POULTRY NOTES.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 16049, 6 February 1918, Page 8

POULTRY NOTES.

.(By “Cacklor.”)

LEARNING POULTRY FARMING. There was never a. time when poultry keeping was more popular, and to-day hulidreds of fanciers are exceptionally keen; many long for the time when they will he fully-fledged .poultry farmers, able to make a living out of their hobby, and be at the head of a large business with a big turnover, and, of course, reaping satisfactory' profits. It must not bo imagined that poultry farming is .something which can. be picked up in a few , days, or even months; it is a business which requires a great deal of energy, determination, anti boundless enthusiasm. There are some people who posstiss all these quailties to start wdth; no work is too great for them; but as time goes on the enthusiasm wears off, many important things are left undone, and, taken generally, the work is allowed to slide. Whenever methods like those assume the upper hand, then poultry farming commences to deteriorate. It docs not matter in which county we go, utility poultry farming can he made fairly profitable. lam not one of those who believe firmly that we must have certain districts to make it a success, because if the land is not of the best, usually the markets compensate for any deficiency iu this direction. Nothing can ho more essential than being close at hand to the best possible markets; tbo outskirts of large towns form an ideal place for poultry farming. Now, the beginner anxious to learn all about poultry keeping so that at some future time he may be able to start for himself, shculd begin at the bottom rune of the ladder, and in the end success is sure to come. To start right is to visit ,ns a working pupil any well known poultry farm, especially where large numbers of utility fowls are kept, and be prepared right from the beginning to enter into all the work with heart and soul, be determined to learn everything there is to lonrn, keep a note of any important things which might happen, and perhaps if disease should break out. study carefully the successful methods of treatment; in fact, there is always something to lonrn on a poultry' farm for those who are willing to be taught. The hours must be necessarily very long, especially during spring and summer, but even during winter time, when daylight is short, there is much' which can be done indoors; there wiP be the making of chicken coops, poultry houses, or anything which is necessary. while incubators will probably then be 'working, and require careful attention.

It is really necessary, in order to make utility poultry farming pay, to specialise in certain directions—to sup-

ply eggs. for hatching, to gel hold of first-class haying strains, and run an incubator plant so that chickens can be supplied to customers: All this, per r haps,, means a,greatly increased outlay,; but it is really the only method of successful poultry farming in this country’ with the idea of making a Hying wage,, and those anxious to commence poultry farming with this object in view piust be prepared to learn thoroughly all about artificial hatching, and even srearing. to leam about the fattening of table poultry, and the preparation for market. Two years is just about the right tithe it will take a man with an actual love for the work to learn, poultry farming, and even then there will he many things he does not know, and conversation with other fanciers will show him that the vast difference of opinion which seems to exist on important points proves again that poultry farming is a business which requires great skill in order to bring it' to a successful issue." EXHIBITION BIRDS.? / THE MALE. f The male bird usually imparts his colour to the progeny. Colour of eye also comes from the male. Headpqinta (especially comb) should bo selected on the male side. Do not use bad-coloured males. Immature, late-hatched cockerels are useless as breeders. Have size in the male bird as well as the females. Any failings of the head of the pen should be rectified on the female side. Feed the males separately from the hens. THE FEMALE. Size should be present on the female side as well as on tho male’s. Pencilling., barring, and lacing usually comes from tbs female’s side. Ground colour comes from the male.. Small females will seldom breed high-class stock. , , " j", A big hen means a big egg, and bo a big chick. . Faults in the male can easily be balanced on tho female’s side. Docile hens invariably make the best breeders. SYSTEM. , Unless- you adopt a, system the’ hens will not be found profitable.; ; v Anybody can keep hens, but,not anybody can have hens keep him- ■ Handle the sitters kindly. . Rough treatment makes a hen nervous and flighty. Nothing hut lice will cause the. old hen to leave her eggs when she has settled down. - Make rules and -see that they are enforced. That is the only way to run the business. Sitting hens are 1 ice-breeders. This is one reason why the incubator is to be preferred for hatching chickens. ' Tho chickens are_ free from lice to begin with, and it is not such a difficult matter to keep the lice in subjection, , . , Tho man who keeps a strict account of his expenses and receipts is not so apt to overreach himself. 1 , The first thing that should he done after removing the pretty, downy chicks and their mother from the nest is to destroy with fire the old filling. If the chicks are not growing, something is sure to be wrong with the management. Keep them housed from cold winds ahd : dampness. Chilling lowers their vitality. Choose tho breed according to your fancy, if you will, and then stick to that variety. Continual changing has never made a successful poultryman.