POULTRY NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 17928, 25 March 1922, Page 14

POULTRY NOTES

[By Dtilitt-Fancy.]

Contributions and questions for answering should be addressed to “ UtUity-h ancy. Poultry Editor, ‘ Star ’ Office, and received not later than Tuesday of each week. " Utility-Fancy " will only answer communications through this column.

"Troubled.”—lf you pull out or cut off the flight feathers from one wing (not both wingsf you will stop the bird from flying. “Novice.’’—Yes; the Brown Leghorn is a* good layer, looks very handsome in the pen, and is hardy. Cocks should weigh about 6-jib and liens 51b. “A.B.C.” —In my opinion you will be very foolish if you place any in the instruments you mention, for they have been tried scientifically and found wanting. I have myself seen one tried on infertile eggs by a- believer, and by its means he pointed- out those wuich would produce males ami which females! s! y impression is that the instrument moves in circles or pendulum fashion at the will of the holder, because, suspended from a nail, it does not move at. all. It may bo that sex is determined at the moment of fertilisation; but. whether then or later, sex is not manifested by any means known to science till the eggs have been incubated for some days. There are people who claim to be able to pick out the pullet producing eggs by their shape. Some ea-y they can do so by the position of the air bubble; some claim that by regulating the tempera turn of the incubator to a certain degree of heat they can secure a preponderance of pullets; andall these people fancy they prove their claims by pointing to two or three instances in which they have been successful. But when their methods are tested by breeders who are merely anxious to ascertain the truth, the respective claims have invariably proved ineffective. Scaly Leg.—This is a very common trouble amongst poultry, particularly where they are kept on clay soil or in dirty runs, and the chicks hatched under scaly-legged hens are liable to acquire the disease. I have an article in this week’s notes which treats very fully with the cause, symptoms, and treatment. Reproduction means death! Dr Crew in an educative address at the HarperAdams Conference said: “Reproduction means death, and don’t you make any mistake about that.” This statement (says the ‘ Poultry World,’ England) is a. statement of an obvious fact, and needs more careful consideration from breeders than it usually receives. Parenthood, it is pointed out, undoubtedly does detract from the strength and vigor of the-parent. Excessive mating on the part of both tho male and the female or the laying of an abnormal number of eggs by the female means that demands of an unnatural character are being made upon the constitutions of tho stock, and sooner or later most deplorable results will show that Nature has been outraged, and there will follow pain, suffering, death, and financial loss. Excessive pushing of tho laying'or breeding stock can result in only decrease of stamina, and loss of vitality. Pullets which lay nearly every day in tho first 355 days of their laying career cannot be expected to make old bones nor to breed healthy stock in the following year. They will be, as has been said, rather inelegantly, pumped nut. The lesson to be learned from this is that hens with excessively high laying records or pullets should, not bo bred from in their first year as hens. They should not be asked to take part in tho exercise of the generative functions, as these have a very disturbing and exhausting effect upon tho nervous organisation, and this excitement of the nervous system is prejudicial to the building up of stamina and vitality. The 1 Poultry World ’ concludes an article on this subject as follows:—-“Reproduction mean, l ! death, words of golden import. Could we do so we would have them painted in red and gold upon the door of every poultry house in the kingdom. As wo cannot, wo do ask all our readers to let them sink down deep into their inner, most consciousness. No words uttered at that great epoch-making conference at the Harper-Adama College will bear hotter fruit if our breeders only realise tho groat truth underlying tho fact that ‘ reproduction means death.’ To enforce the truth of this, Dr Crew showed how that man, by his selective and forcing methods in the Breeding of poultry and other live stock, had shortened tho life of the races with which, ho dealt. To-day in our poultry yards a hen is old at three years. That this is so no one can deny. It was not ever so. Reproduction means death.” “One advantage of early hatching fa that pullets which have started laying in rammer, moulted in autumn, and taken a rest, are fit for breding in tho spring.” So say many authorities; but it is better to breed from hens, and, if possible, from hens which have not been forced for eggs in their pullet year. Don’t breed from late-hatched pullets on any account—wait till they are hens. Stamina is bound to fail by breeding from immature birds. At a_ meeting of tho French Academie des Sciences the theory was put forward that it is possible to obtain at will either male or female birds in poultrybreeding. Tho following experiment in support of the theory was carried out by Licnhardt: —Sixty eggs, laid by hens all of the same stock, and selected as being the heaviest out of 550, were placed, in an incubator. The weight of these eggs varied between fifty-nine grammes andi seventy grammes. It was found that out of the forty-oight chickens hatched thirtyseven were males and eleven females. From the 'experiments mad© _ Lionhardt concludes that in tho ease of birds of any given breed, bred under similar conditions, the heavier eggs are likely to produce males and tho lighter females. Rush on the backward young slock, Tho early-hatched pullets are now turning in to lay, and in many cases aro laying steadily. Before long prices will rise, and with the cheaper wheat, etc.j_ promised there should be money in tho business of egg production. Those vmo have not started culling out the-iwasbera should delay, no longer. Keep

