POULTRY NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 20612, 11 October 1930, Page 27

POULTRY NOTES

[By UTILITY-FANCY.]

“ Caversham ” asks what quantity of salt can be mixed m the mash without injury to poultry?—lt has been proved by experiments conducted at experimental stations that loz per day to iOO fowls can be fed without injury. The chief danger in serving salt to fowls is in allowing lumps of it to remain in the mash. A lump of salt in a fowl’s crop may poison it. “Disappointed” asks why it is that he has lost so many chickens “ dead in the shell.” He says he kept the incubator at a proper temperature right through the hatch, and that the chickens, which actually hatched out all look strong, and that they all arrived on the twenty-first day.—lt is impossible to answer this question definitely for there are various accidents which may happen to a chick whilst developing in the shell or whilst trying to extricate itself. Accidents are preventable to a great extent by careful manipulation ■ during hatching. If the | drawer of the incubator is removed when a few of the eggs arc chipped, and those where no chipping is visible | were taken up and examined it would | sometimes be found that some of them were chipped on the underside or else j just where they have been in contact with the next egg, or the side of the - drawer. If these eggs are left alone i all those chicks which are unable to turn the egg over will die from oxhuustion, as it is impossible for them to- make any progress when pecking against a solid substance, such as the bottom or side of a drawer. This trouble is absent, of course, when the eggs are hen-hatched, as the hen is constantly on the move when she feels the chicks hatching under her, and consequently the;eggs are turned over repeatedly. so that the chick which is in a wrong position at first eventually irets an opportunity to break through the shell. If “ Disappointed,” in any future hatching by incubator, wouhl examine the eggs not chipped on the upper side, he would probably find that some were being chipped under the circumstance mentioned, and by turning such eggs his Iqsses by dcad-in-she!l

I would be fewer. There are other causes , for apparently strong chickens dying , in shell, and which are unavoidable. • Some chicks in their first movements i for freedom may got into a wrong i position in the restricted space the,, 1 i occupy, and by so doing are rendered so helpless that they cannot extricate ; themselves. In a paragraph below “ Disappointed ” will find further information respecting causes of dead-in-shell. “ Troubled ” asks what to do with a fowl which has assumed nu upright carriage, something like that of a runner duck, and whose abdomen is ■ touching the ground. The bird has been a good layer, and is one of a good strain.—This trouble is sometimes caused by overfeeding or by giving a too-fattening _ ration, such as potatoes, in a mash in too great proportion compared with the bran and I pollard. It is known as “down be-' I hind.” Place the patient in a low box, in which she is unable to,stand upright. ( Put some straw in tbo bottom of the | box, and keep her. shut up till quite ' recovered. Remove only once a day to I feed and water. At the start adminI ister a level teaspoonful of Epsom salts, -1 and repeat half the dose in three days ! time. When fed (once a day only) II allow only one very small handful of ( ! grain, wheat, or oats. From one to i ■I three weeks of such treatment usually completes a cure. The low box or coop | ; j recommended prevents the bird assum- j i i iug the penguin-like attitude, and com- j i' pels it to squat dowu, and this enforced i attitude and rest, together with the re- • I dueed feeding, tends to cure the bird !. not only of the internal trouble, but ■ | also of the acquired habit of walking ■ erect. In a case of long standing, howi' ever, I doubt whether a bird could be ' ! cured of the erect attitude. i By the time chickens are about a ' fortnight old the small breeder may let I tbo ben. run out in tho garden with i her charges, provided that where there ; are two or more broods the bens do • 1 not fight or wage Avar upon one an- : | other’s chickens. Hens, of course, ivill I do damage to a garden where chickens would not, so Avhen hens are given 1 their liberty it is just as vvell to be on the spot so as to keep an eye upon them, it will do the hen good to got out to stretch her legs and to indulge in a dust bath at least once a week. ■ Of course, if the lion is confined to a ; 1 coop the chickens may be allowed the run of the garden at any time, provided eats, etc., are not about. A run about in tho garden is a very different thing from a run about in an enclosed space. There is much in tho shape of insect life and small green food in the 1 garden Avhich is not available in a poulI try run. , An Easily-made Chicken Hopper.—A very cheap and suitable hopper for dry ’ mash or bran chick feeding can be made from a small box. Remove the 1 lid and cut a piece of wire-netting (|in mesh) to fit loosely inside the box. Fill tho hopper three-quarters full, and : 1 place the netting on top of the mash. , This prevents chicks scratching, and all I waste is avoided. The box should be ' 1 hung 3in or 4in from the floor to j)rch vent litter going in: but don’t forget 1 to put a small block of Avood underneath for the chicks to stand on. An Incubator Room Reminder. —Now that incubation is tho “ order of the day,” poultry people should not forget to "have a box of Avct sand handy. It may never be required, but it should bo "there in case of an accidental flare . up. A fire extinguisher is more orua- , mental, but damp sand is effective. Never fill a lighted lamp; Avipe the. oil ! container every time, and thus reduce the time of firing to a minimum. ’ “Dead in Shell.”—There are several causes of dead in shell. Stale 1 eggs: If these are set the membrane 1 lining the shell becomes very dry, and 5 is too rough for the chicken to break when the time comes for it try and • get out. Many chickens are suffocated ’ in consequence. Dirty eggs: If dirty eggs are put into an incubator or ■ under a hen (or if eggs are allowed to become soiled under the latter), the | oxygen cannot enter through the pores of the shell, and tho embryo dies for Avant of- it. Faulty ventilation and moisture in incubator: Chickens may die in shell through Avant of or too ’ much air and moisture. There is ’ enough moisture within the shell to , supply the chicken Avith all it needs, but added moisture is required to prevent undue evaporation. When this is too great tho chicken cannot groAV, 1 and is often found glued by tho mem brnne to the shell. On the other hand, Avhen there is too much moisture the 1 ■ egg does not become empty enough to enable tho chicken to turn round before endeavouring to get out. Chilled eggs: if the eggs get perfectly cold during tho first ten days the embryos • frequently die. Towards the end of ■ the three weeks they can stand ox- ■ tromes much better. Weak germs: 5 Eggs of ten do not hatch owing to the germ dying from Avant of vitality. This is caused by faults in tho breeding pen, the parents being unfit physically, too much inbreeding, want of proper mating, etc. Noav and for a low weeks to come ’ breeders arc and ivill be busy attending to brooder chickens. There will be the usual percentage of losses even Avhero tho utmost care and experience is at hand; but with the inexperience of the novice there will unfortunately 1 be losses that could have been avoided.

