THE POULTRY INDUSTRY.

Franklin Times, Volume 9, Issue 744, 4 July 1922, Page 3

THE POULTRY INDUSTRY.

([]■/ F. C. Bi\) vn. Chief Poultry Instructor, in the Jjuinai of Agrimlture). Early Hatching. Ib stock of the heavier breeds, such as Orpingtons, Wyandottes, Rocks, etc, are in be devoLoped into prr.‘liable birds, hatching operations should be initiated early in the coming month. Indeed, under certain local conditions, and particularly on larger plants, it wil ( l pay to start hatching out White Leghorns and s,'miiiar types of bird right away. Especially is this the case when the hens have resumed laying after going through the moulting process, and their eggs are available for hatching purposes,

Necessarily, chickens hatched at this period of the yeai* particularly ■, in the case of the lighter breeds, j cannot be expected 'to produce many \ eggs during next winter. In all probability they will commence their season of production during the late summer, and will terminate ft a;t about the . end of April, or perhaps 'lately and will then moult,, like the adult fowls, during the dear-egg season. In this way they give a good return of eggs alt .a tpd when the great bulk of the adult birds are taking a rcgt prior to moulting. Thus a’ good autumn egg yield is maintained.

Another advantage in having some early hatched chXtekens is that these, whether they be males or females, usually develop better than those brought out later, and are ’therefore more desirable for breedings purposes.. Of course, when winder eggs are the great objective aimed at it will usually be found that the best time to hatch White Leghorns is during September.

I woul(d again emphasise that every care should be taken in selecting eggs for hatching purposes. No eggs should be used tha'ti are on the small side, Unfortunately, too many of our heavy laying strains in these days producing egg's which are certainly not of a desirable) marketing size;- ■ No doubt the weight clauses adopted in the egg-laying competitions will have' a desirable effect ?n this direcoin. The same may be said ip regard to the rule adopjted at the Papanui competition under which diminutive typqjs of their breed ere not allowed to compete. This is a golden rule, and the sooner it is adopted at. other competitions ithe better it will be for the industry generally. Rearing under the Hen Where the natural method of rearing is adopted every care should be taken to protect the hen, and her young ones, and to provide against accidents -The coop shoufd be both cat-proof and rat proof In addition, in view of possible wet weather, a boarded floor should be provided for the coopy so that -the chickens may be kept off the wet ground. Again when the chickens are hatched any board surrounding ithe nest should be removed, ,so that 4n the event of the chickens leaving the nest they can return to it with ease It is surprising the number of chickens that are lost annually through getting out of the nest and being unable to get back to it. Many chickens have also been drowned by jumping Unto deep water-vessels Minimise this vislo by placing pieces of brick br stones in such receptacles, or, better still, use a shallow tray

In setting' a hen the best plan is to make the nest on the ground, and if a box Is used the! bottom should be taken ou!t. of it. The nest should be slightly holiowed in the centre, or, in other word's,, saucer-shaped. The hen should be tested with a few china eggs until it is shown that she wiH isit steadily alnd can be entrusted with the eggs Untended for hatching. These should be placed in the nest in the evening. Much annoyance and trouble may be avoided if this precaution is taken.

The food for sitting hens should consist of whole grafti, ma ze being included when available. This with grit! and clean wafer ‘ls all that is required. Mashes, meaft, and green food are apt to slacken the bowels and cause the eggs to be soiled, to the detriment of the hatch. When the eggs commence to pip do ndt interfere with the hen—she can manage best by herself. It is on!ty courting trouble to take the chickens out of the nest as (they hatch; ffhey should be left to the cafe of the hen. Chickens do no|t require food for at least a day after hatching.

Do not neglect, to see (that the hen is free! ,from vermin. Many fowls leave their eggs just when they are on the point of hatching, because they are being pesitered beyond endurance by lice. Before the hen ;is set the coop! should be well disinfected to snake sure there is no red mite present* while the hen herself should be dus/ted ytfth insect powder before

being placed on .the eggs, this in order to free hdr of vermin chat live on the body. A dust-bath should be also provided so that she can clean herself in nature’s way. Be careful nod} to powder the hen with anything of an irritating naure just afjtre tjhe chickens are hatched, as this may get into the eyeis of the chicks and blind them. Continuous Housing from the Breeding Aspect

Of late I have come across many new poultry keepers who have adopted the continuous housing system with no provision whatever for outside runs. It is claimed that under this system the number of birds which can be kept on a gtfven area of ground can be tnormour.lv increased, while the work of attending to the sjttock can be greafly reduced. It is ajjsoi claimed that young stock can be reared in these covered quarters from generation to generation possessing equal vigour and size to those developed under natural conditions with good range. Toe pm,!ets may be placed in one of these commodious houses with ample 1 well is undeniable,, but it has yet to

! be demonstrated to the writer that the pullet reared under these extreme ’ artificials conditions can be brought I .to maturity possessing Ithe same vigI our and. capacity as those reared un- | der more natural surroundings. ! From a breeding point of view, I where constitution is of prune imj portance, it cannot be expected that birds coddled from infancy to matur-

I ity aid bred in this manner from gen- ; eration to generation could be lookled upon as desirable parent dtock. i At ' any rate, on the great majority of plants coming under my notice ' where stock have been bred and deI veloped over a period of yeans under little or nothing fq recommend themthe e’.osed'iin system, such birds hay?

as breeders when compared with the general run of flocks bred from pari ents on a good range where the pro|geny are. developed in practically a | state of nature.

The closed-ip house is at its best [•when used onliy for laying flocks. I True, the modern high-typed laying I Ren ’is an artificial product, but I sH$ is Id be bred to and mainland, at the highly profitable standard to which human wit and experience have brought her, the demands of nature must be observed very closely or something will suffer as a consequence. Thus it should be! the aim of poul'trymen to rear birds in as natural a manner as possible, without, of course, permitting them to be subjected to undue extremes of weather. jThe possession of constixtional vigour is one of the great ; fundamental requirements in breeding heavy-producing stock, and I cannot imagine any better way of promoting this than by giving the breeding stock and their mogeny,. especially during their developing stage, the most -natural) conditions possible.