POULTRY NOTES

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 208, 30 May 1936, Page 28

POULTRY NOTES

Defects in New-laid Eggs

GOVERNMENT EXPERT’S ADVICE

(By

New Laid.)

The production of double-yolked eggs, also of soft and thin-shelled eggs, and eggs with small blood-spote in them, is a problem which most poultry-keepers have to face at some time or other. The cause of these defects and the methode of correcting them are referred to by the Chief Government Poultry Instructor (Mr. C. J. Cussen) in the Journal of Agriculture. Referring to double-yolked eggs, Mr. Cussen pointe out that these are caused by two yolks entering the membraueeeereting portion of the oviduct, or eggtube, at the same time. This trouble is most common when pullets are starting to lay, and some birds have a tendency to produce such eggs. The trouble is not so frequently observed in older birds. If a number of double-yolked eggs nre produced by a flock, it would indicate overfeeding, especially with meat, meatmeal or condiments, and slight adjustments to the ration should be made. However, if only oue or two birds are' producing such eggs, it is not advisable to make any change in feeding methods, but if the particular bird or birds can be detected and given a dose of epcsom salts (about one-third of a teaspoonful dissolved in water), it should correct matters.

Soft and thin-shelled eggs are usually most common toward the end of a heavy laying season, when the egg-laying system of birds is becoming more or less exhausted. The immediate cause is tbe failure of the shell-forming portion of tbe oviduct to function properly. Soft-shelled eggs are at times dropped as the result of birds being chased or frightened. The feeding of too much animal food or condiments has a tendency to cause this trouble. As the want of shell-forming material is at times a contributing factor, it is advisable to see that a plentiful supply of oyster-shell grit is always within reach of the birds. The addition of 1 per cent, of oyster-shell dust to the mash will sometimes improve matters. Finely broken-up burnt bone placed where the birds can help themselves is useful. Simple over-feeding will cause the production of poor-shelled or badly-shaped eggs, and as a remedy more exercise should be given by increasing the amount of litter, thus making the stock work for their grain. However, if a large number of thin-shell-ed eggs is being produced, it would indicate that the constitution of the strain is going back, and perhaps some fresh blood is required. On occasions small spots of blood or blood streaks are found in fresh eggs. When such spots are found in the yolks it is the result of a rupture of a small blood-vessel in the ovaries, and if found in the white it is usually due to trouble in the oviduct. Perfectly healthy hens will at times produce such eggs, especially if fed rather too much animal food during the spring of the year. These troubles are usually more common during the spring at the peak period of the laying season, when spices or somewhat too much animal food is being fed. As a remedy it is well to slightly reduce the supply of animal food during September, October and November, and if condiments are being fed it is advisable to discontinue their use, as they often cause irritation. The addition of a little epsom salts to the drinking water, about two tablespoonfuls to each gallon, should have a good effect. The only way to prevent such eggs from being exposed for sale is to test or cnndle all eggs before sending them to market.

Answers to Queries. c Mrs. W.F.. Masterion. — Mangels are a very succulent food and are palatable to hens. Beets generally are low in vitamin content, and for this reason are not as desirable ae some other kinds of green food. Yellow carrots, if available, make an excellent green food. They rank next to cabbage in vitamin content, but birds do not eat them readily until they become accustomed to them. Some poultrymen feed them mashed nr shredded. “Porangahau.”— Approximately 2oz. of mash and 2oz. of wheat, daily. Feeding requirements vary according to the breed, their age, range, housing conditions and the season. Good feeding does not consist of a oct of rules and regulations to be followed blindly under nil conditions. While most successful poultry-farmers follow a general feeding system they make adjustments from time to time based on careful study of their birds at feeding time.

Cull Pullets. Each year many poultry-keepers make the mistake of housing a lot of cull pullets. This is a big drain on profits, but there appears to be a strong aversion to culling pullets. In this connection the official journal of the New South Wales Egg Marketing Board says: There are usually three classes of pullets in every flock. Tn the first class will be found those pullets that are alert, wide awake, tbe first out in the morning and the last to to roost at riiclit. These are tbe mouov-mnkers. rud they are laying now with good prospects of increasing production. They have heads which are wellbnlnnccd. Tl:e pullet’s head should be short, wide and comparatively deep, blending well with the neck and the body. The back should be long, deep and slab-sided, with wo’l-snrnng rilis. Tbe shanks should be flat, rather than fat and round. The second class of pullet will cover those which are a lif-tle backward. In this group there will he some fair pullets, so the flocks should be closely culled. The third class comprises those nwkwnrd crowheaded. poor-legged, shallow-bodied, slowgrowing and slow-feathering pullets. This group never return a profit, but unfortunately, there are nearly always a few present which should be culled and marketed as soon as they show themselves to be wasters.

