POULTRY NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 291, 8 September 1928, Page 28

POULTRY NOTES.

(By

“New Laid.”}

Answer io Correspondent. ■T.M.L. asks for names -of different breeds of black ducks. There are two distinct breeds, known as the Cayuga ami Black East Indian respectively, in addition to which tlic Muscovy is sometimes found of -the same hue. Brooder Troubles. Many poultry-keepers have sought my advice as to tlic poor results and troubles encountered lu the artificial rearing of chickens, but with few exceptions the correspondents have failed to give full particulars relative to the special conditions tin. der which the young birds are being reared, while, worst of all, no mention is made as to the particular make of brooder they are using (writes F. C. Brown in the "Journal of Agriculture”). Thus it is next to impossible even to suggest the probable cause of the trouble. Thro - are now so many different styles of brooders and methods of working them that any instructions-given here or by letter could not be applied generally. For the successful rearing of chickens good food .is always essential.- but this is only one important link in the chain of management. The best food ration ever planned will not spell success if other essential details arc neglected. It is safe to say that chill is responsible for the loss of more chicks than all other, things put together. For example, if chicks become chilled bowel trouble soon appears. Once this disorder sets In little or nothing cun be done to save them, and it will generally pay in the long-run to destroy all chicks so affected rather than try to doctor them. In addition to bowel trouble there are other signs indicating chill, such as huddling, droopy wings, a distressed chirp, excessive thirst, and no inclination to leave the brooder or to ent. To prevent chill tho brooder should be maintained at a more or loss uniform degree of' temperature, but it: should be so arranged that the ehicks arc given an opportunity of moving away from the heat when it is excessive. Generally, if given the opportunity, and of course where they nre not overcrowded, they will secure the degree of warmth that instinct demands. Where brooders of the canopy type are used the chicks arc afforded an opportunity of moving to and from the main source of heat, and securing a desired degree of temperature'. It is true, however, that even with this class of brooder the chicks will sometimes crowd into corners of the house, rather than remain in close reach of the brooder. The cause of this behaviour is usually put down to excessive heat in the brooder-room. Generally, however, it is due to a ground draught. Fresh air is of equal importance to desired warmth, but above all things it- must be provided without draught. If there is a draught from any particular quarter tbe chicks will gradually move away from it until the corner is reached, indicating that they prefer to leave the chief source of heat (so essential for their welfare) rather' than remain in a draught. The huddling brings on a sweated condition, and this is fatal to chicks at anytime. As a preventive I would advise placing on the floor of the house a board—say, Ift. high—a few feet away from the brooder, as a■ draught-break. If the behaviour of the chicks is observed the direction from which the draught is coming will soon be detected, so that the board or boards, as the-case may be. can be,placed In the right position. Of course, care npist be taken that tile chicks are given' sufficient space to move well away from the beat when this is excessive, a condition which may easily happen when warm weather prevails. Chicken-rearing is a business of Utile details, and if these are • not observed in every-respect tbe best results cannot possibly be achieved. The. importance of cleanliness in the management of brooder chicks cannot lie overestimated. Dirt means disease, infection, and the presence of vermin, and once these make their appearance mortality may be expected. The quarters should be kept, sweet and clean by frequently renewing tho bedding and litter material. Before new batches of-chicks nre moved to the brooder the whole nf the quarters should be thoroughly cleaned and sprayed with a weak solution of sheep-dip or other suitable disinfectant. On no account overcrowd the brooder; it is one of tbe things which never fail to give trouble. It is always a safe policy to have too few chicks in the brooder than too many. While a (uniform degree of warmth, plenty of ventilation without draught, nnd strict attention to cleanliness are the chief factors in rearing brooder chicks, the matter of providing the right class of food must not be overlooked. There are numerous mixtures that will give equal results. The main point is to feed sound, wholesome food. Dry, coarse ontmeal is ideal for the first few meals. This may be followed by a reliable brand of chick-raiser. During the early stages it is a good plan to moisten slightly the broken grains with sweet milk or hot water some time before using. This will make the food more easily digestible. Few people realise the value of dry, coarse bran for young chicks. Right from tho start it should be in reach for the little birds to pick at. An important point In rearing brooder chicks is to keep them well exercised. The best way of inducing this is to feed some chick-food in the litter and make them scratch for it. Grit, charcoal, and clean water should always be in easy roach right from (lie first, while finely cut succulent green material should be fed daily after the third day. Cause of the Small Egg. Concern is manifested in all the Australian States with regard to the number of small eggs that are being produced. It would appear (states “The Observer,” Adelaide) that the small egg was inevitable, and the result of cause and effect, and in this way: Twenty-six years ago when the first egg-laying competitions started in Austrlia, fowls laid from 100 to .150 eggs during the year. And the eggs in»somo cases (Leghorns for instance) weighed from 2J to 3 oz. The competitions took hold—everybody started' breeding for numbers,' small eggs -were used for hatchlug, in many cases immature, undeveloped male 1 and female fowls were bred from, and the size of egg naturally went down. In any ease, the eggs from a heu that produces 250-300 in a year can't be so-big as they would be if she laid 150 in tlic same period. The Minorca still lays the usual big eggs, and the reason Is that the breed has not been cultivated and developed like the white Leghorns, say. If ever the Minorca gets to the stage of laying 250 to 300 eggs in 12 months, then tbe size of the egg will come dowfi, just as it has done with the other breeds that have been selected and cultivated for excessive egg production—for that is what it really amounts to. Undue development of one attribute can only be at the expense of the remainder—that is a law of Nature. That means in the case of heavy- producing fowls that the eggs become smaller, the 'colour goes out of the beak and legs, tbe feathers become harder and narrower, the shape alters, and tbe weight of the body goes down. The result of the breeding that has gout on for tho last quarter of a century Is noled in the fact that the standard egg has got. down, or consolidated, into a weight :of 17-8 oz. Lots of eggs weigh . less- than that, but there are comparatively few eggs that weigh more than 1 7-Soz., which scorns to bo tho maximum weight among some of the best layers to-day. Ou the farms there are si ill plenty of the old-time strain of bens that lay 2 to'2l oz. eggs, and it ought to pny the poultry keepers whoso eggs arc small to obtain some birds from tho country, nnd work tho weight into their stock. Where, year after year, tho best layers arg bred from, the number of eggs laid must increase, but there is a severe strain on tho organisation that is going on all the 'time, and the effect of which is to reduce the size of the eggs. Therefore, it is no good io attempt to get size from them—the.v can’t give what Is not in them. No; what tlic breeders must do periodically is to obtain big-egg hens — preferably of their own strain—from the country and work tho extra size Into their stock.