THE POULTRY RUN.

Waipa Post, Volume VII, Issue 327, 30 June 1914, Page 8

THE POULTRY RUN.

STAETINQ POULTRY KEEPING,

The beginner will be well advised to learn something about his subject before starting operations. This is absolutely necessary, since poultry keeping is a business, and requires learning as much as anything else that is to be taken up as one's livelihood. Sometimes the necessary knowledge has been acquired; in this case, of course, success is not thereby assured, as failure very frequently can be traced entirely to the method of starting. It is inadvisable even for the most experienced to start on a gigantic scale unless special circumstances warrant it. The most successful man in the end is usually he who starts in a small way and gradually extends, since during the initial stages he is becoming familiar with the poultry keeper's many and varied duties; and, if he is providential, he should at the same time, "be getting together his customers for future trade. Without this connection, all else will be in vain. It must also be the beginner's object ultimately to obtain a regular supply in whatever commodity he is specialising. Whether the outlet is the open market the shop, or private customer, whether the trade is direct to consumer or through the medium of middleman, the same thing applies. The supply must be regular in order to gain the-confidence of the large buyer. Although everything may appear to be clean,*in the poultry house, it may not be so in reality, and.it may be necessary to make it really clean by disinfection. To do this It is necessary to spray or thoroughly wasli (with a scrub-brush wet in the solution used) all parts-of the house with a v good dis-infectant-at least-twice, allowing time between for it to< dry. For this pur:pose 3 per cent, eresol solution is recommended. Tli-e chief thing is ,to use an effective diisinfectant and plenty of it, and appfr it at least twice. To complete the cleaning of the house after the second spraying of disinfectant apply a liqitid lice-killer (made by ptutting 1 part crude carbolic acid or cxesol with 3 parts kerosene) liberally to nests, perches, and walls. After- all this is dome;, the house will be cl'yean. In houses cSeaned annually in tllis way the first step is taken towards hygienic poultry keeping. The same principles which have been here brought out should be applied in cleaning brooders, brooderhouse, and other things on the farm with which birds come in contact. What has been said has reference primarily to the annual or semi-an-nua/l cleaning. It should not be imd'erstood by this that no cleaning is •to be done at any other tim e. On the contrary, the rule should be to keep the poultry house clean at all times, never allowing filth of any kind to accumulate, and using plenty dUsirtfectant.

the;loss in sterile eggs.

are being produced for .edible punpuseg it does not really matter whether they possess a germ or not. As a jnatter of fact, they are rather betjter if they are sterile. When they.are/Jor hatching, purposes, however, it 4s imperative that they shall cofltaHn aj germ, for if i hey are infertile—that- is, if the germ of life is not present—they are quite valueless. Not only must an egg for hatching be fertile, but the germ must be strong and >irile, since otherwise the embryo will 'probably die during the stages of incubation, or else it will produce a chicken so weak and delicate that the greatest difficulty is experienced in rearing it to maturity. The poultrykeeper therefore has to consider not only how to. secure fertile eggs, but how to ensure strong and vigorous chickens. The loss which arises every season > owing to eggs required for hatching failing to contain a germ is very considerable indeed. As a rule, complaints are rdther more numerous early in the breeding season, that \is during the wintermonths. This-is all' the more serious since eggs are so scarce, and consequently of so much greater value than they are and summer. ?

I ' THE NOVICE. \ ' The best ■' way of gettng fowls through the 'hot weather is to damp a soft patch', of ground with water and rig up a, shade over it. The birds will scratch holes ; in the damp earth and' lie '.in them, also where they can back up behind shelter ■from-.'the wind they will get on better. 'Wind is to fowls, as It quickly puts them off their food and out : of sorts generally. ' . Overcrowding is one of th"e\ worst svil s in the poultry yard. Why ? Because the i soil quickly becomes contarniaatfed 'with the droppings, the limited sp: ace prevents the birds from getting ne pessary exercise, there is too much hent ini the roosting shed/at night, wljich qauses-.colds; the food is trampled (under foot: in the rush—which may se t; up , diarrhoea in hot weather—wlaile some biirds get too much of it, and others too little. What is the gjbod of overcrowding, anyhow?

'The crop is the only one that r fever fails).—;L. M. Montgomery.