POULTRY COLUMN.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 126, 20 July 1911, Page 2

POULTRY COLUMN.

EGGS FOR WINTER. To make a success of winter eggproduction it is of the utmost importance that a good winter laying strain should be raised. it is no trouble to get hens to lay in summer or in the spring, but it is more or less unnatural for them to lay in winter. The egg farmer at the present time finds Ins egg production reduced to a minimum, and despite the laying competitions, the difficulty of winter eggs remains unsolved. The best plan is to hatch out as far as practicable in the winter months, and then the pullets will be ready to lay the following winter. it ■ s desirable to obtain eggs for hatching from a oyo] laying strain. Certain points can be observed in the way of inducing egg. production in Uie winter. Sec that the houses in whicn the ‘ndo rOoSt arc warm and comfortable. { hi sin e poultry farms, the birds are m-t icr out in the winter incil s. i.rise. Where the house faces an exposed situation see that it is well protected on the weather side. In giving the morning mash, moisten it with warm water, and two or three times a week add meat to it, which can either bo run through the mincing machine or chopped up line. Where a few fowls are kept, and the main source of the food supply is from table scraps, see that they are not given to the fowls in any haphazard way. It is a mistake to give fowls sloppy food. If bread is given see that it is mixed with the mash, which should always bo crumbly. Some people mix in the mash at this time of the year mustard or pepper, but most practical men eschew all such ideas. Meat is a great help, especially sheep’s liver. One of these suspended in the fowl run, low enough for the birds to reach it hy jumping off the ground, will provide j exercise as well as nutriment. A

little coin (in very cold weather) mixed with the wheat in the evening will be appreciated. CHICKEN-RAISIN G. One of the most important tilings to learn (if not the most essential) to ensure success on a poultry farm is the art of raising the chicks. It. is of little ufee obtaining goed hatches if followed by a large proportion of deaths. For some years past I have -been most successful in rearing chicks my losses after the first week being very small indeed; and I always look upon the chicks as raised when about three weeks old. I always make a practice of destroying all deformed or very weak chicks during the first two or three days after hatching. A good deal has been published from time to time, giving the different views and methods adopted by various poultry farmers. Some advocate dry feeding; others just the opposite, and so on. No hard and fast rule can be laid down, for the reason that all chicks are not alike, some requiring different treatment to others; therefore constant watchfulness and close observation is required. My usual plan for feeding is as follows: For the first two or three days dry flaked oatmeal, followed by Pemell’s or some other well-known make of chicken mixture up to about 14 days. Then 1 gradually accustom tiie chicks to pollard and bran (very little of the latter), mixed fairly dry, adding a little boiled liver or other meat chopped up fine in the mash. Later on, if I notice the chicks are not eating heartily, I vary the feed as much as possible, and mix a little liver soup in the mash, or, give boiled wheat or finely cracked corn or wheat . I find that varying the feed is most helpful in stimulating the appetite. Sometimes the chicks will just pick a little of the ordinary mash, and then turn from it with only partly-filled crops. Upon observing this I go round the yards with a water-can and moisten the mash well, or use milk when 1 have it. As a rule the ciiicks will at once return to the trough and fill themselves up. If the runs are bare of grass I give as much green stuff as chicks will eat from the time they are two or three days old. As regards housing, I keep chicks on the fostermother from three or four weeks, according to weather and time of year. Then 1 shut them out of the foster-mother, allowing them to sleep in an inner run attached for another week or ten days, giving them straw bedding. They are then removed to a yard containing small weather-board houses, and again given straw bedding. The floor (of wood) is detached from house. This facilitates cleaning, as 1 have only just to turn the house over backwards and the rest is easy. 1 keep chicks there for another two or three weeks. Then move them to a larger run and house with porches, and having earth floor. I still supply straw bedding until the chicles take well to the porches. Don’t fuss too much over chicks, but exercise increasing care in watching; every detail. A little rain won’t hurt chicks after they are a few days old. Provided warm shelter is always handy, they will soon learn to take care oi themselves. Always keep chicks well supplied with tender green stuff, shale grit, and clean wat or. —C. Bloom li old.