THE POULTRY YARD

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 714, 13 July 1929, Page 14

THE POULTRY YARD

(By

GEO. H. AMBLER.)

THE BREEDING SEASON

THE success of any venture is dependent primarily upon tlie quality of the product that can be produced. There is never a surplus of any commodity that caters to a fancy trade. Agriculture realises that fact now. One can overcome part of the worry by proper attention to selection of the foundation rather than trying to sort out the culls later. This fact is especially true with poultry, since the method is so easily applicable in any flock.

A proper foundation means the use for breeding purposes of only those birds that have demonstrated their ability to produce. If they were handled last autumn, it is now time to move them into the special pen with a male from a high-producing line. Some fertile eggs can be obtained within 4S. hours, but a week should elapse before hatching eggs are selected. In cases where birds have been with other males, at least 10 days should be allowed before saving eggs from this particular pen. In the lighter varieties of fowls, such as Leghorns. Minorcas, Campines and Aneonas. one cockerel to 10 or 15 females is sufficient. The number of females in the heavy breeds is .decreased. In both the light and heavy breeds the age of the male will have some influence, and the number should be decreased accordingly. Some attention to this question is needed, as low fertility can as often result from an excess of males as a lack of the proper number. Where too many males are placed ih a pen, unless free range is allowed, fighting will often cause poor results. High production alone should not be sufficient reason for using the hen as a breeder. There are a number of other factors that can only be considered in trap-nesting and pedigree hatching. If one has purchased a male of the proper kind he will adhere to the requirements. Each poultry-keeper can influence the eggs for the next year by his adherence to certain regulations. Every egg used for hatching should be of the colour, shape and type one wishes to produce. DETERMINING SEX I am often asked if it is possible to tell by the shape of the eggs which ones will hatch pullets or vice versa. The old idea that round eggs hatch pullets and long, slender ones hatch cockerels is foolish. Sex-detecting instruments are just as ridiculous. There is only one definite means of determining sex, and that comes from hatching the egg, growing the chick, and then seeing what it develops into. Sex guarantees are childish fableß. Market requirements and laying tests demand a 2oz egg. One must meet that in eggs to be set. One can hardly expect a pullet hatched from a small egg to lay 2oz eggs. It is therefore important that all under-sized or extremely large eggs should be used or marketed. Eggs used for incubation purposes should not weigh less than 240 z to the dozen. Kv«*n pullets used as breeders should be producing eggs of that size by this. Shell texture is also important. Eggs with mottled shells should not be used for incubation. These can be

noticed under a light very easily. When one sees eggs with a rough surface or patchy appearance of the shell it is mottled. They are not wanted on the market because of possibility of greater breakage, and are apt to evaporate too much in hatching. FEED FOR RICH YOLKS A correspondent wishes to know why some of the eggs from her hens have very pale yolks, and if it is a sign of any weakness. Poultry-keepers should always keep an eye on the colour of the yolks, which, if pale, will denote more often than not that feeding is to blame. Sameness of feeding and an insufficient supply of raw succulent green food will result in pale-coloured yolks. Rich yolks are needed not only in eggs required for table, but also in those used for incubation. The yolk, after all, represents the food of the chick when in the egg and for 36 hours or so afterwards. Hence the importance of having a rich yolk if the chick is to .get the best out of it. Dead in shell is often due to poor yolks, although not generally realised by poultry-keepers. Moral: See that breeding stock have plenty of rich succulent greenery in their menu. ARTIFICIAL INCUBATION The present-day incubator, now so reliable, has every advantage over the broody hen, and chiefly in that it is always ready at any time to perform its work and will, if needed, work from one year’s end to another. Numbers of people have their early breeding season interfered with through being unable to secure broodies early enough, and as it is always essential , to obtain early hatches, my advice to all is to purchase a good incubator of a reliable make. The outlay is more in proportion to the number of hens that could be obtained for the same expenditure, but the machine is more reliable, will not abandon the eggs and goes steadily on producing chickens to the delight of the purchaser. A machine of 100-egg capacity will do the work of eight broody hens, which considerably reduces labour, and whereas a hen may break her eggs, harbour insects and trample on and kill several chickens in each brood, the incubator has the advantage over all these accidents. Never buy cheap machines, as they are certainly dearer in the end, give an enormous amount, of trouble, and are generally unsafe from a fire point of view, while hatching results are usually unsatisfactory. A good incubator, on the other hand, will do its work successfully, hut it Is important that it should be placed in a suitable position if the best results are to be obtained. Select an outbuilding or a <

