PERCHES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2605, 17 February 1904, Page 50

PERCHES.

I We know but little of what constitutes . the best kind of a perch. Poultrymen who have made experiments along this line have arrived at different conclusions. Seme experiments made in Australia seemed to show tjhat the birds preferred half-round porches'. Others have said that the natural perch js the round perch, to correspond with the limbs of trees, to which the birds in, their wild state were accustomed. One man who made experiments with different kinds of perches said that his birds preferred 2 x 4's laid down on their sides. This seems rather remarkable. The writer has u^ed J two 2 x 4's set up on edge, and the birds . seemed to be satisfied. It is true, however, that the fowls in this case had no choice in the matter. Low perches are far preferable to high j perches, and all perches should be on the I same level. If they are arranged in lad- [ der form, one behind the other, the birds j will all seek the highest one, this being an I instinct that has clung to them from the I time when they had to £e?k the highest limbs of trees to keep out of the reach of foxes, skunks, and other wild animals. But, as man now protects the birds, this habit need not be encouraged. The high perchee , result in many injuries to fowls, especially those of heavy weight. Also, when perches are high, eggs dropped in. the night are I broken, and the birds get a chance to begin ! a career of egg-eating. When the perches I are low, eggo dropped in the night are sel- ■ dom broken, especially if there is a covering of anything over the floor. Two feet from the floor is as good a.3 any other height for perches. All perches should be removable, co that they may be taken out at any time and cleaned. The writer has found the best way to be to have two horse?, say seven foet long, as end supports for the roost?. Notches are made in the top of these horses, and th-e ends of the perches dropped in. I They will be held tightly, and four of five rocsts a dozem feet long may be used on these horses. These perches will always remain in place unless removed. It is only a minute's work to t&lce- out tile- roosts and remove tb^e horses. If it is desired to prevent mitos getting from the hens to the nests, the parts of the horses resting on the floor can be placed in vesels , in which is kerosene. In that way tho migrations of the red mites will be stopped. Perches are always the point from which. the> red mites attack the fowls, and they should, therefore, be carefully watched. Red mites do not stay on the fowls at night, and generally collect on the under sides of the roosts. It the roosts are made of rough lumber, the insects will fill evei*y minute crevice. It is better, therefore, to have planed lumber, and to paint it. When lice get into rough lumber it is exceedingly diffi cult to rid it of the pests. The writer had a case of this kind, where he had to kerosene and burn over the roosts for four or fhe days in succession, before they were fit to put back again. Where theinsects came from each day was a mystery, j but a new colony appeared each morning for I a number of days. — Farmers' Review.