A VISIT TO MASTERTON POULTRYMEN.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9678, 30 December 1909, Page 3

A VISIT TO MASTERTON POULTRYMEN.

MR R. O. JARRETT'S VIEWS. (Reprinted from the N.lfi. Poultry Journal t. An oid fancier, but converted to utility poultry culture, Mr Jarrett promises to do well in the business. He is one of those whose enthusiasm will overcome any obstacle. He haa hern residing in Mastertort only a few months, but during that short period his name and reputation as a breeder of high-class laying poaltry is wellknown throughout the Wairarapa. Incidentally Mr Jarrett is known and accepted as an authority and highly endorsed teacher and writer on physical culture by all physical cnlturists throughout the world, and on inspecting the various houses, scratel - ing sheds and pens, it was forcibly impressed upon us that he is bringing his knowledge of hygiene, fresh air, water and exercise to bear upon his poultry yards and birds. The houses are all built on the open front principle, dropping boards and perches twelve inches above, scratching shed i bulit on behind also open fronted. Dividing partition between sleeping and scratching pens running full length of buildings, each compartment of sleeping houses divided one from the other with boards to above ths level of the fowls' heads, and from that neight to ceiling by wire netting. The houses thus being free from draught and thus fully supplied with a continuous current of fresh air. We were much interested in a small brooder house and brooders. The brooder house ib an idea of Mrs Jarrett's. Suitable for rearing chickens to the seven or eight weeks' < stage,. 40ft x 9ft r lean-to roof, 7ft 6in high in front,, and 6ft high at back. One end being covered back and front. The roof and bacis: weather proof, extending full length of 40ft The other end being netting and 25ft of front open netting, the floor composed of fine gravel. Containing at present two brooders worked on hot air principle with pipes, lamp box being on outside of broode**. These are two very simplemade and very effective brooders. All oil fumes being on the. outside and quite clear from chickens. While full provision is made for ventilation, a glass top allows full view of the chickens in both the brooder and adjoining nursery. Mr Jarrett has'dispensed altogether with hoyers. It was a pretty sight looking down upon the young flock of White Leghorn chicks spread-cosily over the bottom of the brooder. From this brooder they are drafted into the No. 2 bruoder run at a lesser heat. Out and in which the chicks run at will, having full range of brooder house until removed at about six or seven weeks old to the open, fronted houses and run. Sickness and usual chick troubles are conspicuous by their absence, both Mr and Mrs Jarrett are firm believers in rearing healthy chicks only. Being throughly convinced that drooping chicks develop, if they survive, into unsatisfactory adult stock. They pin, their faith for out and out layers to White Leghorns, and for all round utility fowls the Silver Wyandottes. Some of tne latter have laid on through two moults with only occasional rests. . The foundation stock being Hawke, i Warren and Howell strains. This J year's chickens being by a. magnificent type Howell, well matured cockerel. Some of the forward progeny being of splaidid type, both in feather and for laying. The foundation stock of White Leghorns are from the Rector imported strain, and full sisters to the Lincoln 1908 competition pen. Mr Jarrett being quick to get on to something good, booked one of our first quintettes and be expresses himself as being more than satisfied with the result of his investment. He has again bred from the same birds this season, and expects to utilise some of them again next season. We noticed one pen of very evenly balanced Rector nullets, headed by a grand testing cockerel, and was informed that be is a Brookes' laving competition winning strain, full brother to winning cockerel at the Dannevirke show. Mr Jarrett favours eggs and these J are whit he aims at, but everything being equal he breed for the standard. J All laying senck for two seasons, ' 1908-1909, have been selected hy the Hogan new improved test and the trap nest records to date tully confirm his expectation from the test. He is using seventeen trap nests in three pens. All breeding stock for , next season will be from trap nested birds. I

We noticed a fine healthy brood of White Leghorn chicks running with a hen and distinguished by special colour leg bands, we were informed that they were from the hens and progeny of the famous Grattan competition winning pen, the world's record of