POULTRY INDUSTRY

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2564, 11 September 1915, Page 15

POULTRY INDUSTRY

£By Chantecler.),

BEGINNER'S QUESTIONS',

. Ihss li.R,, ■ Palmerston North, asks a series of questions that covers the ground or tlie beginner in a fairly exliauative way. She-writes f— As I contemplate going in for poultry, and flavo had no experience, might I ask you a few questions? : No. I.—About wliat profit would 60 laying hens give me per year? Answer.—This, of course, would depend upon the strain of birds that ia kopt, also the price of feeds. Last year CO hens would more easily give a profit of JMS when feed was cheap than would the same birds this year give .£25 when feed was so dear. As feed is falling in price, the profit increases. A good deal would also depend on the system by which birds are fed. Some, people are extravagant in the use of grain foods, while others by judiciously "using alt scraps and cheap foods cut down the food considerably. One may safely reckon on 12s. profit per head from 60, good pullets from April 1, when they comme'nco to lay, to March 31 of the following year. Second year hens would not do so well, as they will lav less eggs, though.they are more marketable, and command a bstter price. Second year heua should-give-Bs. to 10s. profit each per year. .. No. 2.—Which breed do you considor most-profitable? : -Answer;— I There are several varieties of' birds that are highly profitable. If you desii'e to keep poultry for eirgs only, the' White Leghorn should serve your purpose. Tho question of profit is largely governed by.strain, and system- of housing and feeding. If you desire table.powltry, White Rocks, Wyandottes, and Orpingtoas are all good. -'No. 3. —Is it cheaper to rear birds oneself or buy' them at' six inontho old ? .. Answer.—Unless someone,is anxious to' .sell out, no poultryman would sell his pullets ■ unless he obtained a fair profit over the cost of rearing, so that it is better to buy .day old chicks .or eggs for setting. Either system will prove cheaper, than by purchasing matured birds. In addition, you have all tho experience of chicken raising, and,'this is highly valu* able, as 1 after all it is experience that is needed.

No.' 4.—What is the best hard food to give?, 5. What, is the'.best soft food :! • Answer.—ln the- feeding 'of poultry a rariety of grain foods is, preferable to feeding one given-food-' providing'! the mashes are given 'in the morning a .inix-; ture of grain foods. We find best results • from- wheat;- oats, land -maize, combined. ■Maize is Tapidly coming to tho front as a poultry food, and I predict that inside five years it will be as'popular in New Zealand as wheat has been. Continuous feeding of wheat gives the yolk a very pale colour, while maize gives it a very -rich colour, and the phosphates and other minerals in maize tend to stronger chickens and richer eggs. To compete against the American eggs, we will have to adopt their methods and feed maize, which is the Teason of their eggs being so rich in colour and much, sought after by pastrycooks. An old theory exists that maize is'too fattening, but that was an age before the laying fowl came on. the scene. It is now impossible to fatten laying birds of high egg-prottucing power. No. G.—Should the food be changed? If so, how often? '

Answer.—Birds love a variety, but it is dangerous to change the system of feeding if you are out for egg-production. When a variety of foods is fed the changing of the food is not so necessary. Tho world's record is being produced upon one class of food being ..continually before birds for the whole twelve months. No. 7.—Do hens Tequiro access to Tims? Answer.—Pullets Will certainly do well tvith good grass runs, especially through the summer months. During the winter months th-jy will- better results if they are confined to good warm houses. No. B.—Would you . recommend me a good poultry book? Answer—Saturday's Dominion', Now Zealand Poultry Journal, Christcharch; Poultry for Profit, Government Poultry Pamphlets, Utility Poultry for Australasia. ; .

