POULTRY NOTES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 22, 20 October 1917, Page 15

POULTRY NOTES

(By Chanticleer.)

Answers to Correspondents. "A.P." writes: Although I have had poultry many years, 1 havo just pushed out with an incubator, and am meeting several set-backs. Firstly, uhicke too long coming out. Secondly, wliifo diarrhoea, and I would bo pleased if you could help me. I may say that last year I purchased day-old chicks, and I reared most of them; none died through illnees. My first lot did not start cut till the beginning ol 22 days, and I got about 69 stood chicks from 94 fertiles, which I consider good. Why were they late coming out? My book instructions say begin to open ventilator beginning third weok and gradually open wide up to hatch. My second batch of 95 fertiles began to hatch early on the twenty-iirst day, nnd Boon came out on the twenty-second day. Of these 1 got out 51 chicks. Now, this second lot was. cooled from the third day to the eighteenth day from live to ten minutes in the morning, and from ten minutes, increasing gradually to about tvrenty-flvo minutes at evening. Ventilator as stated in book begin at third week and open. Do you think that I over-ventilato or overcool, or require moisture? The thermometer I tested and found correct.

Answer: The reason of your chicks being 'overdue is the result of low temperature. If you run the machine at 100 each bight, it will delay tho hatching while 104 to 105 will hasten it. White diarrhoea is probably iv germ disease. Ko satisfactory explanation is given as to its cause, it occasionally makes its appearance in certain hatches, and is difficult to account for. The'air coll uiust be your guide as to your methods of. cooling and ventilation. Too'often beginners are apt to blame tho incubator, when the breeding stock is at fault. Unless the parent stock are strong in ■ constitution, aro fed well and cared for on approved lineg, the hatching of ohickscan .never become a success.

An Excellent Work. The Government has begun a good work by conducting field daya. Messrs. Brown and Cussen, poultry experts, aro organising under the Department of Agrioulturo a series of field days at which they can meet farmers and address them on poultry culture. During tho week a successful fleld day was held at Kiccarton though tho weather int-orfered with the attendance. Another was held on a farm of Mr. E. J. Harris, Springston South, Canterbury. At this thera was a largo attendance. Mr. Harris keeps ,200 layers, and claims they pay better than cows, pigs or any other branch of small farming-. Xno farmers present were ieenly interested in the experts' lectures. Several questions were asked and answered, arid all were loud m. their praise that these gather, ings proved an education that was of immense good to the farming community

Starting Operations. . It may bo that some people are thinking, of keeping a few fowls, and are wondering how best to do it. Well, there aro two ways. One is.to buy some hew Ktln-y aro all laying now). With proper feeding tf e V IIL B° °V lliyine U " February or March, when they will moult and stop laying for two or three mouths. These months. ;will be April, Hay, and June and they aro the months when prices aro highest because of the fall in supplies caused by the fact; that practically all the hens in the State, are out of action at this time. It is just as natural for fowle to cast their feathers once a year and to bo unproductive for a certain time as it is for a fruit tree to drop its leaves aud produce nothing for a, time. It is the way fpwlß are built, and no one can alter it. If all the hens cease to lay durinit the period mentioned, from whence come the egga that are sold? It is a fair mtestioii, and this is the answer, They comxi from young pullets hatched in September and October, aud which dodge the moult jji their ilrst season. And they also como from pickle tubs and cold store where they: havo been stored. It is a fact, that pullets from a good strain will usually turn in to lay at six months old. ]f they are hatched in September or October they will he laying in April or May and most of them will eo on for 12 rnontlm before they have their first moult. These, are the birds that the householder must have if he wants eggs in April, May, and June, and he must hatch or buy a fresh lot every year. Well, supposing. that tho new man decides that ho wants eggs, hn should buy chicks which are hatched in September or October.

About Perchcsi Don't have them too high, pay, 2H. o« the ground for light birds. .That, will be about right. If the roosts arc" higher, and especially.dors-this remark apply to the,heavy, breeds, (he birds are-apt to injure their feet and legs in juuapiuir oft •in tho morning, aud then you havo fame fowls and wonder what is the trouble. Or the birds may contract corns on the ball.of the feet and toea, aud Again vou wonder why. It may ho that the light breeds.will show none of those symptoms, even if they roost ou a higli treo or fence well ofl the ground. They fly oft, and como down lightly on their feel. But, it is a different matter with the heavy breed" They come down heavily and hurt their feot and legs if they have to drop too far The ideal roost is.fixed no that thu birds Btep ofl it, so to epeak, to reach the ground.