WEATHER AND POULTRY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15915, 12 May 1915, Page 12

WEATHER AND POULTRY.

EFFECTS ON MOULTING. BY P.H.S. Ike pa-; season has been a trying one in more ways than one lor the poultry-keeper who has both ducks and fowls m his yards. The long, dry spell encouraged 'uuite an i.i.'.v moult this season, especially with tho ducks, and it looked a certain thing fiat .-i big egg supply would follow at about the end of February or beginning of March, but the fates were against the duck and instead of shedding eggs, it was feathers, as after the long hot spell we had one or two very heavy downpours of ram. with cold "weather. Sudden changes of weather serious.)' affect the egg-producing powers of the ducks, and unless given careful treatment to tide them over these changes of weather, we •Uud a chance of a von- poor egg supply flora the ducks during the autumn months. They must, bo kept in a sheltered place where the unexpected cold winds will not seriously effect them. 'I hey must also be fed regularly on the same style of feeding; work no sudden change from one ration to another. Fortunately I have a sheltered spot, but even with all the advantage, the ducks have on my place, the weather affected quite a number this season. J had quite a lot over their inouit in February yet they did not start laying when they .s'hould. Owing to tho scarcity of one variety of food, I had to change" on to another, and this no doubt effected the birds also. There is no doubt in my mind, that in our anxiety to cut the food bill down we have stopped the flow of eggs when most needed. Eggs are tggs at the present time, although the price paid -for the poultry-keepers' produce is not all in keeping with the price of poultry foods ; eggs should be far more than what they are to show a profit over tost- of feed. A poultry-keeper is fortunate enough indeed who has a flock of bred-to-laj ducks at the present time, and can secure the right class of food for them. In my opinion they are without a doubt the best dear egg producers a poultryman can keep. Late Moulting.

, Referring to the second moult this season, I,; have seen quite a number of rocks effected by the weather- conditions. It bits been most unfortunate to those who

lt liave: not too much of this world's goods; m ' it means that the ducks have to beefed • i.bout four months instead of two without jury returns coming in from tho ducks , effected by the second moult. I have nearly always found the ducks that lay .• well into the autumn months are not affected by the early spells of wet, cold weather after a warm, dry summer. 1 \ have found that the ducks "that lay right •- tip to March usually get through the i moult quickly, and there is no danger of £ a second moult with them, as by the • time they are in full feather again, the £• weather has stopped its sudden changes, ■•> and with proper feeding these late moulting .'•' ducks usually only lose about six weeks - or two months egg-produ'ction while the new coat of feathers ie growing. Still, I would not like my readers to *"' think that the late moulting birds are always the best layers. Generally speak- . ing in reference to hens it is so," and an early moulting hen is usually discarded by a breeder as a. poor layer, and it is not . wise to use them in the breeding pens. ' I know of several- breeders that select * their breeders for the next season from $ the late % moulting, hens or the ones that ■'• keep on laying while shedding feathers. £ Of counft, it must be understood, that if £ a hen shifted or given a different ration -f she ma'y v go into an early moult, and yet ••-_. be an exceptional layer. But if a hen is •' treated well in . feeding and housing and then goes. into an early moult and stops the egg production, you can nearly always rely on that hen being a poor/ bird to breed from. This argument deals principally with the light breeds, as good laying birds in the heavy breeds are likely to go into an early moult if they are allowed to sit on a clutch of sggs. During the period of incubating' the eggs the hen usually half-starves herself, and gets into low condition, after the chicks are out and a week or two old the hen starts to eat and makes up for lost time. This change of front effects the whole system and the feathers begin to fall, which produces what may be termed an early moult. l"his will often happen to tho best layer wo have, but what we must condemn is the bird that moults early and does not recover ■ her egg-producing powers for several months on end. Selection from Early Moulters.

Now, this early moulting system of selecting the best layers cannot lie used satisfactorily with ducks that are bred to lay. For this reason, ducks have usually two moulting seasons, one about Christmas, or a little later, and the other in the spring, say about July. Therefore it is quite possible for the best laying ducks in the world to moult in December, and he in full feather again at the end of January and also in full lay. I have known "scores of my best layers to be in full moult in January, and yet I had no thought of parting with thern or rejecting hem as poor layers. The past season has bad a very serious effect on ducks in more ways than one. The dear food question has wiped out hundreds of .good laying ducks, as there are many people who do not understand the habits of ducks, and as hosts went into an early moult this year they were disposed of as not worth keeping, and I might say many were sold off in this way that would have been returning their former owners a handsome return at the present time. I think the hardest side of the dear foor question is the loss to the industry of so many bun. dreds of good breeding birds. It will take years to replace the loss, aid it is a great pity that something was not done to assist

many a poultry-keeper to keep hisslock birds. Feeding Ducks to Lay. I would advise those win) have kept hold of their ducks to food thorn well, and I am sure they will respond. You will never get eggs out of a half starved duck. they must have bulk and be filled at each meal. No half measures will suit a good laying duck that is penned up, on free range they can forage a bit, but even if your ducks are on free range, I believe in Keeping them locked up in a pen until say, 10 a.m.. and make them cat a good breakfast before you allow them to roam about. .1 always consider ducks kept in a nicely sheltered pen and properly fed with good bulky food, will pay far better than duck* allowed free ran<;e and only fed a small allowance of solid food perhaps once a day. Ducks are kept by many under these conditions, and the results are never bo satisfactory for the whole year as tlmse kept in pens. All the best duck records in public egg-laying competitions are accomplished in pens, and it is really surprising what ducks will really do in* egg. production even in the smallest of pens. .It ,is simply a matter of the class of food you give them; they will produce an abundancei oreggs under conditions that would think lll to^ h ir ; . and for tllcse veaß °n» I think all , poultry-keepers should try and sStasS^r l^ ss?s noTequal to a m■ . >