258 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



7-8 EDWARD VII., A. 1908 



It is earnestly desired that the information contained in the following report will 

 be found of practical worth and interest, 



I have the honour to be, sir, 



Your obedient servant, 



A. G. GILBERT. 



REPORT OF THE POULTRY MANAGER. 



During recent years marked advance has been made in the methods of operating 

 the different indoor and outdoor branches of farm work. In this march of improve- 

 ment the poultry department has kept well to the fore. Before entering into a detailed 

 account of the experimental work of the past year it may be interesting and instruc- 

 tive to glance at some changes which are noteworthy features of this development. The 

 more conspicuous of these changes are as follows : — 



1. In the style of winter house for the laying stock. 



2. In the method of feeding both hens and chickens. 



3. In the manner of selection other than by trap nests. 



These changes have been made because calculated to be of greater economic value, 

 for unless improved arrangement of winter house or methods of management tend to 

 increase the margin of profit in poultry keeping they will be of little advantage over 

 previous methods. 



A BRIEF RETROSPECT. 



Some years ago when winter egg production was urged upon the farmers of the 

 country as a source of money-making, a warm winter hoiise was considered indis- 

 pensable as a means to that end. This wai-mth, in many instances, was secured by 

 artificial means; in others by the construction of an unnecessarily substantial build- 

 ing — oft times too small — wherein it was surmised the animal heat of the fowls would 

 be conserved. But this plan entailed expense, besides ventilation received little or 

 no consideration, and over-crowding, in order to obtain the desired end, was general. 

 Meanwhile, experimental VN^ork which had been steadily going on, unmistakably showed, 

 that fowls kept imder either condition came out of their winter quarters with impaired 

 vitality. As a result the hatching of chickens from their eggs, whether by hen or 

 incubator, was equally unsatisfactory. The experience of several years plainly showed 

 that, it was not until the fowls had opportunity to run outside that the egg germs 

 became strong enough to hatch out a satisfactory number of chickens. This experi- 

 ence was not singular. Poultry keeping was rapidly becoming more general through- 

 oiit the country, and from many sources letters were received to the following effect, 

 * My hens have laid well during the winter, but, I cannot get their early spring eggs 

 to give satisfactory hatching results.' Investigation was carefully carried on for 

 several years and much useful information bearing on the subject was gained and 

 published from time to time in the annual reports of this department. Among the 

 conclusions arrived at were, that more fresh air, even if cold; more exercise, and 

 greater variety of rations were necessary as remedial agents. The outside poultry 

 world had also been moving in this matter. The result of the combined experience 

 gained, was the introduction into Canada of the poultry house with and the poultry 

 house without, the scratching shed attachment. Both styles of houses were strongly 

 recommended as likely to overcome the drawbacks in connection with the winter pro- 

 duction of eggs and subsequent loss of constitutional vitality on the part of the breed- 

 ing stock. 



To-day we have throughout the country both styles of houses, the one which the 

 scratching shed attached to it, the other without the shed addition. Erom our stand- 

 point as one of the most northern experimental plants in America, experience gained 



