POULTRY INDUSTRY

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2612, 6 November 1915, Page 15

POULTRY INDUSTRY

(By Ohantecler.)

Notes for the Novice. A good tonic is cliopped raw onion, fed onco or twice a week. As it will taint the eggs, it should not be given to the laying hens, but for young, growing stock tho chopped onions are a »ood thing.

Iho chickens hatched in August, September. and October are the best. is the iiatural breeding time, and the stock birds are at their top, so that they produce- stronger progeny than at any other time of the year. Don't make tlio mistake of trying to handle more thnn one breed. Select one variety, and then concentrate upon it, for it is in this way that success may be achieved.

The cross of an Indian game cock with Dorking hens will producc good tablo poultry. For breeding purposes don't use any birds that are less than 12 months old. Tho chickens will como on bolter it they are graded, and those of tho same size sun together. It is a point worth noting that more fertile eggs will be laid by the hens that have unrestricted Tange. The large amount of exercise, and the fact cf being ablo to obtain natural food in tho shape of insects, worms, seeds, etc., provide the reasons for the greater fertility, which is consequent upon .the good health enjoyed by free birds. Don't overfeed. It is wise to keen the birds a bit on tho hungry side, if anything. Once a hen becomes over fat, she is liable to lay soft-shell eggs, ami cfjgs containing weak germs, and she never amounts to much when onco she gets into thnt condition.

On account of the evenness of temperature and freedom from draughts, a dry floor and well-ventilated cellar-is tho hest place for the ' incubator. But tho air must be pure; a musty cellar is a bad spot for the machine.

The hen that goes to roost with a full hard crop is usually a good layer. A rough and fairly certain method'"of selection may be obtained this way.

If the eggs from a pen are not so fertile,as you would like, you should try the plan of removing the malo bird every other day, and feeding him well. A day's absence from tho hens won't affect tho fertility of the eggs. It often haonens that poor fertility is duo to the "male bird being over gallant and so starving' himself.

If your chickens are confined and look a bit' slack and stale, they will brighten up and come on better by being giyen an occasional run outside. . In hot weather, if there is a malo bird in the" pen, the broody hens should bo removed as soon as noticed. To allow them to sit on the eggs is a mistake, as in warm weather they will quickly set up a partial incubation and start the germ, so that the eggs go bad. For brooder chickens the proner temperature to begin with is 90 deg. Tho chicks will send the heat up to over 100 deg., ( which will be about right for them.. Thereafter, a degree or two less a day is the right thing, until the temper-, ature gets down to about 70 (leg., where it may be maintained.

, The floor of the brooder should be covered witlrsand, and the run tittered over with chaff, in which shell-grit and charcoal should be mixed. ,

' Experience has proved. that it is unwise to have mors' than- 50 chicks together in -a brooder. '

You may fairly well tell the 'constitution possessed by a chicken by look.ing at its legs.' If they are strong and stout the bird, is all right, and will be a doer, if thin and weedy the constitution is -poor, and tho odds are against tho chiok doing well. On Egg-eating, This bad habit is frequently noted in suburban poultry yards. Why? Because the restricted accommodation causes the fowls to be kept crowded in close niinrters, and it is not infrequently the'easo that insufficient shell forming material is provided. The close confinement, lack of. exorcise, and—in a number of instances—the over-feeding that ' goes on, have, the result of getting , the hens into a too fat condition; the internal congestion restricts—if it does not wholly prevent the working of the lime-forming (shell-making) glands, and the trouble is intensified when there is an insufficiency of shell-grit for the formation of the shells. In these circumstances soft shelled eggs are laid, the hens eat them, and the evil habit is set up, and, unless promptly checked, will becoroo a permanent rice, for which there is no real cure, except that of killing the offending bird. The poultryman should aim atprevention. Ho should keep the birds busy (if in small yards the ground should be turned up, and straw or other loose stuff placed in the yards for scratching purposes). The birds Bliould not be over-fed—a bit on the hungrv side is better than too much food—and" it is necessary that green food of some sort should be provided every day. A few china nest eggs on the floor will accustom the birds to the sight of an ejg, and their inability to crack the dummies will act as a preventive to egg-eating. A full supply of shell-grit should be nrovided, and the morning -mash should be seasoned by the addition of a small quantity of salt. N.Z. UTILITY POULTRY CLUB'S COMPETITIONS. The official results of the thirtieth week of tho Now Zealand Utility Poultry Club's eleventh egg-laving competition for fowls for tho week ended Tuesday, November 2, are as follow:—

