POULTRY NOTES

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 48, 19 November 1932, Page 18

POULTRY NOTES

Wage War Against Vermin

CLEANLINESS THE BEST INSURANCE

(By

“New Laid.”)

Now is the time to make special warfare against insect vermin, which with the advent of warmer weather will multiply at an alarming rate if not constantly kept in check. It is always a weak policy to wait till the quarters become overrun with these enemies of the fowls before adopting preventive methods. The wise poultryman never allows them to make their appearance. He realises that if these are present (especially red mite) in ever Such small numbers his profits must be reduced as a consequence. Some poultry-keepers hold that, it is natural for bird-life to harbour vermin when living in natural state, and conclude that because these thrive and do well, vermin should not have an injurious effect on the domesticated bird. Under natural conditions birds produce but few eggs during the year, and have everything in their favour for freeing themselves of vermin aud retaining strong constitutional vigour. With the domesticated hen, however, it is entirely different. A bird producing 200 or more eggs a year under artificial conditions obviously cannot be expected to produce her special yield if her life-blood is being constantly drawn from the body by parasitic life. It must not. be concluded that because vermin cannot be seen at a casual glance they are. not present. The most troublesome types are often the most difficult to discover. For example, the trouble bringing the red mite seeks seclusion during the dav in out-of-the-way corners till after dark, when it attacks the bird bv blood-sucking. It thus escapes the observation of any but the keenest of poultrymen. Then, there is the depluming-mite, which causes constant irritation to a bird, and is the most common Cause of feather-pulling. It is almost invisible to the naked eye, and, besides, hides) in the plumage in a way that demands keen observation to disclose its whereabouts. Fleas also may cause no end of trouble in a poultry flock. They are most common where the plant is located on sandy soil. Like the red mite they mostly hide during the day and attack the birds o.v night. Their chief hiding-place .is under the nesting-material. . Cleanliness is. the great safeguard in keeping these enemies at bay. It is recognised the world over that the most economical insurance against loss from vermin and disease in Hie management of poultry stock is that of cleanliness. At least twice yearly the quarters where poultry are kept should undergo a thorough cleaning and disinfection. The first step in this direction is to remove all litter and nesting-material. Then every part of the interior should be swept down with a stiff broom. It should next be thoroughly sprayed with a strong disinfectant. It is then a good plan to tar the walls, as a means of covering up all hiding-places. There is nothing like tar for keeping parasitic life. at. a distance. To complete the cleaning of the house, and after the tar is dry. it should be given a good spraying of whitewash. Only after doing this can the house be said to be in a thoroughly clean condition. It must not be inferred, however, that this half-yearly cleaning is sufficient. Far from it. The house should be kept clean nt all times by never allowing manure dirt, etc., to accumulate. Care also should be taken that the nesting material is frequently changed. It is sound practice for the poultryman to catch his fowls, hold their heads downwards, gripping the. body between the two knees, and separating the feathers around the abdomen. If a. fowl has msects at all, they will be located around this particular spot, Insect, powder should be dusted next to the skin. Scat■itering powder on the top of the feathers is useless. It is necessary to open up the feathers, so that the insect powder goes next to the skin and on to it. Under a fowl’s wings, on the thighs, and under the neck hackle, are other haunts for insects. If, in examining a bird around the abdomen, clusters oi white growths are found attached to the feathers near the skin these should.be carefully pulled out and burned, as tney are the eggs laid and deposited by ‘he insects, and. during the hot months they will hatch in thousands. These live on the blood' of the fowl, and spread to every crevice in the poultry-house.

General Notes. . An ointment useful for scaiy leg is made as follows: Put lOoz of lard, loz glycerine, 4oz white wax in an iron pot and melt them. Add one ounce flowers of surphur while this mixture is cooling and stir till cold. As a safeguard against scaly leg it is advisable to rub the legs with this mixture about once a month from the time the pullets are three mouths old.

