The Poultry Yard

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1028, 19 July 1930, Page 30

The Poultry Yard

(By

GEO. H. AMBLER.)

THE PRACTICAL POULTRYKEEPER

THE successful practical poultryman must be a thorough business man. As a business man he treats his poultry, whether they number 10 or 10,000, in the light of a commercial enterprise which demands the application of business methods quite as much as any other undertaking.

Before embt.rking on anything approaching an extensive scale, he acquires as much theoretical knowledge as the magnitude of his undertaking requires. He starts in the smallest possible way, and does not attempt to extend operations until he has thoroughly established his project on a sound profitable basis. When he does extend operations he proceeds cautiously, enlarging only those departments which have proved the most profitable, and. simultaneously eliminating or remodelling those which havo proved otherwise, always keeping within the bounds of his capital, and, if possible, reserving a margin for a rainy day.

The successful poultryman is usually a specialist, concentrating the bulk of his brains, capital and labour on the several departments of the industry which are best adapted to his particular circumstances. On the other hand, he does not put all his eggs into one basket. The practical man has always subsidiary departments, which greatly augment his profits, but they are never allowed to detract from or defeat his main ob jects, but rather to assist them. The practical man is not antiquated or prejudiced in his ideas. At the same time he is not blown about by every wind of doctrine unless he has substantial reason to believe that it will be to his financial benefit.

When he does take up a new depar ture, he experiments on a small scale If the trial is a failure, the loss is >n considerable. If a success, a valuable object lesson is learnt, which is quickly followed by a remunerative project. QUALITY BEFORE QUANTITY The principal consideration of the practical poultry keeper is to obtain a maximum of revenue with the minimum of expenditure. Quality is generally of far greater importance than quantity. On the other hand. the strictly commercial poultry breeder will not voluntarily increase his working expenses without this action pro mises to increase his receipts in a corresponding manner. The practical man is a theorist, but he is ever aware that mere fireside legislation is absolutely useless without it is supported by practical application in the shape of regular ener getic physical labour. He regards his physical endeavours (like bis capital) as an investment, from which he expects a reasonable interest. He knows that good management applied to either land or live stock is a giltedged security which never fails to yield a manifold return. He-, however puts .his brains Into his work, and th's enables him to accomplish his duties without waste of energy. Every poultry keeper wishes to obtain the best results. Practice' theoretical and commercial know ledge alike show that the best results are usually only obtainable under the most favourable conditions. Now, favourable conditions are not inherited by or thrown in the way of recipients, but are, in most cases, the direct outcome of their own forethought, shrewdness and perseverance. The business man resolves accordingly that every condition favourable to the

success of his undertaking shall be on his side.

SELECTING A SITE The poultry prospector’s first practical step is to select a site for his future operations. Having taken into consideration the extent of his capital and the size of his undertaking, he selects an allotment, a small holding or a farm, as the case may be, large enough for his purpose, and preferably with a little margin to allow of expansion. It is essential that the land and buildings be in good condition, and that they be situated within easy reach of a good market and a railway station. It is one of the principal aims of the utilitarian breeder to produce in abundance the out-of-season egg. This is only obtained by adequate natural or artificial shelter. The practical man therefore selects a site that is dry, sunny and sheltered. The second stage is laying out the land. Chicken runs and breeding pens should be situated in the most convenient spots, as their occupants need the most frequent attention. The wire runs should be arranged In a solid' block with a roadway running the whole length. This system economises fencing materials, and at the same time facilitates the accessibility of every pen. EQUIPMENT The next stage is the fitting up. The houses should be both cheap and efficient. If they are efficient, they are not dear at any price. To be efficient they must provide ample shelter during winter and summer, day and night, and have some system of ventilation which can be adjusted to suit every possible climatic condition. As regards other appliances, such as incubators, breeders, coops, portable buildings, cooking apparatus, etc., the best are the cheapest In the long run. To achieve the highest results it is essentia! that the birds are specially bred for the purpose for which they are kept. If egg production be the chief desideratum, the practical man keeps nothing but the finest strains of pedigree layers. He knows that a good laying strain will easily produce 50 per cent, moia; eggs than a poor one at no greater expense. Any level-headed business man can see at a glance that 50 per cent, means so much more profit, yet it is a deplorable fact that there are a very large number of poor producers kept on a good many plants. FEEDING With regard to feeding, the diet must be as economical as possible The most economical foods are those that produce the most growth, flesh or eggs at the least cost. Properly balanced foods put up by reputable firms form a diet immeasurably superior to anything on the market, and little if any dearer than the too prevalent custom of feeding wheat and bran, and pollard every day for 3G5 days or 3C6 days in leap years. It Is of the utmost Importance that the poultry-keeper make the moft of his productions by selling in the best markets. If he keeps well-bred birds he will find there is a ready demand for his surplus stock and eggs at prices considerably higher than their

GENERAL NOTES

culinary value. Undoubtedly the best method of reaching customers is by constant advertising. An elaborate system of book-keeping is unnecessary, but it should be sufficient to show the profit or loss iu every department.

