POULTRY NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 22145, 27 September 1935, Page 2

POULTRY NOTES

By “UTILITY-FANCY”

; REPLACEMENT OF STOCK. Mr C. J. Cussem, the chief Government poultry instructor, discussing the artificial breeding of chickens, remarks that in order to get the maximum return from his plant practically every poultrymaii is compelled to renew from one-third to one-half of his flock each year. This replacing of stock, he says, is probably the most difficult task on large plants. More failures in the poultry business may be, attributed to to the inability of the poultry keeper to renew successfully, his stock than to any other cause. It is advisable, says Mr Cussen, for anyone going in for ■poultry keeping as a-means of providing a livelihood to start in a small way, or, better still, first get some practical experience in the handling of brooder chickens on a successful poultry keeper’s plant. Unless a poultry keeper ia able to rear successfully a sufficient number of pullets each year to renew hi* flock he will find it impossible to make a success of poultry farming. Every poultry keeper or would-be poultry keeper should note Mr Cussen’s definite statement —-viz: “Unless a poultry keeper is able to real' successfully a sufficient _number of pullets each year to renew his stock, he will find it 1 impossible ’ to make a success of poultry farming.” VICTORIAN MARKETING BILL. This Bill has passed tjie Legislative Council, and we learn that the voting qualification for egg producers is 150 fowls. One member pointed out that there were 3,496,965 fowls in Victoria and 3,394,444 were owned in flocks of less than 100. There were 4,778,678 fowls, or 87 per cent., held in flocks of less than 500; so that an amendment ta the effect that no producer ■ should be entitled to vote unless he had at least 500 fowls wouM mean that only 12 per cent, of the industry would have votes. After a good deal of discussion the voting qualification of 150 hens was decided on. A SUCCESSFUL START. To commence in a small way and gradually increase, or to dearn whilst you earn, is sound, advice. H.OME NEWS. A Belfast. weekly. says; ‘‘lt is confidently predicted that the day is not far distant when, with the development of the poultry industry on progressive lines, Great Britain will-be more selfsupporting as regards new-laids or Home-produced eggs.” Great Britain, it is pointed out, is the home of the best utility breeds in the world, of which full advantage should be taken by all classes, town or suburban poultry keepers included. British eggs now toko a higher place than hitherto, but quality with improved feeding must always be the primary consideration. Pallets should be _ spring-hatched, so that autumn and winter eggs selling at remunerative prices may be relied upon. First grade eggs , command highest prices, and these are associated with well-grown, good-bodied birds. The good advice given in England should bo noted here. Don’t look for good production from half-crown birds or cheap wheat. . , • Whether the stock is fowls, ducks, geese, or turkeys, it should be the best procurable. It should be well grown and healthy. Stunted poultry may be * of poor quality, or it may be the result of poor feeding and general neglect. For successful results poultry, as regards fowls and ducks,, should be good layers; if for market production they should be bred from reliable laying strains. MIXING WET MASH FOR CHICKS. ’ The whole secret of feeding wet mash to young chickens lies in its proper mixing and only feeding what the chicks will clean up. Mixing with the hands is the only way in which wet mash for chicks can be brought to the proper consistency of a moist, crumbly state. This is obtained by rubbing dry pollard into the moistened bran, etc. DO NOT CROWD THE BROODY. *Do not crowd too many eggs under a broody hen. Only a very large fowl can cover successfully 15 eggs, though a bantam will try her best to do so. It is far better to set only a small number of eggs and be assured of a good hatch. HrTHE NUTRITIOUS EGGS. ; Aii egg is estimated to contain nutrients, equal to 12 oysters. One could live on eggs for a fairly long period, and they are certainly very satisfying. For a change, however, 12 oysters, are appreciated..

Contributions and questions fop answering should be addressed to “ Utility-Fancy,” Poultry Editor, ‘ Star ’ Office, and received not later than Tuesday of each week. " UtilityFancy ” will only answer communications through this column. (Advertisements for .this column must be handed in to the office before 2 p.m. on Thursday.)

