POULTRY NOTES

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 234, 1 July 1939, Page 5 (Supplement)

POULTRY NOTES

Hatching And Brooding Equipment

PRELIMINARIES TO BUSY SEASON

(BY

New Laid.)

A thorough overhaul of appliances on which so much depends during and immediately after the hatching season is a sound insurance. A wholly efficient incubator means a great deal to the breeder, and a complete cheeking up before eggs are trusted to the machine may save trouble later on. Much of the checking-up work relates to trifles which are nevertheless of extreme importance. Provided a machine is dried out at the time it is closed down, and kept in a dry house, it will not noticeably deteriorate while out of use—most of the defects that arise from time to time are due to fair wear-and-tear.

Referring to the attention required by hatchery equipment, F. C. Atkins, writing in “Poultry” (Eng.), says: Often enough hatching trays need attention owing to the vigorous scrubbing they get after each hatch is concluded. This tends to loosen the joints in the woodwork and to make them wobbly and insecure. The timely insertion of a screw will generally suffice to put matters right. The floors of these trays are also liable to sag after a period of heavy use. This is a serious defect in the case of certain self-turning trays, and is likely to lead to many breakages of eggs. Here again, it is usually a simple matter to put things right with the aid of a few small nails. If such work is not done in advance the defect, is likely to pass notice in the rush of a new hatching season till damage, which might have been avoided, calls attention to it. All movable parts need to be tested for efficiency, and the working of the heater must .be carefully checked up. The Thermometer and Capsule.

Two other vitally important parts are the capsule of the heat control regulator and the thermometer. Tn neither case can efficiency be judged by appearances alone. A thermometer may look all right and function when the bulb is subjected to heat, and yet give a dangerously inaccurate reading. These instruments are a little apt to develop such faults for no obvious reason. The only way to ensure a thermometer being efficient is to check it against one of guaranteed accuracy. This can be done quite easily at home. All it needs is common sense, a bowl of suitably warm water and a pencil witli which temporarily to mark in any necessary correction's. . ’ The ordinary incubator capsule is a thin metal envelope filled with ether, whieh, under the influence of heat, evaporates very quickly if even the minutest leak should occur in the metal container. Quite invisible leaks occur in the course of ordinary wear and tear, although many capsules will give perfect service for several years. these tiny leaks are a special danger. As long as some of the spirit remains the detect is likely to be overlooked even when heat is applied, yet the capsule loses efficiency all the time and may badly upset a hatch. The odour of the evaporating ether is often the first sign that the fault exists. 1 little judicious sniffing will generally enable one to detect the machine, or compartment, in which the dud capsule is situated. It is even more probable that the ether in a capsule will be found to be gone entirely. A burst is caused by no very great excess of heat, so that care should be taken when the machine is started up. Leave the doors open as long as any fear remains that the incubator will become overheated. # Generally a burst capsule gives itself away when warmed up, by remaining flat. But' a swollen appearance doos not always indicate that all is well. 1£ 1£ ■been seriously strained by overheat; o leadin'’’ to the burst the metal envelope may take on a permanently bloated appearance. The safest plan is to check every capsule in use before the .season opens. It is risky to hold them in front of a fire. Much the best plan is to immerse them in hot water. Heating Defects.

At times a machine fails to function well despite the fact that the parts ju»t referred to are in good working ordei. The temperature remains erratic, 01 even completely uncontrollable. This must mean that the heat is not circulating pionerly or that it is not being correctly retained. The latter fault commonly arises from the drying out and shrinking of a rather new machine which has not been constructed of thoroughly seasoned wood. This is not easy to remedy m a satisfactory manner. One can only endeavour to stop up any fissures with putty and asbestos lagging. In mammoth machines of the sectional type heated by pipes it takes very little to upset the circulation of the water and the distribution of the heat. The sulking of the house floor a matter of an inch or so .may completely ruin the efficiency of the entire plant; so. will any small leak in the water system which permits the level of the water to. sink' below a certain point. It is most important that this type of incubator should have a rise of about lin. in every 10ft. on the How pipes, ami that the two sides of the machine should be quite level. Should any serious differences in temperature develop in some of the compartments it will be necessary to check the rise ami level with a spirit level and make any necessary corrections by blocking up certain of the legs of the machine. When a particular section is persistently cooler than the rest of the machine it can usually be corrected by removing the top and packing in more insulating material. Depreciation occurs in fluke boilers when in temporary disuse. This i.s at its worst when the appliance is not thoroughly cleaned nt the end of the season, although under any conditions it is bad enough. Even when in a normally dry building, site!) as an incubator house or brooder house, a great deal of corrosion occurs, which is likely to cause movable parts to seize up. This is specially so ill the case of flue damper and doors, though applications of kerosene, coupled with periodic inspection and renewed application. may po-sfibly ward off the trouble. To dismantle the fine pipe and leave open all doors in the boiler, to allow the fullest possible circulation of air through the appliance, also helps. An old boiler should always be tested out before reusing even though it gave perfect service when last used. Brooding Equipment.

