BREEDING OF POULTRY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21129, 11 March 1932, Page 14

BREEDING OF POULTRY.

MOST SUCCESSFUL METHODS.

FREQUENT CULLING NECESSARY. VALUE OF EARLY HATCHING. To make a success of poultry farming is always possible if business methods arc adopted. Some of theso methods are early hatching, quick maturing of the pullets, getting eggs when eggs are high in price, feeding for winter production, and culling the unproductive birds all the time.

In regard to the best breed to keep, there are so many to choose from that it is largely a matter for individual choice, with duo regard to the pedigree of the breeding stock. When it comes to making a start most poultry keepers find it cheaper to purchase day-old chicks than to hatch them. At any rate, the important thing is to get the chicks out early. Chicks that uro well-feathered when tho warm weather starts in the spring will develop rapidly. With the modern equipment now available, and better knowledge of the correct feeding and housing to prevent disease, the mortality among chicks has been greatly reduced.

Somo poullrymen have two flocks of chicks a year. Tho first are July chicks and the second comes a month or so later. Others procure all the chicks desired at once, and so save in labour and expense in rearing. Chicks hatched in July and August may begin laying in the summer, and should bo in full swing when prices begin to go up in the autumn, if they receive no setback. Cockerels can be sold for tho Christmas market when prices are good. Quick development depends upon good range. Chicks should have new land every year to run over, or some crop should bo grown between to sweeten the soil. The brooder houses will serve as quarters for the pullets until tho laying houses are cleared of stock. As a general rulo about half of the birds will prove to be males, and will be culled out by tho time the developing pullets need the room. Roosts can be put up in the brooder house, so that the pullets will learn to roost at an early age. Crowding in the corners must be avoided at all cost. Tho main point to remember in providing houses is that the birds must have plenty of fresh air. Open front houses, which are universally used now, provide this. Large scratching space is also one of the requirements. The hen must bo kept busy and contented, and given right conditions, she can be kept contented intensively or on free range. As to feeding, that is a question of what is available, and whatever system has been tried and found to be suitable. It is not economical to try and save in either quantity or quality of food at the expense of the. productive condition of the birds. Culling is one of the most important points of tho whole system. A bird should be disposed of as soon as she ceases to be profitable. Each hen will lay about a certain number of eggs in her first year. If all, or nearly all, of these are got while eggs are high in price, then she can bo disposed of before she cats up all the profits during the time she is unproductive. Few commercial poultrymen carry over any old birds. 1 hey cull them out as fast as they stop laying, and have them all disposed of by the time the pullets are ready for the laynig houses. Some carry over breeding flocks of year-old birds, while others breed from the early pullets. It costs a lot to winter a flock that, does not return anything, and unless there is a good market for hatching eggs it does not pay to keep old hens.

AUCKLAND ASSOCIATION.

THE OFFICIAL WINNERS. CLOSE CONTESTS RESULT. To win trophies and certificates in the contest promoted by the Auckland Fou(trykeepers' Association birds must gain standard weight of 24<>7.. to dozen in single hen contest, and in team contests three of tho four birds of the team must gain the weight of 2407.. to tho dozen in the case of hens; 260z. to the dozen for ducks. The following are the official winners and runners-up respectively, under the weight clauses:—• SINGLE HKN CONTEST. Winners.—Mrs. R. G. Hunt's Black Orpington. 271 eec. Runner-up. - Mrs. A. 7.. Nixon's Black Orpington, 273. tram: contests. Winners Whole Series.—.T. Hnvern nnd Son's Whitn Indian Runner ducks. 1266. Runner-up.—Stephen Clark's Klinki Campbell ducks, JlO5. LIGHT BREEDS SECTION. Winners.—Les. Batkin's White Leghorns, 1028. Runners up.— Tom Ingham's White Lecliorns, 1007; R. D. Kerr's AVhite Leghorns, 1007; Geo. Herring's While Leghorns. 1007. HEAVY BREEDS SECTION. Winners.—Mrs. W. H. Cnrler's Blsck Orpingtons, 967. Runner up.-Mrs. I. Dimnnt's Black Orpingtons, 905. DUCK SECTION. Winners.—J. ITnrern nnd Son's White Inrlinn Runner ducks. 1266. Runners up—Stephen Clark's Khaki Campbells, 1105. HIGHEST INDIVIDUAL SCORES. DUCKS. Winner.—Stephen Clark's Khnki Campbell duck, 846. Runner-up.- Stephen Clark's Khaki Campbell cluck, 312. HENS. Winner.—J. W. Manifold's White Leghorn, 287. Runner-up.—R. D. Kerr's White Leghorn. 28i). IMPORTANCE OF EXERCISE.

HAPPY MEDIUM ESSENTIAL. Exorcise is of vital importance to the health of the fowl, as it, induces the proper assimilation of food. Breeding, laying or growing Block must have plenty of exercise tn do well and to assist them in using their food to the best advantage. Without exercise, food, which under normal conditions should lie burned as fuel, used up in repairing waste of tissues, or in the making of eggs, will be diverted into forming additional flesh or fat. The birds must be kept busy by feeding a portion of their hard grain food where they will have to scratch for it. The busy, active hen that scratches for a living, and is frequently seen deep in the litter working away, is usually the hen that produces the strong germed, fertile eggs that hatch well. With healthy hens it is seldom necessary to force exercise. Given the place and opportunity they will generally take sufficient exercise without , much urging. Exercise is a good thing, it is necessary, bub it is possible, to have too much even of a, good thing. The over-trained athlete, or the man who takes it out of himself by going on when he is not fit, is seldom the equal in health, endurance and disease-resisting power of the man who exercises normally and naturally. The same thing applies to fowls. Lot them scratch for ft part of their grain, but do not make them work for ail of their food.