POULTRY-KEEPING.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XXVI, Issue 6, 20 June 1923, Page 384

POULTRY-KEEPING.

MATING THE BREEDING-BIRDS.

The busiest season of the year and the most important one—that for hatching and rearing young stock —is now near at hand. This implies the necessity of getting the breeding-birds mated up at the earliest possible moment ; it is a mistake to delay putting the birds together until just before eggs are required for hatching purposes. Every opportunity should be given them to become well settled down and in a proper breeding-condition before the work of incubation commences. This will not only ensure a greater proportion of fertile eggs, but in addition will tend greatly towards their containing stronger germs. When pens are first mated up it frequently happens that the male bird will exhaust himself, and it may be weeks before he regains a condition to produce even a fair percentage of fertile eggs. This does not apply to the same extent where all the hens are not in a laying-condition.

Wise poultrymen, and those who have acted in accordance with advice given previously in the Journal, will have selected and specially marked the best breeding specimens during the late autumn, or at some time before the birds moulted. It is at that period of the year that certain signs manifest themselves in a striking manner whereby the good layer can be distinguished from the poor one.

Where the choosing of the breeding females has been left till the flock has moulted, the accurate selection of the most desirable hens will be found a matter of great difficulty. Indeed, in most cases it will be found an impossible task. It is well known that when birds have been hatched at about the same time and have been fed and managed in a similar manner the late moulter is generally the one that has laid the best in the past and is likely to do so again in the following year. Obviously, when a flock has moulted and all birds are in a similar condition so far as their plumage is concerned it is impossible to distinguish between the early and late moulter, except, of course, where they have been specially marked to indicate this point. The poultry-keeper who has neglected to select his late moulters during the autumn may expect a high percentage of unprofitable stock as a consequence.

While lateness of moulting can generally be accepted as indicating good producing-power, this does not mean that all late moulters are suitable specimens for the breeding-pen. Something more is required. If a heavy-producing strain is to be built up or maintained it is imperative for the poultry-keeper to have pictured in his mind a definite type, and to aim for this at all times. Breeding from birds of mixed types merely because they happen to possess good layingpoints, or even an ancestral high egg-yielding performance, will never tend towards reaching the desired end. Permanent results can only be secured by breeding from fixed types of purebred strains. Sometimes birds of inferior type will prove good layers, but in a general way such stock have not the power to transmit their laying-qualities to their progeny, and are thus undesirable for the breeding-pen.

In making the final selection, even where the late moulters are concerned, every bird should be carefully examined in order to ensure that it is healthy and possesses undoubted constitutional vigour. No matter what other good points the bird possesses, whether it be male or female, if there is the slightest constitutional taint it should be rejected from the breeding-pen. Health and vigour form the base of all successful breeding operations. Points indicative of these essential requirements are a clean face free from wrinkles and feathers ; clear, bright, prominent eyes ; short shanks, set wide apart ; alert carriage ; and tight, glossy plumage ; while in the male bird of such breeds as Leghorns, Minorcas, &c., no bird should be bred from where the comb has insufficient base to enable it to stand erect. A folding-over comb usually indicates impaired vigour. The ideal breeding male should have a masculine appearance in every respect, but this does not imply coarseness.

The question of size is another important matter. All birds conspicuously under or over the weight clauses specified in the New Zealand Utility-poultry Standards should be rejected. It . is, however, better to have a good big bird than a good small one. No matter how well they have laid, small diminutive specimens of their breed should not be used for breeding. Such stock usually produce weedy progeny which yield only second-grade eggs. In mating fowls the aim should be not only to breed from those birds which lay the most eggs, but also from those producing eggs of good marketable sizethat is, of at least 2 oz. The production of small eggs is probably the greatest weakness in connection with present-day poultry-keeping. The size of the egg can be increased only by careful breeding, and by the selection for breeding of only those birds that lay large eggs.

Many specialist breeders secure the individual egg-records of their birds by means of single pens or trap nests. This is too troublesome for the average poultry-keeper to be bothered with, but with a little study and observation, and the annual selection of the late moulters and those birds with a broad back, well-developed crop, and deep abdomen, the egg-yield will be increased to a surprising degree. Never breed from a bird of either sex that has had a severe sickness, as it is rare that they thoroughly recover. Such birds may look well, eat well, and appear healthy, but as a general rule they fail to produce desirable progeny. In breeding to renew a laying flock pullets should not be used if it can possibly be avoided. Where they are used they should be mated with a second-season male bird.

I would again emphasize that in breeding profitable fowls the beginner in particular should aim at definite laying-types of purebred stock. The ideal types to strive for are contained in the New Zealand Utility-poultry Standards. Copies of this work may be had from the Publisher, Department of Agriculture, Wellington, at a cost of 3s., post free.

MANAGEMENT OF BREEDING-PENS

The management of breeding-birds is of paramount importance. In the first place they should not be forced for eggs. The ration should consist chiefly of a variety of whole grains. The greater the variety in this respect the more fertile eggs will be produced, the stronger will be the germs, and the more easy will be the . chickens to rear. It must be remembered that a chicken is built up of many constituents, and the food provided to the parent birds must contain those elements which are necessary for the formation of a properly developed chick. It is well known that the best hatchable eggs, and those which produce the strongest chicks, come from fowls which have a free range. If we could dissect a hen's crop after a day on free range we would not find any one particular class of food, but in most cases there would be a naturally balanced variety of different seeds, greenstuff, worms, and other kinds of insect-life.

On no account should breeding-stock be coddled. Strong, hardy chickens can only come from hardy parents. Where a good range or large run is available they should have access to it at all times, quite regardless of weather conditions. Of course, it must not be inferred that comfortably roomy houses, where the birds can exercise in comfort during extreme weather and when they prefer to remain indoors, are unnecessary. Indeed, the great bulk of the ration provided should be fed in deep litter to induce the birds to exercise, as a means of preventing fat-formation. Do not forget an abundance of green food ; no bird can be maintained in a proper breeding-condition without it.. ’ Care should be taken that the male bird does not get run down. He should be frequently dusted with a good insect-powder as a means of destroying parasitic life. If good dust-baths are provided the hens will usually keep themselves reasonably free from body-lice, but in the case of the male it is entirely different. He should be maintained at the top of his form at all times. When the bulk of the ration is fed in litter the male as a general rule will not scratch for his food to the same extent as the females, and as a result is apt to rapidly decline in weight. Where possible it is a good plan to remove. the male from the hens and give him at least one good meal a day by himself.

THE TIME TO HATCH

It should be the aim of every poultry-keeper to secure a fair supply of autumn and winter eggs. In order to secure these the pullets must be largely depended upon, and they must be hatched neither too early nor too late. In a general way, for the heavy breeds such as Orpingtons, Wyandottes, &c., July and August are the most suitable hatching-months, and for the lighter breeds August and September.

—F. C. Brown ,

Chief Poultry Instructor.