POULTRY NOTES

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 5802, 20 January 1906, Page 16

POULTRY NOTES

ABOUT CHICKENS. The following advice as to the treatment of the rising generation will, I know, be found useful by many. They oomo from the pen of an Australian j fancier, but are. in my opinion, quite applicable to folk in this country: Food and Shelter.—These two things lire the principal causes of success; the want of .suitable food, tbe absence of perfect shelter, are the chief causes of disaster. A number of people arc wedded to tbo notions that chickens require rich food, sloppy food, or soft fond. Hardboiled eggs, cpg-custard, anil other over-nutritions food and soft breadcrumbs are too frequently given to chickens, with the result that they become costive, or develop liver or gizzard troubles. When such complaints arise the chickens die off rapidly. A rich, sloppy, or soft food is not natural to a chicken's gizzard. Tho gizzard must have something to do. li must be kept active. Otherwise it becomes lazy and relaxed. Coarse ground oats, or wbeatmcal should be the principal ingredients for a chicken's gizzaid. With such food given dry, the chicken prospers, because its gizzard its kept actively employed, nad supplies the stomach with the food the bird requires. Now and again the food may be added to l.y the addition of a little hard-boiled egg. crumbled up. or some wee bits of raw meat. But such additions must be given on a very restricted scale, and be given principally when the weather is objectionably cold. Whenever a heap of stable manure can be obtained, it. should be placed in a well sheltered and sunny corner. Young chickens placed on the heap will burrow into it and get there the best food obtainable for chicken’s wants. With such an advantage the, young ones will require nothing more'; than tho plain articles of diet before referred to. Chickens should bo placed on n dean piece of ground. That is on ground which has not been rim over by a lot of fowls, soiling it. and depriving it of the thousand and one things required as tit-bits of food, or bits of grit required as helps to digestion. Chickens in health are always on tho lookout for grit and tit-bits. They are the necessaries for a chickens’ prosperous existence. Good food is thrown away on a chicken, if. at the same time, it is not properly sheltered. A chicken is hardy enough to stand rain and frost. But it cannot stand wind. Give, therefore, chickens a cosy' corner. Freedom from boitefous winds, hot or cold, is imperative. Shelter, should, where required, be fit rubbed to chicken broods by close bodging, fences, or ofTtcr contrivances that will overcome tho force of the wind, and keep tho chickens cost and comfortable.