Awkward, long-legged young cockerels that look all angles and corners may round out into beautiful specimens when their hackle and saddle feathers are grown. * * »

Two pounds of milk (less than a quart) contain the same amount of solid feed as one pound of raw meat, according to an English authority. • * *

Ducks require drinking water while eating mash, because they have not the fowl’s crop capacity, also because they shovel up the mash with their bills instead of picking at it like hens, and block their nostrils while doing so.

If the incubator is finished with for the season clean out thoroughly and disinfect at once. Do not wait and so allow germs and bacteria to multiply exceedingly. This having been done, paste paper over all holes, ventilators and door joins, and store away for future use.

Small-holders should guard against over-crowding. It is much easier to increase the stock of birds than it is to provide room for them. That being the case, if a large number of chickens have been raised cull early and severely always first of all eliminating any that ex-

Libit signs of any weakness, or deformity. This will ensure sound birds, and give those left a better chance to develop properly. * * * Soft-shelled eggs are frequently the result of oyer-fatness or fright while laying. Another cause is some affection of the glands responsible for forming the shell material. A good insurance against softshelled products is an adequate supply of shell grit. w » The pullet on which you get. your money back when eggs are the highest price, does not just happen—she has to be built for the job, just as she has to be built to lay a large egg instead of a small one. Pullets that reach the laying stage with a weak frame and undeveloped body usually break down under the strain of egg production. » ♦ * Cleanliness is a first essential in poultry keeping. Clean and disinfect both houses and runs. Kill off any weak birds, feed all food in containers, and remove any mash that has not been eaten up m half an hour. Above all. see that all component parts of the wet mash are made from sound, wholesome food. EGG-LAYING CONTESTS Massey College Results Results at the conclusion of tho 32nd week of the egg-laying contest at Massey Agricultural College are as under:— Single Pens. Section A.—W. IT. Barkcr: ; No. 1. 103; No. 2, 114; No. 3, 130. E. M. Galvin: No. 1,136 x; No. 2, 173. G. H. Cross, 10S. F. Ecob; No. 1, 166; No. 2. 144; No. 3,140 t. A. It. Watson. IS4. C. Goodson, 72x. L. B. Maunsell: No. 1, 142; No. 2, 156; No. 3, 142 Mrs. Stewart: No. 1, 133: No. 2, 136; No. 3, 164-x. S. G. Batten. 150. K. R. Cannon, 151. Miss Mitchell: No. 1, 139; No. 2. 144; No. 3, 165; No. 4, 132: No. 5„ 166; No. 6. 173. T. Bruce: No. 1, 123; No. 2, 152; No. 3, 96. A. J. Shailer: No. 1. 153; No. 2, 136. H. Rushton: No. 1. 144; No. 2, 128; No. 3, 153; No. 4, 150. S. G. Batten: No. 2, 129; No. 3. 180 x: 'No. 4, 135; No. 5, 164; No. 6. 109; No. 7, 119. Section B.—Mrs? Hellaiby: No. l. 159; No. 2, 153. Mrs. Youngson, 149. Larsen Bros.: No. 1,186 x; No. 2, 114; No. 3, 132; No. 4, 200 x. T. Douthwaite, 127. E. M. Galvin, 54x. Team Results. Section C.—iF. EcOb: 177. 158, Us6x, 136, 115, 149 (29)—891: M. L. Boyce: 141, 125, 146 x, 157, 125, 108 (28)—802. M. Macrae: 95, 134 x, 170, 97, 146, 136 (34)—778. Mrs. Stewart: 136. 97. 111, 122 x, 89, 147 x (31)— 702. P. B. Harrison: 140, 141, 107, 82, 112, 90 (27)—672. Section D.—Mrs. Hel-laby: 124. 170, 150 x, 134, 108, 140 (32)—826. W. E. .Tones: 136, 110, 135, ISlx, 106. 15x (35)—768. McLean and Whitworth: 107.' 133 x. 97x, 113 x. 145 x, 170 (28)—765. W. Bish: 161, 47x, 32, 116, 13lx, 60t (34)—,370. Larsen Bros.: 85, 121, 92x, 114, Six, 66 (3D—559. x Signifies disqualified, egg-weight clause, t Bird dead. Taranaki Tests The report up to the end of the thirtythird week of the Taranaki egg-laying competition gives t_he following results:— White Leghorns.—Turuturu Poultry Farm: No. 1, 6—147; No. 2, 6—164; No. .3, 6— 146. Barkers, Nolantown: No. 1. 6—133; No. 2, 6—107; No. 3. B—lls. A. J. Cadman: No. 1, 6—181; No. 2, 7—190; No. 3. 5—166; No. 4, 6—163; No. 5, 7—165; No. 6, 5—175. R. R. Cannon; No. 1, 7—187; No. 2, 5—130; No. 3. 4—150. M. Scanlon: No. 1, 5—184; No. 2, 6—126: No. 3, 7—175. G. L. Gaylard: No. 1. 6—134; No. 2. 5—145; No. 3, 5—142. Gibbons Bros.: No. 1, 5—187; No. 2. 5—166: No. 3, 6—165. J. Meuli: 6—176. T. Bruce: 6—172. G. Kent: 6—86. W. Crompton: 6—l Bl. Brown Leghorns.—C. Goodson: No. 1, 5— IfO. 2, 0—93; No. 3, 4—92. Black Mlnorcas.—A. Hopikins: 6—154. D. Swadling: No. 1. 4—95; No. 2, 6—llB. Light Sussex.—£. Murray: 5—153. Ri R. Cannon: 5—135. Black Orpingtons.—D. M. Waddell: No. 1, 7—162; No. 2, 6—117: No. 3, 7—165. F. A. Warren: No. 1, 6—135; No. 2, 3—124; No. 3, 4—150. V. L. Gane: No. 1. 5—159; No. 2, 3—149; No. 3, 5—121. S. Paterson; No. 2, 5—164; No. 3. 6—186. Larsen Bros.: No. 1, 5—131; No. 2, 7—224; No. 3, 5—145. G. L. Gaylard: 2—139. R. J. Youngson: 4—179. W. . Wordsworth : 6—151. D. Swadling: f—ll 3. T. King: 5—131. Rhode Island Red.—J. W. Carrick: No. 1, 5—179; No., 2, 5—146; No. 3, 4—142. Ducks —Fawn Indian Runners.—F. A. Warren: No. 1. -k-97: No. 2, 4—147; No. 3, 7— T. Dowthwaite: No. 1, 6—107; No. 2, 6—97; No. 3, 5—113. V. L. Gane: 6—151. White Runners.—,l. 0. Law: s—Bo. S. Beauchamp: 6—155. T. Dowthwaite: 6 — 94. , Khaki Campbell.—C. C. Cleaver: 4—144. Pekin.—H. A. Lucas: No. 1, 2—113; No. 2, 4—89. THREE-BIRD TEAMS.