room free from vibration as this is to a large extent tlie cause of cripples and dead in shell. VENTILATION Ventilation is absolutely, necessary, but a direct draught on to the machine must be avoided. An earth, brick or cement floor should be used. Machines without legs should be placed upon a stout frame, made of quartering, having two hoards for the machine to stand upon, this allows a free passage of air to be admitted through the ventilating holes at the bottom of the incubator. A most important point is to get the machine quite level, which must be tested with a true spirit level. The necessary heat should be obtained in 24 hours after eggs are placed in drawer, leaving them to rest a day before turning. This operation is performed twice daily, its object being to prevent the embryo from becomingattached to the shell. Never remove the drawer right out of the machine, this alone being important to the success of the hatch. For the first 12 days the eggs require no more airing than they get during the time taken in turning them. My experience proves that when the heat in the machine gets too low, the eggs and drawer also lose a great deal of warmth, and the eggs take in and absorb too much moisture. So mapy people believe in airing the eggs from five to 15 minutes once, if not twice, a day, but when such is the case the machine will take two hours to attain the required heat again, and this accounts for so many chickens living in the shell up to the last, but being too weak to break through. After the 12th day air the eggs five minutes in the morning and for 10 minutes during the last four days. GENERAL NOTES Auckland Poultry Show.—Tlie number of outside fanciers who attended the Auckland Poultry Show was an outstanding feature of this year’s event, and there was quite a large gathering and an exchanging of views round the pens on Thursday and Friday nights. Among the many visiting fanciers present were:—Mr. Wallace (Hamilton), Mr. T. Conway (Paengaroa), Mr. W. A. Nixon (Rotorua), Mr. Les. Batkin (Tuakau). Mr. and Mrs. F. Fitchett (Waiuku), Mr. H. M. Barriball (Waiuku), Mr. Bell (Brown’s Bay, late of Temuka, Canterbury). Little or no criticism was heard regarding the judges’ decisions. This is evidence that they had been well received. Although the Game section was not so strongly represented as at last year’s show, some excellent specimens were exhibited, the true Game type being on top right through. Utility White Leghorn cockerels were quite up to the high standard one expects to see at Auckland, but the remaining classes of White Leghorns, in both fancy and utility sections, were of a high order. Black Orpingtons. in both fancy and utility, were also exceptionally good, as were Minorcas in all classes of utility and also in females in the fancy classes. White Wyandottes were shown to perfection, as were the few White Orpingtons which were exhibited. Light Sussex were rather disappointing in numbers, but made up the deficiency by quality. The duck section is always a strong one at the Auckland Show and, as

usual, the Runners showed up in force. With the exception of the winners, however, several ducks were exhibited which had a leaning toward the old type and were too flat in the shoulders. Khaki Campbells and Pekins were not in strong force; quality was, however, to the fore. Game fanciers are reminded that entries for the annual show of the Auckland Game Club close on Tuesday, July 16, at the club’s headquarters, in Y.M.C.A. Mr. Bust, the Game Club’s secretary, tells me the entries are already coming in from many parts of the North Island. Palmerston North Show.—Quite a number of Auckland exhibitors met with success at the Palmerston North Show. Mr. E. Bust. Ellerslie, secretary of the Auckland Game Club, won first in Duckwing Game cockerels, second in Pile Game pullets, first in Blue Red cockerels. Mr. Bust was also awarded Challenge Cup for best young bird in Blue Red classes, also Rose Bowl for best young Duckwing. Mrs. Warren, Henderson, was awarded first and three specials in a class of 27 Utility White Leghorn pullets. Mr. J. Herberts, Henderson, won first and three specials in utility Minorca cockerels, his winner being claimed at catalogue price. Mr. Herbert’s birds also were awarded first and special, Minorca hen; second, Utility Minorca pullets. In the duck sections, Mr. T. Dowthwaite Won first both in utility Fawn and White Indian Runner clucks and drakes, also two seconds in the Fancy and Runner duck classes. Although a win at Palmerston North is always looked upon as a. very creditable performance, the wins of the Auckland fanciers this year were all the more meritorious as the competition was keener than usual, due to the fact that the New Zealand Game Club was holding its annual show in conjunction with the event, and also the North Island Championships for both Utility Leghorns and Minorcas had been allocated to Palmerston North. Gibbons Bros.’ hen is well ahead of her competitors in the White Wyandotte section. In the three-bird team test, lignt breeds, R. Cannon’s White Leghorns are leading Gibbons Bros.’ Golden Wyandottes occupying first place in the heavy breeds. At Pukekohe Mr. W, Bailey’s (Onehunga) Black Minorca hen won the North Island championship, also challenge cup for best fancy bird in the show. In the game section, Mr. E. Bust (Ellerslie) won three first prizes, also special for best game other than Black Red. Mr. I. Ball (Grey Lynn) also won first and second prize. Mr. W. A. Hanson (Epsom) was successful in Silver Wyandottes and Pekin Bantams, his exhibits capturing special for best Silver Wyandotte in show, also special for best variety bantam in show. George Ambler, jun. (Glen Eden) won nine first prizes, tw'o second prizes, and thfee third prizes, also special for best English Leghorn in show. In the duck section, Mr. Arnott (Point Chevalier) won several first prizes, special for best White Runner, also best Runner in show. Mr. T. Dowthwaite, Avondale, secured four firsts in the Fawn and White Runners, also special for best Fawn and White Runner in show.