POULTRY NOTES.

Waikato Times, Volume 107, Issue 17995, 14 April 1930, Page 14

POULTRY NOTES.

BREED FOR VIGOUR. The right method of breeding is one of the most important features of poultry raising, Unless hens that develop weakness are discarded, no matter what their egg >feld may have been, a high general average of laying and hatchability will never be attained, We keep poultry under unnatural conditions to obtain extra-normal results, and only ruthless discarding of “C 3” individuals will keep our flocks up to the state of efficiency that we demand.

Any hens that come through the moult poorly should not be used to breed from. Such hens are those that look pale about the head, and are very poor in condition. Choose only the strong, robust birds. It is becoming more and more evident that unless severe culling becomes more general and the hens that develop weaknesses are discarded, no matter how high their egg yield may have been, a high general average of laying in the flock and high hatchability and rearability among chickens will never be attained. Size of comb is often said to be a guide to laying powers, but, like so many other characters, is rarely dependable when taken separately. Hens with large combs have done well in egg-laying competitions, but so also have birds,with smaller combs. It is foolish, however, to breed fowls whose vision is impaired by the size of their combs.

Utility is the prime essential in the farmers’ flock. Fortunately that can best be attained by selecting a pure breed and maintaining the characters of that breed. “They run in all shapes’’ men say of horses. “They lay to win all competitions in all breeds” is the poultryman's paraphrase. Select a breed, stick to it, and improve it. THE COOP FOR BROODIES. There are always new people taking up poultry-raising and striking the problems that to thbsc longer at, the business are no problems at all. Take, for example, the problem of tho hen that wants to set. when she is not wanted to. To discourage hens from sitting, make a screened coop with a floor of slats on edge, widely separated. In this the hen finds the standing position the most comfortable; sitting is uncomfortable, and the substitution of cold air currents for warm eggs will cure the brooding habit. A perch provided in the coop will permit the hen to roost.