POULTRY NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 956, 16 May 1889, Page 8

POULTRY NOTES.

CROOKED BREASTS IN TABLE FOWIS.

The occurrence of crooked breast bones^ in fowls reared for the table is an evil of great importance, even if the birds are intended for home consumption merely, as a curved breast bone does not carry much meat, is difficult to carve, and is moreover very unsightly ; in birds intended for the market the evil' is no less marked, as the selling price is greatly, lessened. It is frequently alleged that crooked breasts are caused by the fowls having to roost on small perches, and consequently large, broad perches, that the fowls cannot grasp with their toes, are the general rule, and small round branches that can be securely grasped are the exception. We are far too clever in our own prejudices to consult or imitate Nature ,in our proceedings; if we look at a row pheasants ia a gamedealer's shop, or j at any fowls from a breeder who lets his birds roost in the trees about hie homestead, we do not find any crooked breasts, and yet the birds all reost on branches that they can grasp securely with, the toes, and not on the larger boughs that correspond in size with the perches usually found in poultry houses. This tight grasp of the branoh is requisite to prevent the sleeping ,birds being blown off by the wind, and is, by the perfection of the mechanism of the limb arranged so as to take place withput any effort on the part, of the bird, being produced by the bending or flexion of, allthe joints of the legs, as the bird sinks down on to its perch.' This can be easily demonstrated by taking a dead fowl, extending the legs, and placing the toes around one, of the fingers. If, the finger is then carried to the breast bone, all the straightened joints of the limb will be bent, and at the same time the toes will close around the finger. As a rule, when birds, roost naturally, the weight is partly supported by the legs ; but in our flattened perches the keel of the breast bone rests on the perch, as is often shown by the callosity produced ; and if the bird is at all weakly, the soft bone yields, and a crooked breast ia the result. Crooked breasts are also caused by the absurd plaa adopted in :nany poultry houses of carrying the perches up one above' the ofher nearly or quite to the roof of the house. In this case the fowls always endeavour to occupy the highest perch, for which they, fight and struggle, some being knocked off and come to the ground with sufficient force to break the breast bone. It may be alleged that, as fowls naturally prefer the higher branches of trees in which to roost secure from enemies, therefore they should be allowed to roost on high perches when in confinement; but it must be re-, membered that a fowl roosting on a high branch in a tree fiies down very obliquely and comes gradually to the ground, whereas in a small house it has to drop with a thud that often breaks the breast. ,The perches in a fowlhouse should never be more than 4ft, or at most sft, from the ground,' and if all are placed at the same level, there will be no squabbling for the highest. . „ , , If the precautions I have indicated are observed, and fowls are reared under good sanitary conditions as to food, cleanliness, and free range, there need be no fear of the losa of market value from crooked breasts. I have in my experience bred very many hundreds of fowls, but I cannot call tb mind one that was subject to this deformity— W. B. Tbgetmbihb, in the Field.