THE POULTRY INDUSTRY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11214, 21 October 1914, Page 2

THE POULTRY INDUSTRY.

(By CROW-BLACK.) Now is the time to. giv.e chicken bouses a thorough cleaning and a good coat of .whitewash. i In order to promote constant growth chickens should bo fed regularly. Provide ample shade and fresh, cool water daily, and see that they have a good supply "of succulent green food. Brooder chickens may ba removed to colony houses when they are six weeks old. Given a good mash or throe-parts pollard and one of oil cake (scalded) once a day, and a variety of grain twico daily, ohickens in colony houses will thrive. There is an old proverb which says: "It's an ill-wind that blows nobody good." A Sydney paper states that the poultry farmers of Australasia will be realising .the truth of this saying for the next two or three years. Thei knowing ones have been buying up extra incubators and mating up more 'stock. The principal producing countries of tho world are now at war, and .the production of poultry and eggs in these countries must suffer severoly for at least two seasons. France, Russia and Belgium are great poultry-raising countries, and each contributes largely to the, English market. The value of poultry products sent to England by these countries yearly runs into inil- ; lions sterling. - America has barely enough for her own use at the .present time. Canadian exports of poultry are falling off yearly, and last year there was very little to spare. South Africa cannot supply tho local demand, and therefore Australia and New Zealand should be exporting eggs to England .and poultry for tho next two years at least at a price that should allow a 1 fair margin of profit to tho producers, j In the event of an early termination of the war the shortage will be severe- ' ]y felt, and if we do not export eggs tnd poultry we shall be getting high ••ices hero for the products. ■. The price meat will be so high owing to the unt that is sura to be exported ; year, or even in a few months' i, that the prioe of eggs and poulliere will be higher thail ever be,,rc. Foodstuffs will be high certainly, hut pollard and bran should not rise much higher than at present. The price of maize or partridge peas will not change to any great extent, and oats- can Ibe fed more than is" at present the case to counteract the higher j price of wheat that we may expect. Australia and New Zealand will benefit by the present great struggle, and the poultry farmer will get his share of the' spoils of war. Last month Mr J. Maude, the wellknown judge, handled over 1000 exhibits in one day at the Queensland National Show. I. underßtahd that Rhode Island Reds are being extensively bred this season in the North Island and in Canterbury. • The New Zealand Utility Poultry,

Club has decided to continue its tests for heavy and light breeds. The test for light breeds will be limited to about 36 pens and for heavy 24 pens. The closing of entries for the next competitions has been fixed "for February 27. Last week Mr W. Mercier's six White Leghorns put up a very fine i score in the Utility Club's egg-laying [ competition, equalling the record. Thendaily laving for the seven days was i 6. 6. 6, 6, 5, 6, 6 (41 eggs), weighing ■ 51b 3oz Bdr. (an average of over 2oz • each. October is the most likely month I for the monthly record to be broken, and with 71 eggs to their credit in [ thirteen clays, Mr Mercer's team pro- : mise to pass the 167 record. [ ' IS A MALE EIRO NECESSARY ? The question is frequently asked whe- . ther the presence of a male bird in the [ breeding pen influences to any great ; extent the egg supply. It is really a ' matter which is difficult to-'determine, " since one cannot prove that more or ' less eggs would have been produced had ' there been a male bird with the hens ' or had they been alone. " Personally," writes an expert authority, "1 do ■ not think that the presence or absence ' of a cock has any influence whatever 1 upon the number of eggs produced, i and thus, when eggs are intended' for [ marketing purposes, it does not mat- : ter which plan is followed. There are, ' however, some other ■ matters worthy ■ of consideration besides the actual number of eggs produced—points which are 1 .only, of secondary importance .compar- ' ed with the yield of eggs, but at the i same time ones affecting the results. , When hens are kept in flocks by themselves much greater difficult}' is experienced in keeping them _ together, especially when allowed their freedom. In runs "it. does not matter; but, even , in . this caso, if the hens are able to see a cook, some of them. are almost certain to fly over the netting in order •to get near him. Hens at liberty are very liable to stray away if there is no male -bird with them*, possibly wandering so far that they do not return to their house. This difficulty can be overcome by keeping only one cock with them, even though there be forty or fifty hens in a nock. For . some reasons it is advisable, however, notwithstanding ' tho drawbacks just mentioned, to keep the hens alone, and especially is this so if tho eggs are wanted - for preserving, as sterile eggs maintain their freshness better than do those containing the genn of life."