THE POULTRY INSUSTRY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1252, 7 October 1911, Page 15

THE POULTRY INSUSTRY.

(By Chanteder.)

Answers to Correspondents. "Inquirer," Grey town —Tho chart was reproduced in The Dominion about s-ix months ago. It also appeared in tho September numbeir of the "Now Zealand Poultry Journal." luquiro for a copy from your bookseller. "A.8.C.," Hurt.—Tho complaint is bacillary diarrhoea. It. is frequently found anionic chickens. Many causes are given for its appearance. There is littlo hope of a cure; prevention is your only safety. "Novice," Ohau.—Tho percentage of ehickons is good. Do not be discouraged; most beginners expect too much. Anything froin 50 to 80 per cent, of all fertile ,egga should bo considered a good hatch. "Inquirer," Hutt.—Tho conference is tho second to bo held by poultryinen, and anyone interested may attend. Thero may be some malttors in which delegates only will vote, but the sessions will bo open to all. Late-Hatched Chickens, The cbiok season is nearly over. It comes and goes almost before wo [ire aware of it.. The ideal months for chick raising aro August, September, and October, though tie big breeders, in order to raise sufficient stock, have to begin earlier than this. After October has passed it is not profitable to sot eggs, as lateJiatched chicks rarely do well. It is better to buy a few chickens than to purohaso eggs, as a saving of three weeks is Hereby effected. Chickens latched in November are of little use for eggs during the dear season. They only mature and come on to lay when eggs get cheap again, so that it is ■unprofitable to raiso them. The secret of getting eggs during early winter is to hatch at tho right time. The supplies never come from November chicks, but from those hatched two and tJhreo months earlier. Feeding Layers, Wh«n you carry round two'pails of feed for the fowls, you should also accompany it with a pail full of judgment. Scarcely any domestic animal is fed so erratically as poultry sometimes is. On some days a feast is given; on others there is a famine. Some breeds also aro fed too much, others too little. Some people aro too sparing with tho food, others too generous. Many hens fail to give a good return because they are over-fed, and this is specially the case in the heavier, breeds. Tho writer once visited a farm; where 300 hens were being kept, and the number of eggs par diem' was only 40, where they might and should liave been 220. I examined tho fowls, and explained to the owner that they were over-fed. "I know that," he replied, "but I cannot keep my hand out of the bucket." This is just as big a fault as being too sparing with the food. In Leghorns, of a good laying strain, one can scarcely over-feed. They will take all you can give them, but even here judgment is needed in tho variety of food selected. Acquire a rational system, and then stick to it. Also do not be misled by all Hie fad. ideas that come along from time to time. Green Feed. Feed bountifully an' green, feed now if you wish to hold the good health of the fowls through the summer. The best green feed is lucerne. Some hold out for watercress, but that is only speculation, as tho contents of lucerno have been proved by analysis to be the best green food for poultry in tho world.. Watercress,,' clover, kale," cabbages 'and, "even weeds will serve the purpose,n-ow. If it cannot, bo chopped/by means of a clover cutter, throw it to tho fowls whole, and they will enjoy it well.enough. Shade in Summer. Provide shade during tho coming months. The summer is a tax on t'ho hcalthii.pf ;the fowls. Havo somo placo where, tlijy.- "in ay. dust themselves, and es-capo-dlbo liotosui. Th&'Woo'd , of tfche fowl- , is hotter-than our own, and shade is welcomo to us at times. If no ahado is provided tho vitality of the tirds is sapped and evil effects will soon be manifest. i

