THE POULTRY YARD.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 691, 29 May 1885, Page 11

THE POULTRY YARD.

PROFIT IN POULTRY. Casting about for some sufficient reason for the prevailing condition of the poultry and egg industry of the country we find, first of all, a widely prevailing sentiment that the “ hen business,” as it is generally called, is beneath the dignity of men. It is not greatly to be wondered at that reading farmers should be disgusted with fussy details which they are told are necessary to success in the business, and decline entering upon it. All these details may be well enough for the fancier and the suburban who has an established local demand at his own price for anything he can produce, but for the farmer whose products must go upon the general market through the regular channels of trade, they are a delusion and snare, and certain to run him in debt if he attempts their practice. But there is a middle course, as far removed from the fussy detail of the theorists as from the much berated system of leaving the fowls to take care for themselves and roost in the trees, which every tiller of the soils, large and small, may pursue with both cred it and profit. Fowls have the instinct of self-preservation as fully developed as any other animals, and need about as much protection from the weather as other animals, certainly not any more. When kept in close apartments, though only for the night, the same principles of ventilation should be applied as in the case of other animals. And so on down through the whole category of special requirements which go to make up the most elaborate system of poultry appliances.

When the flock is fairly domiciled and provided with suitable runaways it is no work to take care of them. The organs of digestion in fowls show that they ' are designed by nature for continuous feeders. They have but one meal-time in the day and that lasts from early dawn to set of sun, and they should have the freest possible range and be, provided with food adapted to their use. They should never eat enough at one

time ..to fill the craw. But many object to letting fowls run at large at all, because they injure some crop, or get into the garden, or do some other mischief. All this is easily and cheaply obviated by the use of a few lengths of a cheap movable fence that oan be taken up and set down again at a rate of a length each minute. It is not always necessary that the crops be enclosed, but a short wing-fence often answers every purpose. Fowls will not travel far when there is food and water in the house, and they rarely go around a ten-rod wing. No man can appreciate the advantages of having a few lengths of such fence till he has experienced them.— O. S. Bliss, in The New York Tribune. CIUESTIONS AND ANSWERS. Tuberculosis in Fowls.—“ Farmer’s Wife ” : Several of my hens have died and others are very unwell, but I am quite at a loss to know what is amiss with them. I shall be glad if anyone will kindly assist me with their opinion. The first sign presented of illness by them is lameness, which, although slight at first, gradually increases until the creatures can only flutter along with their wings. They lose flesh rapidly, their combs, &c., become very pale, and diarrhcea sets in with some of them two or three days, or perhaps longer, before they die ; food is eaten by them almost to the last. It occurred to me that poison might be the cause of the mischief, but after careful investigation I have arrived at the conclusion that this is impossible, so am still ignorant as to what it is likely to be. It is more than probable that your hens are dying from “ tuberculosis” of the liver and bowels, as the symptoms described coincide exactly with those presented in that disease. This state is frequently brought about by confining birds in damp, badly-ventilated spaces, and even roosting in such places will in some cases develop this disease, notwithstanding the fact that they may enjoy the full run of a farm-yard during the day. The best way to eradicate this troublesome complaint is to dispose of all young fowls existing on your promises at the present time, and obtain a fresh strain of • birds ; but do not neglect to thoroughly cleanse and disinfect the hen-houses, and see that they are properly drained and ventilated before allowing the new fowls to occupy them.-