POULTRY NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2561, 6 May 1903, Page 49

POULTRY NOTES.

Br TEnnon.

ANSWER TO CORRESPONDENT. Tp Nr.iT - A trap npst is des.gnc-cl to thnw t ! i' i.uru'jc.- <f cZn* cat-c at - bird !a>s. The idea, is to retain the la-iei in the nes>. until she is

released and id?: t,fu<. w '.h. the egg. Cna style of hap nest is maJc by hr.:.a:rg a couple c{ wirss lco;s y by s's^les be-

fore the entrance to the r.cst. Ihese wires the fo\v ; pushes foivpid r.s she enters, and th»y crop b'ck when she has passed, t'ae bottom ends strikins a cross piece oce-r which d>e hen 1-as stepped on entenng. This cross p.ece pievc-nis the wire s from beirg pushed cuuvnrdi vrhc-n the fowl tries to escape. To pievert the entrance of a second fowl, another pa.i of wire 3. fastened to the srruo slap'es, shou'd be arranged so that th»y can be turned outwarJs and left no abo\e the entrance way ready to fall directly the inside wires on being pushed forward tench t'aeru ever so gently. As ths bottom ends of these cu'.sido w.res rest outside of tlie cios-3 piece, at t''e bot'om of the entrance to the nest, they w.T! prevent ingress of other birds just as the inside wires pre - , ent egrtS3 of tho Isyei. Another method of making a trap nest is to have a wire door wh eh will slide up and down. The dcor when up to allow a fowl tc enter is retained in position by a snib. This smb is the top end of a. wire wbicn passes through a staple, and then after one twist hangs before the entrance, as do the two wires in the style of nest first mentioned. The b:rd entering pushes this wire inwards, and at the same time bends down the snib. thus allowing the door to descend. In any style of trap nest, in order to arrest egg-eaters, it wou'.d be well to arrange that the nest is raised in the centre, so that the egg when l&.d will roll either way, under ledges at the sides, or through a slit into another compartment. Some prefer, instead of a raised centre to arrange a slope to one side. I have tried both plans with equally good results.

—Mr D. D. Hyde, the Government pouLtry expert, is now in town, and intends, ] believe, to ppend several weefcs lecturing etc., between Invercargi-11 and Dunedan. —Mr D. F. Laurie's Poultry Manual, ii an article upon "Feeding Adult Birds," speaking not to fanciers, but to utility men^ says:— "lt is poor policy to feed poultrj on inferior grain. From sound plump grain and fresh sweet bran, poJlard, meal, otc, you can expect definite results. Screenings, often half drake md rubbi-i'h, may be good enough for filling the insides of hungry pigs, but are useless for roultry. A few pence saved by buying mou!dy, smutty, rubbishy grain may cost pounds in disease, and will certainly entail loss through poor egg yields and slow meat production. Feed well, and at stated times. Do not over feed, and do not waste. It is waste to over feed, and it is wa^te to throw grain on dirty ground, wh<=ro> it is .scon trampled out of eight. A handful wasted each day makes a ilarge heap at the end of a year, and represents cash lost."

In regard to the foregoing remark anent wa*te, I remember Dr Truby King explaining to me the necessity of watching this point in foeding poultry. Pointing towards, tho group of pens containing poultry, he said : "A handful too much in each pea dsily moans not only overfeeding, and consequently ill-tea'th md lct:s eggs; but in tie cc-unreof a year miny rack? of grain thrown, away." A handful too much to every 10 birds mp-ans 100 hanrifu's where 1000 fowh are kent! Multiply 100 handfuls by 365, and you have enough corn to feed 50 birth foi a tiviMomontli!

