POULTRY NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2396, 1 February 1900, Page 43

POULTRY NOTES.

By Terror.

— Pending the receipt of some photographs promised for publication, I have decided to hold over till next week the first portion of my report on "A Visit t o the Chief Poultry Fanciers of Northern Gtago and South Canterbury.' 1

—As I expected would be the case, my personal inspection of the stock and methods oi experienced and successful fanciers has proved most instructive to myself — so much so that I cd a promise my readers my repoi\ will be found lull of most useful inforn.alioi..

— Abnormal eggs should not be set unless one is in t-earcn of moiistrooities. Of courso, U a bird always lays large eggs, they may safely be used, and in this way a strain may eventually be produced that are all disposed to the production oi iarge-sized eggs, just as m the same way it is possible, by choosing eggs for sitting only from the best layers, to creato a strain of fowls whose egg-produc-ing powers may be far in excess of those of their progenitors'. — The moulting process occurs naturally every autumn, and the demand upon the sys tern at that time is very great. Generous feeding and careful attention are most important, Lr wilheut these t' c sti.mina of t'fg fowls will be lowered. We have known some poul-uy-keepeis feed less liberally during the moulting season, because the fowls were not laying; a more foolish plan ccyld not be pursued, and one that brings evil in its train very speedily. Fortunately, it is seldom that there is much trouble during the moulting season if tho treatment be generous. The staple food should be a generous morning meal of pollard and bran, which may be given hot both morning and noon ; and on alternate days some linseed (boiled) should be mixed with it. Every day there should be some bone meal put in the soft food — a most important addition. The best giain is wheat, with a very little hempseed. C have found Sprosen'a eggine, advertised above, a most u?<etul tonic to add to the morning mash at this season.

— The earlier-hatched young stock will now be of sufficient ago to determine which birds are likely to be worth keeping. Care should be taken in culling out, and all inferior or deformed stock ou£ht to be put aside for killing purposes, or sent in to market. The culling out must be practised to a greater extent where room and accommodation arc limited, and it is an essential point in the success of poultry-keeping to never overcrowd your yard, whether the birds kept are purebred or common. The breeder who wishes to malice a name for himself on the show bench must keep his birds under the most favourable surroundings, giving them every opportunity to grow and develop. The profit made out of one good show-bird is often more than what half a dozen ordinary stock birds would realise, and this proves that it is far better to give the most promising birds extra attention. The breeding may be of the very best strain, but unless it is developed by judicious and liberal food, the birds aie not likely to reach anything over medium quality. Of course, where room is practically unlimited, the second-rate birds may be kept profitably, especially if the breeder is able to grow most of the food consumed. There is always a fair demand for ordinary stock birds of the most popular breeds, and if a breeder can obtain from 10s to 20s each for his surplus birds, it will leave him a margin of profit, and also allow him to keep on birds which, although not very promising at an early age, may develop "later on into really good specimens. — The import into Great Britain of foreign eggs continues steadily on the iuciease. "Up to the end of October the value of the eggs imported since the beginning of the year amounted to no less than £4,101,944. This shows a very substantial increase on the imports for the corresponding period of la«t venr, when the total amounted to only £3,499,412. — .France is noted as an egg-producing country. Everything is in its favour for this purpose, as its climate h for the most parfc comparatively, mild, and fine weather

and excellent egc;-laying results usually go hnnd in hrnrl. Another lliin«> that tells in favour of Fiance as an egg-producing country is that the fowls there receive more attention at the hands of the peasants than they do in other countries. The French also feed very largely on buckwheat, a food than which there are few bettor i'or egg production.

—No one will succeed in poultry unless lie has the proper qualifications. Those qualifications consist in a love for the work, not too high slrurg in your ide?s. willing to work hard, "and give a fair, honest teat. But if you aie greet on imagination, want to build air casfe-, have no particular love for fowls, and must hire all the work done, perhaps it might be as. well that you keep your hands oft' the business. Pluck, energy, grit, experience and capital are the requisites for good work. — G'Cen Bcie. — Green bono contains several elements important in the feed of fowl-, and is espcciolly valuable as a stimulant of egg production. For chicks it should be cut as fine a= possible, but this is not necessary for grown fowls. If the poultry ha-.e a range in which they can catch plenty of insects and worms, they will need a err little green bone, but if they are kept confined, a .ma'l quantity, about half a handful, should be fed to each hen tv. o or three times a week. As it is a hichly concentrated food, the hens may easily eat too much of it, or more than con be readily digested, unless mixed with bian or =ome "othe..- bulky feed. — Never coddle either old or young fowls. Provide them with suitable shelter, and allow them to use their discretion about keeping under cover — only be sure that you have things f0 that they cpn run to shelter if they want to. "We can have healthy fowls by 'breeding from vigorous, healthy, mature stock from ancestors equally good. This will give us sturdy chicks it eggs are properly incubated — chicks kept growing with good care on free range. All our stock should be allowed warm, clean quarters, plenty of frerfi air and sunlight, pure water, good, sound food, exercise, good care and freedom, from vermin. — Some idea may bo gained of the vastness of the poultry industry in America By perusing the following extract from the New York World of 18th September last : — " Great is the Missouri Hen." — Brought Better Returns Than Hid "Wheat. Corn, Oats, and Rye.— " St. Louis, September 17.— State Commissioner Roxby reports, that over 70.000,0001b of poultry and nearly 56,000,000 dozens of eggs were handled by transportation companies last year, the aa°regate cash returns from which were 3.298. 232d0l (equal to about £1,659,6-16). The gross value of Mi-souri's shipments of poultry and eggs in 189S exceeded the value of the combined shipment ot wheat, con 1 , oats, and hay, and the combined value of the shipments oi lumber, logo, cross-ties, piling, cooperage, and cordwood."

INCREASE OF EGG PRODUCTION,

As men gain knowledge in the poultry business they begin to realise that there ib some truth in the "saying that a hen is an egg machine, capable of being worked by c?re and proper food to produce a marvellous '" crop of hen fruit."' one year with another. There are many cogent reasons to sustain this saying, one oc which is tbal fowls in a wild slate do not lay more than a nestful of egg< ; that domesticated fowls, left to shift for themselves, will not lay as many eggs as tho^e that are well fod, well hou^d, and well cared for. The»e facts aie =o plain and f-o common that they aio beyond being questioned, and thoy support the concHi'ion that our domesticated fowls are c? gable of producing o large number of eggs, if aicled by selection, proper food and care. It is ceitain that domestication, selective breeding and care have developed and stimulated the egg organs of fowls, which have been ludimentury or in abeyance through the natural laws limiting their development. But the breeder, by skill and intelligence, has brought the organs of production into active play ; he has by feeding proper food and liberally supplying them with -bone, shells, lime, and gravel, furnishing them with comfortable quarters to sleep in. and every attendance to aid them in the work of utility, demonstrated beyond doubt the fact that selective breeding, care and proper food are the moving- springs to the stimulation and development of the egg organs to then 1 fullest capacity. The art of fowl raiding i s to study tho nature of the fowls and to aid them in filling the egg basket. It is poor policy to pamper them, but ordinary care will suffice when the fowls have libeity, comfortable quarters and food within reach. In. winter and early spring the breeder should give extra care in order to help the hens produce the eggs when they are valuable.— Ohio Poultry Journal.