THE POULTRY INDUSTRY

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1800, 12 July 1913, Page 15

THE POULTRY INDUSTRY

Replies to Correspondents. "Soalo," Palmerston North.—Your bird has got bumble-foot, occasioned through jumping on too hard a floor, probably from a high perch. Place th'e bird in a coop, lance the foot, and apply a'linseed poultice. A few days will put the' bird right. For scaly leg, paiiit the scales with warm tar. "Amateur," Lower Hutt—l would ■ not take the risk of giving directions for making an incubator. They may be obtained so oheaply that it is hardly worth while making them for oneself. Ibid.—Select a cockerel for nvatiug that is vigorous in appearance, lias good points, and represents tho laying type. Ibid.—lt is difficult to induce hens to broodiness. Am not aware of the method you describe. Turkoy hens may be induced to sot by administering doses of port wine. "A.R.8," Napier.—By all means enter for tho American test. It would mean a small fortune to the New Zealand breeder that could pull off tho prize. "X.Y.Z.," Eketahuna—Your pullets are lacking constitution. They have received a set-back that is revealing itself as they approach the laying season. Breeding from young stock would probably bo the causo of their showing this weakness. Liver trouble is also responsible for tho symptoms you describe. Tihe fact that your Drown are not showing the weakness shows that your system of feeding' is ; correct. "Beginner," Johnsonville. —I would not advise you to take up poultry-farming for a living until you iuivo had some experience. You can begin to raiso pullets though otherwise engaged at your usual work. Get a flock and get experience. The failures in poultry farming are due to this precipitately going into the business without experience. San Francisco Exposition. The authorities at San Francisco could not hayo selected a more enthusiastic worker than Mr. Jaxrett, of Masterton, to aot as representative for New Zealand. He is already getting into touch with all the Leading poultry breeders and fanciers, so that New Zealand may be well represented. 'It is an event that the Government may well support. San Francisco and Vancouver are possible markets for large quantities of eggs and poultry, and we should seek to encourage business relations with them. Government Support; At an early date a number of delegates representing the poultry industry will wait on the Minister for Agriculture to obtain further support for the poultrj industry. Tliero are many matters in which the Government can lend its aid. It comes as a surprise to know that Ireland has 33 'poultry instructors at work, while in New Zealand we have only one in addition to tho educational work which the experiment forms me doing. The Incubator at Work. Several breeders have already set their machines for tho ohick season. Grand, prospects lio before poultrymen, and every effort should bo mad© to increase the stock. Eggs will be wanted in larger quantities, while breeding stock will bo in keen demand, owing to the increasing number of beginners. Give the incubator every care and attention, -the breeding stock should be of the best, and well led and cared for to give the machine a chance. No incubator can hatch strong chicks unless the <ggs are from good stock, 'lite machine should be kept running as evenly, as possible. If the lamp fails to maintain the heat during cold nights, some provision should, be made to warm the room, although most machines will keep the temperature even though the nights be oold aw irosty. Test out the infertile eggs a* as you can safely discern them irom the tertne. lixperts can. do this on the fourth day, but beginners will be sater in doing it on the seventh or eighth day. An English expert recommends cooling the eggs as many minutes each day as they have been days in tha_ incubator— i.e., four minutes per day lor the first four days, and iivo minutes on tho faith day, six on the sixth, 15 on the 15tli, and so on. This seems to be an attempt to follow Nature, for certainly a hen with a hidden nest would have to travel further each day in search of food, and consequently be each day longer away from the nest. Experience has satisfied many people too, it may be mentioned, that well-aired eggs tend to strong chickens. . ... Egg-Eating by Hens. The habit of egg-eating among hens often causes much annoyance to.poultrykeepers. • It is easier to prevent egg-eat-ing than to cure it. The hens should always have plenty of exercise and a considerable' variety of food. The eggs should be gathered frequently, ajd plenty of nesting-places should be provided. It is -a good plan to have a few porcelain eggs on tho floor of the poultry-house. Dark nests are often used with good results. Probably tho best way to prevent egg-eating is to use ono of the automatic nest-boxes that allow the eggs to roll out of sight of the hen. The simplest of these is a sliallow box with a porcelain egg fastened loosely to the bottom and tilted so that the newlyJaid egg will gently roll down and slip into chaff or some other soft material, and beyond the reach of the hen. Dark nests are also useful, because they lessen temptation to scratch and the risk of breaking eggs, and if the eggs do get broken the hens will not be able to see them, and thus eat them. Some poultry-men make holes in one end of some eggs, remove the contents, and fill the shell with a mixture of flour, ground mustard, and red pepper, with a little water added to hold the stuff together. These eggs are placed on the floor, where the hens will get them. Usually the fowls gobble the contents, and Very soon go around with open beaks. A few doses of this kind usually effects a cure. No evil effects follow. Bettering the Egg Trade, Below are some suggestions made for the betterment of the egg tradesKeep only purebred stock of the larger general purpose varieties. Givo the poultry the care and attention they deserve, and, if the farnier has not the time or inclination to do the work himself,' let him delegate it to some responsible member of his family. Removo tho male birds from tho flock i iinmodiately nftel tho breeding season, and market no fertile eggs. Provide roomy nests and plenty of olean nesting material, preferably dry shavings or cut hay. Keep tho nests clean and sanitary. Collect the eggs regularly at least once, better twice, a day in moderate weather, and more frequently in very warm and very cold weather. Remove at onco in clean utensils M a cool, dry cellar. Cover with clean cloth to prevent dust from setting upon them, and also to pievent evaporation and fading. Do not pack loose in a box when taking thorn to market, but rather secure a suitable egg-case, and thus avoid breakage. Market as frequently and as directly as possible. Jottings. In America, in estimating the avorago income from a single lion, 5U cents (2s. Id.) is allowed for the fertiliser item. "A billion dollars is a fair estimate of the total poultry product of the United States for tho year 1913," said Professor David Lambert, head of the Poultry Department of the Rhode Island State College, in a recent address before the Farmers' Institute, in session at Kingston, Rhode Island, February 5, C, and 7. '"Queen Hen,'" he continued, "is fully entitled to a placo beside King Corn. The census of 1900 gave, in round numbers, 285,000,000 dollars as tho estimate of the poultry product for that year, while the census of 1910 gave a total of 850,000,000 dollars, a four-fold increase in a decade. There has also been a decided increase since these figures were compiled. The sum total of 12 important farm products, such as barley, oats, buckwheat, bean 3, and tho like, does not equal tho poultry product for the year, and now oven such important products as corn, alfalfa, and the dairy must take subordinate rank according to the latest census statistic.'. American notation terms ft thousand millions a billiou—tho Euzlish

notation requires a million millions to equal a billion.