Rape and Fowl Pox. That the use of rape as green feet] during autumn is a preventive of lowlpox is the definite opinion of numbers of pnultrv-fnrmers, says the official journal of the' New South Wales Egg Marketing Board. Tbe laxative qualities of rape are well known, anti this, and the organic sulphur which it contains, net as a bloodpurifier. promoting a healthy condition of the young stock. Rape itself does not act: as a specific ngainst fowl pox, which is the manifestation of a distinct virus, but: like the use of salts and sulphur as a precautionary measure, its value is in stimulating health, which tends to alternate the casual virus in case of infection. General Notes. A 34.000-egg electric incubator is to be installed by the South Australian Government at their I’arafield experiment farm. » » » Fowls can stand a great deal of cold, but it must be dry cold, tbe slightest moisture content in tbe cold air leading to colds and roup. « a » Shellgrit is not a food, but experience has proved that fowls will lay more eggs with an ample supply than when deprived of it. x> s> a At a recent egg show in England classes were provided for broken eggs, O'hfse pggs were judged on appearance and con ten tf’, and in one claps there were 24 plates of euch eggs. It is anticipated that the new departure will be copied by other show authorities. u i> « If one side the dry mash hopper Is in very poor light, or the hens have to stand in their own light when eating, a drop in feed consumption and, ' consequently, poorer laying, may be expected. To avoid this, boilers should be placed parallel with the side walls-of the sheds.

Defects to beware of when purchasing a stud male include crooked toes or

breastbone, roach back, thin, flat shanks, lightness and long, crow-like faces and beaks. A bird with such defects is not likely to be offered for sale by a breeder of standing, but all buyers do not purchase from plants which make breeding a specialty. a. • * Where pullets develop the habit of dropping their eggs anywhere, such as in the floor litter, an odd old hen in the lay put among them will sometimes teach the pullets to use the nests: such hens should lie carefully chosen, as any which fight or bully the pullets will le.sscn or stop their laying. * v Rhode Island Reds, with 696. head the list of entries for the current Harper Adams egg-laying competition in England. Next come Wyandottes, 248; White Leghorns, 241; Light Sussex, 178; Black Leghorns, 89; Buff Rocks, 88; Anconas, 23; Welsumers.'l3; Barred Rocks, 7; Australorps and White Sussex, 1.

A pullet’s inheritance from its ancestors has been scientifically estimated at one-quarter, from each parent; one-quar-ter, from four grandparents; one-sixth, from great-grandparents; and one-six-teenth from great-great-grandparents.

It is well known that moving lights at night and strange animals are a cause of ducks being frightened and put off production. A New South Wales authority states that ducks can be scared by one light-coloured duck being among a flock of dark-coloured ones, or vice-versa.

