POULTRY NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 22720, 6 August 1937, Page 2

POULTRY NOTES

ANSWER TO CORRESPONDENT. “ Novice ” (Dunback) aaks for information resjDecting tlie raising of pheasants from a setting of eggs. One who has raised them advises as lollows:—Eggs take 24 days to - hatch. Make a nolo in the ground and line with straw —pine needles preferable—for nest. Give no food for 24 hours after hatching, and for first three days only hard-boiled eggs. Then mix a little maize meal with egg, but use no moisture as sloppy food is fatal. As the chickens grow older add maize meal and pollard, and every third day a little bran. Also chop up lettuce and green mustard, and put a little hemp seed (which must be broken) or linseed, not too much. Put them into a box made of two petrol cases nailed together and bars in front, so that the lien cannot get out and the chickens can, as they need plenty of exercise and freedom. Do not feed her with grain, but give her tho - same as the chicks get,, and always give her plenty of clean water. When chicks are 12 to 14 days old give boiled liver minced up verv fine—just' a little for a start and gradually increase. A little gravy from liver is beneficial, but don’t sodden the food with it. Chicks a month old will be able to pick green stuff themselves. Also give ■ them plenty of chick grit from the start. The fancier who has kindly supplied the foregoing tells me that ho has had good luck by feeding as described. THE EGGS DURING INCUBATION. For many years tho henwife has had three egg classifications._ If an egg is without a germ, i.e., infertile, it is called “ clear ” for it does not cloud during incubation. When an egg begins to hatch and gets chilled, or its growth otherwise arrested before the chick is formed _ then tho egg is “ addled,” becoming rotten, and if broken it has an offensive smell; this is the “ addled ” egg. Thirdly, when the chick is well .formed in the shell, it is called a dead-chick egg or described as dead-in-the-shell. FEEDING CHICKENS. Mr C. Van Drcagt," who has had many years’ experience as a poultrykeeper'in New South Wales on a fairly large scale—running 2,300 Australorps —favours the cold brooder system of brooding chicks, and in respect to feeding says:—“ For the first two days the chicks receive rolled oats only. On the third* day they are given mash made up from equal parts of bran, pollard, maizemeal, 3 per cent, bonemcal, mixed with milk to a crumbly consistency:. 220 z of salt are added to each 1001 b of mash. This is fed at frequent intervals throughout the, day. For the first six days the evening feed comprises rolled oats. The mash mentioned is fed for six weeks, and then 2 per cent, meatmeal is added and fed for three months. The bonemeal is then reduced to 2 per cent, and the meatmeal increased to 3 per cent, and 3 per cent, of a special commercial meal is also added. This is the permanent ration for both young stock and layers.” RHODE ISLAND BED SCORES. At the laying trials in England it would som as if Rhode Island Reds are the- supreme layers of the moment. Last month at Dorset a R.I.R. hen

