Poultry Notes

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 258, 1 November 1939, Page 5

Poultry Notes

feeding chicks SYSTEMS COMPARED Two types of foods are needed during the brooding stage—grain and mash. Grain is used to supply an important part of the energy and maintenance requirements of the birds in a natural form. Starchy food do not form a complete ration and a mixti # 2 of special meals is needed to give the essential supplements. Wheat, oats and maize form the grain mixture as thev do for adults. The size of the particles must, however, be regulated to suit the size of the chick. Cut wheat, finely kibbled maize and oatmeal, are the forms usually employed. The wheat and maize are the whole grains reduced in size. Oats, however, have too much fibre and groats—the oat grain with the husk removed—are used instead. The proportions should be about two parts cut wheat to one part each of kibbled maize and cut groats. No 1 size should be used up to about three weeks. A larger size. No. 2, is then used, while at six to seven weeks the mixture becomes two parts whole wheat and one part kibbled maize and one of hulled oats. Earthenware Drinkers. I If skim milk is available at all times a complete rr/.ion is at hand. Grain to eat and milk to drink will meet all needs. It does not matter if the milk is sour, it is still an excellent food. Thousands of Jjirds are reared annually in this manner. Only eartenware drinkers should be used, for the acid | formed by souring attacks the metal 1 of other types. I In addition to the grain a mixture , of meals is needed. This mash, as the j mixture is termed, is needed to pro- I vide the necessary material for) growth. Great care should be taken to ensure thorough mixing. The ingredients should be weighed out on to a smooth flour and then turned with a shovel at least three times. Foods of this natured should be used as soon as possible after mixing. If small quantities are needed, or if difficulty in obtaining ingredients of the required quality is experienced, it would be more simple to use one of | the several excellent propietary mix- , tures available. The problem of' quality is serious. If any of the i materials specified are not up to standard ihe whole effect of the 1 mixture is lost. Importance of Methods. Methods of feeding are of equ?l importance to the selection of a suitable mash and grain ration. Drinking water should be available from the j time the chicks are placed in the ; brooder. A few hours after, the first grain food should be given. A small* amount placed on a piece of board, or paper, will show up plainly and quite soon the chicks will be feeding readily. Little and often is a golden rule. | During the first week five grain feeds daily should be given. Be as regular as possible and stick closely to a time-table. At two or three weeks reduce the number until at six to seven weeks only two feeds are need- 1 ed. On the second day introduce a little j mash in a small trough or simple | box-type hopper. When once the birds i have learnt what the box contains restrict access to the mash by covering the hopper or removing it from the pen. Three mash feeds per day are adequate and the hours 10 a.m. to 12 noon and 2 to 3 p.m. are suggested cis . suitable periods.—“ Poultry World.” —— EGG-LAYING CONTEST MASSEY COLLEGE RESULTS The results for the twenty-ninth ! week of the egg-laying contest which . is being conducted at Massey Agricultural College are:— SINGLE PENS. Section A. B. E. Wilkinson. W.L.. I No. 1 (6», 163; A. J. Shailer, W.L. (5). - 159; A. A. Hoare. W.L. (s>, 156; A. G. I Mumby, W.L.. No. 1 (6). 155; Hux-j ■ table Bros., W.L. (7), 153 W. F. Stent. < W.L., No. 1 (5), 153; A. Thomson. ' • W. L. (6), 152; J. A. Annan, W.L. (6). j 149; B. E. Wilkinson. W.L., No. 2 <6>. J 148; W. F. Stent, W.L., No. 3 (6), 147; j Capt. Middleton. W.L., No. 2 (6>, 143; A. G. Mumby, W.L., No. 4 (6). 142: I E. O. Collier, W.L. (6>, 133; Capt. | s Middleton, W.L., No. 3 (4). 130; H. A. I Lucas, W.L. <6». 129; A. G. Mumby, ls W.L., No. 3 (71, 127; Capt. Middleton, I W.L. No. 1 (5), 113; A. G. Mumby. P W.L., No. 2 (3). 77; W. F. Stent. W.L.. I No. 2 <o>. 60; P. Mummery, Min. <51,1 46. Section B.—Huxtable Bros.. A.O. (5> '1 153; W. A. Larsen, A. 0., 147 d; Sunny I River P.F., No. 2 (5), 140; Mrs. R. 1 Willers, A.O. (5), 135; K. Mullins, i R.I.R. <s>, 131; A. A. Hoare, R.I.R. j <s>. 126: Sunny River P.F.. R.1.R., No. 1 >6), 126 x; B. Pimm. A. 0.. No. 2 (4), M 112; ditto, A. 0., No. 1 (5), 111; P. c

i Mummery. R.I.R. (7), 109; S. Wilkinson. R.I.R. (1), 91. TEAMS RESULTS Section C. J. Wilson. W.L., 149. 154. 155, 159 x ; 158. 157 (34), 932. I H. A. Lucas. W.L., 153, 148, 161; 111 123, 163 (38), 859. S. D. Morris, W.L., 118, 149 x, 126, •157. 87x. 152 x (37). 789. F. S. Allen. W.L., 154. 134, 131 181 x I 91r, 84 (33), 775. ! Cotswold P.F., W.L., 64d. 132. 138, 151, 153, 71 (25). 709. Sunny River P.F., W.L., 126, 139, 69. 54, 118, 142 (29), 649. 1 J. T. Hazelwood, W.L.. 73d, 105, 110, :S3rx. 133 x, 124 r (30). 628. J. Mold. W.L., 129, 108, 101, 104, 184. 66 (29). 592. I W. F. Stent. W.L., 112. 99 10, 71 105, 140 (21), 537. Section C. E. W. Stephenson. A. 0., 154 x, 145, i 134. 164. 122, 142 (26). 861. W. A. Larsen. A. 0., 99, 192 69 94 139. 160 (21), 753. J. D. Wealleans, A. 0., 130. 134 x, 89r HI. 73r, 116 (38). 653. “r” replace bird; “d” bird dead; “x” disqualified because of egg-weight clause.