24 



good. But when young pigs sell at 30 cents per pound, and chick- 

 ens and turkeys at 35 cents, it pays better to transform corn into 

 meat and padding' for human ribs. Judged by mainland stand- 

 ards, Hawaii should have 100,000 acres of corn. With a little 

 patch of corn like that "in our midst.' Australian meat, Japanese 

 rice and mainland cold-storage poultry could stay at home to 

 feed other hune'rv mouths." 



SOME IXTERESTING POULTRY QUESTIOXS 

 ANSWERED. 



To a correspondent who has sent a number of c|ueries to the 

 Poultry Magazine of South Australia. 'Mv. Graham Hope replies 

 as follows : 



O. : ( 1 ) How long is it necessary to feed chicks on the dry 

 method system as contained in a former issue ? ( 2 ) At what 

 age are chicks supposed to reach maturity? (3) How to feed 

 them when they are matured for (a) egg production, (b) breed- 

 ing purposes, (c) to bring on an early moult? (4) How long 

 is it absolutely necessary to give onions to chicks as a preven- 

 tion against worms? (5) Is it necessary to separate pullets 

 from cockerels if they have free range? (6) At what age can 

 chicks do without a foster-mother? 



A. : ( 1 ) We feed our chicks on the dry feed method until they 

 are matured. After two weeks old the dry meal consists of a 

 very large proportion of bran, the oatmeal being reduced. (2) 

 The age at which chickens mature varies from less than six 

 months to eight or nine. The heavy breeds take longer than the 

 light ones. P\dlets nearing maturity should be fed on a very 

 plain diet, no meat or stimulating food being used, so as not to 

 force Q^j^g production at too early an age. (3) (a) We never 

 force the pullets for tgg production, but feed on the same sim- 

 ple diet as used at the Australian laying competitions. Again 

 ample green food together with milk I find the secret for great 

 egg production without the ill-effects of forcing the birds by use 

 of meat and stimulants. Don't overfeed, as a fat lien means no 

 eggs, (b) Grain at night buried in deep litter to make them 

 work for their food. livery other morning a mash consisting of 

 2 parts l)ran, 1 part chaffed lucerne mixed with boiling water, 

 and then left for half-an-hour to swell out, after which j^eriod 

 it is dried out with pollard to a crumbly consistency. A small 

 portion of salt is added to the boiling water. Never feed in a 

 warm state or any condiments added, as tliis wouM torce egg 

 production, and would mean weak germs. ( )n the other morn- 

 ings grain is fed in litter. Mid-day am])le green food is given. 

 In summer each l)ird gets a half-teasi)oonful of Kpsom salts in 

 the mash at intervals. Only give as nnich food as they will cat 

 up greedily, and keep them busy; a fat, lazy lu-n is a bad bleeder, 

 (c) Knock r)ff all soft food and rather underfeed, giving i^psom 

 salts in the drinking water; as soon as the moult has well started 