Clean Water. Renew tho water fountains at least once daily, and keep flicm in a cool plaoo. Tho egg is largely composed of water, nml tho fowls should therefore not bo permitted to consume an inferior quality. They perspiro freely in summer owing to heated blood, and they aro always thirsty. Do Bofc, then, deny them this essential—good water. Fouotains that ore rarely renewed or cleansed with iresh water soon collect deleterious'germs, and , then somo illefl'cct'will.presently- tell its own tale. Compliments. Soveral writers havo written and expressed their appreciation of The Dominion poultry column each week. Questions are submitted and nnswored, and readers are invited to make their wishes known. Tho poultry industry is new in New Zealand, and each year will sco some rapid development. Those who are anxious for information may obtain firstrat'e advice on request. - The Government Criticised. "Terror," in the "Otago Witness," writes a3 follows:— "I am sorry I have been unable to publish the particulars promised by Air. Carr, manager of the Govern- , ment Poultry Farm, as I £aid I would do some weeks ago. In conversation with Mr. Carr recently he undertook to supply information regarding tho cold brooding of chickens, and also with regard . to the dry-mash method of poultry; and as ho has experimented with both these systems he could no doubt hovo given somu valuable hints. I can only conjecture that tho reason Mr. Carr has not fulfilled his promise is that lio has suddently recollected that there is a , standing regulation that officers in tho employ of the Government Agricultural Department may not give information to the public press. This is an extraordinary state of affairs to prevail under a aomocratic Minister such as th 6 Hon. T. Mackenzie, who ought above all others to realise the value of publicity, and it is to be hoped ho will exert himself in the Cabinet and insist on ai more enlightened policy. It seems incredible that in the twentieth century tho public, at large should be debarred from knowing the results of experimentscarried on by the money extracted from their pockets and ostensibly for their benefit.".

It. might 1)0 added to tlio above that soiiio eighteen months ago, an experiment was supposed to have been carried mil at IJurnham l),v feeding fix hens on Hie drymash system, ami .six on wet-mash. The particulars were for the guidance of poullTj'tnen in this matter but, like the üborb Hem, the results have been kept quite secret. Not that it. matters much as most poiilta-ymen could tell what the outcome would be, but one wonders when tho Government State farms will carry out really good experiments in such a way that the information may .be available I'o others. ' Big Egg Records. The closing remark by "Hardshell," who writes from the head centre, in Australasia, as regards big egg records, which I reproduce below, appears to show that there are indications that Nature is asserting itself in more decided fashion year by year, as against 365 ecg-a-year ambition of modern times. At one time it was realised that an all-round return of 120 eggsper annum from each fowl would pay well, subsequently 180 was the minimum worth striving for, now 220 eggs per annum is really nothing to boast of in view of records made at competitions; and, only that Nature is beginning to stiffen its back a bit, it is evident that the moro we get from one poor fowl the better we should bo pleased, even though, liko the silkworm moth, she died laying tlio last egg. ■ The. first note of alarm was tlio unusual frequency of ovarian troubles in heavy laying strains; next wo learned that the broody instinct was becoming too common amongst tho best layers, and it was noted that records made at earlier com petitions were not being broken. Now, "Hardshell" musoa as follows:—"The very poor open-yard averages in South Australia this year are causing considerable perturbation among tho crack breeder.-. Why is it? What is the cause? The breeders are as intelligent as usual—more eo, probably, another year's experience having been gone through'. The weather has been pretty bad, but not nearly bad enough to account for tlio slump. For years past the grand individual scores and averages gained havo attracted practically all poultrymen's eyes to South Australia. This time we bring np the rear, and the change, in one season, from the top to tho bottom is disconcerting.' It' is well known that brilliancy is uncertain in results, and were only ono or two men concerned their ups and downs would cause no ctoment, but nil the cracks are doing poorer work than they did last year. Tho weather won't adequately account for the smash. There is more in it than bad weather. To us it looks as though the rich gokl-be.mng streak lias pinched out. so to speak, and it will have to be struck again; in other words, th-o breeders will have to set to to rebuild their strains, and this' should mean tho introduction of thick, new blood from somewhere." EGG-LAYING COMPETITION. The following are the returns at Papanui up to October s:— Week. Total. T. Kennedy, S.W 3S 744 G. Robinson, 8.0 20 73G Misses Bradley, W.L. 35 735 A. W. Browne, W.L 35 f>97 Heretaunga Poultry Co., W.L. 35 G7l Totals 1930 .33,338 Ducks. ■ i ; - -■ : '■■■ . Week. .Total. Heirtannga..Poultry Co., J.E. 36; 756 W. Knight, I.E. . ■ 753 A. Browne, I.R 30 708 Totals 445 7-138