POULTRY NOTES

Otago Witness, Issue 2734, 8 August 1906, Page 30

POULTRY NOTES-

Br Teehof

— Now that eggs are being set breeders may n<fte with profit that early broods from cock and pullets are 6aid to produce more pullets than cockerels, and that a cockerel with hens generally produces cockerels; also, ihat over-feeding is not conducive to fertility. Sot fewer eggs in cold weather than in w arm > and let the number be odd if possible, as those who have carefully watched results affirm that an odd number rolls, or is more easily turned by the hen. Turning eggs by hen and in the incubator ib necessary to prevent the contents being glued to the shell on the bottom side. — The Rer. T. W. Sturges, vice-president of the Leghorn Fanciers' Club, England, and a breeder for 10 years past of black Leghorns, says that the qualities of the breed may bo enumerated as follows: — (1) Its great hardiness and ease in rearing;

(2) Its remarkable precocity, the pullets hatched from February to April (England) laying at four months old, and even when hatched in May and June (England) laying at five months; while the cockerels, which will crow at from two to three months old. are fit to kill at a very tender age; (5) The pullets are most prolific layers, the average in many cases exceeding 200 eggs, and after the first batch the eggs are of a good size, woighing seven or eight to the pound; (4) From the exhibition point of view they are exceedingly handsome — aristocrats in broadcloth and gold ; (5) The fact that they have not yet arrived at perfection is a good stimulus to the breeder, and also gives a much greater chance to the amateur to become the possessor of winning birds than is the case with the varieties which have been cultivated for a long period, and which have settled in a few hands. From an exhibition point of view the breed has many wants. The two chief needs are — first, that it should be true to its name, and be black, free from feathers of any other colour, and especially free from white feafhers; and secondly, that it should have in both sexes the pure yellow leg which v the marked characteristic of all the Leghorn varieties. The two great blemishes which breeders have to eradicate are— (l) The white in the tails of tho matured cockerels; (2) • smuttiness and blotcliee in the eyes of the pullets. — The following are the laying records of seven India runner ducks during July, owned by Mr T. M. Lucy, Montague road, North-East Valley, Dunedin:— Week. * Total. 1 6666576—42 2 7667676—45 , 3 7677767—47 4 7777667—47 5 6770000—20

201 Average weight of eggs, 28oz per dozen; total weight, 291b soz. Average weight of ducks,- 3ilb;- weight of seven ducks, 241b Boz.— nearly 51b more than their own weight laid by these ducks in one month. The value of "the eggs ranged from Is 4d to Is 7d per dozen ; value laid, £1 4s lOd. Cost of feed, at 2d per duck per week (very broad estimate), 5s 2d; margin of profit, 19s Bd.

— This month in the southern parts of New Zealand is practically the beginning of the poultry keeper's year, being that in which the first batch of chicks usually appear. It is in the rearing of the chicks that the success or otherwise of the matured bird depends. Chickens cannot have too much attention. Many novices fail to make successful breeders or fancier* simply because they do not give - their young stock sufficient attention. They, go to a successful fancier and purchase egge, or perhaps they purchase birds that arc really good specimens, and breed from them; but, having put the eggs under a hen and managed to get the chicks hatched out, they seem to' think that the youngsters want no more attention than the old birds. The result of this procedure is that the specimens produced are weeds; and little wonder. In dealing with our domestic fowl, it must always be remembered that the varieties we have in our yards nowadays are very different, from what those fame varieties originally were in their wild state. Many of our prosont-day breeds have no distinct ancestry, being "manufactured" breeds. The most noticeable difference between the domestic fowl and his contemporary in the wild state is size. A little consideration enables us to easily find the secret of this. It is simply that the fancier by his oare and feeding in the course of years has built up a bigger, race of birds. The man who neglects nis chickens would in a similar way cause his stock to retrograde, the birds getting smaller every year. The question, then, that the poultry keeper has to study thus month is, How can I force my chickens along? There is an old saying among poultry breeders that "half the breed goe« in at the mouth." This practically answers the question. When chickens are hatched do not be in a. hurrj to get them out of the nest. Give them at least 12 hours after the last one is hatched before removing to the coop. Even when that is done it is advUable not to feed them for a few hours ; let them settle down under the hen. Feed for the first two weeks on hard-boiled eggs, very coarse oatmeal, oatmeal mixed thick with raw egg and breadcrumbs. Feed only a little at a time, but feed early, feed often, feed late. Some breeders feed their young chicks every two hours during daylight, and then give them a final feed for the night by lamplight at about 10 p.m. After the first two weeks the chickens can have pollard gradually worked in with the oatmeal, until by the end of two months fhis clas9 .of feed will be all pollard. Be very careful to mix the soft feed very dry. Concurrent with the working-in 6f the- pollard, feed cracked wheat. Give them plenty of green feed a.« they get older. A little milk and water (cold) will be found beneficial twice- a day up to the end of the first two weeks, after which giv« them as much milk as you can. Keep a sharp lookout for diarrhoea, rate, a stray ferret, and your neighbour's cat These are the chief afflictions of the young chick. Diarrhoea can be avoided if the chicks arekept warm and free from damp, and do not get their soft feet too sloppy. Chang© of diet is the best treatment, and hard boiled eggs will be found efficacious. For the rats and the neighbours' cats the remedies are too numerous to be mentioned in these notes. — Among numerous methods of fattening fowls, a writer in an American journal gives the formula used by a large fattener in Boston, who has- plants in all the leading towns in his State. It is as follows: — "Take equal parts of oatmeal, fine pollard, and coi-nmeal, and for every hundred pounds of the dry feed add 61b brown sugar and 31b of tallow. Mix with buttermilk or sour milk, so that it will pour out of a pitcher. After each meal mix milk and the dry feed for the next meal. Put in 3oz of soda for every hundred head of chickens. The coda sweetens the mixture, and makes it light and palatable for the fowls. I use this ration for my capons every year, and can recommend it. Do not fail to keep plenty of charcoal and grit before the chickens. Keep them away from noise, excitement, and teed twice a day at regular Fours. I feed at 9 and 4 o'clock, and never except when cooped. Last year I fed 49 capons, and made a gafn of nearly a pound Der head In 14 days, which, ar 14 cents (7d) a pound foiall birds weighing over 81b, is a pjood return. This year 1 had neaily 100 birds far better than my bunch la«t year. They are all purebred barred Rocks, wlnhc I do not care to sell as breeder':. 1 do my own caponieing- anrl feeding. From tilis statement you can obtain, -in idea of tW

