10 Nov., 1917.] Poultry and Fruit. tj(il 



3.— HANDLING OF POULTRY. 



G. Dowling, PouUnj Instructor. 



This article has not been prepared for the guidance of poultry 

 farmers, but rather for the instruction of general farmers who keep a 

 Qock of fowls to supply eggs for their homes, and, in case of a surplus, 

 for sale locally. 



Particularly in our grain-growing areas, where usually there is a 

 great deal of second and third quality wheat, which could be fed to 

 chickens, there is no doubt that the number of fowls raised could be 

 increased considerably, and poultry rearing made a very profitable 

 adjunct to fanning. 



In the egg-laying competition concluded at Burnley a few months 

 since, 576 birds in twelve months produced eggs to the value of £620. 

 During the currency of this competition times were not normal, and the 

 prices ruling for all classes of feed were high. Everything used in the 

 feeding of the fowls, with the exception of green food, such as lucerne, 

 kale, inc., was purchased, and the profit over cost of feed was I2s. 9d. 

 per bird. It is not to be supposed that the average farmer would be 

 able to get such good returns from his flock at first, but by judicious 

 culling, and the selection of cockerels from the pens of breeders who 

 have demonstrated the value of their stock at the various egg-laying 

 competitions, a great impro\ement could be effected. 



l"or a number of jears at the Dookie Agricultural College various 

 methods of handling and housing flocks of poultry have been tried. The 

 first poultry houses erected were intended for birds entered in 

 egg-laying competitions. The runs were 50 by 25 feet, with a small 

 house standing in the centre of the run. This system entailed too much 

 labour in the collecting of eggs, watering, cleaning, &c., and the houses 

 were eventually moved to one end of the pen, and arrangements made 

 so that all necessary work could be performed from the passages. The 

 average return per bird from small flocks is admittedly higher than 

 that obtained from fowls kept in large flocks, but the initial cost for 

 yards and buildings, and also the consequent additional labour required, 

 makes the " small flock " arrangement impracticable. Another objec- 

 tion to the use of small yards, especially where the plough cannot be 

 brought in, is that in course of a few years they become what is 

 called poultry sick, and quite unsuitable for the rearing of healthy 

 stock. The type of house recommended in this article is designed to 

 accommodate 100 to 120 birds, and one of the two systems may be fol- 

 lowed. If the one in use at the college be adopted, and fruit trees 

 planted, the birds need only be allowed out when conditions are suit- 

 able. At certain seasons of the year, when the weather is cold and 

 wet, the returns from the birds in such a house are far greater than 

 from birds which have not the advantage of protection from the winds 

 and rain. However, if it is not desired to grow fruit trees, the run 

 in front of the house may be divided into two portions, and one part 

 cultivated while the other is allotted to the fowls. 



As it is estimated that each bird drops in a year from 50 to 80 lbs. 

 of manure, it will be easily seen that the land in a very short period 

 of time would become very fertile. Undoubtedly, the most practical 

 way to deal with it is to plough it each year and grow a crop on it. 



