POULTRY COLUMN.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 31, 21 September 1911, Page 8

POULTRY COLUMN.

(Journal of Department of Agriculture.) r J'he following is continued from last week’s article:— HATCHING POINTERS. As September is the best month for producing the popular egg-producing White Leghorn, it is obviously the month in which the great bulk of incubating and brooding work must lie carried out. There is no objection, of course, to hatching White Leghorns early in October, but the end of September is certainly the best time. Eggs in the, dear season are the objective, but it is not sufficient to have a portion of the flock laying when eggs are worth most money; the whole of the birds must bo producing the dear egg if tbb true profits are to ho secured from the business* Again; having as many birds as possible laying at the same period reduces the trouble and cost of management, though, of course, in this connection much depends on the sir.o of the plant. Whatever the system, the hatching .should ho done within two months, instead of, as is often the case, spread over a, period of five or six months. Where the work is concentrated it can he done with a greater degree of certainty, and generally with much more satisfactory results. It is clone at a better time, and naturally receives more attention. The greatest weakness in prolonging tho breeding season is that.too high a percentage of early and late-hatched stock are produced, and in tho long run neither of these arc really profitable. It will he understood that while September and October are given as the most desirable months for breeding the lighter fowls, tho heavier breeds can he produced a month earlier, as these are ,of course, slower in coming to maturity. Unless a man has a largo enough incubating and brooding plant with which to turn out all his chickens in tho desirable period, it will pay him well to divide Lis attentions between two breeds, so that he can produce double tho number of stock at the right seasons—-a heavier breed, say, Black Orpingtons or White Rocks, in the end of August or early in September, .and the White Leghorns late in September or early in October. Droodcr Lasses, Losses in the brooder stage are inevitable, but tho greatest source of loss can ho easily avoided by studying tlio methods of application of heat in the brooder, and applying this in such a manner that the chickens or ducklings are not encouraged at all times to lie directly under the main source of heat, hut are provided with such a supply of the desirable temperature throughout tho box that they arc always in a safe enjoyment of artificial heat, while lit times of extreme cold—when, for instance, heavy frosts are experienced—they are able to run for the time being to the main source of the boat. . A common defect in brooders is that tho pipes are too far from tho hack of the box. This encourages tho young ones to run to tho hack to get away from the heat, and thus find themselves practically boxed in a superheated chamber, and immediately they are allowed back to the ordinary temperature, extreme change proves, too much for thorn, and they succumb to chill and its attendant troubles, whit a diarrhoea, etc. Experience is proving that the pipes should stand well hack. If it is not possible to alter their position it will pay well to put in a false back so as to bring tho pipes almost ’Hush with this. r l hcr.e should also bo a good roomy space between the pipes and the ffront which should be always open. Tims the chickens can >hej tho demands of nature, and so-.■ur-i the right degree of heat. Things to oa I'smombcfed. Tho overfeeding of potatoes is not good for laying-hens. , Cheap, poorly Jillod oats make inferior poultry-food. It is not always the largest hen that lays the largest egg. Small eaters are as a general rule, poor layers. The best time to cull hens is before tho moult sets in. During cold weather the hens that ire comfortable arc the hens that are laying. Have tho wick of tho incubator and brooder lamps the correct si/.e, or trouble will ho experienced. When crossing fowls, have pure blood on each side. The progeny should never he hied from. Poultry shows are necessary in order to encourage tho average utility poultryman to maintain purity of breed. Tho hen found on the porch during tho day, and tho earliest to roost, is seldom a good layer. It is tho active, busy bird that fills tho eggbasket.