THE POULTRY INDUSTRY

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2199, 11 July 1914, Page 15

THE POULTRY INDUSTRY

I (By Chantecler.) ft

; ■ ■ :To Cet WlntSr Eggs. v^ 0 ' obtaina good supply .of. eggs iii tho cold iviiitor.iweatiiorr depends ■ to'-"a largo extent.oll -lie feeding. A Vater;'eight., roosting •■shed—free from cracks' that set.iip ■draughts'and .fixed ,so that;itsiback is turned? to the preailing wind —is iiecessaijy too; "but it is a correct statement ;thatv,''lialf,. the breed.'gdeß'in' at thel mouth"—in other words, proper .feeding'is.so; per'cent, of the proposition;. To 'get.the. right liaiigof thetliihg .one/'must understand that it 13 liana'tural'for a iheiiito! lay in .''.the cold weather.; The reason-is-.that the funda.. mental;idea of ..Nature ;is that eggs shan..be..]aid.at,such:times, i of the.year. as.mill ,give, the'-chick'sa good chance. ■ And'that .time is spring, or early sumrner, •when ;the grass : is at, its bestj >the. sun -is.warm;, and/insects, (the natural food) , are". moyingi... Nature's •;intention' is '-that: hens ■:should lay,'egge only for.' tlie, purpose of .-reproducing $he, speoiea. ;Jfan,-'Koweyer/-lia3. ; -telceri athand'in the': Rftme,. ;Until, .••.by skilful ■■ selection.; and.breeding;; methods, he' lias pushed■ .the , , hens.,so far'ftbat individual, specimens produce* from 250 to 300: eggs a, flock will average 200. eggs per' : bird 'in the' same . time. But, : however. .-•; skilful, the selection, breedingy,aM : housing methods iria'y ho,: 1 , the.; best lof'hen's^can't do much-unless.i they, are r properly., fed. .;If; fed on wheat/, all.the',time they-.will.:he bra "at egg-laying, because there is only ,a.small, percentage of egg-forming, ma- , terial .in- this grain, and for'; the reason, ..that its -sole, uso. sets np a':; fatty condition.that makes for poor health.'•J.On the other hand, if , soft food (bran, , pbl- 4 lard,''etc.-, mixed- with water)' is \ solely used, the. sanio '. result: will hie', noted, .because the wet inash makes for size,.! flesh, and fat, and hens in this condition can't; lay ;well;.- v '•.-■''■'■■ •■■• ;}■'.'■:.-'; v■■:■]„.}.:{ Two New Breeds.- ; : . . Two new!breeds , (new to competitions) that ;are ! competing,at Burnley .(Vie.) have ..put the , following figures on the slate (six■pullets,in a pen):— '.■..,- ■■ :"'- r-Frb'rii Apr;} 18,.4-v; ;2- : —Rhode' Island Reds;:!'. Two Peris.—; [, H'V•':. ;:i^''--"v';'': ' :J}'€'' ';Week.^Totiil. : ■No I;, Fed on.,wet, mash 1 :.: 23.: -216 .1 • ■:/-. .<;>:.* 'Highest' total,' 259.. •; ,', V■: .N0. ; 2; Fed on ! drymash : ::. 1:1 ;;' 37 ■>;.;;■ ; : ;.; ;^Highest. total, 2230, ;:^ ",:_. : ; —Red Pen;—''■'. : ; ; Fed .■>;;;;..'.'; il'y, i -'.-175 , ;;■;;:;..; ;V.Highest,total, / 259.. . ••/.:■'■ ■'.■' •"•.The> two -breeds mentioned above came '.to.'.'Australia with a good record a-s win-'ter-'layers, and .'as ; being tough, hardy .birds. j ;that'. eari stand- a lot ■of ,'wear/ •and-tear;.;..'.- 'vv.:.''. ■■.■■.■.:■■■'■'' ■■- '[■ ;':''■ •■> : . '■ .will V.b'e'noticed-that one '.pen of Rhpue:'ls]and,,ltedE : .'ha3/piit up' a fair, record for, the first 'two months,, and their 216 compares favourably with' tho .301- ; of:;tho:crack,'.leading Leghorns: '■•■■:• ■;. ,'rhe otherlot of reds is led dn.the dry; . inaahy.and there. , is nothing doing with' .-■them;■;;■'■■':w'.v;' -,;.;.'•" '-v. ■•' Y / '■' ' : ; The Red; Sussex-are' not .'shaping too .(well—-even -with'the' wot'mash-T-arid-'it-;.isi.a,pity;that/'there; is only' , one pen.-of .this': breed in. the ■competition, ; for; the 'reason 1 that.no .reliable inform atipnj ; ()ither,;way,. gained from.one lot j.pf 1 birds; '. A^/ : ; ri'±: ;^;': .<£i""iv YiK'/-;';/ !;''.{ ByVbreakirigJresli'iuiinpubate'd'eggs yolk'you can , deter-. fertile; ■; As -the : egg'is'; broken .'into a , ;eaucer;'th'e ■ ■,y6lk:;:;falls;..';with .fhq' ;side,:'bearing 'tlie 1 - "germinal; disc"!.-uppermost'; ■ orjif.iyou; :romove';a' portion:.of one /side of'.the; ■eggshelUand examine ,t : he.-yolk ; '.as ; it ■rests ; in:;the:eggs .you will,always find' ; the'igerminal ■ disc; in tlioVtop .eide- of 'the' ; yolk.' The' 1 germinal .disc' is, easily recog:nised\ asVa;. ■ small, ilightrcploured;. : about .oiie-sixth' of- [an inch- 'in'id iarneter: , ■It/-is; from .'the • cells' , in , , this : germinal' !.portion• .or.'the'-Vegg -tha't tho chick ■;toimed;,thp balance of -the yolk is food jfori^o^ciubryp^; , : :,■'■ ':'; ; i :: ""i,','; ' v '//'' ; /eggj'i;' typical, getminal .disc.'Will/.show, an/outer/white rim-of ■somelittle.breadthi'arid within.this is •a .circular, transpavent: area;' inside of jthis ; clear ...area he an, .opaijue 'or ,white ispot.of .variable appearance,'which ; '-ma'y, i;bo same -throughout or' may appear jotted.'-;''': ; ;. i.:-;:; ;;,..■/". ,y-N : ;,.,; f: .■. ■'' i; ; ;'lri'the'geimiriaraMcof ; an.unfertilised MB. ; tnere:-:is no.distinct 'diyisiori into ; an/opaque'rim and' transparent ■ centre, and';the/white:; disc/ is- simply.'marked into a number.of irregular-clear spaces.:.