POULTRY NOTES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 281, 23 August 1919, Page 12

POULTRY NOTES

j (By "Chanticleer.")

I Notes (or Novicos. ' You don't uso bran nnd pollard: haven't time to bother with u mnalil Weil, that's a pits', as the history of nil the egftluyini; competition!), which havo been lie.;' for many years, proves that, there is iiotUins better ns an ege producer than -i mash of bran and pollard, mixed with the juice from boiled bonea or meat. If you are out for plenty of egg<, you can't get there Quicker or better than by making strength and constitution tuo foundation of your breeding operations. You will iiud that tho toUKli-lookiug. raw-boned birdi, which are a, bit on the leg, are tho beßt performers. These birds are always on the move—always sciatohing, always hupgry, first out in the morning, nnd last to roost at night. 'i'hoy are good doera. If you closcly study birds of this sort, you will Hud that they liavo loan, hollow faces ijfitli plenty of rea allowing. Go for this red—it io the outward and visible sijfu of great strength. When you havo a bird whose faco is covered with hairs, you may be sure that it lacks constitution and stamina. This iB tho time to watch the birds, you, will find some that keep a br'ghvred comb and face, oven though they have but few feijthcrß on. These arc the birds to sot asido as future breeders, for thoy tell you plainly that they iobsosß ■>r>r.id constitutions. You will also note that, moet of the bir(l3 when they begin to moult, will turn pale in tho face and their combs will shrivel up and look white and measly. Tlicbu birds also tell you, us plainly as they know how, that thoy have no constitution to ipe-ak oI and tire no good for producing strong progeny. Don't try to euro siclt chickens. CVckons are easy to get, and ouo or two more or loss won't count either way. Devote all your time to the stroug, well birds that are worth it. Our Returned Man, A returned man writes to aik for the prospects tietd out in poultry-keeping. The following may help him:— 1. There is au unprecedented demand for. eggs and poultry. Tnero is a distinct silortago of production, and returned men mould bo given the preference. 2. New Zealand has a suitablo climate, grows its own grain, and lias amnio [and lor poultry farming. ■3. l'uuitry farming iB an ideal life for returned men—come aro suffering l'rom nerve trouble, shell shock, defective sight or hearing. They want to be free from tho society, of tho oities. Open air, sunshine, congenial envircnmeut are what they want. They oesiro an honost living and a home the;' can call their own. 4. Hummed men can be selected i.ossessing keen business ability, youth, vigour, and ambition, They made a. .•'Ucccbb of fighting—and' can make a success of poultry farming. Most failure! iu iioultry fanning are ne'er-do-wells from other callings in life. With scanty capital and lack of experience it would have been a miracle il' thoso persouß had succeeded in poultry-keeping. 5. Iteturned men are subisct to control. On a poultry settlement they would work to the plan of experts, and supervision of expenditure would bo exercised. Each man would bo encouraged to build under instructions. 'I'hiß is not the case with men who are marked failures, who build extravagant houses, who purchase poor stock, and who aro not controlled by expeot advice. 6. Roturnod men want homes, and congenial work in which thoir wives can assist. A settlement near a tram service, nchool, water BUppiy, electric light, and fitted with a. comfortable homo, will induce a woman to assist lier husband in a project such as poultry-keeping. 7. Tho returned men aro not seeking charity. They are willing to repay advances and the Government to hold Becurlties. In the face of these reasons, who could refuse these men a, trial? Wlio would deprive them of an opportunity-to mako good by the investment of a few thousand pounds which they will'repay with interest? Eggs for Hatohing. Eggs may bo safely sot eight dayi after t'le birds have been mate<i, and a good percentage of fertility should bo if the parents aro healmy and virile. All eggs which are kept for hatching cliould be of uniform size. If large, then all large eggs should be put Into the sumo machine, and if medium size they should alt t)b ol this slzo. The reason is that tile eggs should evaporate uniformly during the process of hatching, if really good results aro looked for. A Email ogg has a, mucli larger evaporating surface in proportion to its l!i:id con tout a than a largo egg, and therefore if you have the conditions right for largo eggs the smaller eSKB will dry out too quickly, whilo if they are right for tho smaller eggs the larger ones will not dry. out sufficiently. All badly deformed eggs Bliould be rejected Indeed, deformed eggs of any kind should not be hatched, not because they will not hatch, but because tho birds laying theso eggs tire more or lesß deformed in :>nc or other of the reproductlup organs, and by hatching such eggs you arc simply producing stock which will ■.lij-.to the tendency to lay the same kind of eggs, and will thus militate against your receiving top price for them in the Fain room.