POULTRY NOTES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23692, 27 December 1938, Page 2

POULTRY NOTES

By "Terror" Profitable Age of Birds Mr D. F. Lauri points out that for many years it has been the practice on a farm to keep the birds far beyond their profitable laying period, and when egg production is the only item to be considered breeders could discard their stock after they are two years of age with absolute safety. He says: "It should be understood that the first year of production is recognised as the most profitable, and so on. Anything beyond that time, under farm conditions, it is very doubtful whether they warrant being kept. This, of course, means that a percentage of the stock must be replaced each year, and for success in poultry-keeping this must be carried out." Readers will be I think, justified in the contention that climate has some effect on the age question referred to in the foregoing. In New Zealand, particularly in the South Island, the climate is milder both during summer and wii.ter than it is in Mr Lauri"s State, viz., South Australia, and from personal experience as a poultryman and the experience of others I have consulted profitable egg production can be obtained from three-year-old birds. It is a pity that more attention is not paid to the question of longevity. If a three-year-old bird does not lay as many egps as does a first-year bird it certainly lays bigger ones and sufficient of them to pay for their keep, and longevity in this respect would enable poultry-keepers to skip the expense of six months' breeding and rearing at regular intervals.

Homing The same authority, quoted above, says: "It should be an aim to keep the various ages of birds separate, and if birds are kept for one or two years separate homes for each age could easily be made available, and it is suggested that the birds be kept in blocks of somewhere about 100 birds. This seems to be quite a convenient number, says Mr Lauri, to handle, and one which gives good results under normal conditions. A house big enough for 100 birds can be built in the vicinity of 20 feet long, 17 feet wide, 7 to 8 feet high in the front and 6 feet at the back. Plenty of scratching litter should be provided on the floor, and this is readily obtainable on the majority of farms."

Premature Egg Production Every year one hears of pullets commencing to lay at four and a-half or five months old, and those who report the possession of birds which start so early appear to be quite proud to be able to do so. Instead, a wise poultryman would regard the matter with regret. It is not advisable to encourage such precocity. It stands to reason that these precocious pullets cannot be fully developed; indeed, they demonstrate the fact by laying small-size eggs. Later most of the early-laying pullets are never able to lay a standard-sized egg. To stop this too early laying, everything possible should be done. It is a good plan to shift such birds from place to place; any change is a setback in this respect, though advantageous in the other extreme. Another plan is to change the mash mixture. Grain should have a main place in the diet, as this mode of feeding tends to build up the frame and does not excite the ovaries. In changing the diet with a view to preventing too early maturity, it is advisable also to reduce the quantity of food served. Sodium Fluoride Answering a correspondent, the Poultry World's expert says: " Sodium fluoride powder is applied individually to the birds, a small pinch being dusted under the feathers where the Insects congregate. I do not advise you to make it into a paste for this purpose. If used in nest boxes, then dust a little in the corners of the nests on the floor, under the hsy. The operator should take care not to get the powder in his eyes or let it permeate his clothing; a good overall or apron is very advisable, and a strip of lint over the nose and mouth if much dusting has to be done, especially if it has to be done indoors. Outdoors there is not so much risk."

Blackhead in Turkeys Blackhead, or erlterv-leputitis, is essentially the bugbear of all turkeyrearers, and if any of the old stock proves to be a carrier, then it is a difficult matter to get rid of. It affects voung poults about one month old, but it will crop up at times in older birds. The birds lose appetite, and become depressed and listless. The crop appears full, but digestion is slow; diarrhoea sets in. and the droppings are of a greenish-yellow colour. The birds lose vitality and become weak. Death may follow in two or three days after the disease is noticed, or they may hang on for two or three weeks. The homes, or coops, should be thoroughly disinfected; also all feeding and drinking vessels. The easiest cure, according to a Home authority, is to give 10 grains of catechu in every gallon of water. The catechu can be infused in boiling water and then added to the water. Another cure which is said to give good results is to get tablets made up as follows:—Sodium sulphocarbolate 1 part, calcium sulphocarbolate 1 part, zinc sulphocarbolate 1 part; dissolve 1 tablespoon in each quart of water. This can be given as drinking water, or may be used in mixing the mash. The liver and the mucous membrance lining of the cera are affected, inflammation and general degeneration setting in.