POULTRY IN CONFINEMENT. Whether in town or country, backyard, or farm, poultry in confinement must be fed on foods of the requisite composition, in proper quantity, supplemented by green food and animal food. Yarded poultry need more elaborate feeding than is the case when they are on good-class country, when they can obtain a lot of varied food. Confined birds, fed merely on grain, cannot be expected to prosper, as grain alone is a- deficiency food. Grain, supplemented by seeds, green food, insect life, etc., found on free range is a totally different matter. This point is frequently overlooked. CHICKENS. Mr W. F. Laurie, Government poultry expert (Australia) says: “ Chickens do best on dry- mash for, say, three weeks, then twice a day feeds of wet mash. Give also cracked wheat, and later whole wheat, preferably to barley. Give them all the tender green food they will eat. You need no spices or patents, merely good food as described. Feed in troughs and hoppers, and move the chicks to fresh ground frequently.” GLAUBER SALTS. Answering a correspondent, “Poultry” (Australia) says: “The usual dose of Glauber salts we recommend is loz per gallon of drinking water. This, has a special action on the liver, and, is very helpful when fowls have been affected by gsiving insufficient meat meal. In such a case give three or four times a week for two, three, or four weeks. In ordinary cases of prevention of constipation or chicken pox Epsom salts in the above doze is to be preferred.” DUCK EGGS. It is computed that 204 eggs of that wonderful layer, the Indian Runner, equal in weight 272 hens eggs. All their eggs are almost invariably 2ioz and 3oz in weight. There are laying strains, however, and anyone purchasing eggs for hatching or young ducklings should be particular as to reputation of the breeder for possessing pedigree birds bred for fecundity. It will have been noticed in the records published of last year’s Papanui egg laying competition that some of the competing Indian Runner birds did not uphold the reputation of the breed as heavy layers. It will have been noticed, also, that the high score put up by some trios would have been better if one of the birds had not let the owner down. This fact should not deter a would-be purchaser from doing business with the competitor, whose reputation still holds good. In the very best strains it is inevitable that for some unavoidable reason some birds will

be indifferent producers, and it is doubtful whether the most export selectors will ever be invariably 100 per cent, correct in choosing the best of bis flock to send to a competition. FEEDING ECONOMY. The word economy in connection with feeding must be recognised in the right sense, and it should not be taken to suggest any actual saving or stinting of food, either in quantity or quality, for such a policy would result in decreased egg yield. < Economy an this connection really means, avoidance of waste; but there are also apportunities of saving money by purchasing foods in the right way. The small poultryikeeper who buys foodstuffs in small parcels from a local shopkeeper must inevitably pay a substantially higher rate than if he bought in hundredweights, while the large poultry farmer who buys food by the ton effects a further saving. , K BLOOD SPOTS NOT* CAUSED BY FEEDING. In an interesting analysis of Egg Faults in the journal of the Ministry of Agriculture, Mr E. T. Hainan and Major H. D. Day point out that egg faults tend to increase when eggs are held up during periods of price rise, and that there is no significant difference between the percentage of egg faults in laying trial birds and in farm stock. Climatic conditions and time of lay play some part in faulty eggs? as for example large air spaces increase in the summer, but there is not sufficient evidence to show that prolonged periods of laying tend to increase faults. A particular type of fault, such as blood spots, large air spaces, ' weak shells, appears to be definitely linked with an individual bird rather than with external conditions, feeding, and management being only a secondary CcIUSC. The quickest way, therefore, to eliminate egg faults is to cull the individual bird that produces them and not breed from it. MUSCOVY DUCKS.

The Muscovy or Musk duck is also known as the Barbary or Brazilian goose. There are four varieties of the breed, pied (black and white), black, blue-dun, and white. The Muscovy is not kept to any extent for utility purposes, but it can bo dressed well for the table, and when young the flesh is very palatable. A decided adour of musk pervades the skin, but does not penetrate the flesh when cooked. The females are fair layers of white eggs, and S o 9,| foragers. The drake, if well fed, will s ' C al o 71b and upwards at three months old. Drakes average 121 b and ducks 6lb. I