— Pic?-e:hn;r, Mr Laurie says: "The first f, - ! f-jr f^j production ehou'.d be given in 1. 1> 'I'c.niiig a? soon as it is light enough '". r t'o3 h re 1 - f o see, and in 000-l weather, i 1 - cnyr^p. should consist of soft food giveu var:r. Thi ir.iiy be bran and pollard so proportioned e.i to give a mass which will crumble rca-Jily when properly mixed with hoiling water. Or bran and pollard with a third of ground cat?, or barley meal. ,or> bran and wheat meal Thec-e may be mixed! viih hot skim milk or water. A little green food may be added, and if obtainable scraps of meat or rabbit boiled and added with the soup. In Canada, -excellent results accrue from the addition of lib of dried blood to each 161b of mail (dry). Tho houses foi egg produoTS mr=»t be warm but ventilated, and in cold parr=- tho water vessels ehouW be emptied ait night, and filled with warm waiter in the morning. For midday a good supply of green food may be given, and three timPii a week s funolr cf cut preen bc>ne, gay an ounce for rac>h iheai. provided, and on other d*>ys a li.ttl-e finely-cut ray» me it— not too much, coy a handful to thren or four birds. Lazy, inactive Inn? will not lay; keep th°m occupied. If a shed can be provided, and floored with uhent chaff, on which a ihandful or two cf grain can bp scattered, it will keen them busy on wet day= In fine weather hop up a niece of ground for them to scratch in: on 'a large sra'o a 'Firefly' plough, puled by a etout lr>d, will give grand result? in a few minutes. Wheat cooked in an ov<?n till if; is well browned iii an cvcri'lent food, and may be given for Hie evening meal on alternate nights. Handle your b.rdc* .at frequent intervals to ascertain if too fat or too thin. Provide- an ample number of nc*is for tho hous No male bird!- arp requited with tho laying hen?. Where ducks are kept for e<?r production t!-» ?«m^ feeding, etc.. will ar-wer well. O:\e the grain in a shallow voss°l of water ; they can gather it more re-adilv "

— Dear "Terror .—l am pleased to nes that Mr M'Alp-'ne is not to have it ail his own way deluding the farmers and small pciflWer.- with hi-> kite-flying respecting t<h« p-rofi 1 ? of th» h<ui hucinr:*'.' Two hundred eggs a joar is a g-oo'l boast, even in re-ope-ot to one. hen, and I have no doulrt but that amongr t tho siv ro-e-combed Lpghorus, which avcr«f»pd 187 at the recent Hawkeshury competition one or two birds t'feohed l\va>t figure; but to talk of 500 or 1000 birda doinpr a similarly pocd average is okogerher anothnr thin or. Your readers will notice that the Leghorns as , whole, though repredating the be=.t yards, coukl only show an avprage of 140 odd. Yet Mr M'Alpine undertakes to fit out his as?o«aftio.n members with hundred? of birds of equal meril uhioh will shell out not lo.w itb.i>n. 200 etjgi in the 12 mon+hs I hold that it is impcribla for anybody tc rear a pen of. say, only 100 birds 'that will show this average. It does not matter from what t-Jtock these birds come, theie is sure to ba a lertajn number of wasters, which will ?eareely laj enough egga to pay for their feed. I fee) quite certain that there is not a single yard in ho wliole world where poultry is kepi for profit that will average 200 eg-gi3 per annum — cf course, that is. where i number of birds are kept. The reason I pen you thepe few lines, Mr Terror, is to warn inybody who may be thinking of gping into the hen business, and has been led away by th© very exapqj&rated reportt circulated by Mr M'Alpine." I do not state that the hen businpss ia not a paying one— far from it ; hut, stop ■itis no "go<!d mine." lam ffraid if people put tlieir hard-earned savir.2* into this line, and expect all the a-end

tilings which have been promised by Mr M'Alpino, they will be sadly disappointed. — I am, etc., Maobi.

— Dear "Terror,"— We had not tho slighter intention to depreciate Eggine. Have iiad no experience with it, and therefore certainly would not speak oitJier for or against "ita use. We have only the word of others who have used it to go by, and they all, so far, have spoken words of commendation. Our letter was couched in no ungenerous spirit; but wo say again that not even with "the hep of Eggine or any other •preparation will breeders increase their egg yield while -they continue in tho slipshod methods of the majority, at least, of colonial breeders' yards. If you wish we will yoint out a few things to show the futility of expecting a large egg yield (much less tho 200-egg hen) from 'the present colonial methods. You quote from a journal which allows anyone to use its columns. Many have an axe to grind, many advocate theories untried, many disagree 'n tcto even in the sam« issue. It ie quite different if tho on© epeakiug speaks as '"one _ having authority." Mr Gowell is one of tihis Latter class, and his utterances carry conviction. Shall we point out where thofe utterances prove our position, and aLso where the preB9n>t methods fail? We write simriv to help the industry, knowing fufi well v.o can do bo. ' — Expert Office, Poultry Supp-liea (Limited).

