POULTRY-KEEPING FOR PROFIT

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22566, 23 November 1938, Page 4

POULTRY-KEEPING FOR PROFIT

PROVISION OF AMPLE

PERCH . ROOM

(By LEGHORN.) Particular care should be paid to perch room at all periods of the year, and especially just now, when temperatures are beginning to rise. Birds that were quite comfortable a month or two ago may suffer great discomfort in the hot months, so that observation should be carried out regularly after the birds have gone to roost.

The close packing of birds means that they become overheated, and this leads to catarrhal troubles. The vitality and energy are also sapped, thus reducing the egg'yield or growtn and lowering the resistance to diseases other than catarrhal complaints. Among the Growing Stock The greatest dangers from overcrowding will naturally arise among the growing stock, for every day they are filling out and a week will make quite a difference. It is generally agreed that the dangers of overcrowding are greater among the young stock, mainly because of their weaker constitutions, and, this being the vital spot, should be closely watched. Some farmers have a very bad habit of running houses at "capacity strength" at all times. This is dangerous. By far the best way is to allocate as many birds to the house as it will comfortably hold when they reach adult stage. This is a "safety first" method. It provides the growing stock with ample room and air during the critical stages of development, and it overcomes that tedious job of keeping the eye on the house and perch room, and making the essential moves.

Of course it is not possible for all poultry-keepers to provide houses with such a wide margin of safety in numbers penned, so that is why the careful watch must be kept. It is agreed, however, that flocks with ample room develop better and provide fewer culls, so that either reduced numbers or increased shedding is a wise precaution.

The Laying Stock

There should always be room to spare in a laying shed. If the birds desire to spread out or close up, perching should be available. One will often notice birds close together at dusk and well spread out by morning, or vice versa. Another bad habit ! is to place the perches too close to- [ gether, so that there is what might be called an "end to end" contact by the perching birds. Again, some farmers have the perches far too wide apart, and it is a very great effort for birds to move from rfjejch to perch, forward or backward, as they often will. Many esses of ovarian troubles —ruptured oviducts and soft-shelled eggs—are the result of injuries received trying to jump across these wide spaces. A happy medium should always be aimed at, and perches placed not less than 20 inches apart. Keep Perches Level Another practice—commonly seen on the country farm—is the step-lad-der system of perching. This idea generally involves two faults, for it is invariably built on the lean-to system from the ground to the back wall of the house. This means that vermin come in contact with the ground—at the front—and can seek sanctuary and breed j\n the walls of the house by the perch contact at the rear The hens, by natural instint, all want to I perch on the highest roost, therefore there is undue crowding towards the ! top, with space to spare at the front General Repeated warnings have been issued over the dangers associated with i perching, and it only requires a little : thought to realise how essential comfortable resting places are. Growth takes place day and night, egg formation proceeds continuously during the production periods, and, just as a comfortable bed is essential for a human being, so comfortable quarters are needed for poultry. • Paying more care to the little things in poultry culture builds up the profits. Too often it is the little things which are neglected, and perches and perch room are frequently placed in that section. Greater comfort means better growth and more eggs in season. Check over all the roosting quarters before the heat of summer arrives. Observe the Birds That text-books and standards are available to ' study the numerous phases of poultry-keeping is not in itself sufficient to enable a person taking up poultry for a living, or as a hobby, to grasp fully the essentials for success. They are, however, most important adjuncts, without which a poultry breeder would be groping in the dark, for, without study, in association with practical work, a person would be limited to his own individual experience. This would, in effect, be futile, for it would be exploring unknown fields—too much time would be wasted in solving the numerous side problems which arise. So it is in poultry-keeping. To be successful, the breeder i..ust keep his mind in tune with current events; with varied opinions and fields of thought. This he can do by devoting part of his time to a leisurely but thorough reading of current and topical poultry news. In addition, he must be constantly alert to perceive the application of a certain paragraph or article to his own particular needs. When this sense is awakened, he has reached the stage when natural observation will almost automatically solve a problem. Fowls are Temperamental If fowls are closely scrutinised during the different types of weather, it will be noted that they present a different appearance. For example, in bright, congenial, sunny weather the | average fowl is alert in its movements, the feathers are slightly fluffed or loosely carried, but in dry, cold weather they are compactly tightened by the action of the skin against the body. When, however, a fowl is seen differing in its plumage condition from that of the rest of the flock—it may be only in a slight degree—the instinctive sense of an experienced, observant breeder will immediately ask why, and attempt to solve the prob lem. If the sense of deduction cannot perceive the answer, then the fowl is caught and handled, and so the various primary stages of ailments are perceived. Because fowls are temperamental and react quickly to the various conditions under which they live, an observant individual can almost unconsciously analyse and sort out the various units in his flock without trouble.