1228 



Incubating Stations. 



[mar., 



as the work was developed. The management has been under- 

 taken by women, who have proved themselves very capable in 

 carrying out the work and especially in meeting many of the 

 difficulties experienced in the early stages. 



As the establishment of these Stations was of an experimental 

 nature, the equipment provided was on a limited scale. Much 

 of it, moreover, had already been previously utilised at other 

 Centres for experimental purposes, and although adaptable 

 for the purpose it was not the best type which could have been 

 selected for the work. 



The stock purchased for the Stations was from the very best 

 laying strains, and the breeding pens were carefully mated. 

 An important part of the Station work was to trap-nest the 

 birds reared annually, in order to improve or maintain the 

 quality of the stock at the Stations by selective breeding. 

 The breeds chosen, White Wyandotte and White Leghorn, were 

 considered the most suitable for general requirements, and only 

 at one Station (Denbigh) was a third variety kept, viz., Rhode 

 Island Red. 



Each Station consists of from two to three acres of land and 

 the necessary buildings. From 80 to .100 adult birds are 

 maintained for breeding purposes. These are penned in large 

 grass runs each containing 10 or 12 hens and a male bird. A 

 scratching- shed house fitted with trap- nests is piovided for each 

 run. 



One half to two-thirds of the stock consists of pullets. Only 

 the very best hens for breeding are retained after trap-nesting, 

 and it has therefore been necessary to use the pullet stock for 

 breeding. The stock hatched for retention, however, are from 

 the more mature, tested birds, and the eggs and chicks 

 distributed have, in the first instance, always been selected 

 from the best pens. 



Hatching has been carried out with sm.all incubators with 

 a tota] capacit}^ at each Station of 600-800 eggs. Each year 

 between 200 and 300 chickens are hatched and reared to 

 provide stock for the Station, and from 800 to 1,200 day-old 

 chickens for distribution in small lots to poultry keepers. 



General Manairement. — ^The manageresses were single-handed 

 until 1 91 9, when the training of an assistant was in two 

 cases undertaken. The work is responsible and exacting, 

 entailing a considerable amount of advisory work, in addition 

 to the entire manual work, management, and correspondence. 



The success of the Station rests to a very large extent with the 

 manageress, whose qualification must be of a specially high 



