May 3, 1920.] Agricultural Gazette of .NS.W. 369 



Poultry Notes* 



May. 



JAMES HADLINGTON, Poultry Expert. 



In the space of a few weeks the hatching season will again be upon us, and 

 as mentioned last month, the sooner the breeding stock is in the pens now, 

 the better. With the high prices that will be ruling for eggs during the 

 winter, there will be a disinclination on the part of poultry-farmers to set 

 eggs as early as they should be set, and if the temptation to sell eggs I'ather 

 than set them is not resisted to the point of sacrifice, next rearing season 

 will witness a crop of late chickens and only a small number of early ones. 

 I fear that, no matter what may be advised, a curtailment of hatching 

 during this coming winter is inevitable, but this very fact should encourage 

 breeders who are able to do so to make the necessary temporary sacrifice, 

 because of the high prices for eggs and table poultry that may be looked 

 for next spring and summer. 



The position will be something like this during the winter months : — 

 Eggs will probably be worth l|d. each over what they would command in 

 normal times. If we base our calculation -on two eggs to hatch one chicken, 

 it will mean 3d. per chicken, or 6d. per pair, above the cost for eggs in 

 normal times. It is fairly safe to forecast a substantial increase in the 

 prices received for both eggs and table poultry, and it is therefore reasonable 

 to assume that it will pay just as well, and probably better, to set eggs this 

 winter, dear as they probably will be, than under normal conditions. 



In furnishing this advice I am not overlooking the high cost of feeding, 

 but it is safe to assume from past experience that, by the time the factors 

 we are examining are operative, the levelling up process between the higher 

 cost of food and higher prices for our products will have taken effect, and 

 the poultiy-farmer who has been able tu carry on through the autumn and 

 winter will be in a stronger position. 



Our motto this season should be " Set eggs as usual." Start putting 

 available eggs down from 1st June, no matter whether heavy or light breeds, 

 and get a succession of eggs down one week after the other from that date. 

 Farmers who have followed the advice given in these notes on this subject 

 are more than satisfied with the result. 



Hatching with Incubators. 



Points on artificial incubation have appeared in these notes as late as 

 1918, but, as the subject is one of vital interest to beginners at this season 

 of the year, a reminder on how to operate an incubator is again given with 

 some references to matters not previously dealt with. 



1. A Sanitary Incubator. — See that the incubator is in good sanitary 

 condition. 







