POULTRY YARD

Taranaki Daily News, 30 August 1930, Page 12 (Supplement)

POULTRY YARD

BY

G. H. AMBLER

INFERTILITY IN STOCK. The vigour of bred-to-lay strains on the male°sidb is. usually very pronounced, and it is rare that when- first season cocks are employed fertility to appreciable extent fails. Die fertility of an egg, however, depends equally upon both male and female, and. when 'the weather is such as to cause acute changes in the daily routine—mobility, recreation and exercise restricted to the scratching died, when birds have been accustomed to an open grass run tae female is usually the cau<se of the abrupt decline in hatching percentages. Good health is essential to good results, and exercise In the open air is a prime factor in securing that vigour necessary to breeding operations. An im-. mobile fowl, whether the..characteristics be forced or natural, is invariably an intermittent layer and largely infertile, and, this being so, it will be easily observed how essential it is that bleeding stock should be forced to exercise by feeding in such a way that, if confined to the scratching shed by dint of weather, they must be compelled to labour for their daily sustenances—that is, feed on grain well distributed and buried in an abundance of dry scratching litter. Second-season (or • older) males are always unreliable in fulfilling their mission during the winter months, and until the suit shines—the most powerful, influence that I know of to bring up the hatching records—on may find indifferent results. Many breeders resort to high feeding and pampering methods. with the. object of stimulating fertility, but this is not desirable, since it tends to fatten, a condition which always decreases reproductive possibilities. Yearlings will more readily respond to the influence of diet than will Older birds, and the heavier and more attractive menu in their case would probably show in the egg basket—that is, if the birds were bred right. In strain building it is frequently desirable to employ second or third-season birds, and when past the first year there is always a tendency to put on fat, hence the importance in. such cases of exercising considerable care in regulating the diet both as to quantity and. composition. FAT UNDESIRABLE, A fatty condition is fatal in respect to the effect one seeks in all breeding stock, since what stock may be born, of such parents are not I-'keiy to be so rearablo or so profitable if eventually reared. A hard, muscular condition is just as necessary to the production of the fertile egg, to the birth of a vigor- ■ ous, rearable chick which will make progress, as it is in securing the maximum egg supply. Fat fowls will neither fay nor multiply. . Whatever faults the critics may, in theory, discover in dry feeding, it has, in practice, the undoubted quality of increasing the vigour of the stock, and where aged, birds, for

ths sake of pedigree,- have to be used in. the’breeding-pen, the results will prove its efficacy, whilst wet mash, I am positive, tends to bring about a pronounced artificial condition. In striving for fecundity—and I am writing now in regard to the cultivation of brcd-to-lay strains—st is most desirable that the vigour of the breeding stock should be maintained during the hatching period at its highest point. The high fecund yearling is in some - senses more sensitive to diet influences than is the older bird. Whilst fertility may be most pronounced hnd the hatching results all that could be desired, it has been discovered that chicken mortality is much more serious than is the case with the produce of the older stock, and in consequence . most of our best breeders, for their own use, employ no stock in the pens before the second season age. The- better results are probably accounted for by the fact that the second-season bird rarely gets into her* laying stride until the time eggs' are wanted, namely, late August and September, and'has not-,‘therefore, become “spent by excessive productive-,' ness during the winter months, as the. bred-to-'lay .‘yearling, probably- would' have been.- This means that stamina is conserved, and if the system is carefully practised season after season, it is r' sensible means 'of maintaining the vigour of deep-laying strains •which some little time ago exhibited danger of collapse. WARM MILK FOR CHICKENS, Chickens when a few days old require grass or its equivalent. Those poultrykeepers who have a lawn or grass-plot should coop their chicks on'it. Never mind what the neighbour says—it happens to 'be your affait, not theirs.- If a chicken 24 hours old. cannot thrive in the open with its' mother or foster mother, put it out of its misery. In breedirig fancy stock it may “pay” to coddle chicks;-but when perfection in bone, muscle, and. flesh is. required it does not pay to rear invalids. It is awise plan to have a stock of dry chick food. . The chick needs a Change after ab- ■ sorbing nearly the whole of the yolk of the egg from which it was hatched. Of all things in the usua‘l ihenu for chickens’ breakfast.there is .nothing to compare with warm milk. To see some 50 chicks partaking of . this beverage just at'dawn one would suppose that grace before'and after meals was not sufficient in chic'kendom. When hatching by hens, it will be found that it will pay to see that the bird is strong and vigorous, the nest absolutely clean, and the egg« reasonably fresh; Needless to say, the quieter a,nd more secluded the spot ■where the sitting -hen. is placed the better. FACTS ON FEEDING. Poultry foods can be divided into six ■ heads—(l) Albumen, (2) carbohydrates, (3) fats, (4) water, (5) fibre, (8) ash. To feed correctly the foods should be so balanced that the feeder gets his daily menu to work out at one part albumen to four-and-a-half or five parts carbohydrates and fat. Albumen is also known as proteids, protein, nitrogen, albuminoids, and. flesh-formera. Carbohydrates also go under the names of. heat producers, starch, sugar, and any ■ amylaceous elements. Fats go under the names of oils and hydrocarbonate. Ash may be referred to as mineral matter. In making out a ratio fats are multiplied, by 2.25(0r 2J) as being that number of timck' more valuable than carbohydrates as.vf-uel., . *

