POULTRY NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 22351, 29 May 1936, Page 2

POULTRY NOTES

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. “ Better Results.”—The incubator you use is a standard make which has given good results for many years. Ihe fact that you can regulate the temperature so well shows that it is in good working order. A cellar such as you describe is considered the best possible place to work an incubator. The only fault, in my opinion, is the supplying of too much moisture. In some seasons the air carries all the moisture the eggs require for a successful hatch. 100 much moisture towards the end of a hatch softens the membrane within the shell; makes it thick, soft, elastic, instead of as it should be —viz., dry and brittle and easy for the beak of the chick to break through. In a very dry , season some moisture is desirable, and you can know whether it is required or not by examining the air celj. If it is too large a little moisture is desirable. With regard to serving skim milk, it is best used in mixing the mash. Water is best for drinking. If the skim milk is allowed to curdle and served in that state in a trough the fewla appreciate it very much. NEW METHODS. Sir Edward Brown, LL.H., writes: “ Poultry keepers have been singularly prone to adopt new methods before these were justified by practice. Given a novel method, apparently, promising A short cut to success, either written up er advertised, there is a rush upon it, not only by novices, but even by older hands, who should know better.’ i In a recent article jn ‘ The Times (London) it is stated that “Method and .plant that were obviously designed for commercial purposes nave been fakeh up by breeders of laying stock ■under the impression that they represented a general advance in economical production and reproduction, and certainly without remembering that stamina is the fundamental _ factor in breeding, and everything which reduces •tamina is definitely detrimental.”

DEPRECIATION OF BATTERIES. In the Old Country and in America tli© keeping of laying hens continuously in cages has been recommended enthusiastically by many who have given it a trial, and no doubt the system has been boosted by people who make and advertise the cages; but now we are beginning to hear from poultry people who, having tried this unnatural method of keeping fowls, speaking of it in ■ a deprecatory manner. “K.M.C.,” a regular contributor to the Poultry .World’. (England) writes: “ While I should not like to suggest that laying batteries are a passing fashion, I have been disappointed in the way that interest seems to have flagged. I can understand it up to a point. I am now convinced that the results are not particularly striking. In my case the superior returns are so slight that it would take many years to recover the loss had I Scrapped any good equipment. Recently I have been trying to pick other folk’s brains in the hope of improving my results. This rather despondent note has arisen because I have found that enthusiasts gloss over the amount of culling that is necessary. Sufficient time has not yet passed to allow the fixing of an arbitrary standard, below which a hen ceases to he .profitable. In spite of this, present-day management shows that about 25 pCr cent, of the birds put in the cages fail to finish the year. This means that one-quarter of the plant is idle. ■ “ What is needed is accurate information concerning the production of birds hatched at all times of the year. To refill these cages it will be necessary to run incubators the year round—a risk at this stage of our knowledge. My programme for next winter is to fill my few cages with hens that have just completed their first season on range. Unfortunately, I have insufficient accommodation to test forced moulting against straightforward management. I have a feeling that the forced moulters should return to production in time to catch the period of high prices. 1 expect that some birds will moult as soon as they are put in the cages. Will some one tell me if moulters will recover satisfactorily under these conditions? Should they be returned to range until all the feathers have been dropped? ”

SOAKED WHEAT

As a means of overcoming to some extent the effects of increased prices of wheat offal and, further, of ensuring the quality of the product, the feeding of soaked wheat may, says an Australian writer, have much to recommend it. For some considerable time the feeding of grain soaked for 24 hours in water to which the requisite quantity of meat meal, salt, etc. ? had been added has been advocated in many directions, and it is claimed, has been successfully adopted by some large poultry farmers. In view of the tremendous saving of labour m mash mincing, the certainty of the quality of the product as compared with bran and pollard, particularly the latter, and the possibility that if poultrykeepers generally adopted at least in part the feeding of soaked grain, in lieu of bran and pollard, the S rices of these products might be forced own, the system might well be worth a trial. The loss of the physical action of bran on the digestion tract might be made good by the feeding of extra green feed or a little bran added to the soaked wheat would overcome this difficulty and at the same time assist

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in the absorption of the meat meal and its complete consumption by the birds, which it is said are inclined to leave any that is not absorbed by the wheat. SURPLUS COCKERELS. Surplus Leghorn cockerels can be disposed of to be eaten as “ Spatchcocks.” When they weigh about lib they are ready for the table. They attain this weight when between six and eight weeks old, and if fed properly carry a large quantity of (iesli. ’liiese chicks can be reared on any good mash containing a proportion of some milk product; Milk in any form is unquestionably the best sort of animal food for these birds. Cockerel chicks should be separated from the pullets as soon as possible, and not later than four weeks. DRAUGHTS DANGEROUS. Fowls can stand severe cold weather, but direct draughts, particularly on to their perches, are deadly. See that there are no crevices in the side walls which may allow a cold draught to play on to the birds while they are at roost. FEATHER PICKING. When hens begin feather and plucking, it is sometimes a difficult matter °to stop them. It is generally thought it is through a lack of mineral matter in food. It is, however, often just the result of having nothing better to do. See that there is plenty of scratching litter. The following 'pulpuret of Erne treatment sometimes gives desired results. Take three or four lumps of freshly burnt lime about the size of an egg and place in an iron pot, slako with boiling water and stir in six ounces of flowers of sulphur. Add gently two pints of boiling water, keeping the mixture stirred all the time, and boil gently for an hour or so. Pour off the clean liquor, which will be the colour of brandy, and store in a bottle. A teaspoonful of this to every six liens should be added to the water used .in making the wet mash. It can be given daily for a time. It will act as a tonic to all the fowls.— ‘ Weekly Scotsman.’ THE STUD COCKERELS. Cockerels being retained for stud purposes should be inspected and handled fairly often. Any losing size and condition should be taken away from the others, while those not developing into the desired type should be marketed at once. It is false economy to keep any doubtful cockerels for breeding. If possible, give such cockerels free range.

