POULTRY NOTES

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 127, 22 February 1941, Page 14

POULTRY NOTES

Seasonal Culling AVERAGE LAYING EXPECTATIONS

(By

New Laid.)

Skill in getting rid of poor layers at this period of tlie year is a matter of first importance to egg producers, whose decisions in Hie matter of holding or discarding older liens will have a definite bearing on their next year's production. Flocks of laying liens completing their first year of laying are now due for a certain amount of culling, and older hens should be disposed of as they go off laying. The amount of culling necessary among tlie younger liens, -says Jas. Iladlington in the “Sydney Morning Herald.” will depend much upon the character of the flock. If they are physically good, and the laying performances have been satisfactory, little culling may be necessary, but if either or both have not reached a good standard it may be economically sound to cull a very large percentage. Experience and all experimental data go to show that only really good liens are worth retaining for a second year's laying, particularly when tlie cost of feeding is high. The expectation for tlie first year's laying—normally up to 18 months old —should lie about 14 dozen eggs a fowl, and that for tlie second year 10 dozen. This is closely borne out by the data produced in the last two years' resting of White Leghorns at Hawkesbury Agricultural College some years ago over a period of five years. In these tests the aggregate average laying for the first year was IGG.7 a hen. but for tlie second year the same hens in each ease put up an average of only 132.4 a lien, 'rhe point to lie observed is that if no better results than those shown could lie made in the second year by selected hens, kept in groups of six, what can be expected from larger flocks of unselected hens? There could be no better argument than this for tiie systematic culling of flocks during the next three months, when egg-production falls to its lowest point, al) the more so under modern conditions when the facilities for replacing doubtful paying liens with sexed pullets are so much greater than formerly No hard and fast rule can lie laid down as to the severity of culling necessary to keep a flock on a paying basis, mainly because of the fluctuations in the cost, of feeding. This will lie better understood when it is pointed out that the cost of feeding even in tlie last five years lias varied as much as 30 per cent, from one year to another, and over a longer period even more than that. Then, again, one's particular conditions in respect of accommodation for layers’ may be a determining factor in the amount of culling it is advisable to do. For example, there is nothing to be gained by crowding the pullets which are expected to produce 14 dozen eggs a head, to accommodate liens expected to lay only ID dozen in tlie year.

Al. this time of the year age alone should not be tlie determining factor in disposing of liens. Tlie painstaking poultryman will be constantly observing tlie condition of iiis flocks and disposing of those of tlie ages marked to go out as they cease laying. To tlie novice, it should be pojnted out that it. is futile to expect any large percentage of liens that stop laying at lids time of the year to come on again before late July.' It. is therefore uneconomic to carry aged hens through the summer and autumn, expecting them to lay as soon as they are through the moult; mostly they do not. Moulting might be classed into early, mid-season, and late. One of tlie mistakes made by many poultrymen is to expect the early moulters to come on to lay early; generally speaking, they are the pool producers and do not come up to expectations. Moulting at. mid-season, say February to April, is normal; later than that, is abnormal. While the latter are good property as layers, they should not lie relied upon as breeding stock. Tlie same applies to liens that are slow inoulters. often continuing to lay during the process and getting new leathers by instillments. Washing Soiled Eggs.

The general practice among poultrykeepers in a small way who have not got cleaning machines is to wash soiled eggs. Producers who do this will be interested in the following from an Australian source:—“lt has been known for some time that the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research has been carrying on investigations into the keeping quality of eggs and the reason for deterioration of different kinds. Some of the conclusions arrived at have now been published, and among them is one relating to washing. What it amounts to is tin's, that eggs should not lie washed till at least 24 hours ni'ter being laid; in other words, till the animal heat has gone out of them. Further, it is declared that eggs should not be washed in water colder than the eggs themselves. Both in Australia and England it has been shown that the invasion of tiie egg by bacteria is greatly helped by cleaning warm eggs in cold water.

Common Eye Affection. Eye roup is a trouble that is more or less in evidence in poultry at any time of the year, but it is likely to be more prevalent just, now than at other seasons. Where conditions are good, however, it does not follow that the trouble will become epidemic in the sense in which that word is generally understood ami, ac-

cording to the New South Wales authority, Jas. Iladlington, no great alarm should lie felt concerning odd eases that do occur, but all such cases, if nut destroyed, should lie segregated from healthy bird's. Badly-bulged eyes are rarely amiuable to treatment. With regard to the cause of this disease, it should be said at once that it is not necessary, as many people think, to introduce a diseased bird to bring it on to a farm. Tlie fact is that tlie causative organisms appear to lie present wherever fowls are kept, and only await favourable conditions to develop. The immediate causes are stuffy, ill-ventilated and insanitary housing, or exposure to direct draughts. Tlie first constitutes favourable conditions for the development of micro-or-ganisms, ami tlie second is likely to produce inflamed mucus surfaces on which they thrive. It should not. be assumed, however, that clean housing will give immunity to eye roup if stulliness or direct draughts are permitted. As regards treatment, there is no specific' for its cure. Prevention should lie aimed at. Bathing the eyes with germicides or placing chemicals in the drinking water is not likely to effect a cure. Whatever is used must be injected round the eye and to tlie back of it in order to reach the seat and focus of tlie puss that is seen discharging. For this purpose there is probably nothing better than tlie boracie acid and salt solution. This is made by dissolving a teaspoonful of boraeie acid and half that amount of salt: in half a . pint d? hot water. Let the solution cool and use twice daily.

Concerning the Use of Drugs. A sign on the door of the poultry buildin- in "the University of California reads as" follows:— "Dangei—No known drug o" combination of drugs when fed to poultry will increase egg production, imtcliabilit.v or fertility. “No known drug or combination of drugs wil cure any of the following diseases :—Coeeidiosis. diptlieria. tubereulosis. chicken pox, fowl typhoid, cholera, roitP' paralysis, infectious laryugo-trach-eilis or pullorani. ■'There is so much truth in this, comments the otlicial journal of tlie Scientific Poultry Breeders' Association, that, we should like to see it hung prominently on every poultry farm in tile country.” Feeding Growing Pullets. Beginners may be misled by tlie advice that “you cannot over-feed a growing pullet.'’ says Dr. 11. P. Bayou, in "Feathered'World.” As a matter of fact, lie adds, a great deal of tlie trouble rhe poultry industry lias experienced during the last twenty years is due to thoughtless over-feeding during tlie growing period. This is tlie reason: Chicks overfed with heavy starchy and fibrous foods develop distended, flabby gizzards, overloaded and strained digestive systems, dilated flabby bowels, tissues clogged with an excess of certain proteins, wliile other useful substances are lacking or do not obtain a chance to “get in.” Consider tiie scanty feed that young pullets obtain under free conditions; variety, yes; bulk, yes; heavy concentrated food, no. Some proprietary mashes have proved more successful than others; the explanation is that in the better class an attempt Ims been made to provide a complete and balanced variety of feed.