POULTRY NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 19268, 5 June 1926, Page 24

POULTRY NOTES

[By UTILITY-FANCY.]

“Showman.”—You will find the information you require in a paragraph in this week’s notes on ‘ Glossy Coats lor Show Birds.’

also that where there is a choice of hens those of the dual-purpose or game breeds are tho most reliable. Many breeds that will sit their time out in warm weather frequently forsake their nests in tho early and cold months. And now it may bo ashed : Why make all this fuss about only putting a few eggs under the hen at a time? Why not place all in (he nest at once and have done with it? ,I'liu answer is a very simple one. When a hen selects her own nest, she adds to her store of eggs ono at a time, and, as she docs so. enlarges her nest as required; but when a nest is made for her and all the eggs put in at once, sl:e has to form it ns host she can, and frequently in doing so gels some of the eggs on the top of the others, and oracles or breaks them ore she can get all comfortable ; lie nee tho wisdom of folTnwiag Nature as closely as may be, and giving her the eggs as she is prepared to deal with them. .1 know well that many a bun has been given all her eggs at once, and has not broken any of them; hut I also know that in many cases numbers of eggs of valuable sittings have been broken or turned out of tho nest because tho precaution I have advocated had not been observed. Experience has proved the value even of this little wrinkle, and should, notwithstanding all the trouble taken, some of the eggs get broken ami stain the others, these hitter .should bo -cleaned ns quickly as possible with a sponge and warm water, tor anything offensive or interfering with the porous nature of the shell of tho eggs is very likely to have an ill-effect on the chicken inside it. About five or six days after sotting the eggs should bo examined by a strong light, when all that are quite clear mav be taken away as unfertile. These make capital chicken food, and even for culinary purposes are fully as good as many of tho crate eggs, it being almost impossible to tell when cooked that they have been sat upon. Where several hens are sitting at tho safne time, only one hen should bo let out to feed, dusL drink, etc., at a time, and made safe again ere tho others are turned out.

“ W.L.” —How to wash a bird preparatory to exhibiting it at a show is explained in this week’s notes.

My notes on tire show of the Dunidin Fanciers’ Club are necessarily field over till next issue, but presumably there will bo the usual report m the general columns from day to day. A correpondont seeks advice. Ho says his birds (White Leghorns) are of a good laying strain, procured from a local breeder, and ho asks would I advise introducing this season a cockerel of a different strain, but of equal renown? He thinks it would help to maintain tho vigor of his flock, even if it did not improve its productive power. It is unite possible that what my correvsponoont “thinks” would actually happen—in fact, most likely; but there is tho danger in crossing strains that there will be a throwback to most undesirable qualities—i.o., characteristics which have been subdued by continuous selection of opposite ones through several generations. I advise my correspondent to go to the producer of the strain he now holds and got a cockerel from him. The probabilities are that he (the original breeder) can supply a vigorous bird which is only distantly related to tho birds my correspondent possesses, yet of the same strain. If the original breeder knows bis business ho is himself occasionally introducing new blood of different strain, but at first ho only does so to a part of his flock, and the result is that a cockerel he supplies is more nearly allied to my correspondent’s birds than would be a bird of a totally different strain, and consequently less risk, if any, Is involved. It is always bettor to let tho more experienced man do tho crossing, unless one is prepared to take risks for tho sake of experience. Management of Sitting Hen.—lt may be contended that, considering the thousands of years that poultry have been domesticated, no necessity can arise for giving advice as to management, but the fact remains that every year novices in poultry-keeping have to commence de novo, and bo content to learn the very A B C of the art if they would be successful; consequently it is not amiss for experienced age to advise the inexperienced poultry-keeper as to the management of the sitting hen. In fact, even those who regard themselves as experienced may sometimes learn a wrinkle enabling them better to cope with the vagaries of a creature which ofttimes possesses aggravating qualities in no inconsiderable degree; hence a few notes about hen management may not be—in fact, is not—out of place. Where a hen has selected her own nest, and it is merely necessary to change or add to her eggs, the trouble she gives is reduced to a minimum. All that is requisite is to see that she is not disturbed by vermin or other poultry, and that she has food and water within reach when she comes off in search of them. If she is a reliable sitter and tho eggs are fertile, all may be expected to go well, but when a hen’s nest has to changed, and especially where a strange hen has been procured from a distance, considerably more attention will be necessary. In such cases the nesting should bo in a closed outhouse or small enclosure, so that tho hen cannot wander off. In winter or early spring months the nest should bo made in a fair-sized box laid down on its side, with a strip of wood in front some Sin or 4in deep. This keeps the nest intact, tho material of which it is composed being put in firmly to the same depth and formed in the shape of a nest. To this tho hen should be introduced at dark at night, with two dummy eggs under her, and loft with a board m front of her to keep her in. If after feeding tho next morning she goes back to her nest, the next night the false eggs should be taken from her. and four or five of those selected for setting placed under her, giving her the remainder at intervals of an hour or two, throe or four at a time, till she has got all intended for her, remembering that in the early months eight or nine eggs well covered will often produce a better hatch than twelve or thirteen, some of which occasionally get exposed, and remembering

Tho food of tho hen is also of importance. Dry food is host, because of the danger of relaxation of the bowels, when soft is the rule, though in this ns in other cases occasional change is advisable.

