POULTRY NOTES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21784, 25 October 1932, Page 3

POULTRY NOTES

By Tehob.

Fanciers and Utility Breedera of Poultry are cordially invited to contribute to this column. "Terror" will endeavour to make this department as interesting and informative as possible. Contributions and questions for answering should be addressed to "Terror," Otago Daily Times, and received not' later than Thursday of each week. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS "Labour." —I think the best reply to your question that I can give is contained in the paragraph, in this week's notes, relative to the ration supplied at the Hawkesbury College layingcompetition. "D. D.vM." writes: "Kindly tell me •where I could obtain the New Zealand Utility Standards of Perfection, what the correct temperatures are at which to run a brooder, and if it is possible to obtain Red Leghorns in New Zealand." —The New Zealand Utility Poultry Standards are obtainable from the secretary, Utility Poultry Association, Christchurch, or the Agricultural Department, Christchurch. The proper temperature at which to start a brooder is 75 degrees. When the chickens are put in the temperature will rise, but they should be watched, and if they appear to sweat or gasp the temperature should be gradually reduced by giving more ventilation or reducing the flame of the lamp. I presume you mean ■what are known as " Brown," and not "Red," Leghorns. The former are in many hands, and it is only necessary to advertise for them in order to secure them. . ■

Bantams.—M. N. writes—" This season I set several bantams, the average covering nine eggs (one covering 11). On the other hand, when I set Rhode Island Red hens the most they covered was 15. Considering that one can feed three bantams to one hen, and that three bantams will cover 27 eggs as against 15, one wonders why bantams are not more widely used for that purpose. As they are much lighter in weight, there is not so much chance of broken eggs or crushed chickens. Between times they lay a good number of eggs of fair size."—ln the Old Country, where the bantam has many admirers, much has been written as to their value as sitters and mothers, and also as producers. Many successful fanciers started in childhood with a pen of bantams. " Inquirer" (Palmerstbn) writes: I would be pleased if you would advise what the best food for young ducklings is, and if the washing of duck eggs spoils them for hatching."—Next week some advice about duck brdedinj; will appear in my notes. In the meantime I reproduce the advice of Mr F. C Brown, the chief Government poultry expert: "Ducklings should not be fed for 36 hours after hatching. During the first few days feed equal partß of scalded bran and pollard, mixed with a small quantity of oatmeal, and with 5 per cent, of coarse sand added; this is fed four times a day, in quantity ■ all that the ducklings will pick up. After the birds are a week old do not mix grit with their food, but keep it within easy reach of them, so that they can help themselves. Finely cut green food should be fed separately after the first week. Give 5 per cent, of minced meat after the first 10 days, and increase this up to 10 per cent, as the ducklings grow older. As they develop feed equal parts of maizemeal, pollard, and bran, given three times a day, and maintain this ration till they are ready to kill. The mash can be mixed with cold water after the birds are two weeks old. Avoid giving green food and meat a few days before killing, then tFe carcass will keep longer. Ducklings should be fed from troughs. If the food is thrown on the ground a large part of it will be wasted. Ducklings intended for market should be made to gain weight from the shell to maturity; the least check means a set-back and a reduction of profits. When fattening, ducklings do not require water to swim in. If they do not have water they do not fret for it. Only supply liquid at feeding-time. If water •is always before them they simply pump the food through them and do not get the good of it. The drinking vessels should be deep, so that the ducklings can give their nostrils a good blow out; if the nostrils are allowed to clog, the eyes become plastered and disease soon sets in." It is better not to wash eggs before setting. :