Total Total' for to week. date. Yerrall Bros., B.L 29 70-1 H. Leger, S.C.AV.L 33 689 AVaikato Egg Farm. S.C.W.L. 25 710 Caldor Bros., S.C.W.L 32 715 Heretaunga P.C., S.C.W.L. No. „ 1 25 GGO N. .Solomon, S.C.W.L 30 590 J. Wordsworth, S.C.W.L 27 6''o Dominion P. Plant, S.C.W.L. 32 556 11. P. Chapman, S.C.W.L 34 fill Mrs. J. Hills, S.C.W.L 31 718 A. R. Browne, S.C.W.L 32 G&i Heretaunga P. 0., S.C.W.L., No. 2 27 GG2 T. M'Hwraith, S.C.W.L 27 576 C. Warhnrton, S.C.W.L. ...... 21 515 ,i, G. .Brailey, S.C.W.L 29 724 AVamoni P. Porm. S.C.W.L. ... 28 G27 Glbncos r. Ranch, S.C.W.L. 31 750 A. W. Irvine, • S.C.AV.L 2!) 608 .Viiburton P. Farm, S.C.W.L.' 23 532 Geo. Cattml, S.C.W.L !... 30 588 ■L. T. Wrifrht, S.C.W.L 30 70G L. Macdonald, S.C.W.L 33 531 Atkinson Bros,, S.C.W.L 35 " 590 A. E. Phillips, S.C.W.L 28 . 601 Dalmuir P. Yards, S.C.W.L. ... 33 733 B. P. L. Cluyson, S.C.W.L. ... 28 613 Green Bros., S.C.W.L 28 675 Jack Green, S.C.AV.L 33 752 A. ]•;. Wilson, S.C.AV.L 39 709 W. A.. Nixon, S.C.AV.L 29 60S 11. S. AVoadnortli, S.C.AV.L. ... 33 723 1!. Roxburgh, S.C.AV.L 27 571 K. A. Laztmis, S.C.AV.L 31 59S S.C.W.L 31 Gtil I. I'azackerley and Sons, S.C.AV.L 30 s9O W. Davey, S.C.AV.L 31 6G7 AV. A. Nixon, S.C.AV.L 32 653 S - C -W.L 27 661 R. Mills, S.C.AV.L 30 702 S.C.AV.L 27 538 It. Willis and Son 27r (i7B George Gen, S.C.W.L 20 617 Green Bros., S.C.AV.L 25 SGA Raiigiuru Egg Ranch, S.C.W.L. 11 455 Cafdev V Bros!, s *' No! 28 613 1 33 vis R. AV. Hawke, S.C.AV.L 25 591 jUrs. M'Kinnoiu S.C.W.L 30 559 Green Bros., R.C.AV.L 3t 683 Total i 1141 31,201 HEAVY BREEDS. Total Total for to I TIT I T r, ™ IVCelt - datC - A. AV. Adams. S.W "5 r,Qo Cireen Bros., S.AV 28 Vw E. Oake-s, R.T.R 07 s g' ( Cooper and Wainscott, R.I.R 23 filK AV. A. Nixon, R.I.E. ' 1 "17 A. E. AVilfon, AV.AV ! 2G j{fi T. Rcnnedy, AV.AV as kio W. A. Nixon, 8.0 W. 1/. AValker, 8.0 p# K. Willis, 8.0 f 7 2$ AV. Bloonifield, 8.0 '.17 g;,7 Tolal6 Mm,,,,,,,, 231 6165

FOR DUCKS Tho Now Zealand Utility Poultry Club's sixth egg-laying test for ducks. .Returns for tho thirtieth week as arc follow:— Total Total for to week. date. J. B. Jlerrett. LB .15 594 'I'. 1!. Hull, J.U 44 <>76 Gloncoc Poultry Ranch, I.R. ... :it 7J2 W. Davidson, 1.8 :i7 fiSi Thomas Dowthwaitc, I.R lit S;K W. Knight, I.R 37 793 W. Knight, 'I.R 37 57(i Wainoni J'. Viii-ui, I.R 13 107 Totals 2(IS -173S The letters after each entry denote tho breed is under:—B.L., jjrown Leghorn; S.C.W.L., Single Comb White Leghorn; R.C/VV.L., I?o6© Comb Whito Leghorn; S.W., Silver Wyandotto; R.1.R., Rhode Island Red; W.W., White Wyiwdotlo; Ji.O.. Black Orpington, 1.11.," Indian Runner.