If birds are dusted with insecticide during the day the first thing they do is to shake their feathers clear of it. The best plan is to dust them at night, then it will not worry them, and they can be put back on to the perches, and the powder will do its work before morning. » * * Where water-cress is available it should be feci liberally to poultry. While the actual feed value of water-cress is very low, analysis of the plant showing over 91 per cent, water, it supplies vitamine and also organic iron and other valuable salts, # * Experiments at lowa State College showed that chickens slow in hatching were low in vitality. Only 8.7 of the first 90 per cent, to hatch died during the first eight weeks, while 24 per cent, of the last 10 per cent, to hatch died. « « « Feeding of a laxative character is usually advised for chicks at the start, because it is thought that tbe absorbed yolk is in the gut. What really happens in the normal chick, says “Poultry,” is that this portion of the yolk is rendered soluble in some way and absorbed straight into the blood stream. * * * Hatchability decreases with the age of an egg and with age a longer time for incubation is required than for eggs only two or three days old. It has been proved that the first chickens hatched under normal conditions arc the stronger chicks. A higher’ rate of mortality occurs among the last 25 per cent, batched. • ♦ • Layers’ cramp is essentially a trouble of pullets only, says “Poultry,” and generally' occurs during the laying of their first six eggs, seldom afterward. The pullets appear perfectly well but unable to arise from a squatting position. Giving 15 drops Easton’s Syrup in a teaspoonful of water for two or three days generally effects a cure. EGG-LAYING CONTEST Massey College Results Tn the egg-laying contest conducted by Massey College, the ninth week’s results are as follows:— SINGLE PENS. Section A.—R. M. Smith. W.L. No, L 5—48. A. G. Mumby. W.L., No 1. 4—47. Miss H. Keddell, W.L., No. 2 5—46. A. G. Mumby, W.L., No. 2. 5—46- G. E. Moody. W.L.. 5—45. Rangiuru Egg Ranch, W L No 3. 5—44. Miss H. Keddell, WL. No. 1 5—43. Mrs. C. A. Stratford, tv’l* 4 42.* F. Ecob, W.L.. 3 —39. A. A. Hoarc. W.L.. No. 2, 5—35 A. G. Mumby, W.L., No. 4. 3—33. J. Reilly. W.L. No. 2. 1—33. Miss E. Ladd, U .L., A. G. Mumby. IV.L., No. 3, o—3o. A E Salisbury. W.L., No. 3 5—24. R. M. Smith. W.L., No. 2. 6-24. A. A. Iloare. W.L.. No. 1. o—-3. E. B. W ainscott. W.L.. 6—23. J. A. Annan W.L n 22. A. 15. Salisbury. V .L., No. 1. 4—-0. .1. Reilly. W.L.. No. 1. 6—l‘Jr. M. Stephenson, W. T... O 10. C. X,. W Vr<|nhart, W.L. s—l Br. Rangiuru Egg Ranch, W .L., y 0 2 0—17; No. 1. o—l 6. Mrs. B. B. Andrews W.L., o—l 4. Moreland Bros., WL 5-113. A. E. Salisbury, W.L.. No. 2 ’ 0-13. ,T Mold. W.L., 0-9. F. H. Paddy, W.L.. 1-4. 11. Polson MLL., 03 C. H. Barker, W .L.. No. 1, o—o, No. 2, o—o. . Section B.—T. Dowthwaite, 8.0.. No. 2. 5—52; No. 3, 5—51. A. E. Salisbury. A. 0., No 3 6—50.' F. Seymour, 8.0., 5—19. JH. Sutton. A. 0.. 5-49. Norman Ross, B 0 . 6—48. R. Feist, R.1.R., No. 2, 5—44. John Walker. A. 0., 5—43. T. Dowthwaite, B. No. 1. 5—41. A. E. Salisbury, A. 0., Xo 1 5—38. R. M. Smith. 8.0., 5—27. W." A.' Larsen. A. 0., 5—25. A. E. Salisbury. A. 0., No. 2. 5—21. Mrs. Norman Ross. A. 0., 0-19. R. Feist. R.1.R., No. 1, 414 J D Rowlands, R.1.R., 3—3. G. A. Edge, R.1.R., 2—2. TEAM RESULTS. Section C (all W.L.). Argyle Poultry Farm: 34, 39, 31, 30, 29, F Ecob, No. 2 : 38, 37, 12. 40. 38. 29, (17). 194. E. B Wainscott: 37. 20, 21. 34, 46, 32 (20) 190. C. L._W. Urquhart: 26. 24, 34, 44. 20, 31. °F.* Eco'b. No. 1: 30, 24. 48. 10, 17. 30, (1 j; Graham: 20. 37, 30, 30, 24, 22. (12), S, D. Morris: 25. IS, 21, 32. 13, 43. (12), 152 Si G Batten: 10, 21, 13. 40. 25. 33, (5). 142. Cotswold Poultry Farm: 16, 23, 39, 13, 0, 10. (9), 142. Penrose Poultry Ltd.: 28, 26, 2, 14, 35, 16 (8). 121. E W. Thompson: 14. 19, 42, 21, 7, 10. (8) 113. D. M. Peek: 3,9, 42, 1. 4, 37. (7), 90. J. T. Hazelwood: 25. 17, 3, 13. 11. 24 (2). 93. Mrs. G. E. Sewell: 18. 24, 28, 14, 8,0, (0). 92. M Stephenson: 2, 37. 25, 0, 11, 10, (13), ,T Wilson: 0. 2, 17, 13. 26. 24, (11), 82. R Fovlong: 14r. 0. 5. 25, 28. 6, (II), 78. A. E. Salisbury: 10. 22. 12, 0, 0. 25, (3). ‘'h. Polson: 18. 4. 2. 27. 14. 0. (14). 65. Miss H. Keddell: 14. 22, 2,0, 14, 12, (3), 04. J J Faulkner: 15, 25, 2, 0. 2. 10, (8), 54. A. J. Dudson: 16. 13, 0, J, 15, 0. (0), 45. Mrs. B. B. Andrews: 4,8, 10, 1. 1 8, (0). 32. Section D. Cotswold Poultry Farm, A. 0.: 45, 26. 49. 11. 41, 17. (17). 189. Mrs. D. M. Waddell, B.O.: 46. 49 9, 26, 43, 11. (281, 184. Luke Fletcher. B.O.: 37. 47, 1. 2, 'l2. 42. (17>. 171J. B. Duthie, No. 1, B.O.: 12, 29, 20. 55. 0, 41. (16). 157. A. E. Salisbury, A. 0.: 43. 47. 35, 19. 5,4 r, (9) 153. J. B. Duthie, R.1.R.: 21, 37, 23. 14, 0. 48. (15). 143. F. A. Dewhurst, R.1.R.: 17, 38, 9, 35, 23, 10, (18). 132. J. B. Duthie, No. 2, B.O.: 40, 23. 23, 0. 31. 9. (5), 120. A. Thomson. A. 0.: 45. 30. 7,0, 27, 15, (10) 124. Mrs. 11. Wlllers, B.O.: 27, 0. 35 20, 31, 0, (10). 113. Bliss Bros.', R.1.R.: 22. 0. 23. 30, 0 19. (9). 01.

