THE POULTRY INDUSTRY

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1907, 15 November 1913, Page 15

THE POULTRY INDUSTRY

Incubator Temperatures. Hero wo are on very debatabU ground. It is not any ono temperatun tjiat is correct for liatching, bccaus< liens' nests vary from 102deg. to 10-; dcg., owing partly to tlio way in wliicl the nest is constructed. This is th< average of the readings of the thor momcter placed in the centre of a< eggs, although in a lion's nest the tein porahue of the different parts varici little, the top of the. outside eggs bein; usually a i little cooler than the botton of the nest, owing to tho air circulation. In an incubator an average temperature of tho eggs (not tho usua thermometer reading) of lOldog. wil destroy all but the strong germs, aiu oven these will hatch out weakly chickens. On tho other hand, if tho temperature is too high, say; 106dcg., nearlj all will hatch, but they will bo wcakoi for it. Tho best hatches usually rcsnH when the eggs start chipping on the 20th morning and the bulk hatch out on the 21st. This is best attained by an egg temperature of 102deg. the firsi week, 103deE. tho second, and 104deg. tho third. With the average tank incutor this means one degree higher foi a thermometer ono-eighth of an inch above the eggs. Excess of heat can lie corrected to some extent by lengthened cooling. Incubator chicks are just as strong as hen-hatched, providing the incubator has been run properly, but many are not; hence the weaklings. The vitality of the chick depends much upon the correct temperature, but there are other causes, at work, notably tlio relation between the moisturo and tho ventilation and the way in which the eggs are handled. If the. egg-drawer is much shaken, there are more weakly and crippled chicks. Of all'the causes connected with tho vitality of tho chick temperature undoubtedly stands first, but to bo successful in artificial hatching the.others must also be taken into consideration. Haphazard Mating. In poultry breeding fine feathers alone do not make fine birds, for with the feathers goes size, type, and many other little tilings, yet it is a fact that colour plays a groat part in winning the prizo; and rightly so, ■ for who would want to sec a lot of birds of a fadedout, dirty colour in a poultry show? In white birds, after the' moult we often see a creamy cast to the feathers, and some people "think this is what is «rmed brass, but if wo wait until the feathers get mature this croaminess almost always 'passes off. The way to tell whether it is from the newness of the feathers is to open up the feathers and examine the quills. If the crenminess seems exaggerated at the quillthat is, if it shows more under than on top—it is a sure sign of immature feathers, and will go awav with time. In mating buff varieties, extremes should always be avoided. A light male and dark-coloured hens always produce more or less mealiness in the feathers. If tlio female is about tho colour of tho male's breast, you will eet a more even surface colour, and after the surface colour is once obtained it is an easy matter to breed for under colour., A nico ; even buff from head to tail is wortli striving for, whether wo exhibit or not;:fine rjonltry add to tlio charm of country life and make the farm something for strangers to remember. The Care of Chickens. There are several 'critical periods in tho life of a chicken when special care and attention aro necessary. If tlio birds arp .neglected at'such.; times;,their development' may bo greatly retarded, and they may receive a check from which they never thoroughly recover. While during the first 'couple of days after hatching chickens require, very careful management this is by no means tlio most critical period jn their jive's. So faras my experience goes it is when they are a month old that the greatest difficulties occur. " When they aro a little older another rather trying stage ensues, that is, when the feathers are forming, taking tho place of the soft down of extreme' youth. The feeding of chickens is an'extremely important matters, ono that exerts a great influence in making or marring success. Chickets which have been fed from the commencement of their lives on dry food only. often appear to be feathering somewhat slowly. Jf the weather is favourable this is no objection, since chickens that grow a strong and large frame rather than feathers in the early days of their lives usually develop into the finest birds. It is frequently noticed that those chickens which are fully feathered and havo a "finished" appearance, when quite young, rarely, if ever, attain to tho standard size. Tin's applies, perhans nio }'° e ?P? clalv to pullets than to cockerels. When the chickens reach a month or hvo. weeks old, an addition of two tcods a day of ;soft food will have the eltect of hastening forward tho featherformmg process. Chicken meal, properly scalded, is one of the best foods, and it the youngsters thrive amain, since many of these specially proP ar S?., meals contain all tho elements needed for successful rearing. Later on barley meal and middlings may bo used, and as a variation maize meal, oatmeal, and a small quantity of bran iiran, however, must bo used sparinclv smee it IS somewhat coarse. A-small portion, , s i valuable, in that it harmonises with tho oatmeal and maize. When barley meal is used for-young chickens it is important that It be fi o lv ground, otherwise difficulty is experienced in its assimilation, internallrrisues ' S " P, aud trouble eu : Cockerels and Pullets. It is very bad policy to permit cockfnf ; a f d P + l ! Ms *? 8™ «P together, tor under these circumstances neither thrive so well. Immediately the sexes can be distinguished they should be separated Tho cockerels should bo placed by thomselves and the pullets by themselves. Thore is no exact age at which tho sexes can bo distinguished borne varieties develop much more rapidly than do others. ' Too much sun is almost, if not quite as injurious to young chickens as tod lttle. Natural shelter is the best kind of. all, and if tho birds can be given access to a wood or coppice nothing bettor can be desired. When however, there, is no natural protection' artificial shado must be provided ihere are a good many ways of accomplishing this, perhaps tho simplest boin<r to fasten' two hurdles together with a' layer of straw between. Trees and fruit bushes planted in tho runs, when birds aro being kept in confinement, answer admirably, and have the advantage of being useful in more ways than 011° whenever tho conditions allow, chickens should bo given their freedom. Many poultry-keepers cannot follow this plan, since they possess insufficient room tn do so. But whenever such is possible this is tho method to adopt. Croen Feet) for Chicks. If green food is stinted, growing chickens are much less likely to.bo healthy and vigorous. Their blood is very likely to become healed, while the internal organs refuse to perform their work in a satisfactory manner. . Since greenstuff of'all kinds is usually very plentiful during (lie summer months, there is no difficulty on this score, uml when tho supply is restricted it genera]l.v»nieans that it is due to carelessness. Lettuce or cabbage leaves—in fact, anv garden produce—answer well. Pure and fresh water is also vory important. Often one sees fowls drinking from dirty or stagnant pools, and then it is wondored war thov do not thrive par-

—. —« (By Chantecler.)

ticnlarly well. Always place tho water in a shady spot, renew twice or even 10 thrice a day, and keep tho vessels apot"o lessly clean. * ;o .