Australian Eggs A report from London respecting Australian eggs is very favourable as regards their condition. They secured about 3d above the price paid for Belgian eggs. The only complaint—and it is one which New Zealand exporters should note —is in reference to weight. It is presumed that the weight was correct at the time of despatch, but owing to evaporation, ca6es which weighed 171 b in Australia weighed only 16ilb on arrival. It is suggested that a little extra weight should be given so that the case will be of full weight on arrival. Coccidioiis At the Harper Adams (England) conference the assistant director of the National Poultry Institute (Mr H. Howes) stated that he had placed 200 chickens affected with coccidiosis on wire floors and fed them for five days as follows—Maize meal 301 b (by weight), Sussex ground oats 201 b, bran 101 b, and dried milk 401 b. No other additional ration was given, .and only water to drink. The mortality was 10 a day before treatment, but at the end of six days the mortality was reduced to one a day, and after eight days no deaths occurred. The foregoing seems like a great plea for including dried milk in the ration. If 40lb in the 1001 b of maeh actually cures coccidiosis, one would think that 5 or 10 per cent, added daily would prevent such a disease ever occurring in a flock of poultry. Evils of Impure Water

■lt is certain that a larger percentage of the complaints and deaths of chickens | is due to drinking impure or sun-heated I water, or to over-drinking. Some chicks j have an insatiable thirst if allowed to , develop it. Naturally they have not got ! it; they are the descendants of jungle , fowls accustomed to go for days without | water. If from the day of hatching they are kept without water for a month they j thrive well, and are curiously indifferent j to the charms of Adam's ale when it ;s j supplied. Chicks bo brought up are not so liable to blow themselves out with : water even when grown up. When water is supplied, however, it must be as pure and fresh as possible, and in order to get , more eggs than a jungle fowl would lay ! it must be plentifully supplied, for every ; egg is to a great extent composed of water. Notwithstanding the foregoing remarks i about keeping chickens without water.. I ; am not recommending the practice, for. , so long as the water is fresh and pure, j the chickens appreciate it. Having per- j sonally, however, kept chicks without water for a whole month with satisfactory results I know the practice is ( not harmful. There is no diarrhoea or j pasted up behinds with chickens so reared, j

Black Orpington Chicks I was asked last week whether chickens bought as Black Orpingtons were purebred as they had white feathers? My reply was to the effect that there was no reason to worry about the white feathers. The fact is that in black varieties the chickens are almost invariably white and black in colour, and sometimes the white largely predominates over the black. The white will generally be found upon the top of the head, upon the tips of the wings and upon the breast and lower -parts. And those birds which are largely white are frequently the most lustrous green-black. An all-black chicken, on the other hand, usually develops into a (lull black fowl, sometimes with mure or less red in the plumage. Sex-linked Fowls

Mr R. C. Pminett, F.R.S., has, as u result of experiments, evolved a bleed which automatically exhibits sex-linkage within the breed. This new breed he has named the " Cambar." In it there is a marked difference in the down colours of the two sexes. The stock of this new bird is at present in the hands of the British Minister of Agriculture, and is being worked up in order to increase its fecundity. It is a light breed, and when its productivity is such as to enable it to compete with such breeds as the White Leghorn its great advantage of automatic hexing at hatching should prove a considerable asset to the poultry industry. Moreover, since it carries the barring factor, the hens can be crossed with a cock of any black breed to give an ordinary sex-linked result. What the Growing Chicken Requires Mr E. T. Hanan, M.A., School of Agriculture, Cambridge, in a paper rend at the Harper Adamg Conference on the

question of when the first feed should be given to chickens, said: —"The hen lives at a fast rate. Its breathing rate is 60 breaths per minute, its heart pulsates 120 times a minute, and its body temperature is 105-106 degrees Fahrenheit. We breathe 17 times a minute, our hearts beat 60 a minute, and our temperature i s 98.4 degrees F. Now the maintenance of life depends upon an adequate supply of food, and if we, comparatively sluggish creatures, need fairly abundant supplies of food at not too distant intervals, how much more important the provision of such supplies must be to the fowl, who uses it up at a much more rapid rate. Owing to this rapid rate of growth and to the with which chemical changes take place in the fowl, the bird reacts very quickly to any errors we may commit in nutrition or management." , ■ ... After pointing out that there were deferences of opinion amongst the experts on the question, he quoted Sylvia L. Parker as one who had thoroughly investigated the problem and had ascertained the following facts: — (1) If chicks are starved they invariably die on the fifth day after hatching. The reserve material in the chick s body is therefore sufficient to carry it on . for this period. (2) Whether food ie given or not the yolk absorption goes on at the same rate. The time at which the first feed is given to chicks, therefore, _ depends upon personal convictions, and it M not likely to affect the chick's health. (3) The yolk is practically all absorbed by the seventh day after hatching. (4) Removing the yolk sac from the chick did hot affect its final weight. Ihe yolk sac can therefore be regarded as a reserve food store, and does not fulfil any iunction beyond this." Concluding his address Mr Hanan gave his idea of what a chicken's ration should consist of, admitting, however, that he had had no opportunity of putting these rations to a practical test: —

