POULTRY NOTES

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 154, 27 March 1937, Page X (Supplement)

POULTRY NOTES

Maintaining Autumn Production

HOUSING AND FEEDING

(By

New Laid.)

Although egg returns a're expected to be on the down grade at this time of the year, much can be done by careful management. of the laying e-tock to maintain a reasonable rate of production. Tbe mam factors in the management of layers which contribute toward maintaining production, states the poultry expert of the New South Wales Department of Agriculture, are proper housing conditions and careful feeding. With regard to housing it is of the utmost importance that the houses be well ventilated and large enough to accommodate properly the number of birds put into them. Close attention should also he given to the distance apart of the perches, as it is essential that there be a free circulation of air between the birds on the perches. To provide for this the roosts should not be less than 20 inches apart, preferably two feet. The importance of this fact is apparently not sufliciently realised, as on many farms tlie perches are much closer together. Any packing together of the birds, particularly toward the end of the summer when humid conditions usually prevail, is most likely to cause the birds to fall into an early moult and, in the case of young stock, contributes toward respiratory troubles.

For this reason it is desirable that the young stock should be housed in smaller pens than the adult birds until the cooler weather of the autumn commences. A mistake which is commonly made is to fill large semi-intensive or intensive houses with their full complement of young birds, and this frequently results in a loss of production during the autumn. No matter how good the conditions may be otherwise, unless particular attention is given to feeding it cannot be expected that the best results will be obtained. In the first place it is essential that a suitable balanced ration be fed. Care should be exercised, however, in making any change at. this time of the year, as any sudden alteration will affect production and probably result in a moult. It should be understood that no matter how good the ration is, if it is not fed skilfully the best results will not be obtained, and during hot weather more care has to be exercised in feeding than at other times, because of the fluctuation in the appetite of the birds. For instance, it will be found that after a few hot days the birds will not require ncarly as much food as when the days arc cooler, and if the feeding is done by measure instead of by judgment they will be surfeited with food at one time and be underfed at another. The really skilful feeder is the one who can gauge the requirements of tbe birds when feeding, but there arc many who are not able to feed with suck good judgment, and the only safe course in such cases is to go round the pens half an hour to one hour after feeding and, if any food is left, gather it up, or, if the birds still seem hungry, give more. When it is noticed that the food is being left, and it is considered tuat the birds are eating as much as they should, the best course is to feed lightly for two or three feeds until their appetites are restored, but on no account should a meal be entirely eliminated. N.Z. Breeders’ Association.

The suggestion of the Poultry Board that a New Zealand Breeders’ Association be fonqed for the purpose of maintaining a. high standard of day-old chickens, stock birds, and hatching eggs offered to the public, and to protect the interests of breeders themselves by taking steps to prevent or restrict price-cutting, particularly in regard to day-old chickens, has been taken up with enthusiasm by North Island breeders, but the movement lias not gone with the same swing in the South Island. The co-operation of South Island breeders is earnestly desired, but if it is not forthcoming, the alreadyformed North Island Breeders’ Association will probably act independently and submit their proposals to the Department of Agriculture asking for the department's co-operation and active assistance, which is regarded as essential to the success of proposals regarding the issue of certificates to breeders and hatcherymen, particularly in connection with the sale of day-old chicks. Some of the principal sections of the proposed constitution and rules generally agreed upon, but not absolutely finalised by the North Island branches are as under: —

The name of the association (Shall be the Certificated Poultry Breeders’ Association, N.Z. (Inc.). The objects of the association shall be:—(a) To assist in maintaining a high standard of poultrybreeding by ensuring that poultry stock of any kind whatsoever, or services in connection with the supply’ or production of poultry stock offered to the public by the members shall be of good quality, (b) To standardise and maintain at a fair and economical level the minimum selling prices of all or any types of poultry breeding stock, day-old chicks and hatching eggs and services in connection therewith, offered for sale to the public, (c) To advertise the members, (d) To affiliate with any other society, body or association or to join or co-operale or subscribe to the funds of any society, body or association for the purpose of attaining or otherwise furthering the objects and interests of' the association or the members thereof. (e) To invest in investments approved by the committee of the association any money of the association not required for immediate use. (f) To do all such lawful things as are incidental or conducive to the attainment of any or all of the above objects.

For the purpose of registration the number of members is declared unlimited Membership is open to all breeders of poultry of any kind whatsoever, or services in connection therewith, who secure a certificate stating that the requirements of the standard as set by the association have been complied with. Certificates are issued following annual inspections of members’ farms, flocks and equipment. The inspecting authority will make annual inspections arranged at times at the discretion of the committee. Members must allow full access to plant and appropriate records for the purposes of further inspection at all reasonable times.

