POULTRY NOTES

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10642, 24 May 1912, Page 7

POULTRY NOTES

(By Utilitarian.) It (has already bwcn stated in these been stated in these notes that poultry farming, as a. (business, is but yet an its infancy, land when we consider how ma.n.y points we are still ignorant of or partially so, 'and the extraordinary taae'thod that .prevails of marketing Iboth eggs and birds', it is not altogether an inalpt expression to speak of tlie indu&try to-day as toning in an economra teething stage. For illustration : We have yet much to learn of the unoulting question, to be aible to eoneki'sivedy prove whether the Idiot air incubator is or is not the superior of thW hot water machine, to overcome the difficulty of rearing a liairge flock 'of high el'ass layers (a few is easy), the absolutely last word in (the m'oat all round economical method of feeding and rearing, including the , Various relative valutls erf green food, •the exaot vialue of meat for increased j egg production, tihe housing problem, the irei'afive va'lue or oyster e-htU, and «ea-ishell ifoi* providing lime to trie Birds. .So with the marketing, there is not mu'ch satisfaction to be derived from the .present day methods. :W'e all recognise l that the system is cut of ; diate, .but with: our ingrained British conservatism,, few are hold enough to venture on new ilincs. Perfection' can never be expected, hint 'everyone can do his or her share towards betterment. iNew Zealanders pride theanselveist on their advanced legislative endeavours,, hut in poultry farming it

can hardly be said that -we can show [the rest 'of the world imiany valuable plaints, though I. certainly admit we are not Ibehind, and in some .minolmatters perhaps a little to the front. With further inference to raising a large number of high-class layers-, (some (may rc.rmvrk &.\ the recent egglaying competition where the average for the pullet si was just .on the 200 'elggs each, .but it must mot be forgotten that these :birds» were the ipick of several flecks, which: is an entirely different proposition to 'any one individual possessing Mich phenomena. Still ithe possibility is theite, iif we- will only istrive .for it, and 1 contend the ma.n or woman who at present is only keeping a few if or. a hobby Js in a better '-(position than he who is striving for a living therefrom. The latter, generally, has. to .breed firom some

birds he knows are Hat top-110tellers In orcte'r to get a ifuil complement 61 1 pullets for the cr.nti.ing seasoln. He .will not, of course', breed from anything—li& selects the b;<ii- first, then tit? next Ibest, and perhaps, even, .a third best. He miueit 'have numbers, tout the hobbyist can select the best oinly lotoery time. He is not depend- j ent on the numbers [produced, though it is his objective to increase the laying epiPttcky of Iks flock. An- enthusiastic lctfal poultryman lifts advocated to line the .advisability j of erecting single pans on his I a central situation, for the purpose d I enabling poultry keeper to enter pullets to ascertain. theilr individual performances. I heartily endorse the suggestion, and itm sure it would be an opportunity for many to improve Mfeir flocks. But lew have .the tune or inclination to trap nest or the mentis o,f erecting a number of single pfens. In this respect it would be a step iir ; advance d ill'? laying competitions, as eacf.t ibird's performance 'would be known to tfie owner on compk-fclon of the test. There is the possibility thWt s'utfh a ,scii?me would eventuate into a recogniwl North Is'hmd competition.

Should anyone ifeel desirous of assisting i:n promoting the foregoing or of ascertaining more particulars regarding details. Mis column is open

Ito enquir&i's. iltl would be as well to t-all a mee'ting .together, to appoint iii com.mit.tee, as early as possible.