POULTRY NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3197, 23 June 1915, Page 56

POULTRY NOTES.

By Terror,

A retired farmer who is living in one of the Dunedin suburbs is surprised to find that a neighbour, who has verjr little time to snare from his business affairs, can get eggs' from his fowls every day even during the present cold weather, whilst he himself cannot get a single egg, although he lias birds of good strain and has spent a large sum in erecting houses for them. The neighbour seems to know the reason why right enough, for ho says: “How can he get eggs when he never gives grit or green food, and docs not provide litter for them to scratch in?” The neighbour is right, ftr the best of birds in the most expensive houses will decline to lay eggs, even though fed on tho best of grain, unless they are supplied also with grit, green stuff, and are made to exercise for their requirements. It is doubtful whether it is worth while keeping birds at all unless they can be made to lay during the winter, when eggs are dear, and certainly it is not profitable to do eo. A fact which many do not seem to realise is that a hen which lays, say, 100 eggs per annum may be more profitable than one which lays, say, 10, for everything depends upon the time of year when the eggs are laid and the price at which they sell. On the feeding of tho laying hens depends a great deal If they are stinted or supplied with unsuitable foods, eggs are likely to be conspicuous by their absence; if, on tho other hand, they are overfed, the results are equally bad. _ The greatest mistake that one can make is to overfeed laying hens. A fat hen produces fewer eggs than one in a lean, hard condition, while if the eggs arc wanted for hatching there is likely to be grave trouble on the score of sterile eggs. It is quite impossible to say that a laying hen should receive so much food per day, for what might be ample for one bird would mean semi-starvation for another. Hens enjoying a free range, too, require much loss food than do those in runs, while the nature of the soil has likewise an influence on tho amount of food necessary to maintain the birds in good condition. ‘ Tho only satisfactory way is to examine tho birds periodically, say, once a month, and if they are too fat their rations should bn forthwith reduced, while if they are too thin tho food supply should be increased. Laying hens should receive a warm mash first thing in tho morning, and grain at night, tho reason for this being that after the long fast of the night—in winter sometimes of 14- or 15 hours’ duration—the hens require a food which is easily assimilated. For just the opposite reason is the use of grain advocated in tho afternoon. During very cold weather three meals daily should bo supplied to laying hens in confinement; but. as a rule, two are enough for those at liberty, unless tho ground ho frozen. An excellent ration for use first thing in the morning consists of four parte barley-meal, two parts middlings, one part bean or pcamcal, and half a part lean moat. If the weather is very cold, one part of maize meal is useful, in that it helps to maintain the bodily temperature. Grit, green food, and plenty of pure, fresh water should bo provided; ■ steamed clover hay forms an excellent substitute. Tho poultry section of tho Hawera Show, to be held June 30 and July 1. Is hold under the rules of tho North Island Poultry, Pigeon, and Canary Association.

