POULTRY NOTES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 250, 19 September 1940, Page 5

POULTRY NOTES

(By “Brooder-”) “Amateur,” who makes an inquiry, should feed the, daj'-old chick grain the first week and week-old grain from then on. Only a small quantity of each should be purchased, as there is only a small number of chicks to be fed. If “Amateur” is rising a good masli for his birds, providing, of course, there is not-too much meat meal or tlie_ like in it, this can be fed to the chicks; otherwise, tlie.re is a chick mash on the market which is good to use until the- chicks are well on their feet. If wheat is fed to the mother hen this will not harm the chicks; she will break it up. Within three weeks the chicks will be eating it, too. However, it is advisable to keep on with the chick food for a while, as the mixture is usually a good grain suitable to growing birds; Very little grain will be. required for the first day or so. The ration should be increased as the need arises. Full directions with the chick mash are usually given. State-wide control of all eggs produced in New South Wales is being sought. For many years there has been part control, but it was found that the scheme did not function perfectly, with the result that extension 'of the powers to the whole of New South _ Wales is being sought. Many and varied are the arguments being put forth tor complete producer control, which no doubt authorities over hero are studying with interest. No less interesting will be the result which, according to reports, will be in favour of the full powers being given over the whole State. It is said that eggs in the winter in England may reach fivepencc to sixpence each. There are compulsory killing regulations operating and it is not expected that the supplies usually received from other than. Empire sources will continue to any great extent. Australia has therefore been asked to supply every available egg. With a surplus of wheat reported Australian producers should be helped considerably in doing what is expected of them. - ' ' tt" The question is often asked How many liens can ho mated with one breeding male? With the heavy breeds usually eight to ten birds arc given to one male bird; the proportion can he considerably increased in the case of the light breeds. Cases are known wherein 20 to 25 liens to one male have been mated, with good results. However, 15 hens to one is considered quite good. Poultry have been laying well on sawdust, fed to them as ail experiment bv Mr C. A. Arbuthnot, of Hayling Island, Hampshire. The hens produced

a satisfactory number of eggs on a 10 per cent, mixture of this vegetable fibre. At first Mr Arbuthnot found that the sawdust, which lie obtained for nothing, gave the birds a tremendous thirst, but they got over' this after about a fortnight. i CAGE BIRD AND CANARY NOTES. “Interested” will find it very difficult to train an old bird to talk. The better plan would be to secure a young bird straight from the nest, or at least not more than six weeks old. Even then it needs considerable patience to train a bird. However, it is being done and “Interested” should succeed—if he gets a young bird. The golden rule is to. choose a phrase- or not more than three words, and keep repeating it to the bird whenever the cage is passed. In time the bird will copy these, and then other words may be tried. Soon the bird should have a vocabulary that is highly ingTwin canaries are reported by an English fancier; five canaries were hatched from four eggs.