W. A. Larsen, A. 0.: 14. 17. 0, 0. 20, 1, (12), 52.

I J. Gross, B.O.: 0. 0. 1. 11. 4 24 (4), 40. w. Fletcher, A. 0.: 1,5» 13. 0, 14. 4, (4). 37 G A. Edge. R.1.R.: 0, 12. 4, 11. O. O. (9) 27 “r” replacement. Taranaki Competition The ninth week of the Taranaki EggLaying Competition Society’s ninth competition resulted as follows:— White Leghorns.—M. L. Williams, 5—3 J. 6—42. 5—48. Emery Bros., 4—24, 4—is, 522. D. 51. Peek. 6—51. 6—43. 5—25. E. B Wainscott. 5—13. 5 —46. 6—56. M. Stephenson, 5—31, 5-37, ,£ otBlV Tho Poultry Farm, a—42, 6—49, 4—inc P°ne“ Poultry Farm,’ 6-22, 5-26. Mrs. A W. Revell 6—oL ;>—33. .s-4m Mrs. R. R. Cannon. 6—40, ,>—27 3.). U. L. W. Urquhart. 7—51, 6—39. 5—47. Moreland Bros., 6—47. 6—45, u —l 4. L. Young. 4—29. Excelsior Poultry Farm, 534 D. Kruse 6—27. Miss E. Ladd, 48* F. S. Phillips. 6-37. Brown Leghorns.—Hail Bros., -—lm 4—27, o—B. G. C. Harding, I—l. W. Minorcas. —.1. Carlton, o—o. W, Sellars. t> —39. •_ - r Anconas. —D. kruse. u—ls. Australorps.—J. H. Sutton. 6—47. 6—lo. .-l_is rv A. Larsen, s—lo, o—s, o—4). Mrs. i M Playle. 7—54. Miss M. Playle, o—o. Mrs. R. H- Raynor, 5—23. r Orpingtons.—Mrs. F. A. Warren. 6—oh. 4_115 Mrs. D. M. Waddell. 7-35. 6—47' 5—40. Miss D. Swadllng. 5—31. A. H. Nicholson. o—l2. Miss E. Ladd. ,>_ Rhode Island Reds.—.l. H. Sutton. 4—22. W Sellars. 4—5. Mrs. W. O. Gould, 4—-0. C. C. Cleaver, I—3. Sussex. —Miss D. Playle, o—o. DUCKS. Fawn and White Indian Runners.—H. H. Melville 0-2 o—o, o—o. Tlios. Dowthwaite, 7—23. 6—14. 6—15. L. P. James. 6 —20. o—7. —4l. _ -. Khaki Campbell.—C. A. Stratford, 7-11. LIGHT BREEDS: THREE-BIRD TEAMS.

1 Total Wkly. to 3 Tl. Date M L. Williams. W.L. . □ 6 i) 16 129 Emery Bros., W.L 4 4 u 13 94 D M. Peek. W.L 0 6 5 17 119 E. B. Wainscott, W.L. . 5 o G 16 145 M Stephenson. W.L. .. . i 5 i) 15 111 Cotswold P. Parra, W.L. 5 6 4 15 119 The Pines P. Farm. M ,L. 6 >) 17 82 Mrs. A. W. Revell. W.L. (1 o 16 129 Mrs R. R. Cannon, W.L. « 5 « 17 111 C. L ML Urquhart. W.L. ! 6 o 18 137 Moreland Bros., M ,L. . G 6 5 17 136 Hall Bros., ILL - 4 0 G 51 HEAVY BREEDS. J H Sutton, Aus 6 6 5 17 100 W A. Larsen, Aus 0 0 i) 15 Mrs IL A. Warren. 0. .. G 4 5 15 84 Mrs. D. M. Wad del, 0. . 7 6 o 18 122 DUCKS. ✓ H H. Melville 0 0 0 o 2 Tbos. Dowthwaite ..... 7 6 1(1 L» P. JamCB aa«*a«.»s*u>> 6 0 « 13 68