THE POULTRY INDUSTRY.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VI, Issue 1736, 6 September 1919, Page 3

THE POULTRY INDUSTRY.

lEdited by J. B. Herrett.] CHICKEN-RAISING. The following advice was given at a recent meeting of poultrymen by Mr W. E. Green (of Green Bros.). Mr Green is one o"f our leading poultry breeders, and his advice is the experience of many years of careful study:— For chicken-rUising, like all other work in connection with poultry farming, a person must have a liking for it, and one reason why I have been successful is that, as far back as I can remember, I have always had a passion for poultry. Without being able to rear them as they ought to be reared, poultry-keeping at once becomes a loss, as chicken-raising is one of the most vital and important items in connection with poultry. I do not claim that my method of chicken-raising is better than others, but I do claim that, with my present method, I have been successful. To begin with, the brooders I. use are built on the cypher's hot-air principle. In a heated brooder the floor is always dry, and consequently never becomes foul. Also from this brooder the chicks are always allowed a liberal supply of warm fresh air—fresh' air and plenty of it. Clean, warm quarters are just as essential for chick-raising as to feed welL When transferring the chicks from the incubator to the brooder, put them in a warm box, with a covering, for if a chick once gets a chill it will never grow into a profitable pullet, and in this prevention is better than cure. Never put a second lot of chicks into a brooder without giving it a thorough disinfection. Filth is bad for poultry at any time,-but it is death to chick 3. The feed I use for the first few days is dry oatmeal. Then feed with some reliable cluck food that is on the market, but always use the best. Cheap food is like aheap poultry —not much use. After the first fortnight you can feed a light

mash, say once a day, sparingly. In fact, I feed sparingly always, except in the way of green food, and the bigger variety of green food used the better, as it is the best tonic I know of to keep chicks healthy. They should be fed as much green food as they will eat, if it is desired to retain the bloom with which chicks are endowed if well hatched. A good guide for a beginner is to see that chicks retain the leg oolour, for if they .do not they are not being treated quite right. Skim-milk is a good thing for chicks. The first thing to give them in the way of grit is ground-up egg-shel'a from the incubator. After that them charcoal, burnt bone, and small metal, grit, and a continuous supply of fresh water. Never waste time in trying to rear weakly chickens;, cull them out, or they will die. It is a losing game rearing weakly chicks. NOTES. We learn that the New Zealand Utility Poultry Club will make a number of changes in its next test at Papanui. The present site will be retained, but new houses will be' built on fresh ground. Pour bouses 90ft long, 6ft 6in in front, and sloping to sft at the back, and 9ft wide, will be built and fitted with runs. The entry fees will be £3 for a team of six birds each to a single pen tested. Single birds will be tested for £1 each. The finances will be strengthened by debentures bearing 6 per cent, interest. With the improvements in view, the club will have a most up-to-date outfit, which will do credit to the Dominion.

Mr J?. Brown, Chief Government Poultry Expert, is in town. Many of the soldiers who have drawn sections in the Avonhead Settlement intend to keep poultry as an adjunct to farming. Eggs are still 1/6 a dozen, a record price for this time of year. Poultry is realising very high prices, owing to the great demand for special functions how taking place.