POULTRY NOTES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 305, 20 September 1919, Page 12

POULTRY NOTES

(By "Ohaniiclocr.") About £400 worth of. plant ,and stock were lost through the burning of an in-eubator-houso adjoining tho residence of Mr. M'lvor, at the Upper Hutt, recently. Thirteen machines, containing MO eggß duo for incubation, were destroyed, but the smart work of the fire brigade saved a, br'ceding-housa which contained 7000 eliickens. It is undvstood that (he inourances were only about i9O. CliickomHaislng. At a recent meeting of tho New Zealand Utility Poultry Club .addresses were given by suvci'ui of the memuers on "Chickenliaising." Tho following suggestions will bo valued at this time of year:— Mr. W. E. >Gree.i said that he had been successful with his method of fceaing and raislnj; chickens, He had done well in egg-laying competitions with chickens brought up under the tireless brooder system us well as the heated brooder system. Ho demonstrated with a model the type of hoatod brooder ho had 'nstallcd on his vlant, in which the chickens were kept for about three weeks prior, to removal to the tireless brooder, lto had found common chaff most suitable for Lite brooder, tho chicks being fed in the '.ttor, in which they had to scratch for' their feed. Ho fed oatmeal at first, gradually uccustonw iug them to comjwrcial chick food thrown in common cha-T. For the first, thirtysix hours he gave no food whatever. He did not give them mash during the first fortnight, but he believed 'a giving them a variety of foois after that ago. They relished chick-weed after they were two days old, and it was essential that they should be given ample green stuff,., n hen chicks began to loso their log colour it indicated that they were not being treated rightly. One of the worst evils was overfeeding: he liked the chicks to indicate that they we hungry when he fed them. Ho believed in culling heavily, as a weakly chick was always an eye-sore. When Uie pullets were about ten -wcoks old they were removal to houses with aoOd grass runs. They were 'hen fed with dry mash from a hopper, and given grainchiefly oats-in tho evening. Tho cockerels intended for stud purposes were also given a good range and fed on the dry mash system. Replying to questions, Mr. Green said ho did not let the chicks ou the enrth until the fourth day... They were fed in Hie brooder in tho- chaff, and when a case of cannibalism broke' out he killed the chicken -which had been attacked. H« found that egg-shelb., crumbled up, made good grit to feed at first, to be followed by stone-grit, charcoal, aud burnt boned. Mr. J. Liggins 'tated that good chickens could not be reared unless tho breeders were good, and in proper condition. • lie fed his breeders on hard food, -which was thrown in deep litter. Experience had taught him-that he could rot rear chickens from breeders fed on mash. Tho urst Oggs laid .by the breeders produced the best chickens. .Ho liked to have all the chickens hatched between September and the end of October. On a largo plant it was essential to have a simple and efficient method of management, and if common 6ense were used with chicken-raising the chicks would thrive. His system was to use broodors with a little heat for tho first week. The brooders were in a shed with a northern aspect. . nd the chicks got the benefit of tho un when it was out. After the third night ho examined the chicks, nnd when he found them lying comfortably spread out he '..Ufiiod the lamp out. When a week old they were put into coops (which were placed on sand) in lots of th rty. Each coop had a comfortably airy box in jvhich. was ample ■draw chaff,, Tho chicks bedded themselves in tho chaff, and they thrived. Many chickens were poißo'oed for want 01 .purfi air, but under his ■;ystem they had good vontilation. Ho believed in bringing up chicks as hard as- nails. After the I first week they had access to the coop runs (wire-netted on lop) and in all weatburs, hjit the coops were boarded all round to shelter them from draughts and wmdß. "A 2 x 1 perch was in each sleeping-box, and as soon as a chicken took to tho i.erch he considered it aB good as reared. He culled out the cockerels an won as he recognised them, thus giving more rooin to the iullets. iVhen about ten wcoks old Hit 1 ' pullets were removed to fresh soil. About 100 were placed m each run wher» thero was very lonj; gvass, which he greatly valued for shelter, as veil as providing an abundance of insects and green food. ■When about six months -Id the pulleU were'removed to their permanent houses, which had had :t tli'irough < leansing Ho made it a- practice to spray all the brooders and chicken c00,i3 when the reason was ovei. leaving them slean for the followin" year. Tne brood-sis were cleaned and sprayed each time they were used during the season, though each lot of chick's was only in it Jor a week. With regard to tho reeding (f chickens, Mr. Tiigtrins sai'd he fed three times a day, and having tho forty coops conveniently arranged in rows it was ('one in a very short while; He did not • elicve in stinting chickß of food. He *ed fine commercial chick feed for the first week, also fine . lawn clippings. After i»n days he gave a fairly dry mash consisting' of good pollard and fine kibbled maize, adding a-little sulphur and When .available be mixed milk with the mash. , Ho. ivas a great .believer, in jiilk for chiclcem He liked varying- the foods, at times giving hulled'oats and broken wheat in the maßh. He used kibbled maize fairly freely, and found the chicks did well. Oats he considered the finest of all foods for growing pullets. He gavo the chickens a little meat after they were four days old. In concluding, Mr. Liggins atressed the importance of gocd breeders and the feeding of them, cloanlitioss with brooders, etc., the supplying of Jreflh water, fine oystershell grit and charcoal in soft food, the avoidance of ovcr-crowdinor, the encouraging of the pullets to perch early and the importance of providing good warm houses for pullets. Reol'ying to questions ho said ho Tarely found a pullet with a .bent keel . He liked the pullets -to come to profit when about old, as they would then stand tome forcing for egg-production-