POULTRY REARING.

Colonist, Volume LXI, Issue 15203, 16 October 1919, Page 2

POULTRY REARING.

THE EQUIPMENT OF THE POULTRY FARM. (By A. V. D. Riutoul, Assistant Poultry Expert, in "Journal of Agriculture," Victoria.) Maximum efficiency, within reasonable limits of expenditure, should be the key to the design of any well laid out and equipped poultry farm. It is of considerable importance for the poultry farmer to decide at the start the extent to which he hopes or intends to develop ultimately, in oruer' Ithat a sketch may ho made of the plant at its fu.U-capacity and designs made of the shedding immediately required. Letters aro continually being received inquiring for plans of buildings for poultry, bub no standard design has been adopted by tho Department of Agriculture, for the reason that the materials available in Victoria are so varying that no standard could be followed with any faithfulness. In planning out the accommodation, certain general principles must be observed. Due regard for th© ultimate extension must not be overlooked", and labour-saving methods "and appliances should be adopted wherever practicable. The greatest weight should obviously be carried the least distance, consequently the big laying sheds should be as near the feed and eggroom as possible, with the smaller and single pens further off. For the poultry farmer on a. big scale the laying down of a small trolley line of hardwood rails will mean a saving of labour, and where there is an ample water supply it is an economy to adopt the ball-cock system connected with each pen. Witn guttering at' normal prices, a tap may be used just dripping into the guttering which Is carried past' each pen, but provision should be made for cutting out' any pen where sickness | may arise, so as to prevent the water j supply becoming a source of infection j for the rest of the flock. Plans should \ be made for the following sheds: Feed 1; store and mixing, egg room, incubator shed, brooder shed, movable chicken colony houses, breeding pens, single test, and laying sheds. The feed store should be made rat and mouse proof, and rather on the large side, so that when opportunities oreur stocks may be purchased on a 'bigger scale than just "han<s-to-mouth." The egg room should be as airy and cool as possible, and well protected from the north. Plenty of shelving should be provided. The incubator shed.—This should really take the form of a cellar. The small stylo of incubator has' now virtually had its day, and the mammoth type of machine is becoming more and more popular; in fact, a big incubator represents a very sound investment tor those in a position to purchase one. Coke is the only fuel required and 20s .worth of coke would run a 15,000 egg machine- for three weeks. The recognised charge is £1 for 150 eggs, so a 15, UOO machine would earn £100 every three weeks- accordingly, a very good living could be made by only running the machine for five months in the year. The cost of installing such an incubator would not be greater than the capital required for a 1000-bird farm. The brooder shed should face north, whilst flic other . sheds tor the . birds face east, at such times of year as all available sunlight is required. For the poultry farmer on a decent scale, the colony 'brooders are an undoubted advantage, and, in addition, are economical on fuel. At tho same time, the small poultrykeeper, hatching out only a 100-egg machine per week, will bo able to manage with the smaller brooders, the heating of which may be supplied ?jy not-water pipes, gas, electricity, or even feather j pillows. . \ j Portable colony houses for the grow-' ing chicks are really a necessity, as it is < a terrible mistake to imagine that fowls* oan be, reared year after year in small backyards," as is at"present, unfortunately, an all too .prevalent belief. Sooner or later this . practice will result' in a marked depreciationl in the constitutional vigour of the 'birds. The breeding pens should allow more than the regulation 4| to 5 sq feet of floor space per layer, and should be fitted with outside runs, so that during the breeding season the stud stock may be placed in the open for a time, at any rate, each day. ' | Single test pens may be built 5 feet I deep by 3 feet'frontage, the door forming the entire front. These sheds arc ' useful for more reasons than merely de- \ tormining the exact number of eggs a ; bird lays in a given period. The- shape and size of egg may also be ascertained;! the pen.s used for small special matings, etc., etc. Pens 5 feet by 3 feet will, at a pinch, hold four birds temporarily, although three are preferable. Birds of a: similar pedigree which are not to be; ■single-mated can 'be run in these pens,! if required, for trios, etc., during the, breeding season . j Laying sheds.—These are to accommo-! datn the bulk of the flock, consequently all labour-saving devices should be care-: fully considered. Whilst the practice of running large flocks together tends to roducß the labour, it is an undoubted fact that better returns are more readily obtainerl from smaller mobs. The birds ;^p?n to lovbotter and can undoubtedly; be more easily supervised in small mini-! ""'"_ f-'t 'nvrv flock there, are a pro-1 portion of 'both greedy, and also shy! feeders, and it is an advantage to try to nnn birds of similar habits together. | These sheds should face, east, and be covered up for about 3 feet from the ground in front. On a properly managed poultry farm some system of bookkeeping is essential. The simpler the methods adopted the greater the likelihood of the transactions being entered regularly and accurately. The principal expenditure is incurred by purchase of foodstuffs, and the main source of revenue is from the sale of j eggs. Accounts should" De kept showing ■ purchase of foodstuffs, materials*bought for repairs and renewals (apart from j new buildings which are a charge on' capital account and not current ac- i count), fuel or power used for heating: incubators, brooders, or working majchmery, cartages and freights, advertising, labour, etc., and on the credit side • the sale of eggs, market birds, and" stud sales. The net- profit is the surplus after all expenses have 'been paid, including interest on capital or on loans. "The sun's mood is gradually changing from tho minimum to the maximum," said Mr. Clement Wragge at Gisborne, "and during the years 1920 to 1924 the conditions will be more favourable for earthquakes. It's nothing to be alarmed at, and I don't aAy that Now Zealand is going to be blown up, but people who live in places where earthquakes occur do not want to stick to chimneys and let them tumble down on them. It's good to have earthquakes, and it shows that there is enough energy left to keep the earth and all going. 3' A tribute to the increased efficiency of tho returned soldier was paid by the manager of one of the largest- drapery firms in Christchurelt' in his annual report to tho shareholders. "After, more than five year.; of war service," he said, "we are glad to be able to report that the last "of our soldier boys has returned to our employ. Nearly thirty joined the colours, and five paid the extreme, sacrifice. The rest, we are pleased to say; havo.come back to business,keen,■ serious^ and more alert, and-on the whole 20 per cent, better men than when they left us.- We believe we have one of die Wat stall's in Now Zeui'-vi " _