POULTRY NOTES

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 6, 2 October 1937, Page 10 (Supplement)

POULTRY NOTES

Casualties During Peak Production

LOSSES FROM OVARIAN TROUBLES

(By

New Laid.)

During the period of peak production it is not au uncommon thing to find an odd bird among a flock of heavy layers dead or dying, on or near the nest. These casualties rarely happen among the older stock that have recently moulted and rested, particularly when the flock has been well culled and intelligently managed. The trouble is generally with pullets that started laying at the beginning of the autumn and have been producing steadily through the winter months. If the adult layers that die during the spring flush months could all be examined, it is likely, according to “Orpington,’’ that 90 per cent, or more would be found to have suffered from some weakness or breaking down of the producing organs. The most obvious form of this is protrusion of the oviduct, when the laying muscles sag, and part of the egg passage comes out with the egg. If this is attended to when very slight, and the bird is held up by the legs, the protruding part will go back into place and the bird may recover. Any such bird should be ringed so that it will not be used later on for breeding purposes, because weakness of this nature is always liable to be hereditary. Protrusion is not a disease but is simply due to overwork of organs not strong enough to stand up to the strain put on them, so that, when it ifi found necessary to kill a bird suffering from this trouble there is no reason why it should not be used for the table. “A happen-’ng even more usual, is apparently sudden death, from peritonitis due to an egg yolk being released from the ovary, missing the mouth of the oviduct, anil dropping down into the abdomen among the intestines. Or the oviduct may have been strained with a double yolked egg or the weight of more than one egg at a time and develop a slit through which a forming egg (Irons :n the same manner, where it does not belong. In one bird this may set up rapid and acute inflammation, which kills the bird almost immediately, while in another eggs may continue to drop into the intestinal cavity, forming a great, hard, lump of solid egg matter, the. bird looking in quite good condition until the trouble is discovered by handling. A sudden fright, perhaps, when the bird has an egg nearly ready for laying, seems to be a common cause of this. , Yet another trouble consists of ovarian cysts. These are membraneous sacs containing fill'd, and in some cases very much resemble the membranes which formerly contained yolks, refilled with fluid. One or two small cysts do not seem to cause much trouble since they are sometimes seen on the ovary of quite healthy birds, but if they grow large or there are many of them, it is a different matter. Sometimes a growth, will block the e"" pnssflffe. Trusts continue to be formed'but are not laid, which is, in due course, fatal to the pullet.

If for any reason a pullet is suddenly checked in full lay, say by an accident or an attack of roup, an egg may be formed witn yolk and part white-and remain neither laid nor fully, reabsorbed. She may recover fairly quickly and duly lay the egg, which will then be a stale mass (and accounts for the occasional bad egg, which is genuinely laid sometimes) or it may remain in position as a source of irritation and infection, and the bird be useless.

“As a rule ovarian troubles are u result of breeding for the development of this organ and the more highly productive a strain is the more likely are ovarian disorders to be encountered. While growths, cysts, etc., cannot be completely avoided by the most skilful poultrykeeper, mechanical disturbances due to rough handling and fright can be avoided to a great degree and more care in making soundly bred birds tame and not readily frightened would result in preventing quite a number of the casualties common at this season of the year. . . .” Sexing Rhode Island Chicks.

Eighty IX.T cent, of day-old Rhode Island Red chickens can be accurately sexed by their down colour, according to investigations made by Messrs. T. C. Byerly and J. P. Quinn, of the United States Department of Agriculture. Most of the female chicks in a purebred strain according to these authorities will show some black down, varying from a few black ticked down feathers at the base of the head to complete black striping on both head and body; while the majority of the males will show complete absence of black down. Those spotted or striped chicks which happen to turn out males will bear relatively little pigment. Breaking Broody Hens.

A broody hen caught and “broken” at once will come into lay again within four days, but one allowed to sit undisturbed for three days may tak.e a fortnight to return to lay, and one left for a week will dry up and be as long as six weeks. —“The Pacific Poultryman.” Production of Dark Brown Eggs.

