POULTRY NOTES

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 70, 15 December 1928, Page 32

POULTRY NOTES

|By

“New-Laid”)

Housing Hints. Exercise is esseutiul for the health of the fowls, as well as to prevent them from taking on too much surplus ini, a condition with our heavier breeds which is very detrimental to profitable egg production. The exercise can best tie provided by keeping tue flour covereu to a depth of eight or ten inches in the winter with a good scratching material, coarse straw being the best, and feeding ail grain rations broadcast in this litter. The number of birds which can saiely be kept in a house of given dimensions will depend somewhat upon the experience of the poultryman caring for them. Under average conditions it is safest for the amateur or the one with limited experience not to crowd his birds too closely, keeping about one bird to every five or six square feet of floor space. The expert, however, who thoroughly understands the needs ami methods of sanitation, can successfully keep us many as one bird to every three or four square feet of floor space and maintain them in perfect health. The construction should be made as nearly as possible rat and vermin-proof. Rats are often a direct source ot great loss caused by the death of young pullets, and by the large amount ot feed which they will consume. A well-con-structed concrete foundation will often more than pay for itself in one year by eliminating this source of loss. A family of full-grown ruts will eat as much dry mash as a flock of twenty-five laying hens, and too few appreciate the actual loss which is going on in flocks from this cause. Aside trom these factors a poultry house, to be efficient, should be economical in construction and convenient. It is perfectly possible to construct an efficient house for from four shillings to five shillings per bird for material, allowing four square feet of floor space per bird. In planning the house, provision should be made for as many lab-our-saving devices as possible, such as double swinging doors between pens, with friction stops, large self-feeding ‘ K, l’l l ? rs for the dry mash, which require filling but once a week, drinking vessels which are easily and quickly cleaned, nests which are easy of access, and the arrangement of all the internal appliances so that the labour required in attending will be reduced to a minimum. Be Kind to Fowls.

Some people succeed much better in the keeping of poultry than others, and it will be found that as a rule these people are gentle, kind, and sympathetic in controlling the fowls (states a contributor to an exchange). Fowls are Quick to respond to these qualities, and will do their best in return for them. It may seem a small matter to have the fowls get to know one’s voice by speaking to them now and then, but I have found this a very good, thing at times. Take, for instance, the necessity of entering the poultry house at night.with a lantern ; sometimes this will alarm the towls, and they will crowd together on the perches, and some will jump on the floor, yet, if on entering I speak to them, they will at once recognise my voice, and remain quiet. In another case, if I enter the yards with a person who is a stranger to them, they may at first show fear, but if I speak to them, they soon quiet down. ~ . Feifr acts harmfully upon poultry, and no fowls that are subject to its-influence can do well. This was quite noticeable in a cockerel I purchased, and had sent to me from a distance. If I stoop over to pick up anything, he leaps in the air with squawks of fear, evidently expecting me to hurl something at hitn. While he is now much better in this respect, it is probable that some time will pass before he will get over this fear, evidently occasioned by poor treatment; and he has proved one of. my most unsatisfactory male birds. There is, however, the other extreme of being too kind, and letting the fowls do as they please, thus spoiling them. A certain control is always necessary for best results, but it can be had without arousing fear. Fowls are quick to recognise this control, and if it is held to, will seldom overlook its limits. Weatiler’s Effect on Laying.

Although it has been found that the hen’s digestive capacity is about the same at all times (one hundred ounces per month), yet she does not produce the same number of eggs each month, which is accounted for by the proportion of feed required for her body at different times. If the weather is pleasant, and other conditions right, the hen may use only fifty ounces for her body, and .make twentyfive eggs from the other fifty ounces of feed; but if the weather turns cold, and her house is not what it should be, so that ninety ounces of feed are needed for her body, she can make only five eggs from the other ten ounces. And if the weather changes suddenly, so that one hundred and ten ounces a>& needed.to support her body, she can, and does, arrest the eggs which are partly developed, turn the egg material back into her own system, and use it as food, which explains why hens stop laying on short notice after a sudden change in the weather. Grow Greenstuff.

If you are on a town lot and keep your birds confined, make it a business to grow green food for them. .It is possible that your lawn will furnish clippings in abundance, yet something of a variety will be appreciated by the fowls. Swiss chard makes an excellent green for them. This grows rapidly and becomes very large. If the leaves are picked and the ’ plant is not pulled up by the roots, you may gather quite a quantity of green food for the birds from each plant. It can be planted quite thick and later on sorted out, and some of the plants pulled up and reset. Lettuce is good and specially adapted for young chicks. It is tender and they can tear, it easily. Rows of this should be planted, not only for the home table but also for the growing chicks. If you have a fairly large garden plot, raise some mangel beets. These, of course, are for autumn and winter feeding, and come in very acceptably when all other forms of vegetation' are gone. If stored in a dry building the beets will keep until spring, but it is better to feed them all out before the early green stuff comes on, for then the birds will not care for them as they did in the winter. There is no green food like nature s own grass and summer growing stuff, and nothing can take the place of these things for the fowls and growing chicks.

Do Not Feed Egg Shells. Hens soon learn vices, and consequently they should never receive broken egg shells unless the shells are crushed very fine, or they will begin to eat eggs. Provide Shade.

RHODE ISLAND FOWLS IMPORTED Dominion Special Service. Blasterton, December 14. There arrived at Wellington last week per the Port Wellington a trio of Rhode Island Red fowls, for Mr. David Walker, “The Cliffs,” Masterton. These birds were shipped by Captain the Hon. C. K. Greenway, Stambridge, Earl’s Poultry Farm, Romsey, Hamps., one of England’s leading breeders and exhibitors. Before being shipped to New Zealand these birds were exhibited at some of the leading shows. The’ cockerel, which is from a hen (3 years old), who last year laid 295 eggs, was exhibited at the Lancashire Agricultural Show, and in a very strong class, under the well-known Lancashire judge, Mr. Tom Gardner, carried off the first prize. The father of this bird cost £5O. At the Romsey Show, under the same judge, one of the pullets secured third place, being beaten for first and second by her sisters. The other pullet secured the second prize at Everecreech, under Mr. Powell Owen. At both shows these birds were competing in very strong classes, and with the best birds in the country.

Despite the long journey, the birds arrived in good condition, and the pullets have already started laying. Considering their record in England, these birds should be n decided acquisition to their owner, who has mguy first-class birds to his credit.