THE POULTRY INDUSTRY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4445, 26 July 1922, Page 1

THE POULTRY INDUSTRY.

ENGLISH JUDGE’S COMMENT. N.Z. BREEDERS ON WRONG TRACK. “Whilst travelling about New Zealand I have been surprised to note the great amount of interest taken in the poultry industry, and also the wonderful organisation Which exists,” said Mr. C. A. House, editor of the British Poultry World, and a wellknown English bird fancier, whp is visiting the Dominion, when interviewed by a “Standard” reporter recently. “The organisation of the industry is quite the best I have yet come across in any country,” he continued. “More is being done here than in any egg-producing country of the world, so far as I know, especially in the matter of protecting producers’ interests. The New Zealand organisation is superior to that of Australia.

“What do you think of the New Zealand White Leghorns ?” Mr. House was asked. He replied that, judging bj r what he had seen, they were wonderin’ layers, but breeders seemed to be working on entirely the wrong lines. “Breeders in this country, v he added, “seem to pay no attention to anything but egg production. The subject obsesses their minds, and unless they are careful this same egg production will become a rock on which the industry will founder, and much injury will follow. Many breeders have talked to me about fineness of bone. I could almost say that ‘fineness of bone’ is a bee in their bonnets. Indeed, so imbued are most, breeders with the idea that fineness of hone is the great attribute of an egg-laying fowl-, that they have quite overlooked the fact that it is also a sign of weakness, and that it is possible to breed so fine in bone that the birdi's whole constitution is weakened. By excessive attention to fineness of bone in the legs the whole of. the bird’s body may be so weakened that its existence may be threatened. Hundreds of birds in New Zealand are deficient in body bone, and one bird which I have handled on a farm, where a high standard of egg production has been and is maintained, was so far gone in the bone that it had no breast-bone or ribs at all I

This should be the danger signal. New Zealand breeders should pause and think before the ship of industry is wrecked on the rock of fineness of bone and the whole of. their hopes and aspirations are submerged in the sea of failure.” BABY CHICK PROBLEMS. We believe that most of the complaints in the poultry business are due to putting off buying of stock or chicks until the last minute, and then ordering without inquiry. The sellers in the market will give what the buyers demand. If a clean bill of health Is required it will be given. In fact, it is to the interest of commercial hatcheries to supply quality of chicks that will advertice them- to the best advantage. The customer also has a responsibility. He should not order more baby chicks than he has brooder accommodation for. He should follow the directions for care, feeding, and floor space. If he expects to give the chicks to hens he should have the hen ready, and watch when 'he gives her the chicks to make sure that, she will care for them. Some hens sit heavjiy.; these are the hens that smother tlieir chicks. Others brpol ■their babies carefully. One remedy for heavy sitters is to keep a nest-egg in the box, a porcelain or gourd egg because they are light. More baby chicks are killed by over-feeding than by heat or cpld. Watch the feeding carefully. They should also be watched for li.ee. If old brooders are used treat for mites.

The baby chick business is no longer on trial; it has come to stay. Men who make a speciality of hatching chicks and put their time and money into ihe Work must 'have more skill in hatching them than the amateur. The advantage of buying-baby chicks is that the chicks are all of the same age and practically the same size. The work of growing next year's breeders can be done to the best advantage, (or the food and housing requirements are the same for all. tlie flock and there is no dwarfing and stunting of t'he younger chicks by earlier hatches.