THE POULTRY INDUSTRY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1497, 20 July 1912, Page 3

THE POULTRY INDUSTRY.

—>—.— (By Chantecler.)

POULTRY FOR PROFIT. THE CARE OF GROWING STOCK. Specially, written for The Dominion by J. B. Jlcrrett, Ohristohuroh, >and published by arrangement exclusively for out readers. Questions on poultry matters will be answered in these columns -each week, and should bo addressed to Dominion Office. [Continued From Last Week.] ia not much fear that the beginner will fail to give his chickens all tho attention they require. While young they appeal to him, they arouse his interest, and, if he is fortunate in having a wife who loves the work, the chicks will be in good hands. It is when tho birds are half-grown that there is the tendency to neglect. At this period it is assumed they will get along by themselves, and they aro often turned out with the matured fowls and treated to their rations. This is a fatal error, i'rom three or four meals a day they arc cut down to two, and have to bo quick to get their share. Is it any wonder the birds get a set-back? Once they get tack in. condition, it takes months ■to pull them up again, and'usually the laying is protracted for two. inonths longer as the resultr This means they, are.idle when eggs are dear, and the owner.loses the profit.'.. '..' . . Keep the. birds growing.'. Give them ample food, in fact all they, will eat. I'ull and plenty must be your motto if you wish to have the • birds' mature quickly. If possible, keep the birds oeparafe till near tho lay, then, they may be removed to their house quarters. While growing, they should have- free range as much as possible. ' The exercise they obtain strengthens jthe frame, and keeps them from maturing too quickly. There are some .poultry-breeders who make a boast of getting their pullets on to lay at four to five months of age. Do not. be misguided. Anyone can do this by forcing feed, but you pay a 'heavy peualty. The birds lay a number of small eggs, and are never profitable as •layers. Forced maturity is to be avoided.- The unexperienced, when selling, use it as a desired characteristic to show the constitution of their stock. I am satisfied to have pullets jaying at six to seven months in tho light breeds, and seven to eight months in the heavy breeds. This maturity enables them to stand tho strain that egg-laying entails. Give .the pullets all' the freedom you can, and let them mature on grain , food. Do not , underfeed them, or, you run •to the extreme' danger of' possessing a Bhiht. • • - . Value of Culling, .-, , To .the beginner, , there "must be no eentiment in keeping.the unfit..; Thousands of pounds are lost annually by' .retaining birds that' are unprofitable. To find the waster is an easy matter, and this is. what every poultry-keeper'should know.. As the birds are maturing 'be' on the alert for those showing any sign of weakness in constitution—those that are alow in development, and" make : scarcely any progress. Cull then out and' dispose of .them.-' Keep, only . the. best. Fifty

selected hens pay better than seventy nnculled. Each year your average of wasters will grow less. After the-pullet. , ? begin to lay keep your eye open, for signs of weakness. The strain of eggproduotion will visibly affect the weak. Do not bo tempted to keep birds showing inherent weakness; if you do you will Erobably havo thorn included in your reoders the next year, only to Teproduce, more weak stock. Eliminato tho H'eak, and you will double your profits on thosa you retain. The Complete Round. And now we are back again to the period of the year at which we suggest you begin. The winter draws near, and the pullets, the first of your efforts, are evidence of your success. There may bo only fifty or a hundred, but you aro proud of them,- and they are profit-mak-ers. Housing accommodation should now bo got in order, to house tho" birds through the winter. If they can have sufficient accommodation in a house such as we-have described, they will be .comfortable, require little labour to attend them, and give you a bountiful supply of eggs when prices are good. Beware of Disease. Most poultry writers spend a. lot, of time in describing - diseases and giving cures for them. Disease should never exist in a poultry plant. It comes fl-dm the want of cleanliness. If the birds are properly tended, disease will not mako its appearance. When you, have to write for, cures . in • roup and other diseases, rest assured you were not cut out for a poultryman. The utility man :has.no time to bo treating diseases; He must avoid them. Prevention is his safeguard. Want of cleanliness is the cause of nine-tenths of the disease among poultry. ..It is. tho weakly constituted birds that fall victims, but if culling is carefully done, this cause will be remedied. Impure water, tainted moat and neglected surroundings are the cause of disease troubles. ■: ■ ■ ■ : Beware of Mite. •■• The most deadly enemy in fowl life is the red mite. It is a small insect which, under the microscope, shows that it lives on the blood of fowl and- when taken from the perch in the morning and examined, evidence is not wanting of tho voracious appetite it has'. It worries the fowl at night and liides in dark places through the day.- These too "are the' result of filth. Wash the perches with a good disinfectant and spray tho '■ house once a month through the summer and you will have little trouble. Neglect this and you will soon have millions of these parasites. I have examined hens brought to me to give the reason of their death and found them absolutely sucked dry with-the red mite. Not a teaspoonful of blood could , bo found in the fowl's body. Use a good disinfectant end keep this pest at'bay. ' The few body insect life to . which, fowls are subject will do ' no harm if plenty of dusting material is provided. The birds will easily rid themselves of them, but the red mite is a deadly enemy to fowl-life and a cause of: few eggs. If tho food you ore feeding is supporting millions of them you cannot get eggs. Once in the fo.wl-houso you . will ' have difficulty to dispose of them. We all have a few of them to

