PERCHES FOR FOWLS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18895, 18 December 1924, Page 16

PERCHES FOR FOWLS.

CROOKED BREASTBONES.

[' CAUSES OF DEFORMITY.

Theie are various contributing causes to the crooked breastbone, but many rearers jj ever realise that there is any cause further than that of too early perching, and keep their young birds huddled up in the floor of their sleeping houses, where they may really he getting more harm by overheating and overcrowding than they •would do if allowed to perch at an earlier date. The shape of the perch has perhaps Eomething to do with the matter, the round perch being more liable to cause the defect than the flat roost, which gives the bird a far better and easier support. It must bo remembered, however, that the edges of the flat roost must be rounded off so that the birds can get a firm grip. Other causes for this deformity are found in heredity. Where the parent stock is not of the' most vigorous character or where there is a tendency to crooked breastbone, the dcfect is sure to be reproduced, probably in an accentuated form in the progeny. The true breeder will never allow such birds to enter the breeding pen, knowing full well what the result will bo if ho is careless in this matter. Breeding from immature birds, which is always ill-advised, will result in a weakened progeny-'liable to such defects, while damage may result to the strongest, healthiest and soundest of offspring if proper feeding is not attended to. A superabundance of fatty foods, with a lack of bone-making or mineral foods, and a forcing diet deficient in the latter has the effect of producing a Weakness in the bones of the young birds, with cases of crooked breastbone.

To make sure that there is no lack of these necessary (dements the simplest way is to feed oats, pollard and bran, and you will be supplying what is needed to form n strong frame work; while chemical food, containing as it cloes phosphates of lime, iron and soda, given in small quantities in the mash, will be found of great benefit, A.i