Finally, the practical business man is never above learning. He learns from his own experience, he learns from the experience of others and keeps in touch with the latest methods by regularly reading the most practicable and up-to-date poultry literature that he can obtain.

Increased entries made the Ilawera Poultry Show more attractive than ever. The allocation of two North Island Association championships drew entries from all parts of the North Island. The championship for fancy Orpingtons went to a cockerel exhibited by Mr. 'G. R. Butler, Wanganui. The other championship for utility Or ping tons was awarded to Mr. J. Patterson's (Wanganui) Black Orpington cock White Leghorns, Minoreas, Orpingtons and Rhode Island Reds were strong classes. White Wyandottes made up In quality for paucity in numbers. Old English Game classes were poor. The following were the winners of the principal trophies: Cup for best Mlnorcas, J. K. Hawkins; cup for best bird in Leghorn section, W. H. Barker; cup for best bird in show, J Pattefison; cup for best young bird, S. C. Stokes; cup for best Black Rosecomb bantam, J. 11. Wilson; cup for opposite sex to winner of Rosecomb Cup, C. W. McFarllane; cup for duck or drake in show, Don. Stewart. Mr J. Nixon, Auckland, made the awards Record entries faced the judges at the Auckland Poultry, Pigeon and Canary Club’s Show held this week if conjunction with the Winter Show Owing to the fact of the show’s com mencing on the Monday, many distant exhibitors were debarred from making entries. If future shows were to commence on the second day of the week and the A. and P. Association to offer a more liberal special list, there is no doubt the Auckland Show would be second to Christchurch in the way of entries. When breeds or varieties are not allocated special prizes there is little inducement for exhibitors to enter their birds. During the week I had a long and interesting letter from Mr. R. W Brown (Dunedin), secretary of Lhe New Zealand Game Club. He informs me that record entries have been received for the Game Club’s annual show, which will be held in conjunction with the Oamaru Poultry Club’3 annual show. Commenting on his own stock, Mr. Brown gives some interesting details which show a striking efficacy of lmebreeding. He tells me his own stock are all direct descendants of a trio of fighting Game imported from England by his late father in 1863. “What’s bred in the bone . . .” can be applied to Mr. Brown, as both his father’s and his mother’s family were well known in pit circles in England, consequently he could hardly be other than a lover of the Old English Game. Green feed is not an accessory of the laying ration, but a truly essential and important element in it. It is not possible to get best health without it, though it is possible to omit it for many months without discovering that the fowls are being handicapped by so doing. Succulent green

feed supplies vltamines, mineral matter in a highly digestible form, and other digestible nutriments, and It also provides the bulk that is essential to fowl nutrition. You may get along without green food, but you cannot get along so well.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS Perplexed says: "I supplied a friend with a dozen from my birds; all v.er<* laid within seven days. Two days later my friend Informed me that one wa® finite black when boiled and opened. Can yon throw any liftht on this?” The egg in question was what we call a sanguineous egg, and the dark colouration was due to a little blood spot, caused b> the slight, haemorrhage from a blood vessel in the oviduct. These are merely accidental cases and cannot be foreseen and it is not true to call an egg of this description a bad egg, as It is not an old egg, nor is it partly incubated, althougl it looks very much like it. If you useo a trap-nest it would be quite easy to fin the bird which produced this egg and put her on stiitable treatment, but it often happens that there is only one egg like this produced, or sometimes there are two or three, then* the trouble rights itself. If you like to give 20 drops of tincture of perchloride of iron to each pint of drinking water, it might do good, but. only for a few days is this necessary.

J.M.N. wishes to know if he could run one hen with a Leghorn cock, or would more than one be necessary. Would the addition of ,a few Black Leghorn pullets affect the progeny? It is advisable to have more than one hen in the pen, though you certainly can breed from one hen if you desire to do 00. As to adding Black Leghorns to the pen I do not advise it, because you might easily be mistaken as Ur which eggs,.were laid by the Blacks and which were produced by the White. If, however, you trap-nest, then you will be sure of the White Leghorn’s pen, and there can be no objection to adding the Blacks to the pen. Birds that laid brown eggs would also solve the difficulty.