Certificates issued to owners of breeding plants shall not be transferable. Members are required to keep adequate and accurate breeding, hatching and rearing records whidh shall be available at all reasonable times for the confidential information of the committee or its official inspector. Members must have their eggs hatched b" another member of the association in eases where only part or none of their hatching is done on their own plants. Hatchery men without either farms er stock may become members and will be advertised as such in the published advertisements of the association. Eggs purchased by them for batching must be secured from members of the association. Before final acceptance of membership in the association, prospective members must sign a written undertaking agreeing to abide by the rules, and further agreeing to a forfeiture of their bond in the event of their committing a breach of the said rules.

Membership in the association ceases with

1.. The acceptance of resignation in writing to the secretary. 2. Withdrawal of certificate due to failure to maintain the standard required for its continuance. Such withdrawal of certificate automatically terminates membership. 3. Failure to pay subscription two months after due date.

The annual subscription shall be: — For 250 or less laying fows or ducks, ft 1 /-; for 250 to 500 laying fowls or ducks, £2/2/-; for 500 to 750 laying fowls or ducks, £3/3/-; for 750 to 1000 laying fowls or ducks, £-1/4/-; for more than 1000 laying fowls or ducks, £5/5/-. Each member shall furnish a bond in the form of a P/N payable on demand at the bank of the association and lodged therein, the amount of such bond to be: — For le. c s than 500 laying fowls or ducks, £10; for 500 to 1000 laying fowls or

ducks. £2O: and nn additional £lO for each 1000 head of poultry in excess cf 1000, with a maximum of £5O. White Australorps. A report from South Africa states that Mr. N. H. Addison, a Middleburg breeder. has evolved a breed of White Australorps which started with a sport male from Black Auistraiorp eggs. After four generations the new variety is reported to have proved constant in colour. The birds have white skin and flesh and arcclaimed to be a popular table variety and excellent layers. They have all tbe characteristics of the. black variety, being hardy and robust, and have proved themselves suitable for the South African climate. Insect Pests Costly.

Looked at from any angle insect pesto are costly to the poultry-keeper, and he should be constantly on guard to keep his birds as clean as possible. If birds seem listless or are not thriving, although no definite ailment can be noticed, it is wise to suspect lice and to examine the birds. Lice, unlike mites, live on the body of the bird, and sap its vitality. To examine a bird, catch it, turn it over and quickly ruffle the feathers. The lice, if any', will be disturbed and seek shelter under cover of other feathers. A hen affected with lice is not a contented hen ; therefore her laying and behaviour will suffer. As lice breathe through the pores of their body, any fine powder or greasy substance that will close the pores of the skin will kill them. In a good dust bath the hen will ruffle the dust through her feathers and so kill the lice; therefore dust baths are important provisions- in the equipment. A little powdered insect killer can be sprinkled in the dust bath, and if the bath is kept, slightly moist even better results will be achieved, as the birds enjoy the damp bath much more, especially in the hot. weather. Bran and Crushed Wheat.

Feeding tests to determine production results from five different classes of fee'll are being conducted at tbe I’arsfield poultry station, South Australia. Fifty White Leghorn pullets were placed in each of five pens. The birds were as identical as it was possible to get them by weight, age and type when the present test was comnu-need on April 1, 1935. The food given was carefully prescribed for each set of birds and records of production in each month noted. The feed given was as follows: — No. I : Wet mash. Crushed barley and crushed wheat. Greenfeed. Meatmeal. and 2oz. whole wheat daily. No. 2: Standard bran and pollard mash with greenfeed and meatmeal and ljoz. whole wheat daily. No. 3: Bran and crushed wheat mash, greenfeed and meatmeal and 2oz. whole wheat daily. No. 4: Crushed oats and crushed wheat mash, greenfeed, meatmeal and 2oz. whole wheat daily. No. 5: Autumn and winter mash—crushed barley, crushed wheat, chaffed greenfeed, meatmeal. Spring and summer mash —varied, bran being substituted for crushed barley. In bo.th cases 2oz. whole wheat daily. For nine months ended December 31, the results in production from each

Thus it will be seen that though in December the standard bran and pollard mash produced most eggs, taken over nine months the bran and crushed wheat proved the best feed and the crushed oats and wheat ration the poorest.

group were: — No. 1 Month of Dee. ... 64S Nine months. 12,049 •> ... 671 12,111 52(5 4 ... 466 107412 l) ....... . . _ t) I i> 11,165