POULTRY SOILS

Evening Star, Issue 16911, 7 December 1918, Page 10

POULTRY SOILS

Eggs aro on tho rise onco more. Is 9d per'dozen being asked last Saturday for new laid. These juices will prevent householders from preserving ; but, of course, largo quantities will ho wanted for Christmas. Breeders should now separate the birds which they want for next year’s breeding, and give them a spell. The birds which are not to bo kept should also bo placed by themselves, and should be iorced for eggs. Tho great object is to get every egg possible out of them before you sell them. The best time to dispose of the spare birds is about February, or just before the birds go into the moult. On no account should they he kept during tho moult. About that time the young birds will be coming on, and they should be given as much room as possible. Bantam breeders should now bo bringing tho breeding season to a close. Owing to tho changeable season bantam breeders have had a bad run with their chicks ; but some breeders have a fair number. Owing to the price of fond and tho poor prices procurable for stock bantam breeders aro giving up a number of their birds. After the moult breeders of the rosccomb bantams must not be surprised to find the male lairds’ feathers have shortened very much, and each year they will decrease until, when the bird is four or five years old, he will be found with very short sickles.

Diarrhoea in chickens may he prevented by feeding with boiled rice. Should tho trouble continue, sprinkle the rice with prepared chalk. It it still continues, give live drops of chlorodyaie to each chicken once a day. Leg weakness is likely to-bo prevalent in some yanks during this month, particularly among tho heavy breeds. In some cases tho trouble comes from the breeding pen, in others it is caused by injudicious feeding and want of exercise. Cockerels should not be given much soft food, but shmfld be fed principally on oats, and these should be well buried in lifter. A little Lone meal should be added to the soft food, and a little Douglas mixture or chemical food to tho drinking writer. Utility breeders should not keep a cockerel which shows signs of log weakness. MendelUra is the system originated by Gregor Mendel, whereby knowledge of breeding is systernised, and the definite ■and fixed characteristics are retained by intelligent mating. Beefy combs are often the result of improper matings, but from properly mated birds beefy combs are often produced by improper feeding, especially overfeeding on meat. Birds aro often found dead in the nest, under the roost, or in tho yard. These sudden deaths occur in all yards, and are tho result of brain trouble, heart trouble, or choking. There is no cure. The only thing that can ba done is to keep the birds in good health. Some strains will be found very subject to brain trouble.

I notice that cats in Canterbury have been found with influenza, and no doubt they have it- here, and as they go from house to house they are great carriers of the disease: and yet nothing is done to get rid of the dozens which aro roaming about the place. It is time the City Council took the matter up. Toe picking, if started, will often cause tho death of dozens of chickens in the brooder, but T have never seen it take place when the chicks are with tho hen. In some cases it can be stopped by placing dark soil in the Iv-ooder, and making it slightly moist. Tins causes the earth to stick to the, toes and cover the glistening toenails. Some brooders say the trouble is caused by tho chickens obtaining a taste for blood. Meat scraps should be- given, and plenty of exercise provided. If possible, tb.e birds should be given a fresh run and something to keep them busy.

Breeders who will want a change of blood for next season, and who have, not much money to spare, should have a look around the lending brooders’ yards. These breeders have a number of cockerels which they have not room to keep, and in consequence have to kill off a lot. If you are on hand early you can often pick up a cockerel for a few shillings for which you may have to pay pounds for later on. Of course, you have to take your chance? of tho bird turning out well.