Replying to a query as to what breed of fowls will produce the darkest brown egg, the official journal of the New South Wales Egg Marketing Board says: No breed of fowls will always produce dark brown-shelled eggs. Such eggs are governed more by strain or even individual birds than by breeds of varieties. All layers ot rich-brown eggs are apt at times to produce shells of a medium or even a light shade. The colour of the shell is due entirely to the presence of a pigment deposit in the blood and this pigment appears in certain breeds of poultry more than iu others, notably in the Asiatic breeds. The amount of tinting in what might be termed the composite breeds such as Orpingtons, Wyandottes, and the like, different specimens of which lay differently coloured eggs, is really due to the amount of Asiatic blood they comprise. Most Langshans lay very dark-brown almost chocolate-colourwl eggs, yet even a sister of a layer of dark brown eggs will lay decidedly pale coloured eggs. As a rule Barnevelders, Welsummers, Langshans. Rhode Island Reds, and some strains of Australorps lay the best brown eggs, Most of the heavy breeds lay dark-brown eggs in the early part of the season, but as the season advances the shells gradually become lighter, due to the decrease of pigment in the blood.” My personal experience with Australorps has been that they have commenced by laying a very dark brown egg which has lost some of its richness after a spell of consistent production, hut following a couple of days’ spell in the broody-pen the birds have again started to produce the rich dark brown shell. Some egg-consumers will not purchase n white egg if a brown one is available, and I know a small producer who supplies a country shop with a good sample brown egg who averages Id. per dozen more for brown than he gets for white eggs, although the latter are consistently larger than the brown. Separate the Broods.

It is not uncommon to see chickens of obviowly different ages running together, but this is not sound policy. Sometimes, because of shortage of room, chicks of two or three different ages are placed in the one brooder house. If the ages of the chicks are not more than two or three days apart, the practice may be all right, but if more it will be found that the older chicks will crowd the younger ones away from the feed and the latter will not make the steady progress they would make if housed by themselves. Cure for Feather-eating.

An improper diet, or lack of exercise when birds are confined under the intensive system, have much to do with feather-eating. Too stimulating food—an excess of bran, too much meatmeal, or a lack of green feed—may also give rise to the trouble. Birds so fed become overheated and feverish, according to the New South Wales Egg Marketing Board’s official organ, which adds: — “Give them aperient medicine, either

Fptsoin or Glauber waits, and cooling •’i-een feed, and let them have a dust bath Tn the run or in the house. Serve them sparingly at each meal, do not leave any food by them, and provide them with more exercise or the facilities for same. Fowls do not eat each other’s or their own feathers because they are hungry, but because they are suffering from a vitiated appetite. Flowers of sulphur has been much used as a med.cine lor feather-eaters, and at times with sue cess The quantity is three tablespoons full ’ with enough soft food for 24 fowls daily. If this scours them, reduce the quantity or give it every other day. Another excellent remedy is sulphuret of lime, prepared as follows: —Put three or four lumps of fresh burnt lime, the size of an egg, into an iron pot, . slake the lime with boiling water, then stir into it about 6oz. of flowers of sulphur, add gradually two quarts of boiling water, stirring all the time; boil gently for an hour or so, pour off the clear liquid (which will be the colour of dark brandy), bottle and cork well. A second boiling' may be made with fresh water, but the liquid will not be strong. A tablespoonful of sulphuret of lime to every six hens should be put. into the water for mixing the mash. Given daily or twice a week it will keep the fowls plumage in good condition, And will soon stop feather-eating. The mixture should be kept away from the dwelling-house, otherwise every time the cork is removed from the bottle the house will be filled with the sulphuric vapour given off. Full bottles not in use should be .well corked and sealed, and kept in a cool place. Let the birds dust themselves in dry sand or ashes in a sunny part of the run or house, also give them a little oats with the wheat ration, and supply plenty of fresh green feed and clean water. Cutting Costs. .

Cost of production is causing a good many poultry-keepers anxiety at present, and they are ever on the alert to see where economies can be effected, "he experienced man knows that to get the maximum egg return he must feed his birds well on good sound food, but too often the profits are reduced by putting this good food into -‘birds that do not give a compensating return in eggs. It is sate to say that on very many farms a proportion of the birds are not giving sufficient return in eggs for the feed they consume, and if all such birds were culled a saving would be made in the feed bill and the flock average would show a marked improvement. Use of Charcoal.

