POULTRY NOTES

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10682, 9 July 1912, Page 7

POULTRY NOTES

(By Utilitarian.)

Within tho last 15 years, as one -result of technicaJ anstruction in rural pnibjeets, it is ®aid that the annual value of eggs and poultry produced in, the United Kingdom has increased by five (millions sterling, and still the British public have not nearly 'enough of theism .products to satisfy their requirements. Dairing tho last six years the average price has advanced about 25 per cent, for pggs, stated to ibe due to la 1 much, greater inciV-ascd demand. ■W© have .in this Dominion. a somewhat (Similar state of affairs, since GVXr Hyde, and later, Mr Brawn, taught people bo much valuable information in, agriculture. Our laying strains lwvo vastly improved during tho last ten years', accentuated' by the laying competitions ,-bufc unfortunately for the poultryman it can scarcely be said prices have, as at Home, risen 25 per cent. However, "everything comes to he who waits."

I Beginners who are contemplating wing incubators this season will require to exercise plenty of patience. Different .makes require different handling:, but one rule, at any rat'?, applies to a 111 of .them. Never place the eggs into the machine until you are quite ,surc the temperature is right and steadied, and it will sometimes ta'ke tnvo or .three days to regulate (this. It i« in the early stages of, hatching that ospeeial care should be taken, in every respect. The .makers of some machines claim that no .moisture (is required in their particular makes, ibufc here individual judgment is necossnry. Tho air cell, 'we claim, ' is the true index, unless! one goes tio j the expense of a hygrometer (moisture tester). When small,, the air cell shows that more moiscuie is required, | and it ishould always he rc-imem'bcired i that imoro 'moisture necessitates more ' ventilation.. We have heard it stated, on, reliable authority, that tho best reknits that were ever' obtained was in an incubator that 'was ( almost falling , to pieces, giving a very large percentage of fine ducklings. (HX; used plenty cf moisture, Ibufc the very fact of liiis (machine being m, such a dilapidated condition gave the requisite, amount of ventilation ,to carry off any excess moisture.

D.uck eggs should bo commenced with a 'temperature of 101 degrees the first weak, and very slowly allowed to irise to 101 (the last week. 'Testing should 'tabs place not later than, the fifth day of incubation., removing every doufbtfnl and inferiillo egg. The latter, if quite clear, can ■safely he used for cooking -purposes, lbut iheginner's must not Ita tempted to market these, for though they are perfectly good and wholesome, are not mow laid 1 , and are not suitable for boiling for the breakfast table. Wa need to always hear in mind that only (the highest cla&s of egg should reach the market, so that- wc onay create a justifiable and greater tlem.md. Some very modern political cconoimiiate do nob hold with the law of the survival of the fittest, as regards (humanity, contending that man's character is according to his environment over which lie lias little or 110 control, but in poultry 'keeping we may apply tit's flaw up to the hilt with advantage to .ourselves. There will, !in nearly eveyy hatch of chickens or ducklings, hj: found one or .more wc-nklv or defonnrd. 'Exterminate them like ratr;. Tln-y :v.v nf no use, but more probably if kojit, and possibly survive, would only 'result in a pecuniary Ices to the owner. Ths first consideration should always he quality, afterwards quantity. Again, too,, unless you pay strict attention to stamina, it is very questionable' 1 whether you ever will reach to owning a .large flock. The majority of readers 'of these notes may mover contemplate keeping more than a few score, ibut confine themselves : to selling settings. Virility rtells in this. OHise, just .the same, if •custom is •to fbe retained.