THE POULTRY INDUSTRY

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1824, 9 August 1913, Page 15

THE POULTRY INDUSTRY

$ (By Chantecler.) j

j Answers to Correspondents Wellington,—(l) It is inndvisablo to keep more than one week when required. tor tho incubator. (2) Place the eggs on a slight angle in the tray lor tho first three days. This will give tho air cell a cluinco to form in proper position. Many makers of machines allow for the eggs to bo flat, but I prefer to place tho targe end slightly elevated. Hatching Chickens. . Several correspondents are asking advice in <-hatching chicks, and now is tne time to think about it. The golden weeks are flying, and delays mean loes of eggs in winter. We will write l'or tho beginner. Should you be making a start by buying eggs, select your breeder, and then senu at least 10s. for a setting of good eggs from a reliablo breeder. Have your hen ready. Make a nest ill a quiet corner of the shed, and on the ground; or, if a box is used, put eoil in the bottom, and a layer of hay or straw oil top. Place tho hen on a few egjjs for a day or two till your setting arrives, and then remove the stale oggs and place the new ones under tho hen.. Do not disturb tho hen for the iir6t two days. S'ho knows her work, and will sit tight ta get tho necessary heat to start the development of the germ. Food and water may bo placcd near her, but do not bo anxious if she does not leave tile nest for the first two days. She will seek her food regularly after that, and knows exactly how long to air tho eggs. When hatched do not hasten to feed th 9 chicks. Leave them a wliole day or even two days after hatching. They ,have absorbed tho yolk of the eggs prior to being ' excluded from the shell, and this is Natuire's food for tho first two days. The chicks may then be feci on a good ■chick raiser, arid no other food is required. Peed four times daily if the chicks will oat. Tlib Incubator. If you have on inoubator, you wilt probably have your own stock. The hens should be carefully selected, and mated to a good male. .Eight days after mat- ' iug, tho eggs may bo saved, and should' to stored in a warm place. Cold nights affect the germs and cause bad hatches. L'ggs should not bo more than a week old. If you have not euough layers to fill the machine, buy some to add to your own. Eggs kept over a week "evaporate" quickly. The result is half-formed chicks, and others too weak to free themselves at hatching time. Peed tho hens freely, but do not give wet mashes more than three times a week. Supply green food daily, and five the birds plenty of exercise by scratching for the grain in litter. Have your machine lit and ready for use. Test it to run at 103 degrees. Be sure that your thermometer reads true, or it will spoil the hatch. Place tho eggs in the machine, and run at 102 to 103 degrees for'tho first thveo days. Do not touch i them. Handling thein while the germ is in its first stages of development is likely to do harm. The little blood vessels are so weak that they rupture if tho eggs are turned or bumped in any way.. - On the fourth day turn tbem/and air them for five minutes, and each day, morning and evening, give them a turning and airing from ten minutes to twenty minutes, as the weather ox temperature of the room suggests. On the' eighteenth day closo the machine, and leave it till the chicks are all out. As a guide, tho following is my method:—l to 3 days, temperature 102 degrees; i to 18 days, temperature 103 degrees; 19 to 21 days, temperature 101 degrees.

!■ Tho question of moisture must be determined by the size of the air-cell. If drying down too fast, shut off the ventilators, or add moisture. Many machines have 110 moisture device, the system of ventilation being arranged eo that the humidity in tho air is considered sufficient. Do not bo afraid to cool the eggs. On very warm days, or if the room is kept at CO degrees, 15 to 20 minutes, will uo no harin.L . - . , ... , A great deaf ilepefife'in; th«';operatio'fi;'Expsrience must''be' his chief guide.' After the chicks are out (or, rather, on the twenty-second day) remove them to their brooder, and eeo that this is running at at least 95 degrees, or your chicks will catch a chill from which harm will result.. Begin feeding on the twenty-third or twenty-fourth day, as.advised above, Next Competition. A meeting of the New Zealand Utility Poultry Club was held fit Christchurch on Tuesday evening. It was decided to run the next competition in two sections- 1 - one for heavy aud one for. light breeds. It is generally conceded tha| the heavy breeds have no chance against the numbers of light breeds entered. Tho change will also encourage farmers and poultrymen to go in for heavy breeds, and eo supply the market with better table poultry. Missouri Competition. Mr. J. R. Alerrett, of Christchurch, is organising an entry for the Missouri egglaying competition, which starts in December. He has received a communication from the American Government, offering to pay all the freight charges of the birds to Missouri, and to forego the entry fee of £3. Mr. Merrett has received several applications, but he will give precedence to the first four applicants. Mr. Brown, of Napier, Mr.. Mumby, of Wellington, Mr. Leger, of Levin; and Mr. Jarrett, of Masterton. It will mean big things to New Zealand' if the prizes can be captured. A Valuable Comparison. The winter test of the New Zealand egglaying competition lias just been completed, and affords a splendid study of winter layers. The Leghorn has proved its ability to surpass all other breeds as layers when prices of eggs rule high. It was generally thought that 'the heavy breeds were the best winter layers, but the following table will show where the eggs come from May 1 to July 31:— No. Eggs Av'rg. birds. Breed. Laid, per pen 234—White Leghorns 12,197 312 • 6—Col'mb'n. Wyandottes 293 293 6—Blk. Orpingtons 291 • 291 12—Brown Leghorns 498 213 13—Silver Wyandottes ... 1,732 216 IG—White Wyandottes ... 3G3 181 G—Blue Mot. Leghorns... 107 107 The laying of the White Leghorn in winter has greatly improved of late years. Careful selection, good feeding, and warn housing are the cause of their splendid averages. . A Sign of Progress. The instillation of the mammoth incubator at the New Zealand Poultry Institute has created interest among poultrymen at Christchurch. The big machine has been visited by hundreds, including visitors from Australia. It is a great proposition, and in addition to hatching in large quantities, it effects a saving in labour, as the 3000 eggs can be turned in under five minutes, and there' are no lamps to fill and wicks to trim. _ The gas heating is giving great satisfaction.