Contributions and questions for answering should be addressed to Utility-!' ancy. Poultry Editor, ‘Star’ Office, and received, not later than Tuesday of each week. “ Utility-Fancy ” will only answer communications through this column. Advertisements for this column must bo handed in to the office before 2 p-m. on Friday.

[ hone the following notes, taken from publications by recognised authorities, will prove helpful to some:—Don’t overcrowd. If you clo you will knoy it by finding the chickens’ feathers or “clown’* wet and their mouths open and gasping. The novice, however, will be in error if he believes that chickens sweat. They have no sweat glands; therefore sweating is an impossibility Tho wet condition of poorly-brooded, overcrowded chickens is due to condensation of moisture from the bream of the chickens. Air expired by chickens is practically saturated with moisture. Proper ventilation removes not only this expired moisture, but also other poisonous exhalations The pure air breathed by the chickens has a normal oxygen content; the expired air is largely contaminated by carbon dioxide, which is by no means comparable as a poisonous gas with carbon monoxide (as from coal gas). The lungs of all breathing animals normally contain several times as much carbon dioxide as was thought to be the limit in ordinary “ safe ” air. The common belief is (or was) that the presence of a few, per cent, more carbon dioxide than is normal causes death, etc. Also the belief is that chickens die from its effects. The sense of discomfort, headache, etc., experienced in overcrowded. ! ill-ventilated rooms is not due to a higher percentage of carbon dioxide, I but is due to the poisonous nature of the exhalations of the breath of I the occupants, ft is the same factor i which causes death among chickens. Tho body is purified in various ways--one is through the lungs, which discharge in the expired breath many poisonous waste substances. Tf chickens, through faulty brooders, are forced to breathe such vitiated air the poison is speedily introduced through the lungs and blood into the system. The early indications of this are seen in lowered temperature. The affected chickens crowd one another in the search for warmth, even in an over heated brooder. They become weaker, and as the poisoning process continues some die. A ivhitish diarrhoea pi eccclos death. i - TWENTY-SIXTH PAPANUI EGGLAYING COMPETITION, Leading Pens, Twenty-fifth Week. Ended September 27 (175 days). Test I.—J H. Shaw Memorial Challenge. Light and Heavy Breeds. Single Penned. —Heavy Breeds. —

Week’s Weight. Eggs, oz drs. Tl. M. Wilson (L.S.) ... 7 12 10 96 E. J. Ross (S.W.) 5 12 0 83 J. Kingsknd (B.O.) 0 0 ; 0 83 —White Leghorns.— T. D. Dalziel ... 7 15 11 141 Mrs Hillis 4 8 7 139 6. E. Moody 7 16 8 134 Green BrPs. 5 11 9 133 Test K.—White Leghorn. Single Hen, Owner enters three birds. Week’s Eggs. Total. R. Heaziewood 6 6 7 138 146 148 J. Nancarrow 4 "5 ’ 7'135 125 148 J. C. Wilson ... 6 5 4 130 139 131 Green Bros. ... 6 5 1 144 139 110 M. C. Craig ... 5 4 6 139 115 144 H. Williams ... 5 6 5 125 137 136 Test TIL—Black Orpingtons Only. Week’s Eggs. Total. H. Cotton ... 6 5 5 132 152 157 B. Cotterell ... 3 4 6 83 110 101 A. R. Leckie ... 3 5 6 78 95 88 Test IV.—Any Variety Light or Heavy Breeds, other than White Leghorns or Black Orpingtons. W cck’s Eggs. Total. Mrs C. J. Williams (L.S.) 7 4 3 108 119 140 C. M'Kenzie (ILL.) 3 5 6 98 118 130 P. A. Cornish (L.S.) 5 4 3 126 86 110 J. R. Griffon / (L.S.) 4 * 5 139 59 129 *Sick. Test V.—Flock Teams (six birds). —White Leghorns.— Week’s Weight. Eggs. 07. drs. Tl. L. Roache 37 73 8 782 W. E. Ward* ... 29 02 1 772 J. Bobbitt 34 73 12 743 M. C. Craig 34 74 3 734 G. H. Bradford ... 35 74 9 080 J. Liggins 29 62 13 682 * One dead. Tost VI.—Single Duck Test. Owner enters three birds. —White Pekins.— Week’s Eggs. Total. J. W. Thomson 6 7 3 66 60 133 H. A. Dawber 0 5 0 33 157 66 —Indian Runners.— G. A. Heath 7 0 7 165 135 157 H. A. Dawber 7 3 5 147 136 170 Mrs F. Johnson 7 6 7 158 131 149 R. W. Hawke 7 7 5 171 73 159 F. R. Cotton 6 7 7 125 129 134 —Khaki Campbells.— G. H. Bradford D D 7 124 153 101 F. Ashworth 5 6 7 63 104 150 Mrs F. Johnson 6 7 7 108 127 141