combat with. An examination of tlio perchss will disclose their existence. The Parting Word. . In these, article wo have merely touched the fringe .of poultry-keeping. The. beginner by practical experience will soon add to his storo of knowledge. Keep in touch with,good literature on poultry matters. You learn much in this way, but there is no knowledge. ?o valuable; as that you obtain from experience. If you nro tempted to give up your position anil taka on poultry farming for a living do not do «o till you have proved that you- are ablo to ra.is-e five hundred , pullets in one season. Lot that be the test. Keep .to your present position ami gain experience and (jet around a rood flock of layers and then the possibilities of poultry farming will appeal to you. Keep the stock young, never keep hens moro than two laying seasons. The third year will result in loss. When preparing tho eggs for market soe the £%i*s aro sent out clean. Keep tho nest well disinfected and supplied with straw or hay. Remove from tho eggs any excrement adhering to them. Class out all the small eggs and use them in your own home. You will bo surprised at-tho amount of profit a few hens will give you. Always remember that to be a successful poultry man you will want a fair sharo of intelligence. The work commands this. It is not.for the ne'er-do-well or the man who hao. failed at everything else to succeed in poultry; it is for the able man to clip tho profits that awoit him. There is a lot of money to be mado at poultrykeopinß, but before you take it up for a living be sure you are tho man to make a success of it.