toethod and. profit of fattening fowls for jnarket." —Mr G. H. ' Blair, Gfcniti, Timaru, winner of many prizes at Sooth Island Bbaws this and past seasons, is advertising sittings from his imported stay-white White Wyandottes. "Mr Blair Is a fancier with a high reputation to uphold, and remembers this fact in business transac-

tions. — Sometimes a fowl which has hitherto appeared perfectly well -is observed to stagger about, holding its head Neither to one side or titbecf back a good deaL It has got » brain seizure, .and if not quickly' treated will soon die. Very frequently, indeed, it does perish, despite any taeataent. Such troubles are generally caused by gross overfeeding. The treatment ia *o remove the affected bird to a rather dark place of moderate temperature and feed very sparingly on bread and milk, i-jrst of all give a good purge of Epsom salts, and follow twice a day with a powder oompoaed of three grains* antipyrin and two grains salicylate of soda; mix with a little moistened flour, and put over the birds fchioat. A few drops of acid, hydrobrom (diL), put into the drinking water (keep :n an earthenware vessel) now and then, as the bird ia recovering (just as much as will slightly acidulate it), will help to bring her round. Keep away from all ma!e~ birds or other feathered stock until recovered. A. common barnooor fowl is not worth such treatment, but many a fancier would be g-.ta' to save a good specimen of a pure breed, if possible. _ The prevalence of vermin is indirectly the cause of heavy losses in hatching, rearing, and by disease, for when the fowi gets little rest day or night or when it is weakened by actual loss of blood it is in just tbe condition favourable to disease of the worst kind, from which 'many birds Jn sound vigorous health would escape, even when exposed to- contagion. Three principal kinds of parasites attack fowls externally, which may be roughly classed as fleas, lice, and mites, the two former being true insects, and the latter being more analagous to the bed bug, but very much smaller in size. Fleas feed entirely upon the blood, and are, therefore, doubly troublesome. Like the red mite, they trouble the birds very little by day, but make up for it at night. Though for a time they cause a great deal of irritation, they cannot live- for long upon a human being. Mites are very small, and vary from living entirely on or under the skin of birds to living in crevices of the fowlhouses, and attacking the birds at night only. Hence, care in building houses and thorough dressing them with wood-preserv-ing oil, disinfectants, or even limewash is tho most effectual way of dealing with them. In thia connection it is well to pay a -tribute to that, style of house now being much adopted by country poultry keepers— that built of poles covered with well whitewashed bags. The latter become so stiff and solid 'and hard, as to offer vho more accommodation ior vermin than a well-plas-tered brick walL But even with the best of houses, fleas and red mites cannot be . kept down if strict cleanliness is not observed. The droppings must never be allowed to ferment in the houees, and want of sufficient light is a very serious drawback. Plenty of strong sunlight is a great foe to vermin, hence one of t"ho greatest advantages of having for fowlhou6es open eheds facing north. The 60-called red mite is not naturally red in colour, but becomes so through the blood it absorbs. They are often unnoticed because they remain hidden during the day, and only come out at night. Scaley leg is caused by one species o£ mite, which burrows under the scales, and lives and breeds there. Feather plucking is cai»ed by another specie*, which burrows in the roots of the quills and causes such irritation that the birds infested pluck out their feathess, or allow them to be plucked out by other birds, in order to get rid of the pest. An ointment of sulphur and -vaseline, to which a few drops of creosote have been added is an effective remedy. For lice, and those varieties of mites which live upon the fowls, special attention to the dust bath is required. This should consist of not less than one-half sand or dry soil, about one-quarter ashes, some fresh air-slaked lime, and some sulphur. Thi=» must be renewed at least once a month, if it is to be effective.

— Messrs A. Tapper and Co. (per Mr E. Reilly) report for week ending Saturday, 3rd ins*."? — Poultry: tho market is badly supplied with good young table poultry, most of the birds arriving "staggy." All young and well-conditioned birds meet a ready sale at good payable prices. We catalogued and . sold on Wednesday 104 prime- young roosters at 5s 6d, 74 good at ss, 183 fair at 4s, 63 poor at 3e to 33 Bd, 36 prime ducka at 5s 6d, 32 good at 4s 3d to 4s 6d, 163 hens at 2s 9d, 134 at 2s 6d, and 27 extra good at 3s 3d— a'J at per pair ; turkeys— 36 hens from Mr L. Murray realised 5d per Ib, and 17 gobblers from Waitati 8d per'lb. Eggs have been in gocd demand, all lots being readily placed on arrival at Is 2d per dozen, and on Saturday, though we received 225 dozen, we were short of our requirements by 150 dozen, all our Saturday consignments being placed at Is 3d per dozen; market good.