+Gtj J uiinial oj Agriculture, \'icturia. [11 Aug., lU UK 



On a properly managed poultry farm some system of bookkeeping it- 

 essential. The sim])ler the syptem adopted the greater the likelihood of 

 the transactions being entered regularly and accurately. The principal 

 expenditure is incurred by purchase of foodstuffs, and the main source 

 of revenue is from the sale of eggs. Accounts should be kept showing 

 purchase of foodstuffs, materials bought for repairs and renewals (apart 

 from new buildings, which are a charge on capital account and not 

 current account), fuel or power used for heating incubators, brooders, 

 or working machinery, cartages and freights, advertising, labour, &c., 

 and on the credit side the sale of eggs, market birds, and stud sales- 

 The net profit is the surplus after all expenses have heen paid, including 

 inferrsf on rapifoJ nr on loavf. 



Incubation of Eggs. 



There are virtually three methods by which hatching may be effected, 

 Le.—{1) Natural Method; (2) Semi-Natural Method; (3) Artificial 

 Methods. 



The first method — Natural Hatching — is when a hen steals her nest, 

 and hatches out her own eggs, almost invariably with the utmost success, 

 whereas in the second (semi-natural) method the hen is set, when 

 broody, on eggs not necessarily laid by herself, and in a place chosen by 

 man. The nest should be made in a place apart from the general flock, 

 and the sitting hen should be given plenty of fresh, cool, drinking 

 water (as broodiness is a feverish condition) and provided with a good 

 dust bath to keep herself clean from vermin, which, if nndestroyed, 

 would materially retard the growth and welfare of the chickens when 

 hatched. 



1 1 is desirable to keep a record of each hen to show such data as, when 

 set, date hatch is due, number of eggs set, number fertile, and result of 

 hatch; also the pen number from which the eggs came. The first test 

 should be made between the fifth and seventh days, when the embryo 

 may be readily detected, and the commencement of the blood vessel 

 system is also noticeable. By setting, if possible, three hens at once, it 

 is generally easy to rc'-grou]> the fertile eggs, and so enable one of the 

 hens to start off again on a fresh lot of eggs. 



The second test may be made between the twelfth and fourteenth 

 days, when the bulk of the eggs appears dark and the air space of the 

 Q^^ — about one-fifth — is plainly visible. The hen must not be disturbed 

 after the nineteenth day, and hatching .should be completed by the 

 twenty-first day. The reason why better results may be expected from 

 the purely natural method is because the hen has mated with the rooster 

 when in the best condition for breeding, and also because she is 

 frequently a better judge of the choic-p of nest and conditions than 

 man is. 



Artificial Hatching. 



Hatching by artificial methods has been known to exist, albeit under 

 somewhat primitive conditions, for about 2,000 years, some of the 

 earliest work in this direction being traceable to China, where there are 

 three types of incubators — the mud-plastered, the straw-covered, and the 

 muslin-covered. The first two types are more common in the country 

 and village districts, whilst the third finds favour in the town hatcheries. 