SINGLE PENS.

The preparation of the brooding equipment is largely a matter of common sense and cleanliness and it is not possible to be too clean or too scrupulous about disiufecing plant. . . . No one can hope to keep stock from all contact with disease-pro-ducing organisms, but it is well to guard against a slavish reliance on disinfectants which tend to blind one to the far greater importance of fostering the fowls’ natural power of resisting disease. . . .

Eggs for Incubation. Eggs for incubation should be uniform in size, of good shape, and even in shell texture. Misshapen eggs and those with rough, chalky or porous shells should be rejected. Good texture in the shell is

generally an indication of good quality in the breeding stock, as well as giving reason to expect that this quality will be passed on to the progeny. To ensure tlie eggs hatching at approximately the same time they should have been laid about tne same date and so be of even freshness. Of all the causes of failure in hatching fertile eggs in incubators, probably staleness is the main one, and for the artificial incubation process this means anything more than a week old. Other factors also have to be taken into account. Eggs that have been unduly exposed to heat oi draughts may be as stale at three or four days as others that have been taken care of‘at twice that age. The same may be said of eggs which have porous or thin shells. , , , .. Experience has proved that where tne hatching is done with hens, eggs can be held for double the time mentioned in the case of artificial hatching. Eggs that have been laid three weeks and up to a montn before being set under hens have <still hatched a good percentage, but it is sound policy to set the eggs as fresh as possible. Wherever it is necessary to hold the eggs for any length of time great care must be taken of them; right from the time of being laid they should be stored in a box in bran and turned daily after the first few days. Miscellaneous Notes.

Experience has proved that infertility frequently occurs when breeding birds are exposed to high, cold winds. « » »

A cold, wet floor is one of the principal causes of poor production by winter layers. Given dry floors and dry litter, plus sound feeding, there should be no ground for complaint. * # ♦

“A.S.” —If the White Leghorn chickens are required for laying only, and not for breeding purposes, early in September would be a good time to get them. Very heavy demands are made on breeding establishments in August and September, so that you would be well advised to place your order early. ¥ ns

A careful watch should be kept on male birds, as they are very subject to infestation with body lice. A quick method of dealing with this parasite is to paint a thin line of nicotine sulphate along the top of the perches shortly before the birds go to roost. # *

Badly incubated chickens possess small chance of reaching healthy maturity. No amount of attention and feeding will overcome the effect of bad hatching.

A practical poultry-keeper states that after trying every regularly recognized means of getting rid of red mite, he sprayed with petrol, following which, it is claimed, the red mite disappeared comP letely -

lie-plying to a correspondent’s query, tile official journal of the Scientific Poultrv Breeders’ Association says:-—Epsom salts is not a substitute for green food, and should be used only medicinally when there is any sign of sickness in the floekEpsom salts or sulphate of magnesia could not be a substitute for green food, because green food contains many minerals, principally the calcium salts. Further, Epsom salts are not a tonie. A tonic is something which gives tone and vigour to the system, anti tone and vigour cannot 'be added to the system by administering purgatives. Keep the salts on the shelf until the birds are sick; then, if they do no good, they will do no harm.

It frequently happens during the breeding season that the male in a breeding pen allows the hens to eat most of the food and does not get sufficient for himself, consequently losing condition, which results in poor fertility and unsatisfactory hatching tallies. It is sound practice to feed the male bird by himself and so make certain that he gets sufficient to keep him in the best condition.