only those which will pay to feed. With tlie price obtained on the market for half a dozen wasters you might buy one or two birds of quality well worth housing and feeding. A Canadian Record Hen.—“ Lady Dot,” a White Wyandotte pullet, leg hand No. D 3 at tho Dominion Expiiriraental Station, Invermore, 8.G., completed her yearly record on October 31, producing 525 eggs during tho preceding 365 days. She wa/.i hatched on March 26. 1920, and commenced to lay in October. She was placed in a permanent laying-house and trap-nested from November 1. The following is her monthly egg production for the year November 27 eggs, December 27, January 27, February 27, March 29, April 25, May 27, June 29, July 29, August 31, September 30, October 17; total, 325 eggs. During the four winter months “Lady Dot” produced'loß eggs, which is more than many pullets do in a year. Prom August Ito October 17, when she quit laying, she laid 78 eggs in 70 days. Commencing on May 18, and continuing until October 17—a period of 153 days—she produced 150 eggs. “Lady Dot” did net go broody during tho year, but commenced to moult on October 11, and quit laying on the 17th. Unfortunately there is no trap-nest record of her eggs prior to November 1, 1920, otherwise her yearly record would have been moio. As an individual slur is, if anything, small for the breed, but is tho meet active bird in the flock. “ Lady Dot” is from an Experimental Farm flock that averaged 197.5 in their pullet year, and is tho result of six years’ breeding and selection. Probably there is no more attractive fowl in the world than the Indian Game. For outline, symmetiy, and .burnished feathering they stand alone; they find admirers from the aristocrat to tho working man. Breeds may come and go, but the Indiana will always retain a .solid following. They Hand alone, for a cross with almost any breed for (able pimposes. Their peculiarity is that the progeny is generally two-thirds pullets. Breeders would prefer it the other way about, as there is unlimited demand for male birds. The females do not lay a great number of eggs, but every one is a chicken, as the male birds are grand in fertilisation. Tho Jornakv; with short breasts and long tail feathers are (he best layers. . Unfmtunately tho outline calls for a shortfeathered bird to set off the type, and they became fat internally if fed too heavily while, going through the moult. ’They should always be given their evening, meal in deep Jitter. Size and shape is the making of ilio breed, and it is dangerous to neglect it in any variety, for wu-n this is done it, : comes back on tho breeder with a vengeance in after years. Size and elirpo give the sr-jmich admired uniformity of type in a flock of birds, and where it is lacking to any noticeable extent it shows poor selection, and still poorer breeding, whether it bo for fancy or utility purposes. J

Mr Love, of Green Island, who won the Southland egg-laying team competition last yeah, has decided to sell his surplus breeders and layers in order to find shed accommodation for Ins young stock, which have commenced to lav.