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laid an unbroken sequence of 59 eggs. In the southern test a Rhode team heads the list with 872 eggs, Light Sussex next with 836. In tho Monmouth test Rhodes lead with 815 eggs, White Wyandottes second with 790. At Northampton Rhodes are again in front with 909 eggs,, Wyandottes 876, Whito_ Leghorns usually fill third place. DESTROY SLUGS AND SNAILS. Wo are told that slugs and snails, though seemingly relished by fowls, are disease carriers, and for that reason should be cleared from fowl runs. Slugs and snails can bo destroyed by broadcasting 11b of the following mixture over every 10-20 square yards of run, or 2-4 cwt per acre:—Very finely powdered sulphate of copper one part, fine dry sand four parts. On very web soils the stronger of the two mixtures should be used. The dressing is most effective when applied after a shower or when the grass is ivot with dew. Birds should bo kept off land thus treated until the dressing has been Avashed in by rain. GET RID OF RATS. Rats are expensive guests on any poultry plant. Tho annual loss from rat depredations will eat well into the profits. Noav that the cold Aveather Avill drive rats from tho fields into poultry houses, storp rooms, and other buildings, poultry breeders Avill do Avell to give this matter immediate attention. If eA-ery poultry farmer kills tAvo or three rats their numbers will be greatly reduced next season, for they breed very quickly, and the ones killed this year Avould have had numerous progeny next season. Traps catch a feAv, poison may account for a few more, but a good terrier which is trained not to molest the foAvls will keep rats in check. The exhaust from a motor car or motor cycle directed into their holes Avill destroy any rats it reaches. EPSOM SALTS FOR FOWLS. Many poultrymen give their hens a Aveekly dose of Epsom salts, with good results. It certainly will do them no harm if given in moderation. One ounce of Epsom salts in each tAvo gallons of drinking Avatcr for the day is usually sufficient for laying hens once Aveekly, although the usual dose is one ounce to the gallon. One hundred hens would drink about two gallons daily in ordinary Aveather. If given in the liquid for mixing in tho mash, about three ounces Epsom salts per 100 liens Avould be required. This treatment could be varied by giving glauber salts, AA’hich have a direct action on the liver. If either Epsom or glauber salts are given in the drinking Avater, the Avater vessel should be thoroughly cleaned out before fresh water and salts are put in. CROOKED OR SLIPPED WINGS ON DUCKS. It is not often that many bad-winged ducklings trru up in on© lot. It is, however, a common complaint among duck raisers, and no explanation is forthcoming for it. It is common to all breeds of ducks, but it appears very often in young Muscovies. Many breeders hold that it is hereditary, but this has not yet been definitely proved. It Avould, however, be inadvisable to use either ducks or drakes Avith such wings in the breeding pen. There would certainly be many infertile eggs, to begin Avith. As a rule this trouble starts Avhen the ducklings are about seven or eight Avceks old, and if observed in time the offending joint could be strapped into proper position Avith adhesive tape. The rapid development of the ducklings undoubtedly causes this, and the growing feathers become too heavy for the joints. The cause of the trouble may be lack of oxygen, for ducklings reared in tho open are seldom so affected. See that tho runs are Avell ventilated. Young ducklings can stand any amount of cold much better than they can heat. CURTAIL RISKS OF SUMMER AILMENTS. The complaints from which poultry are most likely to suffer during the summer are often A-ery difficult to cure. PreA’ention, howeA-er, is usually a comparatively simple matter, and it is therefore obviously Avorth taking every reasonable precaution. Backyard birds, for instance, will not become amsmic—a common summertime condition—if given really fresh, uiiAvilted green food, direct access to sun rays, and if kept happily occupied. Neither Avill they suffer from fatty degeneration of tho internal organs if made to scratch for the grain part of their ration and if fed a properly balanced fnash. Severe disease and gout will bo far less likely to break out if a moderate proportion (10 per cent, or less) of animal food is used in the mash. Summer catarrh, though difficult to clear up, is easily prevented if the perches are kept avoll ventilated at night, if the house does not become like an oven at midday, if the nest boxes are kept airy, and if the birds are not forced to range in long, Avet grass for their morning feed. Heat affections should never occur, and they Avill not if tho house is kept avoll shaded and airy, if the run is pro-

vided Avith shady (deep shade, please) areas big enough for all tho birds to bo in at once, if the drinking Avater and mash are kept cool, if tho birds are kept lean in body, and if the nest boxes are kept cool. To prevent roup, take tho precautions suggested above _ for summer catarrh, Avith the addition of hanging up on strings to jest 4iu above the birds’ heads Athcii on tho perch, 3in diameter Avads of cotton Avodl soaked in oil of eucalyptus. To prevent possibility of bought-in birds bringing summer colds to your flock, keep the drinking Avater tinged bright red Avith permanganate of potash. Keep intestinal Avonns at bay by gi\ r ing a Avorm pill to those birds believed to bo passing Avorms in their droppings. Bronchial pneumonia need never occur if tho birds are not forced to chill the undersides of their bodies by Avading through long grass or sitting in rain-soaked runs. Loss of flesh at this time of the year is often due to heavy infestation Avith lice, flea, and mites, but they can easily be kept at bay. —The ‘ Smallholder,’ England.