I sliall bo glad to receive, for the information, of my readers, tire Hints Mr M'Alpine (Poultry Supplies, Limited) is prepared to give on the question oi feed for •arge sgg yields, providing all advertising of Poultry Supplies, Limited, is avoided. With regard to the journal* I quote from, I have reason to consider them of good standing, but my correspondent will kindly note that, »= a rule, the persons whose opinions I have published arc c-viden-Jy— quite irrespective of the •haraeter of the said journals — acccp'.(.•:! authorities in the States. I may ifuitlK r point out that authorities quoted by 31 r M 'Alpine himeelf do not speak of flocks of 200-egg-a-year hens a3 already in existence. For instance, my correspondent's authority, Dr Bricault, M.D.V., Andover, Mavj., says: "We believe that by breeding in line from our best layers, mated to the fon of our best laying hens, we will produce pullets which lay 200 eggs in one year.' Just bo, Dr Bricault and many others believe these things, but othere know what as the result of years of such breeding — i.e., breeding from birds which have spent their strength in egg-laying tends to great mortality in chickens, and they know, too, thnt to reinstate the strength of their breeding birds Jiey require to import the blood of average stock. I wish Mr M'Alpinc to understand that I am not antagonistic to hie plane, but only to one of his methods — i.e., •I object to his over-exuberant style of taking of the utmost possibilities of the poultry industry as though they were the general thing. Heavy weights and 200-egs?-a-year hems are possible of attainment by fancieis and the experts at experiment stations, but for many a long year farmers.must be satisfed with steadily, though slovrb, improving the prepen* average results. ■ What the fancier and expert achieves with small S>cns must iov the present be merely the ideal for the farmer with his large flocks, and when, if ever, he reaches his ideal, he will find the «xpert a long way ahead again with another ons eeemingly juet as difficult of attainment. I have learned* to be cautious in the6e matters, because I have had experience of the fallacy of encouraging too high expectations. Men ■whom I have known have invested their hard-earned capital in poultry, and lost all before seeing the end of a second season. 1 not only believe, out know, that there i# a living in poultry — that it can be made to pay handsomely, but everybody 13 not •necessarily competent for the businco. I welcome Mr M'Alpine aa an enthusiastic advocate of poultry culture. We badly need 6ttch in the community.

— The following tonic if well recommended by an American fancier, and is equally good for poultry or pigeons: — Creosote, 20 drops; sulphate of iron (dried), ioz ; sulphate of magnesia, 2oz; sulphate of soda, *o*. Rub the ©reoaote into a few grains of magnesia, mix with the sulphate of iron, and add the other ingredients. Any chemist •will make up thie prescription for a amall amount. Keep in a dry place, and when required for use dissolve in a quart of hot •water and add a small teaspoonful of common salt. One tablespocnful of this mix•ture should be added to each pint of the drinking water. If a bird is eict, it will assist a cure, cheek the epread of lisease, ■and give tone to the digestive vrganc. This Sonic may be given to the birds in proper quantity for an indefinite period without the ■©lightest possibility of any but beneficial results accruing, which is not the case with some of the tonics in use. Creo=ote, as its name implies, is a well-known preserver of <ar.imal tissu«9, and tho saline ingredients in ih« tonic are especially euitable for maintaining the health of birde kept in confinement.

— To those who objeci to the odour of the different vermin-killers on poultry, and •would prefer a more agreeable article, even at a larger outlay, camphor will be found rto supply their needs. It is a remedy ngain6t vermin, and if a piece of it is placed in a ne-3t when tettins; a hen it will be found an effectual proof against vermin during Cier period of incubation.

