POULTRY FOR EVERYBODY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10156, 4 February 1911, Page 6

POULTRY FOR EVERYBODY.

(By (jock-o'-tho-Xorth.) Poultry-farming in this Dominion has come to stay, there is not the slightest doubt about that, no matter what the pessimist may say or do to the contrary. The unfortunate part about this most fascinating occupation, however, is / that scores of people who have tried

everything else and failed, think they are sure to succeed with poultry. They have a sort of notion that poultry farming is child's play; but this they soon find is the greatest mistake they ever made. ' Thes9 people, however, only find this out after they have spent a lot of money in elaborate buildings, and in many

cases all the money invested, aiid often more in trying to save the first. •They first mistake made is that

they look upon poultry culture as so simple a matter. as to he within everyone's reach, instead of recognising that it is a science, and that only a man or woman of keen intelligence, who is also self-reliant, and resourceful, will succeed. The" great question, -however, over which far more ink has-been spilled by experts (?) would-be experts, and noodles, than prohibition, the Bible-in-schools, and the freehold tenure combined, is "Will purely utility

poultry farming pay?'' That is to say, will a person who invests say .2300 (exclusive of the land) in poultry houses', hatching accommodagood breeding stock, etc., be able to make enough out of these fowls by the sale of eggs for table only and the cockerels for table," also, of course, the hens when done with for laying purposes and the manure, to pay cost of food, depreciation, freight, repairs, and the time taken to atteftd these three hundred, birds, and.over this to get a fair return on the capital invested. . Now, some of these who advocate poultry and referred to above, would proclaim "Of course he will," and the opponents will just as emphatically proclaim, '.'Of course ha will not." The great puzzle is who is right out I of the two sides. To use a familiar j expression, it would puzzle a Dutchman. „. The bes.t thing about the j whole question is, as far as the Do- ! minion is concerned, that the parties rushing so eagerly into print on I this burning question have so far' been persons who up to the time of writing so positively on either side, have had absolutely no practical experience of their oy.ir to guide them,< or, to put it bluntly, knew nothing about it only by hearsay, which in all British Dominions is no evidence.' The most amusing "side of the question is, however, that both are right; that is to say, so faras the particular instances they quote are •concerned. The simplest way is td ignore both parties, and get down to hard facts, and ; then in the light of these facts. reasdn whether or : not the questions I can ;be solved. Before making any statements on either side I >vislV all my readers to'distinctly; understand that in this and-all other succeeding articles, when I state anything: can be done, it is. always with the/pro-:' yisoHithat the.' Tight,' -man must be in "the right place. ' / ■ . ' " Now, anyone who has any know-

ledge of utility poultry culture will readily grant,you that a. large flock of birds which have been bred from reasonably good laying strains and afterwards (when near maternity) culled out,' will easily maintain an average yearly egg production >, of 144 eggs each if properly fed aid cared for. This is a very'moderate average indeed, and is all I ask for, As an average ; price per dozen of eggs for the year I' will one : shilling, which is also a modest average price (net). This means that every bird 1 in such a nock will-yield 12s gross. If a large flock is raised and food purchased in-large ties on a good market, these birds should not costmore than 6s each' io feed for the year; and, indeed, nof.that; but I will allow that ■'sum..'

Now, comes the point where the roads diverge,"' ,an dreaders must be reminded that I am not giving 'figures;- We have • .the ■;, case of a man who divides and sub-divides an acre of ground into numerous runs by miles of wire netting, not to mention posts and the interminable number of gates and doors to be opened and shut each day in the work-of attendance for the sake of acconimodatng 300 birds. I am basing my statements on the fact that a supposed farm is started on land valued at SIOO per acre. What the number of birds are to the acre and the time necessary to ran these birds on common-sense lines

will be dealt with in succeeding ar-

ticles. In the meantime any reader of the Wairarapa Age who is already started in poultry, or is thinking <if starting, and who wishes to avoid having to wait till these articles appear, may get any information re care, feeding, etc., ' of poultry entirely tree of any • charge except

stamped addressed envelope if reply by post is wanted, by applying to "Coek-o'-the-North," Wairarapa Age Office. The enquiry, however, must be signed by the real name of the enquirer (not necessarily for publication), when a full and complete reply will be sent as soon as distance permits.

('l'o be continued)

RANDOM POINTS. All of last season's cockerels except those kept for stud purposes, or for sale for same purpose, should have been sold long ago. **** • * * * Remember that the pullets you have now are destined for next winter's layers. If thsy have been stunted, sell them out at once, as your winter egg yield will be nil. ****** A great secret of winter egg production is to keep the pullets growing from the shell to the nest, and then-shelter them, feed them, keep them clean and active ;• but on no account molly-coddle them. ****** A problem in mathematics: — Cause: Dirt, Draught, and Damp. Effect: Disease, Ipeath, Debt, and Disaster. * * *■>*•* * A" lesson to the fancier: Handsome is as handsome . does. The most beautiful bird of any breed (at least in my opinion) is the one that fills the egg trade for Wellington quickest, especially in winter. . * *., . .*'-. ..#,.■'* * The winter layers pay -best. A bird, roughly, costs, per week to feed (in small lots). If she lays 3 eggs per week with eggs at 2s per dozen she makes 300. per cent, profit over food., Kapai!