THE POULTRY INDUSTRY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1842, 30 August 1913, Page 15

THE POULTRY INDUSTRY.

— ♦ $ ■ (By Chantecler.) m

' Answers to correspondents, P "G.M." (Maraekakaho). —Your birds have contracted tho vioo of feather- j,. eating. Evidently .you liavo them f, confined and' arc not giving them animal food. Add meat-meal to t< your mash, or give them daily a a picco of meat to pick at. Probably ]j there may be only one or two offend- b ers. If that is so, have them rcmov- ii ed from tho pens until tlio habit has a been forgotten. a "A.G." (Elutt).—There are many rea- a - sons why chicks fail to hatch and for a their being dead in tho shell. Tho parent stock- must bo strong, given n plenty of exercise, and fed well. Dur- S ing incubation tho eggs must not bo subjected to too high a temperature and must bo turned, and cooled twice daily. The air cell must bo watched to assure ample moisture." All these things must be remembered in order H to secure a good hatch. "A.C." (Linton).— I The symptoms show that tho birds have diphtheric roup. The tongue and throat being affected H proves this. Blow sulphur or lime down tho windpipe, and \ feed on soft food moistened with brandy. If tho birds aro C badly affected kill and burn them; ( otherwise tho complaint will spread 1 ' through your flock. . ' ' "A.G." (Hutt).—The duck is Buttering A from ruptured oviduct. The process of digestion has been hampered and I causes tho swelling. It is impossible for it to get better, so kill and ex- \ amino for your own education. "L.R." (Hutt).—Sore eyes affect fowls I of all agos and tho trouble is contagious. Isolate and wash the nostrils J with keroseno and apply boracic acid to the eyes. I Ten Years Laying Competitions. A bulletin has been issued in book <] form by the New South Wales Depart- jment of Agriculture. It is compiled by j Mr. A. A. Dunnicliffe and is an educa- j tive publication to all who study tho laying hen. The comparisons and re- j suits of these ten years' competitions at rj Hawkesbury aro worthy of more notico ( and will be referred to later. <; An official report of tho South Aus- j tralian competitions is also. to hand, j This splendid publication has been pre- i pared by Mr. D. L. Laurie, of Ade- j aide. Tho lessons drawn from these j tests aro given in Mr. Laurie's usual concise and forcible style. Headers t should secure a copy. ] The Export Trade. j With summer prices for eggs and an abundant supply in tho market producers ; . are again arranging to test the outside ; ' market. A special chamber is being se- j ■ cured for shipments to Vancouver during Octobpr and November. Christchurch poultrymen aro filling half the chamber and Dunedin oiie quartor, while ■ the Wairarapa and other circles and poul'try-breedorsiare. being asked to fill , the remaining quarter. ' The chamber will hold about 9000 dozen eggs, and a : shipment of this dimension will do more pood than merely sending a small .consignment. It is to bo hoped that the venture will be a. success and that poultrymen will supjiort it: ' Tho breeding season at the Moera Poultry. Farm, Trentham', is reported to liaye been a very successful one, and up to the end of last week there had : been hatched over,3ooo chickens..; There t: ; was aiiothor hatclfdn' Thursday;''giving 80 per cent, which is considored highly satisfactory. Wairarapa Egg Circle. The Wairarapa Egg Circle has distributed amongst its members the splendid sum of £292 odd for eggs supplied during July, which is the largest amount yet paid out. by the circle in any one month since it commenced operations I in May, 1910. Tho progress beme mado I by this'circle reflectsi great credit upon tho loyalty of its' members and those responsible for Hs management. It was the first circle started in the Dominion, and still- holds pride of place by the number of its members (which are spread throughout the Masterton and Wairarapa' electorates) and tho number of eggs handled. From January 31 last to July 26 18,947 dozen eggs have been sold, which realised £1412 as against 17,725 dozen.for £1300' during the same period last year. ; From May, 1910, to July, 1913, 39 months, the Wairarapa Circle has disposed of. 117,123 dozen or 1,405,476 eggs for the sum of £7033 9s. od., made up as follows :—r , , £ s. d. Year, 1910-11, U months, 20,728 dozen 1,099 5 6 Year, 1911-12, 36,613 doz. 2,101 6 .8 •Year, 1912-13, 40,835 doz. 2,420 17 7 Year, 1913-14, 6 months, 18,947 dozen 1,412 0 0 Totals: 117,123 doz 7,033 9 9 It is only through the presentation of •such figures that the public can. realise what a "live" tiling tho poultry industry is to the Dominion, also tho necessity for such associations as Egg Circles, which provide the_'- poultrykeeper with a medium of getting a fair price for his produce,' which until their advent was not the case during tho greater part of the year. During July 11 new members joined the circle, and so far seven moro have joined in tho present month. Notes for the Novice. Get on with' hatching—the ohickens hatcliod from now onward until the end of October will be tlho best, for spring is the natural breeding time. Don't breed from pullots if you can help it. For ono -filing they aro not fully matured, and for another reason you haven't had time to find out what • sort of layers tlioy are. For boiih these reasons it is wise not to breed from pullets. r In going for a mating that will give big oggs, donH forget that you must have both sides descended 1 from stock noted for large eggs. That is to say, tho hens should come from hens that laid: big eggs, and 1 the cock birds Should also come from a hen kn«wn to lay big eggs. The size-of the egg is not limited to either mx, but comes from both. Wihen you use a hen for hatching eggs, make the nest on the ground. Scoop out a round flat hoi® and mako it saucer-shaped:, and big enough to hold a .dozen eggs. The shape of the nest will keop the eggs together, which _ is how you want them. Fill tho nest with soft straw and round it out so that the eggs will fit in nicely. If you have the nost on dry ground it is wi-so to pour — somo water into the ground a day or two 71 before you make tho nest; theri build ■ tho nest on the damp ground. Moisturo 0 is a very necessary thing "in hatching and you will get it this way. Tho nest should bo on high ground, so n that no water may run in (from a heavy " rain) and a dust-bath should ba provided with which the hen may smother T the lico that will multiply oh her wJiUe — sha is sitting.still. Wheat ohly should ) bs fed; dt is more sustaining at tins time, and doss not sotlr Ofi tllio stothacn. es In ordor to make the hen eoific off the cs, neSt, tho water and the food Should hs. he-placed at the far end. of flia eoop. ' nd It is also a good pliin to thoroughly fdust tho hen with insert powdw bofofe silo is placed on tho liest. _ Orpingtons and Wyandotte maJ;« _ pood sitters and mothera. Thr lfost " broodies I have had have been White Wvandottes. Don't make the mistake of mixing voitr stock.. It is as necessary to keep your strain pure as it is to keep the breed pure. By mixing strains you- might get increased vigow, and therefore better layers, which nJ is a good .thing ' for utility pur-

ges ; but when colour, markings, and •po airo desired, great care should be ikon t« follow up tho same method ot :ee<ling as that adopted by the breeder om whom you. have bought your birds. In raising chicks the object should be > develop largo frames and hardiness s tho foundation, and this can,, alono 3 obtained by plenty of exeroiso and jnc-making, musclcMbuilding food given l abundance. Stimulating food, such 5 mashes and an excessive amount of oimal food, will bring on early laying t tho expense of size, and should tie voided. To got strong,' able-bodied nickeiis it is best to feed on dry foods lainly for the first few months, and ivo the chiolcs plenty of cxerdiso.