10 J.LY. 1919.] Siartnui the Poultry Farm. 391 



STARTING THE POULTRY FARM. 



WHERE, WHEN, HOW. 



.1. 1'. D. Rintoul. Assistant Poultry/ Expert. 



For those who have defiuiteh- decided to take up poultry farming as 

 a living, answers must be given to the following questions : — 



1. Where to start. 



2. When to start. 



3. How to start. 



In considering " where to start," the qU6stio)i.s of locality and soil 

 must be borne in mind. While it is not suggested that any one locality is 

 undoubtedly the best, it must be recognised that proximity to a railway 

 station means reduced haulage of foodstuffs on the one hand, and in the 

 marketing of produce on the other. The suitability of the climate must 

 be considered. For instance, in the bulk of the northern parts of this 

 State, i.e., the hotter districts, lack of ample water supply means no 

 green feed during the summer months, and green feed forms 50 per 

 cent, of the birds' diet. Further, the heat itself means eggs with thinner 

 albumen, with consequent reduction in price. Next to suburban eggs, 

 the best prices are always paid for cool district eggs. 



As regards soil, sandy soil is the best for poultry, and heavy clay 

 should be avoided. The advantages of sandy soil are several — 



(a) being warmer the chickens develop quicker with consequent 



saving or both food and time. 

 (h) a lighter, and so cheaper class of horse can be used for any 

 cultivations that may be required. 



(c) On this class of soil the weather conditions can be almost 



entirely ignored, and the land worked any time of the year. 



(d) With water and manure green crops can be grown all the 



year. 



It is, of course, utterly absurd to suggest that an ordinary poultry 

 farmer should attempt to grow any cereal crops. The principal grain 

 fed to poultry is wheat, and one has only to realize the heavy cost of 

 eqtiipment on a wheat farm, and recognise the comparatively low return 

 per acre, to see the impracticability of the suggestion. 



The average consumption of Avheat on a poultry farm is about half 

 a bushel per bird, so that an 800 to 1,000 bird plant would require 

 400 to 500 bushels of wheat per annum, whereas from 2 to 5 acres are 

 ample to accommodate satisfactorily the number of l)irds stated, allow- 

 ing ainple range for groAving stock. 



When to Start. 



At the present price of foodstuffs, as compared with the market returns 

 for chickens, a man could not make a proper living by depending on 

 rearing birds for table purposes. Egg production should, therefore, 

 always be looked upon as the main objective. The best prices for eggs 

 are always obtained in the autumn and winter months, March, April, 

 May, and June, in coiisequence of which the ptillets should be hatched 

 out so as to come on, lay, and be in full profit during that period. The 

 time to start for the most sticcessful result means having the breeding 



