POULTRY NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1302, 4 December 1911, Page 5

POULTRY NOTES.

(By Clinnleeler.) The Highest Point. The competitions luivo demonstrated that llu-ro i* a limil: in f?s production. The Ihnvliesbury test, which has boon running for ;i iimn'lier of vfars, cannot improve the avenge, while others are coiiMderiibly Ijolitm) this year In ln>t year's figures. The following particulars arc iusti'Hi'-livc;— i months Last this year. your. Haivkopbiirv, N.S.W., JO yens (MO (HO Garten, 2, :!•( pens CM 710 S.A., IL'li pens ... iitW 690 Kybyboliti, ,<.\., 17 lion? 53-1 431 ft is evident from these fiinirrs that the averages cnunot be improved. Tho highest point has been attained. It is improbable that we shall ever sec higher averages than were obtained la?t year. Nature rebels at a certain point, and tho endeavour to forco carries its penalty. On every htuiil one hears of breeders iosinjr valuable, hens through ovarian trouble!:, and really there is no gain in producing abuormul layers that cannot maintain their vitality for the reproduction of tlieir kind. To gradually increase the general average should be the nim of the breeder. There is trouble in store when hens are forced beyond the point when Nature resents, and calls for the penalty. The Growing Stock. The. timo when growing stock should receive the greatest care is the time when thcro is a tendency to neglect. Having taken the chickens away from the breeder, there is on idea that they can do for themselves. They .are often cooped' up with tho hens, and reduced to two feeds per day. The result of this treatment is stunted growth, and once pullets receive a check of this kind their usefulness is marred. No amount of care afterwards can restore them to former health and vigour. It is highly' essential that growing stock receive the creates caro until maturity is reached. The egg-producing functions are so sensitive that, unless continual development is given, the best results are not obtained- Provide plenty of fowl, fresh water, shade, and green food, and the birds will care for themselves. The man who tries to save on bis food bill with growing stock pays dearly in the end. Does Fattening Pay? Bo far as New Zealand is concerned wo have no standing example of any poultryman who can mako poultry cramming pay. AV© have little faith in the profitable issue of the business, and we do not anticipate that anyone will take on the work as an experiment. There are sonic who believe that there is money in it, but still we. want a practical example to convinco us. A very choice table tiade would be required, and the very best retail prices to make the venture u success. The following from the "Field" will go to show that our assumptions are not speculation:— "There still exists a considerable element of doubt regarding the workability of fattening stations upon a .-uHieiently remunerative basis to justify their establishment upon any extensive scale, although it. is possible that in course? of time the system may prove to be an important factor in the very desirable development of the table poultry branch of production. The possibilities are very apparent, but so also ore the limitations. "Tho pioneer work of the Irish J)e'partment of Agriculture in the development of the egg and poultry industry is well known to all who have nnv-acqua'i'it-ance with the subject, and it'is notable that among their schemes is one for the I'liconragemont nf table poultry production, incliuli'.ig fattening and I lie subsidising of fattening stations, the latter material form of assistance being far above tho'English faltoncr's wildest flights of imagination." ' Mr.. Hurst then refers to the Irish Dnpartment o? Agriculture scheme, which has been in operation since 190-1. In the; year nnined.llia Avondale centre .was established /for tho training of ydu'ig Irishmen.'who desire to brcome qualilied co fatt fliers, and the general scheme of onciirrogeircnt, we.s introduced. Under the scheme a. subsidy is granted those who set up ..a fattening station, in the form of a. contribution of about 255. per week for a year, towards the wages of a fluidified fattoueiy and it is required that tho recipients of this departmental grant shall.bo in a position to command a sufficient supply of suitable chickens to maintain a. fattening stock of from £00 to 1001) birds, and that there shall also be Dehor proper facilities for the conduct of the work. According to tho annual general reports of the department, it appears that in 1907-8 live stations were receiving assistance;-in 1908-9 three stations were in receipt of grants at the beginning of the year, and only one at the end; whilst in 1009-M no mention is made of a grant. And so ends in the usual manner another poultry scheme. A Growing Industry. The remarkable advance indicated by the last census . returns should awaken tho interest of poultrymen in the commercial possibilities of our industry. The increase of 220,500,000 birds, and the general average of layers attained during the past few years, easily make the production equal to growth of one million birds. Now, this sounds progress, and the question arises: AVhat are poultrvmen doing towards marketing the surplus 'i It is true- that the bulk of our products are produced bs the farmer—the mar who keeps 50 to 100 birds—but the numbei of those who take up poultry-keeping foi a living is yearly increasing, and to them must be left the provision of markets They are to be the organisers of the in dustry, and should solicit' and obtain al 1 tho help they can from the Governmenl towards that end. To do this, wo must adopt an aggressive policy. We must bo prepared tx experiment even from our own resource that we may protect our interests. Thi farmer will always be a strong competitoi in egg production. Ho produces mor< cheaply than wo do—it is n.side line witl him—and a price of 7d. per dozen docs nol affect him as it does the poultryman. What Can We Do? T° ' <lo something—that's the crucin' point. A\ hatever we do, let it be directec by an intelligent and commercial spirit A\e have had enough of muddlers, and so long as this writer is connected witt the industry, poultrymen may always reli on their commercial interests'being watch ed with a close eye. It would be ai easy matter to repeat the policy of th< past; and, in less than twelve month' another failure would be added to th< i u "? do not want th<?ir repetition and tho first prospectus of this land thai ccmes before our notice will have to pas' cibse scrutiny before it gets support. Still, we must not remain inactive, anc because others have failed, there is n< reason why wc should not succeed. In sev oral instances private interests' havi in, and have'made a success o a business where a company has failed \\e.are not ready for such a scheme a: Mr. I-erguson prescribes. It is cxcellen in theory but/ without united support pniple capital and other important assets tho whole structure would soon collapse and .'give .'lis. another set-back. . 'Many o us are just beginning to forget other fail ures, and wo do not want a repetitioi lust now. . ■■ ■ . ■ We - Can. Organise, Whatever may be the future policy o poultrymen, organisation is essential, anl .by carrying on tho good work, we ai 1 ' laying a foundation for future' construe ,tion. Everyone who reads tho balance sheet of the N.Z.P.A. will admit that dor tho small sum expended, no such re milts have been achieved by poultrymen before. Over one dozen "circles ar> in operation, numbering hundreds o members, representing 60,000 dozen egg per year. What does-this mean? It in dieaies tho growing spirit of union. I is the beginning of those great venture that have found fulfilment bv their pro press as seeii to-day. It means that carried on in a business-like way, oi ,ganisation of this kind.will give the indus try a distinctive'standing, and make i easier for us to market as a whole. On circle has-adopted an excellent rule in -..;( ting aside a reserve fund. Ona halfneniv per dozen is lilaced to members' credit mid cannot in" any way be used witliou his consent. Were poultryiiien alive I their opportunities, how easily the; could turn that reserve fund to good ai count. What Will You Do? Now to Himething practical. 01 ho industries have grown because the pioneer were filling to helu. to orgnniee fxai

their own resources. If we are In ptifcced in doing anything, wo mur-t do Iho siiue. AVe must be prepared tn give something, and those who are most interested should net the pace. There is room for splendid work, and tlr.i.se to whom the funds are entrusted arc gains to get good value for what they expend. There ore numerous appeals for an tirgani.-er, but iwultrymen will have to help themselves. A subscription list, opened up among those interested, would .soon result in sufficient funds to warrant our sendir.g the organiser out, in our columns.