Although many experienced poultrykeepers contend that charcoal has no feeding value for poultry it has been demonstrated that it has excellent properties for the correction of digestive troubles. It helps to prevent acidity and fermentation and absorbs many gastric impurities. It is sound policy always to keep finelyground charcoal before chickens and adult birds, particularly where they are reared intensively. The charcoal should he placed in a container by itself so that the birds can have it if they feel the need of it. ■The following informtion was made available following an experiment with charcoal conducted by two overseas authorities, E. Mangold and H. Damkohler: — . The well-known antidiarrhoic effect, of charcoal was confirmed on liens; diarrhoea caused by feeding daily 30-40 g. cane-sugar to mash, or boiled, potatoes only, is stopped or prevented by 5-10 g. charcoal daily. Therefore feeding charcoal is quite useful as prophylacticum in chickens and generally in all sorts of diarrhoea caused by infection or food. Coarsely ground charcoal is totally crushed in the gizzard, arriving in the intestine as a fine powder. The voluntary intake of charcoal in hens was 1.8 g. daily equal to 1.5 per cent, of the total food intake. In raising chicks with and without 5-20 per cent, charcoal in the food there was no effect of charcoal in young chicken and furthermore in hens, only in some experiments with fattening cocks charcoal was found to cause a remarkable augmentation of the gain of weight and evaluation of food.

The parage of a normal food through the alimentary canal of hens_ is not prolonged by charcoal, daily 8.15 g. The digestibility of foodstuffs is not increased for protein by charcoal, daily 2-10 g.; a little increase 3-8 per cent, was found with carbohydrates, of 5-26 per cent, with crude fibre. There is no evidence that feeding charcoal to a normal food would have a regular and remarkable effect on the evaluation of food in poultry.

EGG-LAYING CONTESTS Massey College Results Following are the results for the 27th week of the egg-laying competition v at Massey College:— SINGLE PENS. Section A.—A. G. Mumby, W.L. No. 4 (G), 145; J. Wilson, W.L. (6), 142; W. Scott, W.L. No. 1 (6), 140; A. A. Hoare, W.L. No. 1 (5), 13<x; J. A. Annan, W.L. (C), 129; 0. H. Markland, W.L. No. 3 (5), 129; Miss H. Reddell, W.L. No. 3 (5). 1211; A. G. Mumby, W.L. No. 2 (5), 12G; 0. H Markland, W.L. No. 4 («), 119 x; O. H. Markland, W.L. No. 1 (6), 117 x; W. N. Laws, W.L. No. 1 (5), 116; A. S. Harrison, W.L. No. 2 (5), 115; P. Wills, Bn.L No. 1 (4) 113: J. Mold, W.L. (5), 112; J. T. Hazelwood, W.L. (5), 111; A. A. Hoare, W.L. No. 2 (5), 111; A. J. Severn, W.L. No. 1 (G), 101); A. J. Shatter. W.L. (5), 106; G. E. Moody, W.L. (IS), 105; Miss 11. Reddell, W.L. No. 1 (a). .104; A. G. Mumby, W.L. No. 3 (6), 104; Sunny River P.F., W.L. No. 2 (4), 102; P. Wills, Bn.L. No. 2 (6). 102'; ,T. Reillv, W.L. (1). 101; A. J. Severn, W.L. No. 3 (4), 98; Miss H. Reddell, W.L. No. 2 (6), 97; Rangluru Egg Ranch, W.L., No. 3 (5) i)0x; O. H. Markland. W.L. No. 2 (5), 1)4; A. S. Harrison, W.L. No. 1 (6), 91: J. A. Pearce. Anc. (5), 91; A. G. Mumby. W.L. No. 1 (5), 90; Mrs. R. R. Cannon, W.L. (5), 89; I*. Mummery, Min. No. 1 (4) 89; Ancona Stud P.F., Anc. (5), 87: W N. Laws, W.L. No. 2 (5), 86; Rangluru Egg Ranch. W.L. No. 1 (3), 85; Mrs. M. L. Douglas. W.L. (0), 84; Whenuapai P.F., W.L. (6). 83; G. W. Hawkins,. W L. (6), 74; W. Scott, W.L. No. 2 (1). 74: A. JSevern, W.L. No. 2 (3), 69; W. Scott, W L. No. 3 (4), 68; P. Mummery, Mln. No. 2 (5) 67: Mrs. L. Hubbard, W.L. (4). 56; C. L. IV. Urquhart, W.L. (5), 50; Sunny River P.F., W.L. No. 1 (2), 36;’Sunny River P.F., W.L. No. 3,31 d; Rangluru Egg Ranch, W.L. No. 2 (0). 11. Section B-—Miss E. T. Somer, R.I.R. No. 1 (5). 157; Miss E. T. Somer, R.I.R No. 2 (5), 149; Mrs. M. L. Douglas. 8.0. (4), 146; Mrs. R. Witters, 80. (6), 141; Mrs. W. J. Huxtable, 8.0. (4). 131; D. E. Hopkins, R.I.R. (0), 130;' Huxtable Bros., 80. No. 2 (7), 127; W. A. Larsen, A.O. No. 1 (6). 127; Mrs. W. O. Gould, R.I.R. (4), 123; W. A. Larsen. A. 0.. No. 4 (6) 123; Huxtable Bros.. 8.0., No. 1 (6), 118 x: T Dowlhwaite, 8.0. No. 3 14). 117; IV. Fletcher. A.O. No. 1 (3), 117; E. Jensen, R.I.R. No. 2 (4), 116; T. Dowthwaite, 80. No. 2 (4), 113; Ancona Stud P.F., A.O. (6), 108; T. B. Holdaway, R.I.R. (7), 108; R. Feist, R.I.R. (5), 106; E. Jenson, R.I.R. No. 1 (6). 100; J. D. Rowlands. R.IR. (0). 94; T. Dowthwaite. 8.0. No. 1 (4). 93; W. A. Larsen. A.O. No. 3 (6). 85; W. Fletcher, A.O. No. 2 (4). Six; Miss E. T. Somer, R.I.R. No. 3 (5), 69; John Walker, A.O. (4). 60; W. A. Larsen, A.O. No. 2 (3), 56. TEAMS RESULTS. Section C. H. A. Lucas, W.L.: 141, 103, 111, 135 x, H4x, 127 (23), 731. Ancona Stud P.F., W.L.: 134, 110, 131, 81, 102, 99 (33). 657. Mrs. G. E. Sewell, W.L.: 78, 123, 75, 117, 89, 133 (30), 615. C. L. W. Urquhart, W.L.: 127 x, 68, 111, 86, 101. 51 (28), 544. S. G. Batten, W.L.: 83. 91, 113, SO, 72, 80 (23), 519. J. T. Hazelwood, W.L.: 83, 90, 85, 54, 66, 71 (22), 449. Cotswold P.F., W.L.: 47, 53, 110, 105, 30. 86 (22), 431. M Stephenson, W.L.: 80, 31d, Od, 106, 53, 104 (17), 374. Section D. L. G. Hooper, B.O.; 129 x, 131, 126, 109, 145. 99 (32), 739. W. A. Larsen, A. 0.: 133, 101, 129, 160 x,

