POULTRY NOTES.

Hutt News, Volume 9, Issue 15, 18 September 1935, Page 5

POULTRY NOTES.

(IJy ".Sillue.")

During the las! week-end a young "back-yarder" was somewhat concerned' -tluit a Mack orpington- pullet had laid what 1", on examining, showed In he a freak soft egg. Mad every!hing worked out to programme, there would liave been tlrree separate eggs instead of an unshapely mass, or a triple yulked 'egg. Triple-yoiketl eggs are not of every-day occurrence. When they do occur they are caused by three yolks becoming detached from tlie ovary at the same lime, in the case of doul.deyolked eggs two would lie detached, audi those are of more common occurrence. Nobody can quite say why they occur. By some strange freak of Nature two or more yolks mature at tlie same time. All we 'know about this sort of thing is that when birds are fed upon extremely stimulating food, 'and are able to gorge themselves with meat, house scraps or grub life, double yolked eggs, soft shelled eggs, and freak eggs are prevalent. Occassionnlly one may occur even when the .food 'is regulated in the most scientific way. .Should it be a regular occurrence it proves that the time is overdue to overhaul the mash and get to know exactly what are the contents of the laying

ration one is using. In the feeding of poultry matters vary just as they do with all oilier things, No book can give them all as methods change so quickly in this age of progress. Alany of the old poultry books d'O not mention yeast, because its use was not then known, neither was the function of vitamins. Whilst combinations of food may vary, underlying them all is a certain principle of so much animal protein, so much vegetable protein, so much carbohydrate, 'mineral matter, ash. fibre, etc., and these principles do not change. Some of the human races of the world have vastly ditferent diets but they ail live ami yet they would not if they changed their diets from one to another. At one time bran was not thought much f. new it is used very largely in practically all mashes, but some people can use more than others. As to what is the right amount for certain conditions will 'have to be found by practical use; having once found it, the amounl should be adhered' to. When a thing is approximately correct it need not be exactly correct, but the word mean- that it is somewhere near the mark; it may be a little !o one side or the other, but it is something like v. hat ha - been aimed at-—in other words, it draws near to the correct amount, An occasional do.-o of granulated charcoal would benetit layers, in fact it would be a benetit at all times, but it is not always mentioned in laying niashe< except where bird* are kept intensively. Some people .-ee;n |o think it is lather expen.»i\e and not necessary. In the matter of laying ii may be hard to tra • e the direct beiieiit of its u>e, it might not -how in the mere number of eggs produced, but when it was not used there might be some birdget ill and die. Charcoal is not very expensive and when added to the mash it forms pari of it aud docs not cost as much as may appear at tirst -ight. About live per cent added to the mash would be a .-utlicien; quantify but so.-ue poultry keepers [dace it .-eparalo i:i hoppers to be picked when fancied by the hens. It would be far belter to feed if regularly throughout the year than to give it spasmodically or at special times like moulting time or midsummer and mid-winter. Charcoal is not only a great corrective of overfeeding but is a sound remedy in bowel disorders of poultry. It has wonderful absorbent powers, especially tor gases, and should be kept in a thoroughly dry vessel with a close fitting cover, so as to exclude the air, Aluch has been said, and written, for aud against the use of condition powder, or spice, for poultry. It has even been claimed that if improperly used there is danger in it. So far as my own experience is concerned., I am certaiu that, it' given when a tonic is really needed, it will save a great deal of sickness in birds, W'jill condition powder make hens Jav,' I. am asked, oNI in itself. There is nothing in the composition of the usual condition powder that will make eggs, but the ingredients are of such a nature that tliev will tone the egg organs, making it pos-ible for the hen to do her best on the food given her. This is especially so in the case of pullets about starting, or old liens that have become more or less sluggish.