Three members of the Bureau of Animal Industry, U.S.A., are reported to have discovered a satisfactory treatment for ridding chickens of gape worms. It is not yet available commercially but is made bv combining tartar emetic and barium chloride. It is called barium antimony tartrate, and when the chicks breathe it it is said to be 9S per cent, efficient in killing the gapu worms, permitting the chicks to breathe.

A good sample of bran consists of comparatively large flakes. It should be solt to the touch and when run through the fingers should leave a certain amount of meal on them. Avoid samples which are hard and woody and which give the impression of having been dried. ♦ * »

The indiscriminate mixing of fowls of all ages and both sexes, specially among growing stock, should never be tolerated. Youngsters when allowed to run with adults are certain to be bullied and unable to feed properly, with consequent loss'of flesh and growth. Moreover, adults and growing stock need feeding differently, which is impossible unless they are kept apart. Cockerels, by being allowed to run with the opposite sex, are in nine cases out of 10 dwarfed and stunted and completely’ spoilt for use as future stock bird:-’. Where a large number have been reared they should be collected into flocks of an age and kept so. Cockerels should be kept out of sight of pullets and hens and should have the restraining influence of one old cock to act. so to speak-, as •‘policeman.’ - —“Poultry World” (Englaud). '

EGG-LAYING CONTEST

Massey College Results

The twelfth week's results of the egglaying contest, being conducted nt Massey Agricultural College, are:—

Section A.—A. A. lloure. W.L. (5), 04; A. J. Shailer. W.L. (6). Gt; W. F. Stent, XV.L, No. 1 (0), 03: B. E. Wilkinson, XV.L., No. 1 (0), 02; .1. A. Annan, XV.L. (5). 59; 11. S. Saunders, XV.L. (."»), 51); A. Thomson, XX’.I,. (5), ."!)■: B. E. XX’ilkinson, XX’.L.. So. 2 (0). 58; Jinxtable Bros.. XV.L. (5). 57; A. Mumby. XV.L., No. 1 (5), o 7; A. (». Mumby, XV.L., No. 4 (5), 50; W. F Stent, XV.1,., No. 3 (5), SG; E. O. Collier, XX .L. (<>), 52; Captain Middleton, W.L., No. 2 (5), 47; ditto. XV.L., No. 1 (5). 40; ditto, XV.L., No. 3 (4). 40; A. G. Mumby. XV.1... No. 3 (1), 45: 11. A. Lucus. XV.L. (5), 43: W. F. Stent, XV.L., No. 2 (3), 28; A. G. Mumby, XV.L., No. 2 (3), 23: P. Mummery, Min. ' Section B.—Huxtable Bros.. A.O. (5). 09: XV. A. Larsen, A.O. (3), 05; Mrs. K. XX tilers. A.O. (5), 00; Sunny River P.F., R.1.R.. No. 1 (5), 58; A. A. Hoare. R.I.R. (4), 52: B. Plnini, A. 0., No. 1 (5), 51: Sunny River PF. R.1.R., No. 2 (li). 48: K. Mullins. R. (5) 44; B. Pimm. A. 0., No. 2 (5), 44; S. Wilkinson, R.I.R. (0), 28; P. Mummery, R.I.R. (5). 18. TEAMS RESULTS. Section C.

•T. Wilson, XV.L., 59, 04, 02, 54, 05, 07 H. A. Lucas, XV.L., 57, 49. 61, 54, 44, 04 (”.">) 329 S.' I). Morris, XV.L.. 53, 05, 40, 55, 27, 00 (2 Cotswbld P.F., W.L., 42. 47, 02. 58, 00, 22 (2(11 291. F.' S. Allen, W.L., 58, 55, 54. 75. 5, 31) River P.F., XV.L., 50, 58. 5, 19. 27 . IK) ( 211, 219. .1 T. Hazelwood, W.L., 50, 30, 37. 0, o.j. 38r 1221, 190. W. F. Stent. W.L., 11. 34, 8, 21, 31. uJ (I ?.’Mol'd, W.L., -11, 31, 31, 25. 20, 23 (15), 171. Section D. W. A. Larsen, A. 0., -16, 77, (X). -11, 50, 62 (26), :M5. E. W. Stephenson, A. 0., 07, 53. 41), .04, 39, 45 (30), 317. _ J. XV. XVealleans, A. 0., 07. 42, or, 12, 1, 44 (12) 171. r Replace bird.