468 Journal op the Department op Agriculture. 



THE POULTRY YARD MONTH BY MONTH. 



May. 



By J. J. JouDAAX. liCctiiiTi- mill liistriictdr in l*<iultiy. School of A^ncuiturL". 

 (ilcii. OiiUiife Free Stiilc. 



TiiK i'ollo\viii<i points, whiili constitute tin- innin principles ol' poultry brpediiiR 

 ;ind arc appliciil)lo to tlic whole year, may here he nientionod in order to avoid 

 rejx'tition month hy mouth, viz.: — 



Fresh, sweet soil in the runs. 



Ahuiulancc of eool, clean, drinkinp; water. 



Suitable and sufiicient housinp; accommodation. 



Correct and i-e^ular fcodinp;. 



7.V/(y I'lOilud ioit 



New laid eji^s are very expensive dnriufi liiis montli. Kndeavour therctore 

 to obtain all egs« possible from pullets and hens nut in the breeding pens, using 

 forcing foods and spices if necessary; the price of new laid eggs will warrant 

 ihis at this time of year. 



Warm housing at night, exercise during the day, abundance of green food 

 and drinking water, and warm mash in the mornings, to which a liberal amount 

 of meat meal, Crayferine, or cut green bone has becii added, and good whole- 

 some grain food dug into the ground, giving as miieh variety as is obtainable, 

 should produce eggs If the l)irds aic of a laying stiain. 



F( cdinq. 



The following will he Inund a good laying masli : — 

 M parts bian (wheaten). 

 2 ]iarts crushed oats, 

 (i ]iarts lucerne-hay or meal. 

 I i^art ]iollard. 

 ', jiart meat meal. ('ra\ leiiue. or green Ixine. 



Ilit'cdintj ['rns. 



The same mash, minus the meat meal. Crayferine, and green bone, fed 

 '"dry" to the bi-eeding hens in the m-nning, and the grain food fed at night 

 ■.\ ith liberal supjtlii's of green food at jniddav, should suffice. 



Specially see to the feeding of the male bird; lu> must be kept in good 

 condition; feed him s(>i)arately from the iien> at midday with a little table 

 scraps. 



Do not allow the teni])tati(in of higii piices for Mew laid (>ggs to lead you 

 into forcing the bicediiig-pen bii'ds to nrodnce abnormally, for this will onl,\ 

 lie at the cost of fertility and will result in w(>ak(>ned chicks. 



Nor shoidd eagerness to till the incnbatoi', or to sTi|)jiiy ordeis lor day-old 

 ( hicks or settings of eggs lead to the aboxc, as it is a j-eor ]3olicy' in the end. 



Again, do iH)t ])nt more hens to th(> luak^ bird than h(> can possibly f(Mtili/,(\ 

 The following are safe munbei-s ;is a guide. HcN'-.vy varieties, 8 to (>. Light 

 varieties, 5 to 9. 



This is one of the best nH)nths of the yeai- to hatch chick<. but the\ must 

 be from eggs produced normally. 



All eggs should be gathered daily, as eggs if exposed to frost are liable to 

 give poor hatching results and are not so gcMxl lor eating owing to evaj^oi'ation 

 lieing so much moic rapid. 



Incubation. 



Visit your incubator room at night just l)efore retiring, and note the 

 temperature of the room as well as that of the drawer; a little attention in 

 this direction may prevent losse>= from ''dead in shell." 



