6 3 8 



Notes on Experiments with Poultry, [nov., 



vaal, asking if tests could be made on the College Poultry 

 Farm, Theale, of a mixture of mineral salts, which it was 

 claimed had proved most successful for chicken rearing and 

 poultry-keeping in the Colony named. The statement was 

 made that inquiry had revealed the absence of certain salts 

 which are essential to animal life from the soil of South Africa, 

 and that Mr. Ingle, on the suggestion of Mr. Devonshire, 

 had prepared a formula which, when used, had suc- 

 ceeded in preventing that mortality among young stock 

 which is the chief trouble of the chicken breeder wherever 

 artificial methods are adopted. We were unable to make 

 an exhaustive test with laying hens, as that would have been 

 a laborious and costly task, but we were able to make an 

 experiment with growing chickens. 

 The salts are prepared as follows : — 



Formula of mineral salts. 



Parts. 



Common salt ... ... ... .. 



30 



Phosphate of soda 



9 



Calcium fluoride ., 



... 1 



Ferrous sulphate (green vitriol) ... .. 



1 



Bone ash 



30 



Chalk 



. ... 14 



Epsom salts 



10 



Charcoal ... ... ... ... ... 



2 



Sulphur, flowers of 



3 





100 



Two lots of chickens, hatched April 28th, 1909, were 

 selected for trial, namely : Lot I., nine White Wyandott.es 

 and seven Buff Orpingtons (one of which died during the 

 first month); and Lot II., thirteen White Wyandottes (one 

 of which died during the first month) and five Buff Orping- 

 tons. These were placed in the same class of brooder, and 

 kept on ground almost devoid of natural food. They were 

 fed in exactly the same manner, except that Lot I. had the 

 mineral salts added to the food, whilst Lot II. had none. 

 In the former case a sprinkling of the salts was added to 

 the morning feed at first and gradually increased. At seven 

 weeks this amounted co J oz. per diem, and at eleven weeks 

 to f oz. per diem for the entire lot. With the exception of 

 the two which died, the birds kept very healthy, and grew 

 steadily, but did not make rapid growth, owing to the fact 

 that they were not forced and were kept in confinement. 



