October 1, 1909 
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_—_—_—_— 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
2 Phe Poultry Yards ¢ > 
A Home-Made Brooder. 
Take an empty kerosene box. with lid 
Temoved, and place it on its side, in a 
Well-sheltered and covered spot. Take a 
few strips of flannel about three inches 
broad, and reaching to the bottom, to the 
Upper end of the box. Fill a stone 
bottle, holding from half to a gallon, with 
Oiling water, cork securely, wrap in an 
old blanket, and lay the same on its side 
the middle of the coop thus formed, so 
that the chicks can crouch all: round 
it, This will accomodate from 20 to 30 
Chicks, ‘Take two boards about a yard 
long, by 8 inches broad, and nail to the 
ides of the coop, joining the other ends 
With a board of the requisite lengths. 
Cover with a wire netting so as to form 
4*yard’ or‘run’ for the chicks. Food 
%Nd water should be placed into this 
Tin, at the end furthest from the 
“oop, The hot water should be renewed 
8very night, and in cold weather also,.in 
he Morning. 
Next Year’s Laying 
Competitions. 
The Poultry Expert writes:---* It is in- 
tended to continue the egg-laying com- 
Petitions at Roseworthy, and provision 
been made for 150 pens ° 
year. This will establish an easy ‘record 
for any one competition, and little, if 
any, difficulty will be experienced in 
obtaining the number of entries. At the 
Kybybolite Poultry Station, near Nara- 
coorte, a competition will also be 
held. The Commissioner of Crown Lands 
(Hon. E. H. Coombe, M.P.) has 
authorised the necessary extension of the 
poultry station, which ‘will provide 
accomodation for 50 pens in the laying 
competition, while 600 or 600 layers will 
be kept for egg production. At Rose_ 
worthy there will probably be three or 
four sections, to encourage selection and 
has 
breeding of such varieties as Minorcas, 
Leghorns other than white, Andalusians 
Anconas, Campines, &c. At Kybybolite 
there will probably be only two sections— 
light breeds and heavy breeds—a matter 
which cannot be definitely settled until 
later on, when preliminary entries are to 
hand. ‘The present intention is to limit 
this competion to residents of the South- 
East, but just where the dividing line will 
be drawn depends on the support 
received. I should like to fix Keith or 
Bordertown as the northern limit, but 
may have to make the line 10 or 20 miles 
south of Adelaide. Up to the present 
excellent support has“ been promised.. 
next 
85 
There will be liberal prize-money and, of 
course, the competitions will furnish one 
of the best means of advertisement 
possible, All poultry entered must be 
pure bred.’ © am 
S.A. ‘Journal of Agriculture.’ 
Poultry Brevities. 
Have houses free from draughts and 
wet, : 
isicae ay ate 
Provide fresh, pure water, and plenty 
Of prittea ts” os: ee 
Stok sattomeest 
Avoid in-breeding, or your flock will 
soon deteriorate. ~ 
Tae eet 
Hatch early in the season, so as to get 
winter layers. 
SPS eae 
Do not keep roosters with laying hens. 
The eggs keep better if not fertilised, — 
epg ts ont eet 
Never keep a fowl longer than two 
seasons. After the second season of 
laying, fatten up and sell. : 
tdiot ioe: 3 
When eggs are cheap, preserve them, or 
ship to England. When eggs are cheap 
locally, they are generally dear in 
England. 
; t t t 
Keep your fowls free from ver- 
min. Limewash their houses, roosts, and 
nests four times a year, and sprinkle 
freely ‘ agricultural’ lime or carbolic 
powder, ; 
| jon at oa 
-Clean the houses twice weekly, The 
droppings make excellent manure; and if 
of nouse to yourself, they are worth saving 
and selling. The droppings of each bird 
should fetch at least 1s, per year. They 
are worth more if you can use them 
yourself. ¢ 
alae | 
Have at least eight hens to each rooster 
for breeding purposes; and never more 
than ten. 1f less are kept, the hens will 
fall of in laying. If more, the eggs will 
not be properly fertilised, and either will 
_not hatch, or the chicks will be weak and 
die, 
