POULTRY NOTES

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10678, 26 July 1912, Page 6

POULTRY NOTES

lay utilitarian.) F Firoless Brooders: —We are fully convinced llisit the method of rearing chickens, without hens, l),v monii.s of fire!ess brooders, has come to stay; in fact, wo. arc almost inclined to think that oven chickens which have boon hatched under hens, would do bettor, at any rate, as well, roared ' under such circumstances. During the. first week, the greatest care must be taken, after which the chickens .will, if they have been properly cared for, lirnl their way in and out of the brooder without any trouble, in the brooder, which should have heen warmed previously with a pot of hot water, or even a hot brick, a circular nest, composed of fine meshed wire-netting, with flannel lining, can be placed so as to keep the chickens always under the hover. When it is desired to fees' inside the enclosure, and leave it there for not more than ten minutes, at each feeding, the first two days, a nd replace the hover. The third day, remove the nest as well as hover during their feeding, and let the chickens have, a scratch round in the brooderbox, and replace them in their nest and cover up. After ahout five days, • remove the circular nest altogether, and substitute with a suspended hover only. This will encourage them to come out as they wish, but this is the time to be most carefully on guard, otherwise, they might not find their wav back under the hover.

Strict attention just at tin's period i is most essential. W tliey are neglected and allowed to huddle up >n I a corner outside the hover it will , take some time to got them used to the hover afterwards. A little extra \ trouble taken in the early stages is a i most profitable investment, and vice j vers;i, neglect will only result in moro i or less serious losses, sooner or later. | The hover, when in position, should : just touch the chickens' 'hacks, and ' i may he made with two pieces of flannel, with a handful of feathers sown in between, and if preferred an extra lining can also be used. A light hoard is as well placed on the top of the hover to prevent the chickens jumping up on the top and soiling it. Plenty of dry sand makes a capital Mooring, scattered over the floor of "tilr* brooder box, as it acts 1 as a splendid absorbent, besides providing grit. Fine'oyster shell grit is also a necessity. Anv weaklings that are still surviving ,-tfter the fourth d;'v need destroying, no matter what the cause is, constitutional or mal-formed, such as sprnddled-legged. twisted beak. etc. It is to be much regretted that the Carterton Poultry Show should have had to contend with such abominable weather at their Into show, causing sr.'iue of the exhibits to lie prevented from making an appearance, and, doubtless, caused a serious diminution in the attendance. We wish them hotter luck for the future, as the Committee and Secretary (Mr Wm. Tucker) are a" enthusiastic and energetic lot, who spare no pains to make one and all have a tip-top time when they visit their annual poultry show. The. Utility Circle will ho'd a general meeting of all the members next Wednesday, the 3.1 st inst., in the Druids' Hall, at 7.' 3 0 for the purpose of discussing the advisability of striking a levy to raise a fund for procuring poultry feed in hulk lots. The principle jy n yery good one, and really is tin? essence of co'-oporatioa. f Every \ member should make it his or her I special purpose to be there. .Any proposition, of a business-like character, is always worthy a free and full di.-cussion, and as the obtr.ining of cheaper feed through the Circle is one of the main objects of its existence, the opportunity at the coming nirptin<x should be seized without fail. In justice t« the Convmittee. too, who have given this matter their earnest attention for some time past, a good attendance is looked for.