Mr Hanan’s system is only one of many systems and he very rightly says: If you find that the one you are now using' gives satisfactory results, by all means keep to it.” A Balanced Ration

The ration fed consistently to the poultry at the Hawkesbury College laying competitions for several years—which brings excellent results—is, it will be noted, as to its contents, simplicity itself: — Morning meal: Pollard 601 b, bran 241 b, meat meal 61b; total, 1001 b; salt, 220 z. Evening meal: Wheat 661 b, cracked maize 341 b; total. 1001 b. Cost of the evening meal may be reduced with safety by leaving out the maize during the summer months. Green food is, of course, supplied plentifully.

Scaly-leg Pyrethrum powder has been recommended as a cure of scaly-leg in poultry. It is claimed that if a pound of pyrethrum powder is scattered in the litter scaly-leg is cured if it exists and prevented if it does not exist. Pyrethrum powder is the ordinary insect _ powder bought in tins, but when it is intended to use it in quantity it is cheaper to buy it by the pound. Preserve Now

Eggs are becoming cheaper, and every wise housewife would be advised to put down a few dozens. It is a good plan to do this before the end of October, as the early eggs are in better condition, and have thicker shells. It is of the greatest importance that eggs should be perfectly fresh before being preserved. Newly-laid eggs are unsuitable for preserving, as they take half a day for the contents to settle, but the sooner after the first 12 hours they are preserved the better. Only perfectly clean eggs should be used. Any soiled shells should be washed, as if they are dirty the contents will probably have an offensive taste., A petrol tin will hold 14 dozen eggs, and a tin of preservative adds but a fraction to their cost. Always read and follow the instructions carefully. If boiled

water is to be added to the mixture, be certain that it really is boiled. Any of the water glass mixtures are good, and are a great improvement on the oTa way of using lime and salt-. It is very important that eggs should be packed correctly—that is, placed on their narrow end. The yolk then retains its correct position in the shell, and the of failures (so often due to the eggs being placed on their sides and the yolk adhering to. the shell, giving an addled appearance when the shell is broken) is eliminated. If petrol tins of eggs in liquid preservative are wanted for sale, make a nail hole in the bottom of the tin, drain out the liquid, place the tin under the cold tap for a few minutes and then drain. The eggs will dry rapidly and can then be packed in the same way as fresh eggs. Advertisements which are appearing show that there are other simple > methods of preserving eggs. By one of these methods the eggs are simply dipped straight in and out of a special liquid preparation which seals the pores of the shell in such a way that the eggs are kept in perfect condition for 12 months or more. A pair of wire tongs is provided with every tin of this preparation. After being dipped, the eggs are simply left on the table to. dry for half an hour, and may then be stored dry in boxes or baskets. • So perfect, it is claimed, is this method of preservation that the eggs may be boiled, fried, or poached, exactly like new laid eggs. This sounds delightfully simple, and the cleanliness of the method will appeal to.the housewife. A further advantage is that these eggs can easily be sent anywhere without the necessity of cool storage.

Chick Mash Growers (J weeks). Mash. Maize meal . ..33 35 Bran . . . .. 19 14 Middlings . .. 14 28 S.G.O. .. . .. v 14 Linseed meal . .. 3 — Dried skim milk .. 9 — Fish meal or 60 per cent, meat meal 7 7 Dried yeast . .. 3 - Steam bone flour — i Limestone flour .. 24 1 Common salt ft i Ferric oxide . .. I — Cod-liver oil 2 /