W;L.. White Leghorns: 8.L., Brown Leghorns: 8.0.. Black Orpingtons; R.1.R., Rhode Island Red: F.1.R., Fawn Indian Runner ducks; ‘signifies bird dead.

Licht Breeds. 1 Turutum Poultry Farm, W.L 6 Total Weekly to 2 3 total date 6 6 IS 458 Barkers, ' Nolantown, W.L 6 6 8 20 355 A. J. Cadman, No. 1, W.L 6 7 5 IS 537 A. >T. Cadman, No. 2, W.L 6 7 3 18 502 R. R. Cannon. W.L. . 7 5 1 16 467 or. Scanlon. W.L 5 fi 7 IS 485 G. L. Gaylard, W.L. . 6 5 o 16 421 Gibbons Bros.. W.L. .* 5 o (> 16 518 C. Goodson, B.L 5 0 4 9 283 Heavy Breeds. T>. M. Waddell, B.O. . 7 6 24 444 F. A. Warren. B.O. .. 6 3 4 13 409 V. L. Gane, B.O. ..... 5 3 13 409 8. Paterson, B.O * 5 6 11 364 Larsen Bros.. B.O. ... 5 7 Fi 17 500 J. W. Carrick, R.IJt. . 5 u 4 11 467 DUCKS. F. A. Warren. F.I.R. . 4 4 7 15 322 T. Dowthwaite, F.I.R. 6 6 5 17 317