N.Z, UTILITY POULTRY CLUB'S COMPETITIONS. Tho official resvdts of the twenty-second week of the NeW Zealand Utility' Poultry Club's eleventh, egg-laying competition for fowls for the week ended . Tuesday, l September 7, ai'fi as follow Total Total for to week. date. Verrall Bros., B.L. 31 Hi H. Leger, S.C.W.L. 33 US Waikato Egg Parrn, 5.C.W.L.... 30 dBl Calder Bros., S.C.W.L 33 461 Heretaunga, - P.C., No. 1, S.C.W.L. 28 421 H. Solomon, S.C.W.L 33 359 J. Wordsworth, S.C.W.L 2-t ilB Dominion P. Plant S.C.W.L. ... 28 293 Jd. P. Chapman, S.C.W.L. ...... 30 370 Mrs. J. Mills, S.C.W.L 28 '450 A. R. Browne, S.'C.W.L 31 438 Heretaunga P. 0., No. 2, S.C.W.L. 31 436 T. M'llwraith, S.C.W.L.' 25 3Gi C. Warburton, S.C.W.L 25 313 A. G. Brailey, S.C.W.L. 31 472 Wainoni P. Farm, 5.C.W.L,... 20 378 •Glencoe P.-Ranch, S.C.W.L 32 : 495 A..' W. Irvine, S.C.W.L. 30 301 Ashburton P. Farm,/S.C.W.L. 29 '313 Geo. Catteral, S.C.W.L. 28 370 L. T. Wright, S.C.W.L 30 4GI L. Ifacdonald, S.C.W.L. ...; 30 . 2G2 Atkinson Bros, S.C.W.L 35 ' 318 A. E. Phillips, S.C.W.L 32 302 Dalmuir P. Yards, S.C.W.L. ... 33 408 B. P. L. Clayson, S.C.W.L. ... 20 4f12 Green Bros., S.C.W.L 33 427 Jack Green, S.C.W.L 25 '500 A. E. Wilson, S.C.W.L. \ 33 438 W. A. Nixon, S.C.W.L. 27 371 H. S. Woodnorth, S.C.W.L.. 31 409 R. Roxburgh, S.C.W.L. 31 315 R. A. Lazarus, S.C.W.L 31 361 A. .AY. Adams, S.C.W.L 28 398 T. Eazackerley & Son, S.C.W;L. 20 350 W. Davey, S.C.W.L. 30 399 \V. A. Nixon, S.C.W.L 31 ,197 R. H. James, S.C.W.L. 34 difi It. Mills, S.C.W.L. 31 us S. L. Leggett, S.C.W.L 30 290 R. Willis a'nd Son, S.C.W.L, ... '0 451 George Gee, S.C.W.L 31 359 Green Bros, S.C.W.L 30 339 Rangiuru Egg Ranch, S.C.W.L. 24 299' Thos. Kennedy, S.C.W.L 32 agt Calder Bros., No. 1, S.C.W.L. 35 .455 R. W. Hawke, S.C.W.L 26 376 Mrs. M'Kinnon, S.C.W.L. ...... 27 375 Green Bros., R.C.W.L 33 419 Totals 1463 19,164 HEAVY BREEDS. Total Total to . to . tt, , - „ „ week. dato. A. W. Aaams, S.W. 30 279 Green Bros., S.W. 25 3(ii E. Oakes, R.I.R. og 352 'Cooper and Wainscott, R.I.R. 31 «| W- A. Nixon, R.I.R 15 J3O A. E. Wilson, W.W 24 212 T.-Kennedy, W.W 33. 301 W. A. Nixon, 8.0 1 39 ,in^ W. L..Walker, 8.0 33 437 E. Willis, 8.0 36 516 W. Bloomfield, 8.0 33 439

Totals 326 .4058 FOR DUCKS. The New Zealand Utility Poultry Club's sixth egg-laying test for ducks. Returns tor tho twenty-second week are as follow — Total Total to to, ' week, date. ,1.-B. Merrett, I.R 39 293 T..R. Hall, I.R 34 365 Glencoe Poultry Ranch, 1.R.... 34 '455 W. Davidson, I.R 39 331 Thomas Dowtlnvaite, I.R 28 2G5 W. Knight, I.R 39 456 W. Knight, I.R. 19 323 Wainoni P. Farm, I.R — gt Totals 232 2610 Tho letters after each entry denote the breed ->s under:—B.L., Drown Leghorn: S.C.W.L., Single Comb Whito Leghorn: ;R.C.W.L., Rose Comb Whito Leghorn; S.W., Silver Wyandotte; R.1.R., Rhode Island Red; W.W., AViiite Wyandotto; P. 0., Black Orpington, 1.R., Indian Bunner.