POULTRY NOTES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22612, 2 July 1935, Page 3

POULTRY NOTES

By Tekbor.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS “ James.” —Your broody hen is unusually early and I do not recommend giving her eggs. She wouLl hatch out in July and the chicks would have to endure the coldest weather of the year, and those which survive would moult with the hens. If you decide to give her eggs to incubate, try her with a few dummies first of all to ascertain whether ehe is a stayer. If she is of the dual purpose or heavy breed, she will probably prove a "ood sitter and care well for her chickens, but if of the lighter breeds I would not trust her just now. People who hatch all the year round generally have the rearing of table birds in view. “New Chum" (Inch Clutha).—l do not recommend oat dust in the mash for laying hens. Ground oats would be good feed, but the so-called dust may be to a great extent fever dust. The whey from the factory would not put the fowls off the lay; just the reverse. “Novice” (Otago)—The wry tails are sometimes caused by overcrowding of chickens, sometimes it is transmitted by the parents, or one of them, and, like many other defects, is caused by bad management of the machine during incubation. Black Orpingtons were shown in the Utility classes by F. G. Hanson, P. J. Hitchcock. J. S. Hacldon, T. H. Harris. I advise keeping to one breed. “White Leghorn” (Taieri). —To house 100 fowls you will require floor space allowing four square feet per bird. The house you build should be divided into two compartments, each to hold 50 birds. A wirenetted- division is sufficient, provided it is boarded up 2i feet from the floor. If you write to the officer of the Agricultural Department, Dunedin or Christchurch, you could obtain a publication containing plans for suitable buildings for fowls and other information. I think the book costa Is. “Amateur” (Wingatui).—lf you cannot get the tank repaired you will have to get a new one made or get another incubator. Packing the leaky tank with sawdust will serve no useful purpose, and might be dangerous. The Industry in Australia The Australian poultry industry—possibly because of cheap wheat—increases yearly in importance. „ It ranks fourth, being exceeded only by sheep, dairying, and wheat growing; and it is stated that it is the research farm at the Werribee Research Farm, Victoria, which has raised the status of the industry in the Commonwealth. Feeding Tests An important phase of the work at Werribee is connected with feeding tests. For the purpose 500 pullets were selected, consisting of 250 White Leghorns and 250 Australlorps, 'Each was divided into five pens of 50 birds each. The Australorps averaged 104.2 eggs a bird, and the White Leghorns 160.8 eggs a bird. The average wholesale prices of eggs during the test which extended over 11 months was Is 9Jd a dozen. The cost of food, based on the foodstuffs’ ruling wholesale prices for the different foodstuffs amounted to 3.7 d a dozen eggs. The cost of keeping a bird one week was 1.5 d; the fowl consumption was 3.50 z a bird for one day, and for every egg laid 7.10 z. The gross profit, or the profit over food cost was 9s 7|d a bird. For 11 months the quantities consumed of ground grains were: —6721 b wheat, 461 b oats, 1341 b barley, meat meal 2021 b, whole grain—wheat 17001 b, oats 4551 b, maize 3791 b, barley (six months only) 1201 b. The total food consumed was 3,7491 b (average per bird 751 b); cost of food, £lO 10s 8d (average 4s 2Jd); total eggs, 3924 (average 178.50); value of eggs, £37 17s 9d (average 15s 2d); profit over cost of food. £2O 7s Id (average 10s ■

