POULTRY NOTES

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 157, 29 March 1941, Page 14

POULTRY NOTES

Feeding Damaged Grain POSSIBLE , DANGER (Bx New Laid.)

Poultry-keepers in general realize that to get maximum returns from their birds they must provide them with sound highgrade food, but there ie always a proportion who cannot resist purchasing "bargain” lots of damaged grain or other foodstuffs which come under oiler. A warning against possible danger of feeding damaged grain is given by I l '. M. Marcellus writing in the Canadian "Poultry Review.” The first sign of trouble in a flock, he points out, may be a drop in feed consumption and this is followed by a drop in production. Where the reaction is more severe the birds may develop bowel trouble and some mortality may occur. The loss will perhaps be most marked in loss of production rather than loss of stock. Musty or mouldy feed, grain badly germinated, or badly heated, will not in any case piove very satisfactory for any class of poultry. Apart from the effect upon palatabiiity, there is the possible toxic effect upon the fowl 11 mould growth or heating has been serious. The feeder should bear in mind the fact that to develop and sustain high production it is necessary to have everything in the way of feed, housing and management of the best. The reproductive system of the fowl—the organs producing e gg S —is so sensitive to adverse conditions that when at a level of 50 per cent, production or better the slightest disturbance to the fowl’s physical state, from any cause, is immediately reflected in her. productive performance. For example, if for any reason, the feed is unpalatable, the fowl consumes less and, with a drop in feed consumption, there ie bound to be a corresponding drop in egg-production If feed is partially spoiled and its consumption results in more or less serious intestinal disturbance, it is soon followed by a definite drop in egg-production. If one may compare the heavy laying hen with the delicately and finely adjusted high speed machine, one may perhaps more readily appreciate the effect of someone throwing a monkey, wrench into the gears. Either one soon loses its efficiency. ’ ’ If one can possibly avoid using damaged grain, or any other feed of definitely lowered quality, it will be found an economy to do so. If, however, it becomes absolutely necessary for a farmer or flock owner to make use of damaged grain, it should be used with great care. Any reaction to its feeding will, depend on its severity upon the degree of in the grain or other feed. Perhaps the safest plan would'be to put a limited quantity of the damaged feed in a separate container in the pen and allow the fowls to help themselves. Regular feeding of a ration of a known quality should be carried on at the same time. If the fowls eat the damaged feed fairly readily, one would be safe in adding it to the ration. If, however, the fowls do not eat the feed from choice then it would be risky to mix it into the ration with other feeds where they would be compelled to eat it. Another plan which may be followed is to mix possibly 25 per cent, of the ration requirement of a given grain of the damaged supply into the ration and note the results of its feeding. In this case, the amount used is relatively small and if it caused any trouble the fowls’ reaction is not going to be severe and can

® Ml X ntit is resuits "s necessary in avoiding serious loss. Whv Pullets Drop Production. After a flock of pullets has been aying for some time a slight dl ' ol ’ pl “‘ e . iu ' se may occur, sufficient at least to cause beginners some anxiety. ■ ~,,,,,1 remembered’ that when a «ood utility strain make a stait, they lay y yjnidlv In a very short time all, or at E tim great majority, of the birds, are laying and so production reaches its neak 5 Thereafter the activity of the ovary slows down somewhat as t . the , h "' <l ? get into their stride, and thus thin-shelled and shell-less eggs are no longer la d After a t!me some of the birds Mill take n temporary rest, having completed their first cycle of production, while a few may become broody, the net result being that output falls below the maximum attained earlier in the season. This need cau ® e no concern. Birds cannot be expected to lav continuously —they must have a lest sometimes. Occasionally ' after l> ul *‘;‘ b have got into lay they tail off then production rather suddenly without going into the moult immediately. Ibis is often due to the feeding in which the ration, while fullv able to meet the physical requirements of the bird itself in the replacement of worn-out tissues, is not capable of providing the essential materials for the simultaneous production of eggs. In such event.' the remedy is obvious and if the mashes are ready mixed they should be examined to ascertain whether or not the protein elements are adequate.

Facts About Fertility

When a floek of birds is mated, fertile eggs may be collected 48 hours later, but in practice it is advisable to give the birds nt least a few days in which to set-le down and to ensure that all birds m lay have mated. Supposing a male bird is Immediately replaced by another? In that, event eggs fertilized by him will be produced on the second day, and the influence of the previous mating will be lost, for the reason that the sperms of the new male compete successfully with those of the old. Usually good fertility is maintained tor a week after the removal from the floek of the male, and-it then begins to decline until about 50 per eent. of the eggs are fertile by the 10th or 12th day. By the 20th day after the removal of the male, fertility falls to a very low level —about 20 per cent. Instances of fertile eggs having been produced during the 4th Week after the cock’s removal have been recorded.

Obstructed Oil Gland.

Where a fowl’s oil gland is obstructed foment with cotton wool dipped in a solution of a teacup of boiling water with a piece of washing soda about the size of a walnut dissolved in it. Apply as hot as possible and after a few annlications, squeeze the oil gland to get but any pus. Repeat as necessary. —“Poultry.”