Mr S. Johnson is to judge, and Mr C. Goodsqn acts as judge’s steward. Mr J. '' • li? h° n * secretary and treasurer. ~ , lhc , New Zealand Utility Poultry , '", s eleventh egg-laying competition— April 8, 1915. to May 3L, 1916 (six hens to a pen—completed its tenth week on June 15 as follows: Light breeds: 1. Mr E. Mills, Woodhaugh (W.L ) . 249 2. Glencoe Poultry Ranch. Karori (W.L.) 23-2 3. A. li.. ilscn, Shirley (W.L.) 031 3. Master Jack Green, St. Albans (W.L.) 231 4. Mrs J. Mills (W.L.) . 225 5. Waikato Egg Farm, Hamilton (W.L.) 203 0. A. G. Brailey, Hillmorton (W.L.) .. 202 Heavy breeds: 1. E. Willis He W Brighton (B.O.) .. .. 193 a w ol^i r & ) V f 1 n3cctt , Spreydon (R.1.R.) 190 3. W. Bloomfield, Auckland (B.O.) .. .. 174 Indian runner ducks: 1. W. Knight, Hutt 035 2. Glencoe Poultry Ranch, Karori . 079 . ™ C . 4^ nS ie tho light brecds (294 birds) ipZ, * aid th ® sovcn weeks a total of 6832 eggs; tho 11 pens of heavy breeds (66 n,n d ni- h rV’ e t a ' C cgg3: and the Indian ird 1262 cis a . (aght I,C “’ 48 bi ‘ ds) The greatest weight of eggs is by white WiS™ 13 °™ 6d ft f L S ‘ Woodworth, of Win ton. These birds have laid 181 eggs lun ° olb . 4dr. Tho leading pens (249 ejvgs) weigh 21b 2o z Idr only. the idea th it any old wood is good enough for a fowihouse is a mistaken one. if the amateur is to be saved a lot of tiouble from vermin. The framework especially should be planed and carcfullv jointed to avoid crevices which cannot easily do cleaned. J “ p b '® sb:l '’ , an Old Country fancier, supplies the following interesting information respecting the hen’s egg:— Composition of white of egg: 84 per cent, water, 121 per cent, albumen; 2£ per cent sugar, cto.; 1 pC r cent, mineral matter; total, 100_ per cent. Composition of yolk: 52 per cent, witer, 45 per cent, oil and fat, 1 per cent, albumen, 1 per cent, mineral matter, 1 per cent, colouring; total, 100 per cent. Composition of egg-shell; Carbonate of limp, 93./I per cent.; carbonate of magnesia, 1.39 per ccnt._; phosphate of lime, 0.75 per cent.; organic substances, 4.14 per cent., complete; total, 100 per cent Fresh eggs: 11.4 per cent shell. i 3.2 per cent, protein, 8.9 per cent, fat, 65.7 ner cent, water, 0.8 per cent, ash; total, 'loo per cent.

Eighty per cent, of the solids of white are fhsh-forming; 30 per cent, of the solids of voik arc flesh-forming. The yolk of an egg weighs about onethird of the whole; the white, 60 per cent, of the whole; the shell, 10 nor cent, of the whole. Average size, of egg of all breeds Largo circumference 6.19:n, small circumference S.ljin; weight per dozen, 11b 8.050 z. The white of an egg forms feathers; the white of an egg contains no fat; the average weight of a hen’s egg is l£oz to 2oz. In food value: lOOoz of complete eggs equal 104 oz of beef; lOOoz of yolks equal 2300 z of beef. In cold storage eggs are held at 31deg to 34deg Fahr.; at 27deg Fahr. the shells burst. Grades of eggs; Extras, 21b and over to Idoz; firsts, l|lb and over to one dozen; ordinary mixed, Iglb and over to one dozen. The germ of life in the egg causes decay in the first instance. Specific gravity of a brown-shelled egg is 1087, and of a white-shelled egg 1092. The percentage of shell in a brown egg is 9.96, and in a white egg 10.82. The white occupies 64.22 per cent, of an egg, shell free, and the yolk 35.78 per cent. The loss of weight of eggs exposed to the air is in 10 days 1.6 per cent,, 20 days 3.16 per cent., 30 days 5 per cent. In conclusion, eggs laid with soft shells are due to overfat condition very often, when not lack of grit. Eggs laid with double yolks are due to overfeeding. Small eggs from old hens are also caused by overfeeding._ When a valuable hen lays large eggs in succession, fast her one day, and then diet her, or she will break down. USE FOR POULTRY MANURE. One of our subscribers writes to us with regard to the destruction of moss on lawns: “Allow me to call attention to a very simple means within the reach of all people possessing poultry. It consists in spreading poultry manure, which is already fermented, on the grass in the same way and in the same proportion as a workman spreads sand on a slippery road. The moss cannot withstand this strong manure, and does not grow again in the spring if the manure has been applied at the beginning of winter. 1 have employed this procedure many times, and always with the same success on different kinds of soil.”—La Vie Champetro et Monde Avicole reuni.