Please wait. Contacting image service... loading

Article text

POULTRY NOTES.
-Bv 'Austral.')
Hatching is now in full swing and num
bers of chickens are to be seen on every
poultry plant. While to the experienced
breeder the hatchinc and rearing of the
necessary chicks to maintain his flock is
simply a matter of routine, to the novice
this season is fraught with many difficul
ties which if not successfully overcome
bring ruin in their wake. It is, too, just
at this time of the year, when so many dif
ficulties are' to be encountered, that many
beginners make their entry into the in
dustry. This is easily accounted for be
cause of the facts that people's attention
is directed to the industry more at this
season than at any other, on account of
the occurrence of hatching and export
operations. Also because the fowls being
in full plumage and in the best condition
now, look more attractive to the beginner
than they would after the wear of a
season's laying, or while in the moult.
Generally by the time the season is suf
ficiently advanced for the industry to at
tract very many recruits, the breeding
stock have been conditioned and mated
up, so that the new owner is saved thus
far; but there still -remain the incubators
to be attended and the chicks to be reared
if hatched. At the same time the laying
flock must be cared for and the eggs gath
ered, cleaned, graded and packed for
market or export. Naturally the more of
these operations the beginner can elimin
ate, the less likely is he to be met with
the ruin which manv a betrinner finds star
ing him in the face at the end of his first
year.
Buy Day-olds.
When buying a plant of the halfestab
lished type most generally offered for sale,
it will be seldom found that adequate pro
vision has been made for the hatching of
a sufficient number of chicks to replace
the birds which will need to be disposed
of at the conclusion of the laying season.
Add to this the fact, that in most cases
the existing stock requires to be doubled
or trebled in number before an adequate
return can be expected from the property,
and it will be realised how, essential it is
that the very best use be made of a short
hatching season. I have yet to see the
beginner who makes an unqualified suc
cess, of incubation on a commercial scale
during his first season in the business. In
any case such success cannot be sufficiently
certain to justify the risk of entire reliance
upon it. and at least a sufficient number
of chicks should be purchased as day-olds
from some reliable source to ensure the
establishment or maintenance of a flock
large enough to provide a living for the
operator and to carry the liability incurred
in the purchase- of the farm. Too often
in the endeavour to hatch a sufficient num
ber of chicks rather than spend a few
pounds on their purchase, the 'beginner
keeps on hatching until well into the sum
mer, obtaining a lot of out-of-eeason
chicks, which will not lay 60oner than
the early hatched ones of next season, and
are never likely to prpve anything more
than a useless expense. The necessity for
early hatching cannot be stressed too
strongly. It is plenty late enough now to
put down the last batch of heavy breed
eggs, the light breeds being continued
until not later .than the middle of next
month. The best results will be obtained
from light breed chicks hatched during the
next three weeks or sol Day-olds can be
purchased now at very reasonable prices
and most beginners will find later, on that
a few hunderd might mean, the difference
the money spent -now on the purchase of'
between success, and. failure later.on.
? Hints; on Rearing.
Though literature oh the feeding and
brooding of chicks is 'constantly published
at this time* of the year in the poultry
press and -elsewhere, very little observa
tion is required to find numerous, instances
where the'. 'practices adopted must. result
in tlie .loss of ,many chicks. Beginners
should make themselves, thoroughly con
versant 'with the essential features in
brooding and feeding and' not be misguided
by the multiplicity of advisers who un
failingly appear like mushrooms whenever
a novice requires guidance on any subject
whatever.
Chicks should not— as they so often are
be- -confined' to' a 'close brooder ' all iight,'
and removed- into the cold air first thing
in the morningi having no access to the
brooder except when 'returned to it by the
operator. .It is best if the brooder is of a
type which permits the chicks to select a
zone of such temperature as they desire
both night and day, and that, they have
access to an adjoining grourfd run, so that
they are not deprived of the invigorating
effect of the fresh, cold air, but can return
to the brooder for a warm as desired.
Sawdust brooders are now coming into very
general use, and appeiir most satisfactory
in every. way, permitting the chicks to
move freely over the entire brooder floor
at any distanec they desire from the
source of heat; and as a. flue carries the
exhaust right outside, there are no fumes
as' with kerosene burners.
Selection of Foods.
Another point often neglected is the se
lection of suitable foods. Many beginners
seem to be under the impression that, if
the chicks receive an abundance of, bran
and pollard, in addition to the grain mix
ture usually sold by produce merchants as
chick feed, their wants are being fully sup
plied. This' is not so, and to the' beginner
the; name applied to this grain mixture,
which should really only be supplementary
to the main mash feed, is apt to be mis
leading. Any of the merchants dealing in
chick requisites would be glad to provide
a copy of reliable formula for the mixing
pf suitable . chick mash, or one can be
easily obtained upon request from the Gov
ernment poultry adviser, so that. there is
no reason for anyone to fail through igno
rance on this point. In addition to bran
and pollard, most formulas include a pro
portion of wheatmeal, also maizemeal, if
procurable, as well as concentrated pro
teins and minerals in the shape of ' pow
dered, milk, meat meal, and bone meal or
bone flour. Some also include cod-liver oil,
and this is essential if the chicks are
brooded without access to sunlight in the
early stages. The milk, as well as being a
general nutrient, supplying both vitamins
and' enzymes, thus assisting growth and
ading digestion, is the most active agent iu
the preventing of coecidiosig, a chicken
disease which, once experienced, will be
carefully avoided, if possible, in the future.
The bone supplies the calcium required
for building up the frame, preventing leg
weakness. The meatmeal provides the
material for the growth of flesh and tissue,
and promotes vigorous growth. It should
be used with care, and not overdone.
About 5 per cent, but not more, should be
included in the mash during the first three
weeks, during which time the chick's body
weight should increase more proportion
ately than at any other period of its ex
istence. After this, not more than half
tlie quantity should be fed; otherwise, the
flesh is likely to develop more rapidly than
the bone, bringing on leg weakness, because
the legs are not sufficiently developed to
carry the body. Too much of it will also
bring on too early sexual maturity, result
ing in early laying, stunted growth, and
small eegs. Do not be delighted because
your pullets lay at four months. Too early
laying is not a desirable feature, and de
notes faulty treatment, leather, fine grit
should be provided, and should include a
proportion of hard grit, in addition to the
sea shell generally used. Ground charcoal
should also be placed where the chicks can
have access. to it. as it assists greatly in
preventing digestive troubles by over
coming acidity throughout the digestive
system. Finally, do not yield -to the temp
tation which accompanies the use of a saw
dust brooder, to use sawdust also as
brooder litter— the chicks think.it is chick
feed — and do not feed grain mixtures con
taining peas to young chicks. Peas are
very indigestible, and possibly not the most
desirable feed for fowls at any stage. Cer
tainly, the young chick's organs are not
designed to cope with them.
Association Meeting.
The monthly meeting of the West Aus
tralian Poultry Association will be held
in the meeting room. Murray-street, at 8
o'clock on Tuesday night. After con
clusion of general business Mr. G. D. Shaw,
Government poultry adviser, will address
the meeting on a subject of his own selec
tion. All members are reuested to at
tend.
$