118, 62 (24), 703. F. A. Dewhurst, R.1.K.: 91, 91x, 102, 126, 113, 117 x (25), 640. Austral P.F., B.O.: 99, 122, 126, 104, 96x, 75 (27), 622. G. A. .Mitchell, B.O.: 84d, 30d, 94, 128, 61x, 75 (21), 472. G. A Edge. R.1.R.: 80x, 112 x, 85x, 64, 32, 81 (23). 454. Bliss Bros., R.1.R.: 27, 55, 70, 25, 34, OS (34). 314. “d” Bird dead. “x” Disqualified egg-weight clause. Taranaki Society’s Results Results of the Taranaki Egg-Laying Competition Society’s tenth competition for the twenty-seventh week, ended on September 25, are as follow:— Black Orpingtons.—Thos. Dowthwalte, No. 1, 0-77; No. 2, 5-116; No. 3, 6-118. Norman Ross, No. 1, 4-117; No. 2, 2-119; No. 3, 7-159. Mrs. F. A. Warren, No. 1, 4-102; No. 2, 5-134; No. 3, 4-92. Mrs. W. Busby, 5-107. Mrs. R. Wlllers, 5-71. A. C. Donnelly, 4-06. Mrs. D. M. Waddell, No. 1, 5-150; No. 2, 5-101. Mrs. N. Lilley, 4-55. Australorps.—Ancona Stud Poultry Farm, No. 1, 6-09; No. 2, 5-102; No. 3, 4-32. J. H. Hurdle, No. 1, 5-116; No. 2, 0-42; No. 3, 7-152. Mrs. H. Moreland, No. 1, 5-130; No. 2, 4-108; No. 3, 6-161. Miss D. R. J. Playle, No. 1, 5-69; No. 2, 4-40; No. 3, 3-62. W. A. Larsen, No. 1, 5-109; No. 2, 5-25; No. 3, 4-109.

