Notes for the Poultry Keeper

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 6764, 23 January 1932, Page 2

Notes for the Poultry Keeper

Artificial Lighting and Egg Production,

Lord Blcdisloc, when opening the power unit at King’s wharf, Auckland, somo time ago, drew attention to the use of electric power for poultry keepers. For many years some poultrymen have made use of electric lights to incrcaso the winter production of their poultry. It is difficult to say if the system is profitable but the fact that some of these men used, lights 'for many years and still do so, is proof, that in some cases it pays.

On the principle that the more a hen cats, the more she will lay, the lights are turned on an hour before norm." daylight and again at dusk, icngtncning the winter day by at least two hours. The hen of course imagines that spring is coming and gets uusy laying more eggs. Automatic switcncs, attached to alarm clocks aro used to turn on the lights, and no attention is necessary beyond setting the clocks and altering the times as the normal day.,gilt alters. Careful experiments show that under certain conditions this artificial lighting will give excellent results on late hatched pullets, bringing them on to lay much quicker than usual. Electric power, when the supply is guaranteed to be regular, will bo used for incubation and rearing to replace oil and coal brooders. Already many small poultry keepers are rearing their chicks with no more than an ordinary light bulb placed in a suitablo box. For larger units, special “heat boards” liavo been invented which hold the heat for several hours, and distribute it equally over a large area. Most of the large battery brooders in use in the States arc heated by power.

Chair cutters, grinding mills, mash mixers and saws aro also run off an electric motor on some farms, replacing the old benzine engines. When makinguse of electric power on the poultry farm it is as well to sec that the wiring is in accordance with the local restrictions and passed by the city council’s inspector. Watclx Out For Autumn Colds. Now is the time to look out for colds in your young stock, for if once colds become prevalent, roup will likely follow with very disastrous results. Roup is only an advanced cold. The safest way to detect birds which have a cold is to visit the sheds at night without a light, and listen carefully for any snuffling, if any is noticed, then you had better get your torch and locate the affected birds. One of the best ways of preventing colds is to start feeding epsom salts and sulphur. Feed tho salts one week and the sulphur the next. About one pound to every 120 birds is sufficient. Both should bo well mixed in the wet mash.

Condy’s fluid should be added to the drinking water in pens where birds are infected, and any showing signs o.t infection should be removed to warm quarters for a few days. Sec that your sheds arc as draught proof as possible, yet do not make them stuffy. The perches should be placed not more than 30 inches off the floor. Sec that all the birds are sleeping indoors, for during the rummer some may sleep in the trees, and if perchance they are one night shut up, and the next left out, they will certainly get colds.

Feeding,

Eggs will soon become scarce and more valuable, so it behoves you to take more care of your layers. Any sudden change in tho feeding menu or hours will throw the older stock into an early rnoult and this must bo avoided as long as possible. See that you liavo ample supplies of feed in stock, and if you must change the menu, do so very gradually. The young pullets are coming in to lay now and they should be housed in their permanent quarters at least a

month before they como into full lay. Those that are laying now will likely moult before tho autumn is over, but even so they will show a handsome profit. An early pullet is usually stronger and more profitable than a late hatched bird. The quality of pollard varies very much and poultrymen should inspect fresh stocks carefully and if the quality is poorer than the previous purchase, more should be fed. It has been hard to get arnplo supplies of green food and if you can augment your supplies froln a market gardener you should do so, as without sufficient greens egg production will soon fall off. You can still plant supplies ot cliou-moullier for winter greens, and a crop of oats can bo sown as soon as the autumn rains come.

As a general rule the last feed at night should be given an hour before dusk, as this allows the birds timo to pick up some greens and grubs. The earlier the morning mash is fed, the better. Autumn Hatched Cliicks. On a mixed farm a few autumn chicks can be very profitable, as the cockerels will mature when prime poultry meat is very scarce. In good seasons a cockerel hatched in March and sold in October when weighing about six pounds will fetch as much as 10s. The pullets are not very profitable, but if you arc short of stock, or if you wish to hatch from any special birds, autumn hatching can be called in to help. Tho eggs should bo set during February so that the chicks will be growing during the autumn, when climatic conditions are very similar to spring. On no account hatch chicks later than the end of March. For the best results sec that tho chicks have fresh ground to run over and some shade should be provided if the sun is still very hot. Selling Old Hens. For the best results the poultrymen must keep culling each week especially during the autumn-. With second year hens that are to be marketed soon, those that are showing signs of moulting should be packed off to the butchers straight away. If you havo a large number it will pay you to write to several dealers and ask them to quote you a prico per pound live weight, rather than to send them to the local salo yards. Usually you will get good prices at these sales, but sometimes there is a temporary glut and if you have a big number, it is disappointing to find you have sold on an “off” day. Do not send away any sick birds, or those which are obviously thin; either kill them or use them at home, as such birds will lower the value of the whole consignment.

EGG LAYING CONTEST. 42nd Week’s Results. F. Ecob—--109 210 204 200 246 224 (34)—1283 S. G. Batten — 183 184 107 160 188 250 (32)—1122 L. B. Maunsell—202 196 160 x 17S 179 (31)—1092 Mrs. I). A. StcWart — 171 180 164 180 168 158 (30)—1021 K. Brazendale—242 123 166 161 x 160 (25)—1006 M. L. Boyce —. 137 194 148 x 194 198 (24) —999 A. Norman (5 birds) IS-. 173 93 166 x 209 (25) —996 J, McLean —• 164 119 153 166 15S .157 (26) —917

Heavy Breeds. J. N. McLean — 196 200 175 109 ICS 133 (30) —9Bl H. Rushton (5 birds) — 145 150 134 172 162 146 (17) —909 Mrs. J. A. B. Hellabr (4 birds)— 193 219 73 247 63 43 (17) —B3B K. Mouldy (5 birds) — 32 128 71 82 162 111 (12) —586 “x" signifies underweight eggs.