A Wise Old Bird.—Tho proprietor had just finished collecting tho eggs from a pen of thirteen pullets and a third-year cock bu ff 'I hero were only three eggs in tb. basket, and with a look of disgu.v> ■ his faro ho approached the he:;-- of the harem and said: “ Look here, obi man, only four eggs! This wontl n your first year as a cockerel ,\ou had no better pullets than you have now, yet the egg yield was very satisfactory. In your second year there was a decided 1 ailing oil, but still it was not so bad that 1 cared to grumble; but tins year! YVell, just look at the basket! What I want yon to understand is that if things don’t improve forthwith off goes your head.” As has been suggested, tho head of this particular harem was “ a wise old bird”; ho knew a thing or two. He said: “Boss, I acknowledge the facts as you mention them, but, pardon me, when I say tho blame docs not rest with me or my “ following,” but with yourself! In my first year tho ground wo stand on was fresh and sweet; a scratch or two invariably revealed a nice fat worm or something else oM.be luscious and egg-making insect kind; also small things such as infinitesimal shell matters, visible to ns though not to yon, ail making for health and production. During tha second year, though it meant more labor, such material was still obtainable; but this year, if there is anything of tho kind left to reward labor, it is so saturated with our own excreta that none of us cares to touch it. The worms are there right enough, but they have a bad flavor. Outside grubs turn right about just as we think they will pass through the wire netting of the fence; evidently there is a whiff arising from our run which is not inviting. Don’t think I’m concerned about your threat to remove my head. 1 know I shall lose it sooner or later, and, anyway, life isn’t worth living iu a place like this. Anotner thing I might remind yon of is that I don’t lay eggs myself; it’s my ‘lol-

Contribution® and quoJtionn ! for answering should bo addressed to “ Utility-Fancy, Poultry Editor, ' fftor ’ Office, and received not later than Tuesday of each woo*. “ XlUliiy-PwQoy will only answer oommunioatioco through thiu column. ASvcrtisaraests tar this column must be banded in to tho office hofer* 2 past, ca Friday. 1

lowing ’ who do that, and it is in their interest I suggest that if you fenced in that fresh piece of ground at the other side of tho home you would get eggs in plenty, .same as you did tho first year on this.” Stale ground is not productive ground, and, worse still, it is poisonous ground. Birds on stale ground cannot, be. in full health, their plumage cannot he bright and lustrous, the fertility of eggs off stale ground cannot fail to be low, and any chickens hutched out aro hard to rear. “Brooder pneumonia” is a disease caused by a fungus that attaches itself to the lining membrane of the respiratory passages, and, growing there, producer an elevated, yellowish or greenish'patch. Tho same fungus may penetrate into the tissues, producing a yellowish tubercle or nodnule. The symptoms produced are those of obstruction to breathing, rattling, wheezing, and gasping, followed by diarrhum, drooping wings, debility, suffocation, and death. The fungus, or mould, is found upon mouldy bay, straw, or chaff, or upon any dead and decaying vegetable matter, sometimes upon spoiled food. It is from these that it obtains access to young chicks and fastens itself upon their mucous membranes. Chicks that are not very robust are most easily affected. Tho 'ilaraents of the fungus are able to penetrate egg shells, and it is thought that ogers kept in contact with mould materials may even have become infected. The remedy, of course, is, _ first, strong, robust chicks, then avoidance of musty, mouldy, decaying animal or vegetable matter m their litter or surroundings. Care not to feed mouldy grain is also essential!

SHOW DATES.

SOUTH ISLAND

Waimangaroa Poultry Club.—Juno 11 and 12. , _ _ , Ashburton Poultry, P. and C. Club. —.Tune 18 and 19. Taieri Poultry Club.—June 19. Balclutha Poultry Club. — Waimate Poultry Club. —June 25 and 96, Westport Poultry Club.—June 25 and 2G. Kaitangata Poultry Club.—Juno 30 and July 1. North Canterbury Poultry Club.— July 2 and 3. , „ Heriot Poultry Club.—July 8. Oamaru Poultry Club. —July 9 and Granity Poultry Club.—July 9 and Tnpanui Poultry Club.—July ID. Lyttelton Fanciers’ Club.—July 16 and 17. Invercargill Poultry Club.—July 13 and 14. South Canterbury Egg and Poultry Society.—July 16 and 17. Greymouth Poultry Club.—July 23 and 24. Temuka Poultry Club.—July 23 and 24.