Langshans.—-S. T. Bason, No. 1, 4-104; No. 2, 6-116; No. 3, 2-89.

Light Sussex.—Miss D. R. J. Playle, 5-60. H. Kirkwood, No. 1, 0-88; No. 2, 5-126. Rhode Island Reds. —Geo. A. Edge, No. I, 5-81; No. 2, 6-166; No. 3, 4-142. W. Sellars, 0-83. Mrs. F. A. Dewhurst, 3-6 n. Mrs. W. O. Gould, 5-125. Mrs. B. Hickman, 6- C. C. Cleaver, 5-85. White Leghorns.—Cotswold Poultry Farm, No. 1, 5-64; No. 2, 4-68; No. 3, 6-119. C L. W. Urquhart, No. 1, 6-109; No. 2, 5-88; No. 3, 5-90. Mrs. A. W. Revell, No. I, 4-1’20; No. 2, 5-53; No. 3, 6-155. D. M. Peek, No. 1, 6-93; No. 2, 5-71; No. 3, 4-&3. M. Stephenson, No. 1, 2-86; No. 2, 0-102; No. 3, 6-111. J. T. Hazelwood, No. 1, 0-10< ; No. 2, 6-141; No. 3, 4-50. Sunny River Poultry Farm, No. 1, 3-134; No. 2, 6-140; No. 3, 4-109. Walter Scott, No, 1, 6-110; No 2, 5-108; No. 3, 6-125. Mrs. N. Lilley, 5-88. V. G. Adams, 5-67. Mrs. J. Tippett, G-90. Mrs. R. R. Cannon, 5-74. A. C. Donnelly, 6-74. C. Hansen, 4-92. A. A. Hoare, 7- Whenuapal Poultry Farm, 6-117. Miss E. Ladd, 5-108. Crawford Strang, 5- Ancona Stud Poultry Farm, 7-119. Brown Leghorns.—Mrs. W. Busby, 4-62. Anconas.—Ancona Stud Poultry Farm, Minorcas.—Miss D. Swadllng, 5-06. W. Sellars, 3-31. DUCKS. Fawn and White Indian Runners.—L. P. Janies, No. 1, 5-34; No. 2, 7-67: No. 3, 5-28. 11. H. Melville, No. 1, 5-131; No. 2. 7-132; No. 3, 6-121. Mrs. A. W. Revell, 7-169. Khaki Campbell.—Mrs. E. Kelly, No. 1, 6- No. 2, 7-187; No. 3, 7-180. Ancona Stud Poultry Farm, 7-128. THREE-BIRD TEAMS:

HEAVY BREEDS. 1 o Total Wkly. to 3 Tl. date. Thos. Dowthwalte, B.O. 0 5 6 11 311 Norman Ross, B.O 4 2 7 13 305 Mrs. F. A. Warren, B.O. 4 5 4 13 328 Ancona Stud P.F., Aus. « 5 4 15 233 J. II. Hurdle, Aus 0 7 12 310 Sirs. 11. Moreland, Aus. 4 G 15 390 Miss D. R. J. Playle, Aus. 4 3 12 171 W. A. Larsen, Aus 5 y 4 14 313 S. T. Bason, Lang 4 6 2 12 309 Geo. A. Edge, R.I.R. .. o 6 4 15 389 LIGHT BREEDS. Cotswold P.F., W.L. .. 5 4 6 15 251 C. L. W. Urquhart, W.L. 6 5 n 1G 287 Mrs. A. W. Revell, W.L. 4 5 6 15 328 D. M. Peek, W.L 6 5 4 15 247 M. Stephenson, W.L. ... o 0 G S 299 J T. Hazelwood, W.L. . 0 G 4 10 298 Sunny River P.F., W.L. 3 6 4 13 383 Walter Scott, W.L 6 5 6 17 349 DUCKS. L. P. James, I.R 5 7 5 17 120 H. H. Melville, I.R 5 7 6 18 384 Mrs. E. Kelly, K.C. 6 7 7 20 501