THE POLUTRY INDUSTRY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1259, 14 October 1911, Page 15

THE POLUTRY INDUSTRY.

The Cause of Failures. The writer is constantly being asked how it is that there are so many failures in poultry-keeping. The reasons nro not far to seek. Chief among them is want of experience. Ijo many people have the impression that poultry-keeping requires little experience and knowledge, which, as a matter of fact, there is 110 branch of agriculture that demands more. There aro many details to master, many difficulties to surmount, so many branches of the business that need to he studied that only the smartest men can hope to succeed. Instead of being a business for tho beginner, or ono lacking ability, it is a business for the experienced and the wellequipped. Biology, chemistry, and physics all need to be studied in poultry-keeping, and, if ouo is not prepared to study them, ho has little chanco of success. Another cause of failure is want of capital. One has to start in a small way, either in purchasing eggs or stock, and it is several months beforo any returns come to hand. Meanwhile he has to live, get his plant and stock together, and, too often, ho finds his money gone, his roturns small, and the project has to be abandoned. Fortunately the failures have done good. They have helped to remove tho impression that any one can succeed in poultry. It is about the last work in tho world which the inexperienced should take up for a living. It is a specialist's work, and years of careful study and experience can . alone equip tho poultryman -with those characteristics that make for success. Too often poultry writers who know little of tho work lead their readers astrav, and paint, in glowing colours, the possibilities of keeping poultry. If any one, reading these lines, happens to be dissatisfied with his present position, let him pause. Let him not take up poultrykeeping for a living till he has proved himself capable of hatching and raising at least COO chickens during the season. How to Begin. Should you wish to devote yourself to poultry-keeping, as a living, take up the work in conjunction with other employment. Keep as many fowls as time will enable you to manage. Hatch and rear chickens, and get an idea what tho work is like. Build up your stock, and, when you have 300 young pullets coming in to lay, you will then bo in a better position to find out what can bo done. More than ever you will find the need for careful attention and practical experience before risking a position in order to rely, unon the products of n poultry farm. The opportunities for success are greater today than ever. Tho intensivo system, the firelcss brooders, the dry-mash feeding, are all great economies in poultry-keeping, but it is only the man who' understands that can succeed with them. Though tho area of ground required is much less than under the old system, eood useful buildings are required, and a plant equipment that will meet tho demands of the busiuess. A Deadly Enemy. Now that the summer is approaching, poultrymen will have to rage warfare against the deadtv mite. Once established, this pest will ruin any poultryman, The following letter'gives an idea of it: ravages "One of my hen houses has two stories—it was not built for hens. In one compartment I have my incubator, and am hatching more mites than chicks. "Where the hens are concerned I can deal with them with sheep-dip, and keep them comparatively free. But, with tho chicks, I am bothered. Previously I had read a lot about mites, but never thought that they were such a curse. One poultryman advised me to rub a little fat under the chick's wing. I did it on one lot, and confess 1 don't like the looks, or the effect. The cure is worse than the t, disease. For the present,- what would' you advise? It seems to me that they are on the chicks, and that they never leave them ? I have rubbed kerosene ■ into all the cracks in the brooders." Our correspondent is in a bad way. Thf writer would adviso thoroughly sprayin; the chicks' apartments, and dipping th( chicks in a mixture of spray and warn' water. Failing a riddance of the pest, it would bo better to scorch the mites ii tho building, or, failing this, burn th< building down.

The Conference. Tho conference is rapidly approaching, and every poultryman who can it convenient should endeavour to attend. There are questions of great moment that need discussing, and tho industry will not mako any great progress until poultryman presa their needs upon tho Government. Tho question of a poultry assistant, export trade, freight on eggs by rail, prohibitory duties on the imported article, branding preserved eggs as such, when being placed on tho market, and many other important questions need the attention of poultryroen. Visitors are assured of a cordial welcome at. Christchurch, and an educative time is promised all who attend. / Export of Eggs. By one of the direct steamers leaving Lyttelton this week an experimental shipment of 1000 dozen eggs is being sent to tho London market. . It is to be hoped that they will net good returns. The egg market is very low. In many places in New Zealand to-day eggs are down to 7d. and Bd. a dozen wholesale. Hawkcsbury Laying Competition. Fir=t-class results were obtained last month at tho Hawkesbury Agricultural College by Mr. D. S. Thompson, who reports .—"The woather conditions for the month were fairly favourable to egg production. There was a good deal of rain, but the atmospheric temperature was quite warm, and consequently the rain, which was not at any time continuous, interfered very little with the layin". Places are beginning to change somewhat, and the White Leghorns are pushing ahead The heavy varieties are tailing off, though a few of the pens are still doing splendid work. _ "Tho effect of the meat feeding is showing up in a larger production of eggs. It must bo noted, however, that we are feeding green-cut rape instead of lucerne, and it° is my opinion that where luoerne can be fed all the year round meat supplies could almost bo dispensed with. There is no doubt about the grand nitrogenous feed value of lucerne, which is not to bo found in rape, although each has its distinct use, and rape is of more medicinal value than tho king of fodders. "Tho first-year (lucks g evidently shot their bolt in August with the splendid average of 156, and this month they have cone down considerably, one reason being the break-up of C. Kenny's pen, which went into a heavy moult. The whole of the pens look well, and the stock are in «reat trim. With tho flowering of the acacias in the pens and the wisteria on the fences, the place looks quite a paradise for poultry. The mortality for the month was light. One pullet died, belonging to S. 'Ellis, and second-year hens belonging to D. Kenway and F. J. Brierley; all were replaced." Tho monthly pri7.es of 10s. for the highest total from a pen wore won as follow Third-year hens, Wharepaka Tarda, Berowra; sccond-year hens, O'Hearn Bros., Maitland; tenth annual competition, Mrs. Scaysbrook, Gosford, and J. Morgan, Port Kembla, divided; duck tests, J. A. Friend, Willoughby. Tho third-year hens averaged 115.5 for month, and 281.9 for the six months, as compared with 103.5 and 270.5 last year. Tho second-year hens averaged 105.9 for tho month, and 361 for the six months, as 'compared with 113.3 and 331 last year. The previous best average for six months was 301 in 1909. The pullets in the tenth annual competition averaged 127.2 for tho month, and 530.2 for tho six months, as compared with 127.6 and, 519 last year. Tho previous best averago for six months was 53G in 1903. The rcccrd total for six months is 791 in 190 G. Tho 10 no-meat pens averaged 117.4 for tho month, and 507 for the six months, while the 10 corresponding meat-fed pens averaged 12-1.5 and GOO. _ The averago of the third-year ducks was 83.25 for the month, and 133 for the six months. Tho second-year ducks averaged 115 for tho month and iW for the six months, as ooinpared with 131 and COO last year.

(By Chantecler.)

Tho lirst-year ducks' average was 101,3 for tho month, and 57:1.3 for tho i-ix months, as- compared with 131.3 and 000 Inst year, aud 135.5 and 560 in 1900. Papanui Egg-Laying Competition. Tho following are tbo returns for the egg-laving test at Tapanui up to October 12:Name. Week. Total. T. Kennedy, S.W 35 779 Misses Bradlev, W.L .1+ 707 G. 11. Robinson, R.O 26 762 Hcretaunga Poultry Co., W.L 35 711 HereLiunga Poultry Co., W.L 35 706 Total for week, 1895. Grand total, 35,233. Ducks. Heretaunga Poultry Co., I.R 39 795 W. Knight, I.R- 40 793 A. R. Browne, I.E. 31 712 Total for week, 502. Grand total, 7912.