— "The eggs of a scavenger hen are not fit tc be eaten," says Dr J. H. Kellogg, in Modern Medicine. "My attention was called to this a number of years ago. A lady paid she could not eat our eggs. She wanted 'sunflower eggs.' I told iher we had the best eggs in the country, but 6he wanted 'sunflower egge.' I asked her what ehe meant by that, and she said that an old German at home fed bis 'hickens on eunflowei seeds, amd that the eggs were remarkably sweet. Some of the eggs were sent for, and this was found to be true. Eggs do partake of the nature of the food which has b&en eaten. When chickens are led on dead calves, dead hogs, or other dead animals, their eggs will partake of the ttrong, rank flavours that they have swallowed with their food.' 1 ' —The editor of the Field (England), answering a correspondent who inquired as to the value of sunflower seed ac an eggpioduoer, replied: — Sunflower seeds are far too fattening to be used for the sole food pi poultry. They would become laden with internal fat, and would cease to lay. A rniall proportion given to them would not be disadvantageonf, more especially if they ivere kept rather phort and had to seek i large pcrtio'v of their own food. In this ;ountry rnniz^ or Indian corn ie found fa>too fattening for the exclusive feeding of laying fowls, althourH cc^.ftitutmg a veiy iueful part of t'.eir u:*l .'.' in wintci. Suu-

flower seeds contain a very much larger proportion of oil. — A contributor to Poultry says a neighbour cf h'.s has been makinj a small fortune out of his winter layers this year, and all through mixing their soft food with hot beer. All the bircje seem to like it except cno old cock ; he is such a rigid teetotaller that he prefers a handful of hard corn to all the seductive influences of old ale. In fact, these hens have laid so well that, only having a few nest boxes, they were obliged to wait their turns for the deposit of the valuable egg fruit. Such is the effect cf strong drink, its possibilities being the ionverting of pleasurable poultry-keeping and respectable hens into a mere egg-producing rabble. A. little hct beer (according to this gentlsaaan's experience) mijrht be used with good effect on the majority of our hens at this present time, which may have struck because egga are dear, bxjt I would advise poultry-keepers to experiment on single specimens, and the result might then provide proof of its efficacy.

— Measures and Equivalents : A teaspoonful is about a fluid drachm ; dessertspoonful, about two fluid drachma ; tabkspoonful, about three fluid, drachma; v. ineglassful, about two fluid ounces : teacupful, about four ounces; breakfastcupful, about oijtfit fluid ounces ; tumblerful, about eight fluid ounces; thimbleful, about three-quar-ters cf a fluid drachm : pinch (of I-mvp* and flowers), about one drachm (Troy); handful, about 10 drachms (Troy). —In young stock of fowls, ducks, and turkeys, leg weakness is eornetimce a. source of trouble- to the poultry keeper. Thin is often caused by tho birds growing too fast, and in consequence the joints become weak, and the bird po~s down on its hocks. As a remedy for this, a liberal eunply of bone meal may be given in the soft food, and this will prove beneficial in mo=t case 9. There are, however, pome pases that require something more to strengthen the system. A recipe composed of the following will be> found effective: — Sulphate of iron, one grain : strychnine, one-sixteenth of a grain ; phosphate of lime, five graine ; snl^bato of quinine, one-half a grain. Mix all together and divide in three equal portion". This quantity is sufficient for a youn^ turkey, one portion being eivcu three times a day. About half of this dose is enough for young fowls or ducks.

— Recipes or LimewaMi. — II) Quicklime, quarter bushel ; elake, add ilb common salt, lib sulphate of zinc (wHte vitriol), two quarto sweet milk. Dissolve the salt and white vitriol before add'ng. Mix with sufficient water to give the proper consistency. Apply as soon jw pcfsible. Another recipe is: — Put into a water-tight barrel quarter bushel lime. Slake by pouring bciling water over it. enough to cover sin leep, stirring until thoroughly slaked. When it is slaked, add lib sulphate of ekic and £!b common salt, dissolved in vater. The above wash mnv be made crr-nm colour by adding l£!b yellow eel.re. Whitewash for foncea end outbuildings : Slake thi» lime in boiling water. To l^gal "ordinary whitewash add half a nint cf molasses and half a pint of table salt. Stir frequently whilst applying. Two thin ccate are sufficient. — -Tke droppn'zs show to a great extent whether fowls are proocrly fed. A fowl in grod health and condition will void droppings nearly dry; a. -fowl out of health and condition will show a looseners in bowels. Half-fluid, yellowish droppings mixed with a reddish mucous, show too heavy feeding of meaty and rich foods If a h°n i B putting on fat instead of "avkig r-gevs, it is being overfed or getting a fat-forming '"atior. — not sufficient nitrogenous nutrients in the food used.