WINTER AT HAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21164, 22 April 1932, Page 14

WINTER AT HAND.

HINTS TO BREEDERS. PREPARING FOR NEW SEASON.

BY UTILITY.

Poultry farmers could easily anticipate an advance in tho price of eggs this month, after noticing how their own supplies have been falling off. lhere are few who can get their whole flock of pullets to begin producing eggs during April at tho same rate as tho selected birds which they have sent to tho egglaying competitions, but tho returns that are there obtainable aro proof enough that even in this month it is possible to have the pullets in full lay. Naturally the output now being recorded at Mount Albert and other competitions is not duo to chance. It is only tho result of long and careful preparation, in breeding, rearing and selecting, followed by ideal conditions when the birds roach the competition pens* Not one of theso factors may be overlooked if eggs are to bo expected in fair numbers during the late autumn and early winter. As a matter of fact even strict attention to each of the points mentioned will not obviously assure success, but will only bring better results than if theso conditions aro wanting. Tho Art o! Breeding, Breeding is an art in which perfection is never reached; tho best and most successful breeders in the world are always learning, always striving and always hoping for something better. They themselves will bo the first to admit that their success is never absolute. It is only relative, something better than they had before, but not so good as they aie hoping to produce next year. "It is this feature which prevents stagnation in ona of the most interesting hobbies in which one can engage. Tho breeding season is not actually at hand, but it is so close that the selecting period is already here. Breeders aro now busy choosing their birds for mating, either from their own pens or from other flocks whoso qualities and records they have been studying in advance. This is where will be seen the educational advantage to bo gained from the competitions which concluded in March, especially to those who took the opportunity to see the actual birds in their pens. Others will l>o largely guided by tho awards in the shows held last winter, unless they decide to delay their final choice until they sec the birds benched during the coming show seasonThis applies equally to those who are going to make up their breeding pens from their own flock, for these vary so much that in the final choice it would be wise to be guided largely by tho opinion of tho judges, especially those judges who, every year, have the opportunity of seeing several shows besides the one in their own district. Bringing Birds to Maturity.

In the meantime the urgent call is to bring on the pullets to their full development, without forcing them, so that when they commence laying they will be strong enough to go right through the season, then moult out at this time next year, and recover in time for the best of them to be chosen for the breeding pens when they are two years old. By this means they will be in a fit condition to reproduce a new generation with stamina, the first requisite for building up a good laying strain. It must always be borne in mind that, in the old days when 75 to 100 eggs were expected from each bird, stamina was not such a very great consideration, for almost any bird could reach that record during the spring, at the one time the year when the food that is most natural for egg production is very plentiful. It is quite a different thing when 200 to 225 eggs per year are expected from aflock, and 225 to 300 from the picked birds, for then the matter of stamina becomes of prime importance. Birds on free range have a wonderful capacity for finding all tho variety of food they require for building up a sound constitution, and in confinement the great aim is to he as near as posible to this condition. If anyone is satisfied that lie has already brought up his system of artificial feeding to free-range standard, a good plan to test it is to release them some evening for an hour before sunset. He will probably find his complacency rather rudely shattered Instead of eat ing the grain that is thrown to them, the birds will usually scatter over all thp available territory, hunting under hedges, in long grass, in dug ground and among rubbish—anywhere that promises unorthodox food, whether animal, vegetable or mineral. Stones, shells and gravel: snails, worms and crickets; grass, clover and dandelions; nothing seems to come amiss to them, and they will probably even want to satisfy their appetite for a few bits of earth before showing any great desire for grain. Variety in Feeding,

All this suggests tlmt birds have a natural appetite foi some materials whose properties are still obscure, hut without which they cannot thrive to the full.

The obvious course is to leavo no scheme untried that will add to the variety of food supplied to birds in confinement, not necessarily in the mash, where they have to eat it in the exact proportions in which it. is mixed, but also fed separately, so that they can help themselves as required. Naturally the mash is where most people try to balance the ration correctly, but it is not very easy to do this for a small flock, and one expedient is to feed the meat separately, so that tho birds can eat just as much as they require. Grain presents no difficulties, provided they get the variety from which they can choose, while green stuff and grit should be fed in tho greatest possible variety.

MANURE FROM THE PENS. METHOD OF TREATMENT. Poultry-keepers should always collect and store in a dry place all the manure from tlie pens, because being one of the most valuable fertilisers procurable there is always n ready sale for it among market gardeners, says a writer in the Australasian. It is estimated that 100 average-sized fowls will produce 42501b. of manure in 12 months, which will contain 431b. of nitrogen. 341b. of phosphoric acid and 161b. of potash, but to conserve all these qualities they must be collected as soon as possible, never being allowed to get wet or even exposed to moisture, or there will bo an immediate loss of nitrogen. Dr. Charles D. Woods, of the United States, in "The Proper Handling of Manure," recommends the following treatment:—To each 1001b. of fresh hen droppings add 301b. of dry absorbent (sawdust, peat, loam, etc.), 151b. of acid phosphate and 41b. of muriafo of potash; if a potash salt carrying loss than 50 per cent, potash is used, proportionately more should be added. The absorbent serves the double purpose of diluting the fertiliser and improving its mechanical condition. The absorbents and chemicals should b e kept conveniently at hand. It will be best to weigh the ingredients a few times, after which it. will be possible to make close enough estimates by measure. As intimate a mixture as practicable should bo made each time. The droppings must hp gathered as often as every other day. The treated droppings should we!! sheltered until it is time to apply them to land.