4-5 EDWARD VII. 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 13 



A. 1905 



EEPOPvT OF THE POULTRY MANAGER 



(A. G. Gilbert.) 



Ottaava^ December 1, 1004. 



To Dr. Wm. Sat:xders, 



Director Dominion Experimental Farms, 

 Ottawa. 



Sir. — I Lave tlie pleasure of submitting to you herewitli the seventeenth annual 

 report of the Poultry Department of the Central Experimental Farm. 



The work of the past year has been marked by important features and results, 

 principally confirmatory of experimental research, began some years ago. New lines 

 of investigation and experiment have been imdertaken, in the prosecution of which 

 it is hoped to secure much useful and instructive data. Some of the subjects dis- 

 cussed in this report are : — 



1. Advanced phases of poultry keeping. 



2. Some features of the egg and poultry markets. 



3. Reasons for the high price of strictly new laid eggs in summer. _ 



4. Effects of early moulting on the summer egg supply. 



5. Delay in the resumption of egg laying after the hens have moulted. 



6. Early pullets required for fall layers, 



7. Are fowls as good layers one season as another ? 



8. Some reasons why pullets should be kept longer than one year. . 



The experimental work proper of the year is described in detail, and includes 

 among other mattters : — 



The treatment of the laying stock last fall so as to have them to go into winter 

 quarters in proper condition. 



Effects of various rations on groups of fowls of different ages. 



Artificial and natural incubation and results. 



Continued investigation into the cause or causes of so many weak germs in eggs 

 laid in early spring by hens which were kept in warm houses and fed for egg produc- 

 tion. Particulars are given in a number of tables. 



Results of experiments to show how long after removal of the male bird from the 

 breeding pen fertilization of the egg remains strong enough to hatch a strong chicken. 

 The outside limit so far appears to be five days. 



An important location of tuberculosis in fowls sent from British Columbia. The 

 result of a post mortem examination by Dr, Higgins of the veterinary laboratory. 



During the summer a poultry house, consisting of two divisions of 10 feet by 8, 

 with scratching shed attachment 10 by 11 was erected. It is arranged and fitted accord- 

 ing to the most approved and up-to-date designs. In the use of this house, which con- 

 tains 25 pullets in each division, much valuable experience is anticipated. 



On the morning of April 8 last, fire was discovered in the centre office of the main 

 poultry building. It was fortunately extinguished before it had made serious headway, 

 but not before 35 birds in adjoining pens had been suffocated; 75 early chickens were 

 also burned to death, and one thousand eggs, set apart for incubator use were destroyed. 

 This mishap caused delay in getting out early chickens and in the sending out of eggi 

 for hatching purposes. 



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