Poultry Notes.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 22 September 1913, Page 4

Poultry Notes.

LINING FOR FRESH BOXES. Many eggs arc broken every year through the habit most hens have of scratching away all Iho nesting material and laying on the bare boards. To check this, get the straw casing from a few wine bottles, and cut up one side so Unit it will open out Hat; tack this to the bottom oil the nest to form a mat bottom, and lay a little loose straw round .the edges to form it nest-shape, liens eaunot move this, and it can easily be renewed from time to time. PROVIDING OYSTER SHELL .; GMT.

Oyster shells, if placed in a hot oven, readily calcine, when they can easily be broken up between the fingers and thumbs to the required' size of grit. They will naturally be hot when taken out of the oven, so that a cloth or other protection for the hands will be necessary. VENTILATING THE FOWLHOUSES. Those who have not got an up-to-date fowl-house, with sliding shutters, may be able to get somewhat the same eil'eet by sawing the door of the hen house in half, or in throe pieces, and by adding extra hinges where required. By this means one can regulate the ventilation, and form a very good substitute for a shutter.

TO TELL A FRESH EGG. Fresh eggs should be used for sitting, as the chickens are stronger than those hatched from stale eggs. If the eggs are placed in a bowl of water, the fresh ones will sink to the bottom and lie flat while the stale ones will rise up on one end.

AT!E THEY FERTILE v Novices are often in doubt as ti. how iong after the birds have l-.een mated the eggs will prove foHilo. Much depends oil the vi;j'.iir vil: the male. Six to ten days, however, should guarantee the eggs to be fertile, and they can then be safely sold for sitting or set under the broodv.

KEEP A "RECORD. The greatest obstacle in the improvement of the poultry interests is the ignorance of present conditions and results. Even if only half-a-dozen fowls are kept, one should be in a position to tell how many eggs have been laid, and the cost of (he food, at the end of three, six or twelve months. This very time is the besi to commence the account hook, as the pullets an , then commencing to lay. If a poultry keeper cannot tell what lie has (lonp one year, how can improvement In , made the next ? Every e.'j-g laid, all birds sold, deaths, and expenditure, should In , noted : then, a fair balancesheet can he drawn up.

i'LKANLXO I XCUUToR 13TUNERS. Place the burners in an iron vessel tilled will) strung , soda-watei , and boil for lii'teen minutes; then brush well with a stitT brush, .so as to [i , move all furs on the burlier. Jsy doing this (he lamp burns a steady flame, also will not ismoke or smell, which is very injurious tor hatchings, also to chicks in rearers. If (his is done alter every hatch, and then fresh chicks are put. in the rearers will have verv satisfactory results.