Egg Export In the three years ended in 1932, Denmark exported to the United Kingdom eggs to the value of £12,075,627; China, £10,747,237; Australia, £1,902,261; and New Zealand, £18,761, In other words, in the period under review, for every £1 worth of eggs exported by New Zealand, Australia exported £lOl, china £573, and Denmark £643. A Scottish View of Egg Marketing In Scotland it seems that those favouring the organisation of egg marketing are anxious to bring all poultry keepers, no ‘matter how few the birds kept, into line. Speaking on the report of Egg and Poultry Commission for Scotland, at the meeting of the Glasgow Grocers’ Federation. Bailee J. H. Stevenson said that with regard to the recommendation of the commission that producers who possess less than 16 male or female birds over two months old should be outwith the scheme, the Parliamentary Committee emphatically recommended* that there should be no exemptions other than exemptions granted in the case of hospitals and similar institutes which produce eggs for consumption by the inmates or staff. They were of opinion in the federation that if the exemption suggested by the commission were allowed they would be opening the door tp what he might say would be an evading of the Act altogether. They found that there were little plots of ground being opened up under the development schemes for workmen. Naturally, these people would turn to the keeping of hens. If they had hundreds who were keeping these hens, they would have hundreds breaking the spirit of the Act. They would be selling direct to the public instead of through the distributive trade. He thought the Parliamentary Committee were quite right to object to these exemptions. There should be nobody exempt. It seemed to him the simplest thing in the world for even those who kept 16 hens to stamp or put their name and address, or at least a distinctive mark on the eggs so that the eggs could be traced. Mistakes to Avoid Ignoring the fundamental principles for successful poultry culture usually is rewarded by vexation and failure; wrong methods retard progress. Flockj are often purchased without investigation of strain and pedigree. Selective breeding is too often overlooked, pullets being mated up instead of second or third-year hens. Late hatching is a fatal mistake, ns all the pullets cannot mature for autumn laying and winter eggs are withheld. Forcing of late hatched pullets into production by excess of fish and meat, also injurious spices, results in weakly stock and small eggs. Late hatched birds should never be used in the breeding pen. Poultrykeepers should never ignore the scientific fact that prolific egg-production, large winter eggs, brooding and general stamina are factors hereditary by the male bird. Overcrowding in poultry houses and yards is fatal to success. Four to five square feet of floor space per bird in houses is necessary, whilst a good winter carpet of litter is good investment. Shelter from wind and rain assists egg-laying, as, although the hen’s plumage insulates her body, rain and cold reduces the blood temnerature and is reflected in the ovary organs. Errors of judgment or ignorance

in matters of feeding reduce profits of poultry-keeping. A good grain mixture scattered in litter assists blood circulation, whilst there is a close relation between cold feet and combs and empty egg boxes. Don’t overlook the green food, which provides the digestive juices, enables the bulk food to be digested, and means health and rich-coloured yolks. Puddle Water Dangerous ■ During the winter months we will Have many days of rain, and puddles will form in the suburban poultry runs and about the stables, cow sheds, etc., where poultry congregate. These puddles, formed on ground contaminated with poultry droppings and perhaps otherwise, appear to be very attractive to poultry. They seemingly drink from them rather than make a little visit to the drinking fountain provided. Perhaps in some cases they remember that the said fountain is not always a container of water. It is well to note that there is' great risk of contamination in puddle water, and it is advisable to have the run so efficiently

drained, or levelled, that water cannot accumulate in them. Meat for Fowls The supply of meat in the ration is often insufficient on many plants during the winter months.-' It is true that a wide (carbonation) ration is necessary to enable the birds to withstand the cold, but you cannot get eggs at any time, particularly, however, in the winter, unless you give meat in some form. Meat is not only necessary for birds in lay, but it helps the others to join the band of producers. Utility Poultry Club The members of the Dunedin Utility Poulti’y Club were very fortunate in having Mr A. C. Goodlet as-speaker for their monthly meeting. Taking “ The Breeding Pen ” for his subject, he pointed out clearly that sound constitution must be the basis for the pen. In dealing with the male side, the factors stressed were size, type—the bird must be vigorous, of fine texture, and, lastly, but perhaps one ( of the most important factors, one from , a hen which has laid a good number of standard weight eggs. For the female side, the choice should be made from birds of the following characteristics: •First, those which do not linger too long in the moult; second, late moulters; and, last, good layers of large eggs. At the conclusion of the lecture members asked several questions which were answered to the satisfaction of those present.