DIVISION OF POULTRY 981 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



EXPERIMENTAL STATION, FREDERICTON, N.B. 



REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT, W. W HUBBARD. 



POULTRY. 



The spring of 1913 being cold and backward was not conducive to successful 

 hatching and rearing, consequently the first hatch was somewhat late in the season. 



A portion of the orchard was enclosed for poultry runs and divided into yards 

 measuring 115 feet by 117 feet. Three breeding pens were mated up, viz., White 

 Wyandottes, Barred Plymouth Rocks, and Rhode Island Reds, and housed in colony 

 houses, two with glass and cotton fronts, and the other with glass only. 



Ninety-four chickens were raised, of which 49 per cent were cockerels; some of 

 these were sold for breeding purposes and the rest killed for table; the pullets were 

 rigidly culled and twetnty-five were retained for winter laying and breeding. 



The birds were fed wheat first thing in the morning, oats at mid-day, and corn 

 at night; the grain was scattered in the litter at the rate of one quart at each meal for 

 every thirty birds. In the winter a warm mash was substituted for oats at the mid- 

 day meal ; a dry mash composed of two parts bran, one part middlings, one part corn- 

 meal, half part cut alfalfa, quarter part ground linseed cake was always before them, 

 as were also beef scrap, oyster shell, grit, and charcoal. A plentiful supply of pure 

 water in clean drinking fountains was also provided for them. 



The colony houses were dravsai up together for the winter, and the birds came 

 through in a healthy and vigorous condition. Those in the house with glass only get- 

 ting their combs frozen, while those in the cotton and glass fronts did not suffer from 

 the cold. 



Pens 1, 2, 3, and 7 have been mated up to vigorous cockerels, whose dams have 

 good records as layers, and it is hoped that their progeny will demonstrate the impor- 

 tance of having the male descended from good layers. Two incubators have been 

 purchased and will be used during the ensuing season. 