The Cochin China As far back as the early Victorian days poultry keeping was regarded, according to an edition of the Cyclopaedia of Agriculture, as " a subject of increasing importance and interest in England." The fowls mentioned were as follows:—Fowls which sit—Cochin China, Dorkings (including the Surrey), Kent, and Cuckoo fowls, and bantams. Fowls which do not sit: Spanish, Hamburgh, and Polish. Of the first batch, very little is known at the present day except in the show pen. At the time the article was published the great boom in the then new breed, the Cochin China, had commenced, for the writer speaks of the high prices given for some specimens, and quotes £5 as being paid for a good cock or hen, while eggs for hatching made a shilling each. Even higher prices, he says, were paid for White Cochins, and mentions that at a sale of a breeder's entire stock of 150 birds the average prices realised was four guineas. F ''titer on, one notes that the remarkable size to which the breed could 'ij grown was a great point in its favour, and mention is made of capons attaining the great weight of 151 b. Size of eggs was even then an important matter, for still speaking of the Cochin, the writer remarks that "the eggs from this gigantic family are not proportionately large, being inferior to the Spanish, and even Dorking, and seldom weighing more than 20z." They were, however, considered to be extremely good as egg producers, as witness the following couplet extolling their virtues in this respect: Some fowls lay but one egg a day, But you lay two, my Cochin China. There is a good deal more regarding the ood points of the Cochin—much of it being difficult to swallow, but it is well to remember the reeders in England are now, as in earl., Victorian days, great advertisers regarding the merits of their goods. Digestible Foods

The poultry editor of the Belfast Weekly News writes: —"One of the most important things to remember in connection with the feeding of poultry is the need for digestible food. In our own case we have to be careful what we eat, and some fowls will do better than others on a particular food because their digestion is stronger or because they are in better condition. It will be agreed generally, I suppose, that brcwn bread is not so digestible as white bread, although it may be that it is better for us than the white In the same way for fowls bran contains a good deal of indigestible matter, although it is a very rich food Of course, all foods contain some portion of indigestible matter, and the point is not to overload the stomach

of the bird with too much, or its condition will suffer because its organs are being worked more than they need. We know that if some foods are given in too concentrated form there may be trouble with the digestive organs, and this is so also with bulky foods. If you give plenty of green food you help to correct many little troubles which n.ight otherwise occur. The green food should be given raw because all its virtue is there, and something is lost in the cooking, even if the liquor, is used up again in mixing the wet mash." No Best Method of Brooding

Mr W. O. Pederick, poultry expert to the Victorian Department of Agriculture, says: " There is no best method of brooding. Most of all the systems were good. Successful brooding defended upon many factors, several things had to be kept in mind. Brooders must be cleaned out regularly to prevent disease spreading."

The Best Method of Feeding Plain wholesome food was advocated by Mr Pederick, who stressed the point that there was no "best" method of feeding. It must not be forgotten that chickens grow very rapidly in the first month or two. and this rapid growth called for a fair proportion of protein in the form of meat or milk. Until maturity was reached, he considered that growth-producing food was a necessity. The same kind of food was required for growing as for production, and in his opinion it was a mistake to cut down on the protein for a precocious bird to delay its maturity or production stage Answering a question as to how soon the chicks should receive food after entering the brooder, the expert said he disapproved of starving the chickens for 48 hours on the principle that they should live that long on the unabsorbed yolk in the system. He believed that food should be placed in the brooder compartment as soon as the chicks arrived. If Nature did not make them take it, there would be no harm done, but if they started to pick at it, they were the best judges. The same principle applied to water, which should be just slightly warmed at first. In a reference to disease. Mr Pederick said that most deaths in chickens occurred at the four to ten-day stage. His advice to breeders was, if any doubt existed about the health of these birds, to get expert advice rather than rely on medicines or tonics or upon a change of feeding methods. If disease troubles were wrongly diagnosed great loss might be experienced before expert advice was secured—often when it was too late to effect reasonable cures or protection. " Seeklits "

I was once invited by a novice poultryman to look at an incubator hatch of Indian Game chickens. I did so, and saw a picture that was well worth while going a distance to see. In my opinion there is no more beautiful sight in a poultry yard than a big hatch of Indian Game chickens. After admiring them and congratulating the owner, I noticed some halffilled flour bags each containing mixtures of meals, and asked what they contained. This novice poultryman was a foreigner, which probably accounts for the information he gave me —viz., that they were "seeklits"! Of course, I lost interest, because information which I cannot pass- on ;o my readers is no use to me. However, it was not long before I made another visit to see these wonderful chicks and learn how the "seeklits were operating. I was very disappointed to learn that the chicks were all dead! So much for secrets in poultry culture. It is possible that if this particular poultryman had not indulged in secrets but had confided to some other poultryman what his "seeklits" consisted of, his chickens might have been alive at the time of my second visit.

Experience Teaches Yes, experience teaches, but gainin? experience solely during one's own practice is generally a costly matter m respect to both time and money. Experience is far less expensive when it is gained at the cost of others. Visit the plants of other poultrymen and exchange confidences. By looking over other plants you learn not only good methods of housing and feeding, hatching and brooding—also of marketing, but you may notice practices which it is well to avoid. Once more I wish my readers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.