THE POULTRY INDUSTRY

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2193, 4 July 1914, Page 15

THE POULTRY INDUSTRY

Answers to Correspondents "Knowledge." Wellington.-—The growth is abnormal, and is of a tumorous nature. When accompanied with a discharge it is a sure sign of a severe rold, and if thoro is a pungent smell *it' Ins <levelo|>cd into roup. As you do not mention those developments, and it lias been noti'-cablo for two months, it. may bo tiio causo of a wound. It is 60 small that 1 should watch its progress. Should it causo tho bird any inconvenience, detail tho symptoms and adviso mo. ''Inquirer," Hutt.—Tho export will bo a combined effort from producers from the four centres. Each shipment will consist of l(J,O0O dozen.. Tho exfort will relieve tho local market at a tiino when eggs aro plentiful, and if wo clear all expenses and net Is. a do?cu it will servo a good purpose. * Farmers, Awakol Last week wo. quoted tho poultry expert's remarks that farmers who produce tho great bulk ,of tho eggs., for tho market' nro not advancing with tho times. Tho causes given were: (1) Thev havo not the right class of stock; (2Y tho management is not what it should be. There are obvious grounds for their statements. It is ■ truo that farmers havo not vet awakened to tho importance of tho poultry, industry. Tho stock they keep nro usually of tho crossbred type, and tho nvorago output of oggs is not anything like what it should be. It would bo a high ostimato for farmers' fowls to average 75 ' eggs a year, and yet with a littlo attention and tho introduction of pure stock tho output could bo doubled. Thcro is no reason why hotter stock should not bo kept, as it is aecessiblo to all and at very moderate prices. It is certain, too, v that there is much Jacking in management. Generally it is tho farmer's wifo or daughters that attend the birds, but thn conditions aro so wretched and disheartening that tho fair sex got no encouragement to givo poultry attention. How rarely wo seoja decent fowlhouso on a farm I No netting fences to confine tho birds from tho stables, barn, or garden. No access to water or other conveniences for feeding. The best investment tho farmer could malto as an adjunct is to givo his wifo theso ooiKenieneos. Sho would 60011 show him how quickly the profits would mount up. Instruction in tlieso matters is badly needed and should bo immediately supplied. i Tho Vancouver Tost. Tho returns received in yesterd 's mail show that Mr. Hopkins", of Otaki, is still leading in tho Vancouver ogglaying competition tJn's year. Up to May 27' he had a total of 833, with A. Easton, British Columbia, second, with "93, and T. Barren, England, 710. This test is creating groat interest owing to tho keen competition of tho three leading pens, representing threo different countries. Everyono will wish Mr. Hopkins tho best of good fortune, and hopo that tho New Zealand birds will hang it out and bring homo tho laurels. Tho test has another threo months to go, making eloven months. Tho Canadian pen is slowly gaining on tho New Zealand pen, and has good prospects of overhauling it. If tho New Zoalandons can held their own it will strengthentho conviction that our stock in Now Zealand is of a very high order. The Panama Exposition Test. Poultry men in Now Zealand will bo Kind to learn that in yesterday's mail full particulars arrived concerning tho international test to bo held at San Francisco in connection with the Exposition. Tho inducements aro very tempting to New Zealandcrs, as tho prizes aro very valuable, and tho pen winning this test may bo considered tho champion of tho world. I'ho test will start in November of this year. As yet, I note neither the Government nor tho coraniittco elected at tho Inst conforenco is doing much towards senduir viow flocks of poultry from New Zealand to bo represented nt the Exposition. Their chanco will soon bo gone, and it will bo a distinct loss not to send snmpleß from our flocks in New Zealand. Somebody wants a shake, uow that tho opportunity is ripe. Tho Hatching Season. Tho hatching season has begun, and sovcral of tho big breeders havo their machines going. During tho week tho New Zealand Poultry Institute, Christchurch, reports a batch of 391 chicks from 408, which is a splendid return for cariy in tho season. Tho weeks n'ill sooii go by, and poultry men want to make the best of their time. It is a mistake to hatch late as chickens batched after September do not give as good results as those hatched earlier. Evidently, Vancouver is also attracting Australian poultry men as a market for their summer eggs. Arrangements nro being mado to send L'o,ooo dozen from Sydney this season. What 1 with China, Australia, and New Zealand, tho Canadians should be, well catered for this coming winter. Weak Chickens. It is but a waste of time- to attempt to cure sick chickens. If they aro weaklings, it is plain thnt Nature, intended that thoy should not live, and in original primitive conditions their end would bo certain—they would ho trampled underfoot by tho strong birds, or be gobbled up by prowling enemies. The foundation of a successful poultry yard is constitution in tho stocK, and it can only bo obtained by the contiuu* ous culling (weeding out) of tho unfit. Supposing that you do succeed in laving the lifo of a few sickly chickens, vou arc only making a rod for your own back—for this reason. Later on you aro sure to use one or tho other, or tho lot, as breeders, and when this happens the progeny wfll ho born with a constitutional weakness and tendency to contract disease. It is the worst kind of error to do anything with weaklings, except to kill them. Tho advantages of the incubator aro theso:—Chickens may bo hatched ■ at will, which means that they may bo produced at such times a* will enable them to turn into lay when prices for eggs aro at their best. Thero arc no broken eggs and no fouled or deserted nests, an is frequently tho caso with broody hens —tho chickens aro quito as strong as those hatched by tho hen, and thero aro no lice. And thero is less trouble and tirao occupied in attending to, say, a GO-egg machino than thero is in looking after the five hens that it would require to cover tlieso GO eggs.. It is a common delusion that nrtifieal-ly-batched chickens aro not so strong as those hatched under a hen. 'As a matter of fact, they are quite as robust, and probably more so, owing to the fact that they have no lice to worry them, as they so often havo with hens.

(By Chnntcclcr.)