POULTRY NEWS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2495, 7 May 1909, Page 2

POULTRY NEWS.

DUCK-FEEDING EXPERIMENTS

Simplicity of methods in duck-feeding aro found to give, results that are all that-could he desired. Bran, and pollard; mash, with a fair amount- of added; animal food, promotes good growth if given liberally and regularly, in conjunction with green food, shell-grit, and drinking water. Thro© of the American experiment stations report tests in feeding ducklings which have a sea-I sonablo interest just noYv. The foods; given were those in common use here. .-The Michigan/station studied . the; comparative growth made. by thirtyhine voung ducks-.and the same number of chickens on similar rations. The ducks were two weeks old at the beginning of the test, and were, fed on pollard, corn and bran, together with the necessary grit and green food (lettuce), and were given the run of a sma.l yard v ith a grass patch. The chickens were ted bran 5 and relatively more cornmea! than tho ducks, but bad no pollard. They were also given lettuce and allowed the run of a'grass plot. Both chickens and ducks were given skim-milk in addition to the otlAr food. At the beginning of the tsst 'the ducks weighed 13.9.51 b and the chickens 7.51 b., In five weeks the ducks were nearly ready for the earlv market, and had gained 103.701 b." They had eaten 41.31 bof corn, 93.11 b of pollard, 43.41 b of bran, o9lb of lettuce, and SS'.b of shim-milk. The total cost of a pound of gam was nearly Id. In the same period the chickens had gained 301 b,. and bad consumed 52.21 b “of. corn. 25.91 b of bran, 461 b of lettuce, and 44.31 b of skim-milk. The total cost ol a pound of gain was nearly corn "and bran are rated at £2 17s 6d, and po’lard at £3 per ton, milk at Id per gallon, and lettuce-at Id per lb. The clucks gained much more . rapidly than the chickens,, and the gains were more economically made; The chickens were not large enough for market at the close of the test, and the feeding was continued for some time before they were sold. . . At the North. Carolina station eighteen Pekin clucks were fed for fiftysix days from the time they were hat-, eked. At the beginning of the test tho total food consisted of 4.40 z of cornmeal and an equal amount of bran per head daily, while at the close of the test Gib lOoz of meal, 41b 3oz of bran and 31b soz of green cut bone were fed daily. In addition to the grain, an amount of fine grit equal to one-sixth of the weight of tho grain, and chopped green c'over equal to one-fourth tho bulk of the ration, were also fed. All the feed was mixed with water to a crumbly mass, and fed in troughs. No water "was allowed except for drinkingpurposes. / In this test, eornmeal, cut bone, and grit were each rated at Id per lb, and. wheat-bran at .45d per lb. Account was also taken of the value of the: clover fed, the eggs set, and the food-of liens carrying-the clucks. The ducks weighed 2oz J when hatched, and 4'b 15Joz at- the close of the test. The cost of a pound of gain was 2sd—that is, the clucks cost on an average Is Old to fatten, and were sold for 2s Id each. An experiment at the New York State station showed that clucks did not thrive and make rapid growth unless they were fed a considerable amount of animal matter, the most rapid and economical gains being made when from 40 per cent to 50 per cent of the protein of the ration was supplied in the form of animal matter.

' EGG-PRODUCTION AND FAT

AN AMERICAN VIEW, y . On the subject of egg-production from over-fat hens, Professor- J. Rice, who is connected with an-American Government experimental station, says: “A hen, to be in good laying condition, must have fat on the body. The production of eggs is based upon one of the experiments, and we found the fact that tho hen has lots of stored up energy in her.; condition. A hen cannot lay an egg until she has got fat in her body, because the yolk in an egg is about half fat, and she has got to have oil there to make the best part- of the egg. The fattest hens we killed were m the best laying condition, and tho poorest hens we turned out by themselves, and there was not the faintest chance of their laying for two or three months. . “The laving of eggs requires a great deal of ‘stored-up’ energy in the lion. It is naturally to be presumed that a lien in good condition would be more able to stand a drain on her system than a poor "bin! The matter of fa tin hens we believe is' a great .deal, like high condition in breeding stock of any kind. Poor breeding or poor egg production is not caused so much by high condition as by the; manner in which this state was brought about, and the subsequent care given, to the bird. A good plump form,'* resulting from proper feeding of proper foods, iollowotl by proper care, will not be conducive t-o. bad;results in the pen. “A hen needs lots of nourishing,;,tood if she will continue to .-lay eggs; a starved- libn will not fill'. the egg case verv soon. Too much fat; however and ,too* little exercise, is a cause of hens not laying. But' there .-need be little fear of; •a' hen becoming ;fat if she is healthy and has,the proper amount ot exercise.. Herein lies the reason for feeding' grain amongst a "stray = Jitter in the winter time. Do not teed a single grain, and that one extremely rich in fat-producing elements, but feed a mixture, the more kinds the better, ant feed it in a good ilittgrj so that the hens will have to hunt foi it. • e? condition caused in this way will U ; be the cause of non-egg .production.