POULTRY NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14690, 26 May 1911, Page 3

POULTRY NOTES.

HENS TOO FAT, Jctkhtilitt is. usually caused by the hen* being too fat rather than (he cock being too lean. # This matter of condition in laying lions is one that it. is difficult to explain to' tho novice. He will so confound fat with' condition. Every horseman knows Iho difference, between a horse pig-fat in summer, and the same animal, lean but hard, after two months with hounds. The poor bag of bones on a cab-rank can generally do hi*' work with comparative ease. A breeding hen must not bo loan, hut neither must sho be coated with loose, flabby fat. The hard conditon induced by oats, sharps meat vegetable, and a little starchy grain is very different. to the fat laid on by feeding sole upon maize, barley, and whoa). When hena are laying infertile eggs it is bettor to alter o feed, make them work hard, scratching m straw for the grain, and give doses of uE c tb; s S nnme, ' Uatclytoyufctboi '-

EGG PRODUCTION. As a beginning when production of eggs for market is urgently wanted the fowl»ouso_ and run are the first thing to give attention to. During warm, humid seasons, if the fowl-house has been neglected Jowl lice will Jmvo increased with' great rapidity. It will, therefore, be necessary to have an absolute clean up. The roosts and nest boxes (if in the house) should bo taken out; and well lime-whitcd, and all such debris as straw, old grass, cast feathers etc., must be burnt. Nothing that can harbour vermin should bo loft in tho house. After that work has been completed the inside of the house should, bo thoroughly syringed until the walls and: roof are. well saturated with a solution which should be composed of hot water and soap, and into which has been mixed phenyle or kerosene. It will be advisable to repeat tho operation within a week, after which fortnightly houso cleanings may follow. Unless the vermin that infest neglected poultry-houses is absolutely destroyed, fowls wljich inhabit them cannot prosper, for the insects rob them of their blood mid take- away their energy. Listless liens arc non-laying liens. With a clean house and a clean run, especially where the pasturage is ample, hens, if properly fed, may be expected to give a satisfactory account of themselves during tho coining autumn. In feeding it is well to note that faying fowls only require a fair amount of food. This should neither be stinted nor wasted. Then, again, the hens should be compelled to show activity Those that hang about from one meal-time to another are neither good' to themselves nor their owners In this direction much may bo done by providing plenty of dry straw, grass, or other light, debris in a dry shed or large bin, casting each nights a few handfuls of wheat among th<i debris The birds will soon find out whom such food lies, and will then unfailingly busy themselves each morning by scratching and searching for tho palatable grain.

lii feeding fowls it is always desirable that variety should bo studied. Change of food is nearly always appreciated. However, it. must he understood that mash foods are the best, where egg-production is the immediate object. The mash may bo varied from day to day, sometimes given hot. and at other times cold. In wet. bleak weather, a fairly warm mash should be prepared, and fed to the fowls early in the morning. A meal may be made of three-parts pollard, on© part maize-meal, two parts bran, one part barley-meal, and one part- lucerne, clover, oaten or wheat chaff. This mash, may be changed by taking an item from it and adding, say, pea-meal, brewers' grains, or ground oats. Pollard and bran should, however, be the base of all mashes. An addition*"* to each mash may bo made by giving two parts dried blood. ' Especially is the latter item desirable if the birds are slack in laving or the -weather be exceptionally cold. * In adjusting tho parts for the mash use the scales.

PREPARING ISTRDS FOR SHOW. However perfect a bird may lie as regards typo or plumage, it will not he fit for the exhibition pen if not properly cleaned and having a well-groomed appearance. A bird in its yard and running about with its fellows may seemingly bo perfection but place. it in a show-pen in competition against birds of equally good typo and feather that had a proper preparation in all branches, and the difference in their favour as against the half-prepared bird will be most marked.

Such poultry as have dark plumage do not requiro washing unless the plumage is soiled. But dnrk-plumaged birds may be vastly improved without tho aid of soap and water. This improvement may be made by placing tho poultry intended for showhonours in a room or closed-in shed, well bedded with clean straw, for a week or twi* before _ being required for exhibition. Th«» straw is to bo renewed from time to time, so that there shall always bo plenty of it, and all of it be in a cleanly state. Into thi< straw occasionally throw a handful of -wheal or other small grain. By their searching fo£ tho food the fowls will scratch into tho straw and by so doing groom themselves and burnish their plumage. The shanks of the birds will also by their action become well polished and look presentable. With brightened plumage and clean and polished shanks the birds are fit for show so far as general conditions are concerned.

Washing birds is a matter of some difficulty, but with care and intelligence the task is not insurmountable, even in tho hands of a novice. Let the operation proceed as follows: —

Two bath-tubs, about 18 inches deep, should bo got ready. Let each of them bo two-thirds full of clean, warm water. Into ono of (lies© dissolve a good quantity of soap. Now take up one of the penned birds, previously quietened, and place it in the tub of soapy water. Press it gently down until the water is well over its back, opening the feathers so that, the water will reach the skin, and at the same time thoroughly saturate the feathers. ' Let there be no mistake about this. The feathers will soften under the influence of the water, and, by ordinary usage, will not break or become otherwise damaged. Therefore, the saturation and washing must bo complete, or the bird will not have a properly-washed appearance when the feathers are afterwards dry. Having 'washed the body and tail feathers well, then sponge the head and neck feathers until quite clean. Being satisfied that the plumage is perfectly washed, let the operator remove the bird to a board, over which a clean sack is spread, and-then press as much of the soapy water as possible from it. This having been done, place the bird in the clean warm water, and thoroughly wash feathers perfectly clear of all soap. That is very important. Having done this, pour cold water over the plumage and thoroughly removo all traces of the previous ablutions. Then press the water out of the plumage, after which well dry the bird with clean towels. After washing, the bird has to be well dried. The plan is to have an open' wicker cago ready prepared, into which plenty of clean straw is placed. The birds, as they are washed (sexes apart), have to bo put into these cages and placed before a hob fire, but not sufficiently close as to cause distress or to scorch the feathers. The cages are to ho sci coned with cloths on the part away from tho fire, so as to prevent draughts reaching tho birds.

The operation of drying will bo a matter of some time, but the birds must bo thoroughly dried before they are removed into other quarters. When properly dried the birds are to bo placed in large pons or closod-in sheds knee-deep in clean straw, and treated as mentioned for tho grooming of the dark-plumagcd birds. In all these operations and after treatment let the sexes bo kept apart, and in the case of male birds or quarrelsome hens scpa. ration is absolutely necessary.

CHICK .NOTES. ..' "Don't feed bran or beef scraps to young chicks. And as long as the chick lives feed plenty of tender greens. Begin to feed a little well-cooked lean meat about tho fourth day. Keep pure water, grit, and charcoal aj« ways before tho chicks. From first to last, let tho night feed lift . only grains and green feed. After a month the chicks may be fed a mash at noon as much as they will eat up clean in half an hour. This mash should bo made of lean meat, vegetables, rolled barley, and cracked corn, all well cooked and chopped and made dry with shortsnot bran—and seasoned with salt. Never let tho chicks eat stale, unclean, or mildewed food, and never let them oat any food out of their droppings or put of tiQuxaii , and dirty trough** ..' . . /