LAYING COMPETITIONS,

The New Zealand Utility Poultry Club furnishes the returns for the 11th. week of its eighth laying competition for fowls. They are as follow:— . ' . . Total Total for to , Week. Date. Wm. Scull, Christchurch, Black -Wyandottes 18 191 W. A. Nixon, Burwood, W. Leghorns, No. 1 '. 35 425 H. Lcger, Wereroa, W. Leghorns 32 341 John Wordsworth, Geraldine, W. Leghorns 27 321 James Ashton, Hanmer, Silver Wyandottes ; 23 216 Martin 8r05.,-Auckland, W. Leghorns .'. 29 375 Verrall Bros., Swannanoa, Brown ' Leghorns 28 371 W. A. Nixon, Burwood, Brown Leghorns, No. 2 28 815 Heretaunga P. Co., Silverstream, Brown Leghorns, No. 1 ; 25 370 H. S: Woodnorth, Winton,ißrown Leghorns 31 210 W.'A. Nixon, Burwood, Brown Leghorns,' No. 3 .'. 27. 355 B. M. Smith, Auckland, Brawn , . '..' Leghorns ■ ....;...•.......... 2G .' 195 Eangiuru Egg Ranch, Otaki, ••. . . Urown Leghorns .......;.:..... 34 2M B. W. Hawke, .Papanui, Brown. . Leghorns -25 ■■■.■ 2GS E. Willis and Son, New Brighton, Brown Leghorns 30-. 219 A.'E. Wilson, Shirley, White Wyandottes ..........-....: H Go D. Stewart, Normanby, White Leghorns 25 / 276 Master G. Wilson, Shirley, W. Leghorns '. ......;...'........ 29 ' 229 Eomain Hunger, Lower llutt, , W.. Leghorns 25 290 Mrs. R. W. Hawke, Papanui, W. Leghorns 25 322 A. Stevenson, Karon, White Leghorns' 13 23G H. It. Wainman, Eunnnga, W. ■ . :.....' 32 , ' 307 A. E. Browne, Petane Beach, ' White 'Leghorns ..:........ 32 278 Frankish Bros., Wanganui, W. Leghorns .: .'. 33 310 W. Knight, 'Lower Hutt, Silver . Wyandottes 31 3-13 J. H. Shaw, and B. James, Christchurch, W. Leghorns 31 303 W. G. Goodwin, Thames, W. • .:._ Leghorns 21 223 W. A. Nixon, Burwood, Silver Wyandottes 30 357 A. E. Wilson, Shirley, Silver Wyandottes -35 199 Misses Bradley; Papanui, W. ' ' Leghorns . ; ..: 31 i 314 T. Kennedy, Rangiora, White . Wyandottes .::..;... 21 45 CM. Peck, 'Avondale, White. Leghorns ......... 27 155 J. W. Green, St. Albans, W. ' Leghorns :........ .....1.... 33 391 N. Solomon; Westport, Black Orpmgtons .:......,...... .: 27 205 A. W. Irvine, Epsom, W..Leghorns, No. 1 29 347 C. M. Peck, Avondale, Black Orpingtons 28 228 G. H. Bradford, Cust, Silver . Wyandottes' 29 125 A. W. Irvine, Epsom, W. Leghorns, No. 2 27- 291 Heretaunga P. Co., " Silverstream, W. Leghorns, No. 2'31 / 350 Middlepark P. Farm, Riccar.tpn, W. Leghorns' '* 27 303 T. Strong, Doyleston, W. , ' Leg- ', >■ horns' '. '. ....; 31'.'.'. 136 P. Keller, Eolleston, .W. Leg- .■.-'■. ■ horns ' .'......... 25 242 Percy Holt, Papakura, White 1/ejfhorns '.'. 21 3J)G W. Knight, Lower Hutt, White • Leghorns ..' ;..:.....'... 30 211 G. Anderson, St. Albans, Silver. ■ . Wyandottes 33 211 J. W. Bradley and Son, Papa- • nui, White Leghorns ....... 29 206 Mrs.'J. Mills, Dunedin, White Leghorns 2G .' 285 W .0. Sail, Cust, White Leg- . . . '■ horns 34 211 Crawford and Pudsey, Lower Hutt, W. Leghorns '21 327 R. A. Lazarus, Lower Hutt, , ' "White Leghorns 30 ' 352 W. O. Sail, Cust, Silver . Wyamlottes 29 189 Misses Eadford and Harker, Ohau, W. Leghorns 25 220 A. W. Adams,■■ Sheffield, Silver ' Wyandottes .'. 34 250 A. E." Kent, Shirley, White Leghorns- ...» ■■■■ 26 401 J. Corrie, Beckenham, White Leghorns 26 254 E. H. Borchart, Eltham, W. Leghorns ' : 28 219. W. A. Nixon, Burwood, White Leghorns, No. 4 29 371 T. K. Collins, tower Hutt, Black Orpingtons 24 159 Dominion P. Plant, Coromandel,. White Leghorns 30 337 T. Kennedy; Eangiora, Silver .. Wyandottes ■ .'. IB 269 . ..; ;.'■:' foe- ducks. The fourteenth week of the New Zealand Utility Poultry Club's third laying competition for ducks resulted:— ■ •...' . .. ■ Total Total . for to Week. Date. Thos. Dowthwaito, Avondale, Indian Runners 37 4/02 W. Knight, Lower Hutt, Indian- Runners 30 188 S.' H. Scott, pDchunga, Buff Orpingtons ..'. '•■ 83 260 T. E. Hall, WeTeroa, Indian Runners "■ ..■:.. 10 370 P. Keller, Eolleston, Indian . Runners 33 384 D. M. Peck, Indian Runners 26 251 S. H. Scott, Onehunga, Indian Runners 7 102 Heretaunga 1\ Co., Silverstream} Indian Runners ... 35 441 Miss A. J. Donald, Dunsandel, Indian Runners 12 221 P. Koller, Mleston, Indian Runners 42 125 A WINNER OF COMPETITIONS. I The Egg-laying Competitions for 1910-11' ! and 1911-12 were both won by pens reared on ''A. and P." Chick Raiser. The first ossential for profitable poultry keeping. Obtainable from all StorekoeDers. ,