POULTRY NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 22199, 29 November 1935, Page 2

POULTRY NOTES

“ M.8.T.” (South Dunedin).—The trouble may he due to overfeeding, to cold and dainp weather, or tojdie abuse of. stimulating foods. If you.detect the offending hen—i.e., the one which produces the eggs containing .clots of blood * —give her once daily five drops of tmeture of iron perchloride in a teaspoonful of sweetened milk, or wdd one drachm (roughly a teaspoonful) tmeture of iron, to each quart of the fowls drinking water.

FEEDING SPROUTED WHEAT. Mr W. Briton. (New South Wales) says that .sprouted wheat is more economical in uso than the dry grain, and is better relished by ' the fowls,' with no loss in egg production. The method of sprouting is -as followsA 20-gallon iron drum is used, and near the bottom -jg a tap with: a sieve' inside for draining purposes.. 1 The wheat is soaked in this drum for 24 Hours, the water is then drained off, and the wheat transferred into kerosene tins, where_ it remains for another 24 hotirs, and is then ready for use. Immediately the drum, is emptied it is refilled with fresh, dry wheat, the process being ■ continuous and' providing a very simple but effective method. TAKES, TIME. A 1 yolk may take three weeks, to form, in the ovary, but the addition of the white and shell to it only takes NOD TOO MUCH GREEN STUFF. ■ Fowls need and must have green stuff, and it must be fresh and crisp. But be careful that they do not fill their crops with green food just prior to their meal of mash or grain. It is as well to understand that the regular meals are for maintenance and production, and the green food for health is for digestive purposes principally, though it certainly has direct as well as indirect .feeding and production value. The green food given should net exceed lib to each 16 to 20 layers if given or too little mash jyill be eaten. NOTHING LIKE VARIETY. A loss of appetite and consequently loss of profit will inevitably follow, in due time, a persistent adherence to a never-varied diet. One kind of grain and one mash mixture palls on the appetite, with the' result that the fowls eat less and lay fewer eggs. Appetite may be improved by giving separated sour milk to drink in place of water; by cutting put all grain,for one day; by feeding soaked gram instead of dry grain; by, giving for a short period, say two or three clays, fresh green food in unlimited quantities; by putting a little salt in the mash to make it tasty . If dry mash is fed try giving wet mash for a time. I have always contended that hungry birds are ' healthy'birds, 1 so would suggest that if birds are eating sparingly it will do them good to go

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By “UTILITY-FANCY”

without food for a whole day. Never, however, let there be a shortage of clean, fresh water.

LAYING TYPE. A big, . heavy-boned, large-winged meaty-breasted fowl is not made to be a heavy layer,any more than a cart horse is for racing. VENT PASTING OF CHICKS. Mr H, Hart in ‘Poultry ’(England) remarks that a peculiar form of complete stoppage may! often be noted in very young chicks, such as is often described as “patting up behind.” The down'near the vent sticks down, and very effectively seals up the orifice of the bowels. Kamp points out that this is due to diarrhoea—as, indeed it often is—but how often is this believed to be due to bowel looseness when the opposite is the case? I have, says Mr Hart examined numbers of chicks with sealed vents when severe constipation was present; and I advise readers to make sure, before attempting, any treatment which condition is to blame for the obstruction. Mr Hart says *the effect of hot floors is to slow up bowel movement and in a short time the bowel contents partly obstruct the bowel. The fluid which is excreted by the kidneys creeps past this obstruction, and* sticks up the vent feathers just as would the fluid discharge from the bowels when diarrhoea was present. In cases of this sort the vfmt should be cleaned with warm water and then the abdomen pressed upwards. This will in a few seconds, do more to convince the rearer that constipation is to blame than any words of mine. It will wonderfully relieve the chick, and will demonstrate the great amount of unahsorbent food material which the intestines are capable of holding. Finally, to prevent constipation, says Mr Hart, encourage all forms of physical exercise, arrange for the chickens to go hungry for pn hour or two every day, avoid overcrowding beneath the hiver, keep the floor reasonably cool, see that there is no Vitamin B deficiency (this vitamin is believed to possess special qualities which aid the digestion process iii the duodenum, or first part of the small intestine), and above all provide bulk in the ration. WHEN TO CUT LUCERNE. Lucerne is at its best for poultry feeding when it is about one-third in bloom. It is -then hutritious, young, and palatable, and the birds clean it up. In this stage it is a valuable food, a tonic which keeps the blood normal, the bowels in order, and helps to fortify the birds, against the ravages of internal parasites which infect the intestines. When cut premature it has but little feeding value, and if left much later than I 'the early' blooming period becomes’tod coarse and contains too great a proportion of fib re t in the stalks and is wasted for the birds. SALINE REMEDIES, One of the cheapest, yet most effective remedies is Epsom Salts, which in the poultry yard is invaluable for its

use as a first aid. and it will in many instances ward off troubles and save the lives of many fowls. Liver disease or diarrhoea, when the comb is purple in colour, and a hen loses her appetitie, are often remedied by a dose of Epsom Salts given about two hours before or after meals, the correct dose being half a teaspoonful per bird, dissolved in warm water and poured down the throat. When Epsom Salts are being given it is advisable to reduce the food supply, in order to have the full effect on the birds’ organs. Closely allied to the above is Glauber’s Salts, or sodium sulphate, which saline treatment is wonderful in improving the digestion and appetite of ailing birds, and by its action on the intestines, carrying off unhealthy accumulations of fat, which prevent the ovary organs from properly working. Glauber Salts is slightly sweet, and added to the drinking water is not objected to by poultry.

WHEN LAYING COMMENCES

When pullets have actually commenced to lay it is necessary to strengthen the diet by the addition of protein. That is the time to change over to a laying mash, or to add meat meal, or whatever protein food you choose. When this addition is made it is advisable to do it gradually, giving S per cent, of meat meal after the first eggHs laid, and increasing to 10 per cent, within a week or two. by which time the pullets will probably be producing an egg a day. A generous diet which meets all the requirements of the productive organs, and, indeed, the whole physical system, will prevent any Wastage of energy, so that the birds will continue laying for a lengthy period.

THU HEAD SIGNS ARE IMPORTANT. Vigour is more often imparted by a broad-backed male than by one which is thin and long, the best males carrying width well up to the shoulders. The legs should bo parallel to one another and in line with the thighs, aim the toes should be straight. The male with even slightly bent toes I would not use, because of fear of losing stamina in the progeny (with the possibility of an easy bending of breastbones in the pullets). The head signs are important. Birds with dull eyes are often too coarse in body framework, too lethargic and mature too slowly. The eye of a male as it matures becomes bolder, but see that it is bold, protruding, and brilliant at this age. Compare eye sizes. One will find an astounding variation, _ and should go for the birds whose eye is set high in its head. Comb and wattles must be thin, neat, full of quality, and “ well worked ” in texture. Any other colour than rich coral red. indicates ill-health. Don’t rely too much on short, tight feather, because at this stage it will be rather loose; and, lastly, pay due regard to breed colour and type, for the man who must keep up with the times is he who owns birds which are representative of their respective breeds.