POULTRY NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2409, 3 May 1900, Page 49

POULTRY NOTES.

By Terror.

— The American Poultry Journal gives the following suggestions as to the best method of packing eggs for shipment: — "In packing fine eggs for shipment, two things are to be considered. First, security, then lightness of package. There are many ways in which to secure this, and nearly every fancier has a way of his own. The best method, however, is perhaps to use paper exclusively. Wrap the egg first in a piece of paper, 6:n by Sin long. Then roll and wrap it again in, a similar piece of paper. This will made from four to six thicknesses oi paper around each egg. Take the basket thevi, roll paper into wisps, loosely, about 2in thick, and lay the wisps closely together in the bottom of the basket. Then lay two sheets of the paper on top of the rolled paper beneath. Slake more paper wisps and line the sides of the basket with it. Next place the wrapped eggs in, on end, and closely together, side by side. Place two sheets of the papei over them and press all, gently, into propej. shape. Then roll more paper raid place it over the top'' of the eggs, the same as at the bottom and Fides, and then sew the cloth top over all. This plan makes a neat, light, and secure package, in which the eggs will be perfectly safe for any journey, unless crushed by a heavy blow. And, further, eggs so packed, if fresh and fertile when they start, will hatch at their destination quite as well as' if they had been set at home, if the local conditions are favourable, and tlie sittei is reliable."

— A slight cold, accompanied by watery discharge from the nostrils, frequent sneezing, and the fowl apparently in good health otherwise, will often yield promptly to the following: — Ten to 15 drops of spirits of camphor dropped on a teaspoonhil of sugar, and ulie whole dissolved in a pint of drinking water. No "other drink allowed. Feed soft food, seasoned with a little red peppei and mustard. If green mustard leaves are to be had, add them to the green food. If there is a noisy, rattling- cough, difficult breathing, rattling in throat Avhen breathing or attempting to use voice, sometimes loss of voice, try a tablet representing a one-thousandth of a grain of arsenite of antimony three times daily ; or give ten of these tablets in a pint of drinking water, and allow the fowl to drink of this when it wishes. Feed stimulating, soft food. For long-continued catarrhal 'discharges from nostrils, fowls apparently all aright otherwise except for discharges and gumming of eyelids and nostrils, try tablets each representing a one-hundredth of a grain of hydrastin muriate, ten tablets in a pint of drinking 1 water. Or if discharge is persistent and is yellowish and stringy, get some crystals of bichromate of potassium, and dissolve a very little in the drinking water; only sufficient should be used to colour the water a fainfc yellow. If the catarrhal discharge is persistent, try cleansing the nostrils M'ith hydrogen dioxide and water, equal parts. After drying, inject into the nostrils a few drops of the following: — One part finely powdered iodoform in 20 parts liquid albolene. " — Where the poultry keepe^ is able to obtain a supply of sheep and bullock heads and offal for his poultry his meat s bill need not be large. The meat, however, should be obtained perfectly fresh, and should be washed thoroughly clean before being boiled. Boil it for a considerable time so as the meat can be easily removed from the bones, and if plenty of water is used, it will come in for mixing the pollard afterwards, and used warm will make the meal very tempting to poultry. Never keept meat or offal in an uncooked or dirty form, as decomposition will soon set in, and render your buildings unwholesome and unhealthy both to yourself and to your poultry.

— Readers will notice, by his advertisemer-t, that Mr H. Buckland has still a few purebred turkeys to dispose of.

— The question of what is suitable food for poultry has often been raised in these columns. Many people have the idea that it is necessary to obtain a supply of cheap and inferior food so as to make poultry-keeping pay. This is altogether £> mistake. Damaged grain scieenings (which in many cases are composed of more than half drake and other refuse), mill sweepings, rice meal, and musty or inferior pollard or meal, may be obtained at a very low figure, but even then it i 3 dear at any price. The best quality of food is the cheapest in the end, and although your birds may live on the inferior food, the egg supply is certain to suffer, and the birds themselves

are ahvays in poor condition and never appear satisfied. In the cold weather and during the moulting season the quality of the food given should be of the very best, as there is an extra strain on the fowl during that period, and if tho system is not kept ivp by stimulating and strengthening food, the bird will linger through the moult, and will not come on to lay until late in the season. The difference in the best quality and inferior samples of wheat is only from threepence to sixpence a bushel, and in the inferior samples there is cure to be a lot of shrunken and shrivelled grain, which has v,o more nutriment in it than bran alone. The pollard or other mea l given should be of the best quality, and the. addition of meat food will be found beneficial during the next three oi four months. But the meat phould be given in moderation, and about two or three meals in a week will be ample.