DIPHTHERITIC ROUP. —its Treatment and Cure.—

Diphtheritic roup is one of the most contagious diseases from which fowls suffer. it is due—at least in part—to certain very lowly-organi«ed. single-ecllod animals, called protozoa, which invade the lining membranes of the mouth, pharynx, and even the crop and windpipe. This virulent disease manifests itself either as loose yellow cheesy patches or as small, firmly-fixed nodules in the mouth., the latter especially around the tongue and beak. In these False membranes and the tissues beneath them may bo found the minute parasites which, -either directly nr indirectly, cause the false growths. Certain authorities (date that bacteria- are the active agents; but the probability is that these protozoa are. entirely accountable for the disease. If left alone a diseased bird is almost sure to die.

It is most important that any bird showing symptoms of this complaint should bo at once isolated, and the drinking voseels, etc., in the run well disinfected by boiling or by the us© of strong carbolic acid.

—How to Remove tho Growth.—

The loose .growths should bo very carefully removed with a blunt knife or two blunt needles, and tho mouth well washed out with a 10 per cent, solution of salicylate of soda, or hpraeic acid. Probably several operations will be necessary, as some small diseased areas may escape notice. In any case, the mouth is best treated several times with the disinfectant. Tho hard patches may be burnt away with lunar caustic. Every dead bird should bo carefully destroyed, and the rim or yard disnfected either by sulphuric acid or by a dressing of fresh gas lime after an outbreak. The best results in treatment have been obtained with salicylic acid or salicylate of soda, and it is advisable to place a 1 per cent, solution for tho fowls to drink for a week after any signs of the disease have been noticed in a run. In no case should a bird be allowed freedom until it has been completely cured. When the disease is very advanced it is best to kill the bird and destroy it; but if taken in time a euro can easily bo effected. Another disease closely related in origin to this form of roup, and often found with it, is a comb and wattle disease called Epithelioma contagiosum, which appears as yellowish-brown nodules, varying in size from a pin’s head to that of a bean. A hollow, from which a yellow fluid oozes and forms a brownish crust or scab, appears in these nodules. The parasites arc minute protozoa, which invade tho skin of tho comb. The best treatment seems to bo painting the diseased areas with oil of turpentine and isolating the bird.

Another disease, duo to similar forms of lifo, attacks the liver. Yellow, cheesy spots .appear on the. liver, especially in turkeys. This parasite is an Amoeba, and often causes considerable loss.

To avoid all parasitic diseases of poultry it is very important that fresh stock birds should bo well examined before being turned out, as a single diseased bird —especially if it bo a cock—may soon contaminate a. whole rim.

EGG-LAYING COMPETITION —Papanui.—

Loading pens, forty-eighth week, ended March 11 Single Birds. —Heavy : -J. P. Drowett, 8.0., 253; R. R. Christie, 8.0., 203. Light: C. Ridley, W.L., 267; F. Cole, W?L., 251 ; J. Liggins, W.L., 248. Three Birds (same owner). —Light; R. W. Coombes, W.L.—271, 255, 256: total, 782. Mrs Gorimki. WX.-224, 256, 245; total, 725. J. Gunn, W.L.—257. 217, 231; total, 705. Heavy : F. H. Lovell, S.W. — 245, 189, 203: total, 643. Sproson and Arthur, 8.0.—229 . 205. 197; total, 631. Ducks.: It. W. Hawke, 1.R.—222, 312, 210; total, 744. A. G. Clements, I.R.— 232, 255, 219; total. 706. Teams.—Light: Verrall Bros., W.L., 1,325; W. E.“ Ward, W.L., 1,252.

Returned Soldiers’ Teams,—J. C. Musgravo, W.L., 1,394; I>. R. Whitford, W.L., 1,380.

—Southland.—

Leading pens, forty-eighth week, ended March 16 :

Single Birds.—Chas. Thomson, W.L., 292; t). F. M'Dougall, W.L., 271; D. F. M‘Douga.ll, W.L., 2513. Teams.—A. E. Monas, W.L., 1,459; Tracey King, W.L., 1,435; Mrs Gorinski, W.L., 1,400.

Ducks—Alex. Peat, 1.R.. (on© bird dead), 1,302; R. J. A. Clarke, 1.E., 1,128.