A PERFECT HATCH. Dr Alexis Romanoff, of Cornell University, New York State, has, for a considerable time, been engaged in research concerned with incubation from fresh angles. The need for such study is all too apparent on both sides of the Atlantic. He estimates that in the States the annual loss of eggs during the incubatory period is at least 350 millions, or 35 per cent. He says that the conclusions arrived at suggest that the reasons are manifold, and not restricted to any one part of the process, and are stated to be as follows:

“ If there are too many dead embryos during the first week of incubation it usually indicates that the eggs have weak germs, due to their poor reproductive inheritance. If there are too many dead embryos during the second week of incubation it means that the eggs have weak germs, partially due to poor inheritance and partially due to deficiencies in the eggs’ make-up. It may also indicate that those eggs came from unhealthy hens, or from a flock of breeders which is not properly fed or cared for. Again, it may indicate that the eggs were partially destroyed prior to incubation by age or by improper storage. If there are too many dead embryos during the last week, it usually means that the incubatpr equipment is defective, or that the operator neglected to give proper care during the incubation.”

It will thus be seen that the question of embryonic mortality is very complex. The causes are manifold, the effects serious, especially as the latter extend to the chicks which survive the hatching process.

“ MEDIUM ” BREEDING STOCK BEST. I have found that the highest number of good layers come, not from the highest record dam. but from dams with records of 180-220, states Miss M. V, Larkworthy, a successful English breeder, writing in ‘ The Feathered World.’ Miss Larkworthy adds: “The sires that I use are bred from dams with records of about 220-280. A good breeding hen is worth her weight in gold, and is retained so long as she is fit. By keeping detailed records, it is possible to trace all good matings. It is not unusual for a lion to give poor results when mated to a certain male, and yet be capable of producing champions when mated to a different one. “ All these points have to be studied, as well ns others. For instance, I keep charts of the different blood of the best breeders. By this method one can ascertain quickly that a mating is not too closely related. Personally, I consider one-quarter of the same blood near enough, and if any hen proves nearer than this to the male she has to be re-

moved to another pen. Then there are what one may term the exterior qualities to be considered, and of those one of the most important is eye colour, not that I believe this to denote the presence of fowl paralysis, but it shows a slight sign of weakness somewhere. I always think that a bold eye sets off a fowl and makes him look more alert and vigorous. One detect in an Bye I will never pass, and that is the pupil without a sharp outline. Dropped pupils develop from the indefinite eye. and this very soon loads to blindness.”

32nd ANNUAL PAPANUI EGG-LAY-ING COMPETITION. Leading Pens, Seventh Week, Ended May 15 (48 days). Test I. —J. H. Shaw Memorial Challenge. Light and Heavy Breeds.

Week’s Weight. Totals, oz. drs. Tl. A. Dalziel (Lan.) ... 7 13 1 42 A. S. Schule (A.O.) 5 8 13 41 J. Campbell (A.O.) 7 15 6 40 W. A. Coombcs (A.O.) 5 11 15 39 C. Hartley 7 15 1 39 W. Elbard 6 11 11 37 T. Jl. Roberston ... 5 9 15 37 “ A.O.” stands for Austral Orpington; ‘(Lan.,’’ Langshams. The rest are White .Leghorns. Test 2. —White Leghorn. Single Hens. (Owners enter three birds.) Grand To*'' 10 S. E. Marshall Ill A. Edwards m Williams (1) 108 Miss F. Kerr 108 A. C. Goodlet 108 F. C. Lines 107 Test 3.—Black Orpingtons and Austral Orpingtons. Grand .J. Campbell (A.O.) 107 B. Cotterell (A.O.) 101 Mrs W. A. Coombes (A.O.) ... 9o I). Hughes (A.O.) 0‘1 Mrs G. D. Hollyman (A.O.) ... 92 Miss F. Kerr (A.O.) 89 Test 4. —Any Variety Light or Heavy Breeds, other than White Leghorns or Black Orpingtons. Week’s Grand Totals. Totals. A. D. Fabian (L.S.) ... G 0 1 32 21 32 E. It. Buckley (R.I.R.) ...5 0 0 20 14 30 T. B. Grant (R.I.R.) ... 5 4 4 15 6 12 Test 5.—Single Hen Test, Light and Heavy Breeds. (Owner enters three birds.) Grand Totals. A. D. Russell 200 L. G. Ansel 1 197 H. Williams 195 S. O. Dalziel 108 Test 0.—Single Duck Test. (Owner enters three birds.) Week’s Grand Totals. Totals. J. W. Cotter (P.) 7 5 7 47 40 43 J. W. Thomson (K.C.) ... ... 0 7 6 45 37 47 G. Wright (K.C.) 7 7 6 39 31 32 Test 7.—Flock Teams (six birds)'. Light and Heavy Breeds. Week’s Weight. Totrjs. oz. drs. Tl. W. E. Ward 21 39 1 195 W. Turner (2) 24 48 3 187 G. H. Bradford (2) 28 56 3 179 W. Turner (1) ... 27 , 53 0 177