THE POULTRY INDUSTRY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 10063, 30 August 1918, Page 2

THE POULTRY INDUSTRY

DEVELOPING STOCK. If ther« is one thins more than auofclier ■ which znav b© regarded as the secret of success in. chicken production it is assuredly fresh nji.. Whether under the system of providing artificial heat or under the cool brooder method the invariable tendency _is to deprive the chickens of a sulhcient supply ox iresh air. and nothanu is more important to life, especially at its huore tender stages. Warmth is necessary, but this should never be provided at the expense of fresh air. The main thing to guard against is allowing cold air to enter at the ground level, especially in the case of the cool brooder. When using this method there should be a circular enclosure which can bo contracted or expanded to provide always the exact amount of space reauired by the chickens —no more, no less, and this should be of such a height that the fresh .air entering through the front can pass over it and reach the chikens. Next to fresh air opines cleanliness. No man who has ever succoded with rearing chickens has ever done so- where has failed to appreciate the vital importance of cleanliness, and nearly every case of failure can ha traced to neglect of this primary essential: not- cleanliness in the ordinary sense of the word, but a thorough cleansing and disinfection of every possible source of trouble. Too many people think because there is a surface cleanliness about a place that the place is just what it should be. but the cracks and crevices and. out-of-the-way comers are probably active breeding centres for germ life, which at night attacks the birds, bringing death to chickens and lowered vitality..to the more adult stock. The importance of cleanliness suggests the failure of many men who claim to know all about poultry, but have not sufficient energy to keep the houses clean enough, with the result that the returns Vom poultry am not what they are cracked up to be. The. successful fruitgrowers of the present day must wage continuous warfare against disease and must not wait till ho sees the trouble -taring him in the to carry out his work. Prevention as imperative. The .Dally successful poultry-keeper must adopt similar tactics. He must consistently use a spray pump and a strong lisinfectant to prevent germs getting a 'doting in bis poultry house and must especially safeguard his chickens from ho insidious attacks of insect life. The man who is thoroughly clean in his uethods of keeping poultry will often succeed where a man with a much wider knowledge of the business will fail. Successful poultry-keeping, it has been declared. is merely a matter of attention to petty detail« and there is considevabb ■ruth in the statement. It is tie little hings that count, and the elimination of flirt is the most important thing of the lot. ROUP. Whilst birds bred from robust stock are apparently immune from the bulk oi diseases to which' poultry- are liable, tho disease known as roup is all-power-ful n-henever suitable conditions exist. The disease is the outcome of dampness and draughty accommodation and sud. den changes of atmosphere. Tho sudden changes of atmosphere referred to are frequent in the early autumn or late summer, when after a hot day the night is bleak, and the early morning following extremely, cold. ■■ Given the conditions mentioned, the weakly, and especially young, stock will catch poid, the membranes of the throat will become inflamed, and sooner or later a discharge from the nose, mouth, and throat will follow, - That discharge "’ is highly- infectious. If the infected . bird is not promptly quarantined the whole of the 1 stock will become, diseased. The infection’ spreads in various channels, but tho most po. tent, towards .its distribution is, without doubt, ‘ the . drinking-vessel. Therefore poultry-keepers should give particular attention, not only to the water given their’ poultry, but to the watervessel itself. Washed occasionally with a little live lime, the vessel will be sweet, clean, and non-infectious. Prevention is better than cure, therefore do not wait for the first -symptom of .disease before acting. That action may reasonably take the form of keeping the housing accommodation free from draughts and dirt, and in -keeping the houses and runs . dry. Further, see ! that plenty of straw is- in the scratching .sheds,’,into,.,which■ grain- should be' cast, during'the ievenihg, so that when the birds leave their roosts in the early ; morning, instead of standing awaiting itheir food, their '"teeth" chattering with cold, they can, by burrowing amongst the straw, help themselves to an early breakfast. ■ finch conditions will. usually, prevent , roup,and save : much loss and trouble. ’ VERMIN. Thousands of lato chickens die an--nna/lly from attacks of parasitic life, and endless numbers of egg 6 are spoiled during incubation by hens that are worried by fleas and lice. It is tedious work attacking insect vermin, for it requires so inuch persistence and' patience, but poultry cannot thrive unless these foes are kept under. Whole flocks ot promising pullets have Ibeen known to produce not a single egg, solely because th perches were alive ivith red mites, which come out at night to suck the birds' blood. . All .pouitry-kobpers should make it their first, duty to go round and saturate all perches, and the sockets in whicn they rest, with paraffin, using a brush for the purpose. That will, with patienca, do- away with the red mite, and go far toward preventing "scaly hg." an affection of the legs and feet. The insides of coops-may also be treated in the same way. especially tho chinks between tho boards. Litter must be renewed frequently, and a handful ot ijulphui- mixed with it and sprinkled bn the dust-bath occasionally is very helpful, .If hens are sitting, thcey must be carefully dusted, as well os the eggs and nest, with an- insect powder or no success can bo expected. The limewash brush cannot now bo used too freely, but tho. system. of .scattering. lim 0 dust about the floors of the hen-houses cannot bo recommended. It nojt only- flies about, often getting into persons' and the hens’ eyes, but it.-liberates the ammonia from the’manure, thus robbing a -most valuablo fertiliser of its chief ingredient. 1 POINTERS. Feed early- on cold mornings. >” Give hot mash an the winter. . Dry. crumbly mashes are the best. . Sunlight is ’ essential for all poultryhouses. Make tho morning meal tempting and appetising. - . . Never miss an opportunity to improve y-our flocks. Increase poultry production and save the meat bill. Examine the grain when feeding; be sure*it is not mouldy. Tender green food is relished and should be fad at midday.