9-10 EDWARD VII. SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 A. 1910 



REPORT OF THE POULTRY MANAGER. 



A. G. GILIJERT. 



Dr. Wm. Saunders, 



Director Dominion Experimental Farms, 

 Ottawa. 



Sir, — I have much pleasure in submitting to you the twenty-first annual report 

 of the Poultry Division of the Central Experimental Farm. 



Before giving a detailed description of the work of the past year, it may be well 

 to note certain erroneous impressions, on the part of numerous correspondents, in 

 regard to profitable poultry-keeping. Unless refuted, these incorrect conclusions are 

 calculated to seriously retard the development of the poultry branch of farm work. 



The correspondence of the past year also shows that, to be of benefit to the 

 greatest number of inquirers, the experiments conducted here should be, to a great 

 extent, of a practical nature. 



It is hoped that the following report, while also dealing with other subjects, will 

 correct the wrong conclusions referred to and afford information as to the latest and 

 best methods of poultry management. 



The experimental work of the year was of its usual varied character. Some new 

 experiments were undertaken, while others were continued from previous years. In 

 carrying on certain experiments, such as testing the efficiency of trap-nests as a 

 reliable means "of distinguishing good from poor laying fowls, conclusions reached are 

 unavoidably slow. Interesting experiments are noted as follows : — 



1. An experiment in feeding frozen and sound wheat to different pens of fowls. 

 Results so far are in favour of the sound wheat. Details of the experiment will be 

 found on a following page. 



2. Continuation of experiment in keeping nineteen Buff Orpington hens in an 

 unheated house with cotton front, with the object of ascertaining the suitability of a 

 fowl-house of this pattern for the colder winter districts of Canada. 



3. Results showing the decided advantage of having chickens hatched out early in 

 'he snf.son. 



4. Continuation of experiments showing the advantage in breeding from good 

 rather than from poor egg-laying strains of fowls. 



Several tables give results of other experimental work. 



I have to acknowledge the receipt of incubators sent for trial from Wm Tamlin, 

 Twickenham, London, England; from the Peerless Manufacturing Company, of 

 Pembroke, Ontario, and from the C. J. Daniels Manufacturing Company, of Toronto. 

 These machines are all heated by hot water. The Cyphers Manufacturing Company, 

 of Buffalo, New York, sent an electro-bator and electro-hover, the first for hatching 

 chickens and the second for rearing them, by electricity, the latter being taken from 

 the wires supplying light to the main poultry building. The use of electricity marks 

 an important step forward in the artificial hatching and rearing of chickens. The 

 tests were very satisfactory. 



I have again the pleasure of bringing to your attention the efficient discharge by 

 my assistant, Mr. Victor Fortier, of the many duties devolving upon him during the 



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