During the past five years few fanciers have attained greater success in the chow pen than has Mr. Stewart, Wanganui. Although he had one of the best studs of White Wyan-dottes in the Dominion, eighteen months ago Mr. Stewart imported a valuable trio from tlie yards of the late Lord Dewar. From this trio he has bred the finest specimens of this breed ever seen in New Zealand, with the result that his exhibits have been unbeaten in' the show pen during the past season.' His successes include four first prizes, open specials, fancy classes, Wanganui; four firsts, three specials, trophy for best White Wyandotte, utility, Palmerston North; four firsts and specials, fancy, Auckland. Birds sold during the season by Mr. Stewart have also won a nurpber of cups and trophies for their new owners. Unfortunately, Mr. Stewart is not enjoying good health and has therefore decided to sell his stock. ANSWER TO CORRESPONDENT. G.E.tL, New Plymouth.; —Regarding the number of birds you can use in a breeding pen much depends upon the age of the male. If on free range a male bird will fertilise more eggs than in an enclosed run. If your male bird is of a vigorous nature you can safely give him a dozen hens. The only book I know of is “Utility Poultry Farming in New Zealand.” New Zealand Feathered Life is published monthly and would probably answer your purpose. You omitted to enclose your name and address.

[Every broody hen and incubator should now be busy hatching out chickens.' ' . . With chickens about and in goodly numbers, the rearer is apt to forget his adult stock. This is by no means to be recommended. GENERAL NOTES. Representatives from the Christchurch (Poultry Club and Lyttelton Fanciers’ Club met the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association to further the suggestion of adding poultry classes to the A. and P. Association’s summer show. After some discussion it was decided to go on with the proposal. The schedule will include classes for poultry and ducks (fancy and utility), also classes for hens and ducks that have competed at the egg laying competitions. In addition to the prizeI money it is intended to allocate several I valuable trophies and specials for com--1 petition. The schedule will be issued before then end’ of September. The annual meeting cf the South Island Game Club, which was held at Oamaru, was well’attended. It was decided that in future the club’s annual show be held in. conjunction with the Christchurch Poultry Club’s annual show. The appointment of judges was left to a’later date. The question of a “Rowe Memorial”' cup was left in the hands of the management committee. The election of Officers resulted: Patron, Dr. W. B. 0. Ferguson (Arrowtown); vice patrons. Messrs. W. H. Rule (Lower Hutt), A. Huggins (Nelson), F. 0. Ball (Christchurch) and T; Swan (Tasmania) ; president, Mr. Jas. Merkle (Oamaru) ; viceypresidenfs,' Messrs. R. H... Johnstone (Christchurch),. G. McLeod, (Oamaru), R. W. Brown (Dunedin), H. W. Rule (Christchurch), M. H. Watkinson (Christchurch), J. S. Woods (Oamaru), J. A. Boswell (Dunedin) and B. Rennell (Christchurch); secretary and treasurer, Mr., H. Watkinson (Christchurch) ; auditor, Mr. T. iP. Neill (Christchurch).