hatch is coming off. She keeps all tho eggs under her in tlio right temperature and with tho right, amount, of moisture and if good eggs aro under her she will in almost all cases brine off a good hatch. It is quite possible to do the samo thing with incubators if they aro run right and we do not allow our curiosity to get the better of our good judgment. Helping Birds out of the Shells. While we should not help chicks out of the shell while the hatching process is on, it does not follow that ducklings at times cannot be helped out. At the present time I' have a nice hatch of ducklings coming off in an incubator. Most of them aro out as clean as a whistle, but there were a number a littlo backward rind not quite out when I opened the machine. JSoine of these just needed a. little assistance as their bodies and downy skin were stuck to the egg shell. They were qniLe strong and with the assistance I gave thev almost jumped out of the shell. It is so'hard to rcgulato the amount of moisture necessary, for the extra long period it takes a duck to hatch compared with a chick. In twelve hours from pipping stage chicks will be out of the shell, j whereas with ducklings it takes two or thrca da'vs. At' time of writing I havo both chicks and ducks hatching, and to have looked at the eggs a few days ago otic that did not know would havo been suro the ducklings would have hatchcd first as they showed more movement when the eggs were being tested for the last time. In this case the chicks hatched first and the balance of the ducklings are still arriving. Newly Hatched Ducklings. Because ducklings take so long it is wise if one has both hens aiid incubators to take them away from tho hens as they come out of the shell, and put them in the incubator. At times we have some of the ducklings hatched a day or two before the balance and if the ducklings first out are allowed to stay under the hen it makes her restless and she raav leave the other eggs before they are hatched. It is at hatching time that one must be careful of his matings. I am not one of those that can feel contented as long as I get a good batch. I also desire to have a hatch so complete that I know all are marked so that tho various matings may be selected at any time in the future. I cannot understand how any progressive poultry-keeper can be content merely because chickens arc hatched successfully and in good numbers no matter from what hen or pen. • To some the value of the individual bird does not count, it is any number and a get-rich-quick policy, lo mo the value of the, individual bird counts more than anything else, and once you take care of the individual bird and the matings that produce you best layers, then you are on the right roaa. Marking Chicks and Ducklings. I believe in marking all my chicks and ducklings as they are hatched. As soon 3s they are dry in the incubator or under the hen, I bring out mv book of markings and each Dird is marked for life. Of course, this system of having a host of different matings would not suit the poultry-keeper who is out for egg production pure and simple, because lie has not the time to devote to the study of la vine bloods or matings, but he should endeavour to have at least one or two pens mated up on right lines and from pedigree stock. The person who watches his individual matings, even if only a limited number, is sure to improve his fowls' laying capacity as the years go by.