THE PROFITABLE AGE.

Waipukurau Press, Issue 299, 22 August 1908, Page 6

THE PROFITABLE AGE.

Age is a factor which affects in no little degree the value and usefulness of a fowl, says “ Farm, Field, and Fireside.” This is a point which many who keep poultry —and some in large numbers —do not thoroughly realise. If they do, they pay very little or no regard to the matter. Farmers are many of them culpable in this respect, and among their flock birds are to be found which have long passed their day of usefulness for egg production. To possess a knowledge of a fowl’s age should be made a point of especial care, and a poultry-keeper ought to know the age of each individual bird on his ground.^'And not only should this point receive attention, but when a bird becomes too old to yield a profit beyond its cost in food it should be disposed of, and not allowed to diminish the profits that may be made from other birds. As to what age a bird may be expected to yield best and be worth keeeping, it depends on the bird, aud the

purpose it is intended to serve. For egg production a hen ceases to be worth keeping after its second season, and it should then be disposed of. For stock purposes a hen may be well worth keeping longer, and one that has proved an exceptionally good breeder should be retained as long as it is possible to breed from her. For sitting purposes and rearing it is well worth while to retain some birds. A hen that is likely to be useful as a good sitter and mother is worth a good deal in the breeding season. The male birds age also needs to be considered, and a cock is generally most profitable in his second season, after which his value to his owner rapidly declines. But a cock which has sired many g winners is worth keeping so long as he will get—a chicken. Cockerels intended for the next season’s breeding should be early hatched ; to breed from late-hatched birds in the spring following is a mistake. This needs to be watched carefully when stock cockerels are being purchased in the breeding season all young cockerels that can only be expected to realise killing price should be cleared out as soon as they are fit to kill. Often these are retained too long, to the detriment of the well-being of "other stock, and not in the end bringing back the amount they have cost in food.

It is an easy matter to have a record of the age of every bird if the chickens are rung with metal leg bands. A different kind of band could be used each year, or else have the birds rung on the right leg one year and on the left the. year following. So much, then, for the question of age in the poultry yard. These points should make it clear how important it is to pay due regard to it.