POULTRY PARS.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 8 February 1936, Page 3

POULTRY PARS.

(By J. H. Kissling, Massey College.)

Autumn Colds. Mention has often been made through these columns of the danger of neglecting slight colds, since a neglected cold, ■which is in itself only a minor complaint, will so often develop into roup. Eoup is one of the worst poultry diseases that poultry keepers have to deal with, and attacks are frequent each autumn. There is nothing more disappointing than to rear a first class flock of pullets, only to find that when they should be in full egg prorim Mon instead they have dropped right away Roup does not often kill, hut it will so lower the vitality ;-f the birds that egg production is iraocssiblft. Often, when roup iiMscks the eyes, oirds will lu.-e the sight M one e.e, era if both eyes are swollen the bird usually dies from starvation.

It is usual to look for the cause of colds by wondering if there are any draughts in the shed, or if the ventilation is at fault, but very often the cause is deeper seated. Fowls will not usually contract an ailment unless their natural resistance is weakened by some cause, and it is this cause that must be sought out before any attempt can be made to cure the colds. One of the most common causes of colds is heaw infestation with worms. Novices will explain that their birds are well fed. look well, are running on ample clean, fresh range and that everything is quite as it should be, but whim an expert eye sees the birds, the trouble can usually be quickly sought out. Look lor the weakest of the birds and con duct your own post-mortem. if you have been in the habit of dressing poultry it is not a difficult job and will take only a few minutes. Just at. first some mistakes may be made and some experience .is required before any definite conclusions can bo made. It is well to remember, too, that even quali lied workers, with every desirable appli ance, cannot always a•< mint i-o cause of death of every bird. But when some general complaint is causing weakness in the stock, the rroume can usua ify be quicklv sought out.

When looking for worms, carefully cut oil' the intestine or nowel close to the gizzard and gently pull it out to its full length which ns often as Jong as four feet. Not Jar down from the outlet from the giz.ard may be found the largo round worm. lie is white mid about throe to four niches Jong and if many of these are present it means that the fowl is not getting the value out of its food, but that the worms are I Then in the ceea, those two blind pouches found nearer the vent end of the intestine may be found the smai' tliread-1 ike ceca worm. If present in only small numbers these worms may not cause much trouble, but if Jarg<o numbers are present at least a lowering in vitality must result. Of course there are many varieties of intestinal worms some of which can only be located i-v expert workers. The small and the large tape worms are particular!,* troublesome and difficult to remove. Treatment is always most difficult since poisons must be used. It too tittle poison is given the worms will not suiter, if too much, the bird itself may absorb too much poison and die! As always preventath c treatment is best and most wise ponitrymen take steps to try and avoid worm infestation. This can be done by good feeding, general cleanliness, especially in regard to re moving droppings or cleanings from the shed right away from anywhere near the fowls, and more especially by adding either tobacco dust or onions to the mash fairly regulaily. Chopped up onions, both the bulb and the green tops, are excellent for fowls as’a goner al tonic and about one large onion to (■very ten fowls once a week will make a good regular dose. The onion must

be raw and it is the juice that is valuable. Tobacco dust is a more recent introduction for worm prevention and experience lias shown at the College that when two per cent, dust is added to the mash mixture all the year round and on every day, very little trouble will result from worm infestation. Coccidiosis. Another parasitic disease which will lower vitality and promote autumn colds is infection from coccidiosis. in the same manner as intestinal worms, a mild in lack of coccidiosis may not cause much apparent trouble to tinnovice but the birds will have a backward appearance and though euliiig well may not thrive as well as they should. If blood or red streaked clots are seen in the droppings, ospeciubv after warm, moist weather, then mos; certainly coccidiosis can bo suspected. Treatment again is general and especially removal to fresh ground that hahad no poulny running on it at least lit months, infection is as severe as the number of coccidia that are eaten each day. The “eggs” remain active in the soil and litter for many months ann when pickml up mature and become active in tin* intestine, especially in the coca. Examine these two small blind pouches, and if when cut open they are found to contain solid matter, of a cheesy appearance anddf some blood streaks are noticed in the bowels, then most certainly suspect coccidiosis. Severe infestation will often cause leg weakness and deaths.

Beware of Culls. Most poultrymen become used to picking out these weakened and diseased pullets, and very often they are sold before they die or pass on infection.to others. Since they are only suspects, the owner cannot be hlanied tor sending them into the marts for sale and the poor novice, thinking ho has bought some cheap birds, finds that they fail to do well, even if they dcu’t die. 01 course good pallets are often sold in the marts too, but it pays you to get someone with a little experience to selm-t your birds for you, if you must buy in the open market. Good pullets, are worth good money at this time of the year and 7s (id to ll's (id is little enough to pay for really good lunar., aatcaed at the right time, well reared and close to laying. Culls may prove far more expensive in the long run. If you want good pullets go to your nearest -accessful poultryman and ask him ir m- van supply, or failing that ask if lie cun secure some for you. and then if anything goes wrong you can at least ask his advice and possibly (dame him if the fault does not rest with their management. It is noticeable that poultrymen very seldom have enough good pullets to meet their requirements, unless extra ones have specially keen reared for selling purposes.

A Field Day A busload of members of tlie Palmerston North unuii !i of the New Zealand Poultry Produce:s ’ l , Vd( , rai ion recently paid a visit to the large free range farm of Mr F (A liair.es at Orou.i Powns. !\1 embers from other bramdies at Marlon, Feilding and Foxton also joined ;n the visit, and a very pleasant half day was spent at this (arm. It is not. generally known that the Maiuiwatn sports the largest and best poultry farm in the .Dominion and a v.sit to Mr Railies' farm will surprise even the travelled poultryniai’.. With an acreage of many largo paddocks tne fowls have .amjiie free ration and tin; majority id the birds are kept in Hocks of about .KH) with as much as the acres to range over. T’ne farm is well planted up with shelter licits and besides the (KK)') to SOUU fowls (with so many it is d.liicnlt to know just how many there are, says .Mr Kaikes), a large dairy herd is kepi and some 400 lines of bees. The stall mu-.t iiiimber well over a dozen keen workers and the la no is really a lit lie colony on its own. The visit was n happy one and such outings 10 much good for belli b.ige and small poultrykeepers.