POULTRY NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2921, 9 March 1910, Page 35

POULTRY NOTES.

Br Tkrieor. The roost prolific form of bowel trouble in young chicks is breeding from stock that is constitutionally weak, and one of the most common indications of inherited weakness in small chicks is "bowel trouble," and other ailments resulting from failure to absorb the : yolk. As is well known, just before the hatching, the chick takes into its abdominal cavity a large unassimilated remnant of the yolk of the egg and the abdominal walls close over the point where this is taken in, the spot being marked by the navel. The yolk sack is withing the body and connected with the intestines by a narrow tube, thi-ough which its contents enter the intestines, where it is digested and absorbed. By reason of this supply of food which the little chick brings into the world with it, it _ requires no food for twenty-four to thirty-six hovrs after hatching, end, in

faofc, it is haimful to the chick to begin feeding too soffi. as too' early and too frequent feeding J» liable- to prevent proper absorption of tb !■ yolk. The chick must be given time to digest the food supply; it brin?s into the world with it. There are several causes for failure to properly, absorb the yolk: chief among them ia the before-mentioned inherited weakness, which is caused by breeding from stock' which is constitutionally weak, breeding, from immature pullets or cockerels, using? eggs which have, been slightly chilled off badly shaken, is.iproper care of the egg 3 during- incubation (allowing them to become chilled or over-heated), and usingf eggs which been kept too long foiS incubating. Other causes are chilling the chicks, over-heating them (during the brooding period), lack of a properly balanced ration, dark, insanitary quarters, and over-feeding. The important point to remember just now is not what causes young chicks to become constitutionally weak, because that is a matter for consideration more par-. licularly when hatching and rearing them, but at this season of the year the important point ; .s what birds shall we hold over for the breeding pea? To make sure that, " just to make up a pen," one or two hens or pullets likely to breed constitutionally weak chickens are not even irt evidence to constitute a temptation, dispose of all such now. Don't spare them' from the hatchet, for they not only don't pay to breed from, but are a danger to the rest of the flock. Kill them and save their winter food bill. A hen or pullet with crooked toes is good to eat, but unsafe to breed from, for such deformity, is good evidence of inherited weakness through in-breeding or bad rearing. It may have laid well through tiie past season and perhaps would lay well again next year; but, for fear that you may be tempted to breed from it, rather pull its neck. It is fit for the table, and, having already paid for its tucker bill in eggs, has proved profitable; so be satisfied.

Next to the business of choosing' the sito and draining the soil for poultry keeping comes that of laying out the poultry yards. A very great deal depends upon the manner in which this is done, for if they are conveniently arranged the labour of attending.to the birds will be considerably less than if one yard is tacked on to another haphazard. Th«j reason why a great many poultry yards are laid out in this manner is because 'each enclosure haa been built as It is wanted, but because aU cannot be provided for at the start i£ no reason whatever why they should not be properly laid out. A definite plan can! be prepared at tho commencement, and, if it be well thought out in the first place, very little departure from it will be found necessary in the actual, if gradual, construction.

Three things should be borne in mind in laying out poultry yards—viz., (1) easy, access to each yard, especially in relatione to the place where the food is prepared; (2) the location of the yards requiring most attention—such as the chicken yards—so that they will he 'nearest the ' dwelling-: house of the attendant; and (3V the ir< rangament of progressive chicken yards ad-< jacent to each other, in order that the birds may be drafted, as they grow, into their proper yards without, the necessity, of handling them each time a shift has to be effected. In addition to these, it will always be found advisable to have access tc each yard without going through another, and to place the houses at or near to the gateways. For genera! all-round purposes no bettor fencing is in general use than 2in mefch strong wire netting The dividing fences between the breeding yards, and at: such other places as there is danger of birds fighting through the fences, should have 18in of solid material at the bottom. Hardwood palings let down 6in into the ground, and firmly nailed to a rail, 3in by 2in, morticed or halved into thj fencing posts, wilt prove good rnd substantial for this purpose. If round timber is used for thesa rails, it must be squared off on one side to make a surface for the palings. The diameter, exclusive of sapwood, shoula in such case be not less than three inches at small end. Fencing l posts should not be less than five inches at small end, exclusive of sapwood. These should be 6unk two feet in the" ground, and corner and srate posts not iess thani throe feet, and the diameter be not Jess than six inches. Nine feet apart is a good distance to set the fencing posts; but this may be varied a little. The total height of the fence' should be about seven fiet,though some breeds will do with less; but even an eight-foot fence will not ' alwaya keep in some of the lighter varieties. Fowls that are suffering from seals', legs should be treated before they go.intflt the moult. A good ointment for this cornplaint can be made with sulphur' and vaseline. Wash the affected parts ,'witß a hard brush, using plenty of 6oap' and water, and dress every day with the ointment.

Dry grass will often cause cropi troubles with your hens, and unless greenl food is provided they will be likely to eaif the grass in a dry state.

A te<aspoonful of brandy sataratedt with camphor will usually arrest diarrhoea; in -poultry, or from T.hree to six dfopsol camphorated spirits of opium may be tried everv four hours.

For rattling in the throat, which is a fori", of bronchitis, mix one part spirits of turpentine to four parts sweet oil, and administer 10 drops every 12 houi'S. Moulting hens can hardly be called sick hens but, during the process of moult* ing they suffer from a severe strain oi{ the system, and the flesh is dry, and rather tough to eat. The air in the hen-house is often corf* taminated by gases arising from filth ans| the accumulated droppings, and as' the hens are exposed to these gases during! the night it is no wonder that the system 1 is poisoned and diseases re.sult. . —Swelled head is generally caused by cold «nd changeable weather, or cracks} in the poultry house, vvhich cause draughts." The best remedy is to bathe the head with a mixture of ten drops of carbolic) acid and half a pint of water. Use a soft* sponge, and! then annoint the face and eyes' with vaseli/ie. Feed on nourishing food, and if the bird will not eat the food uius.ti be forced down the throat.

Grit will often prevent serious trouble in the poultry yard, and a supply of it i 3 necessary to secure good health amongsti either fowls, ducks, geese, or turkeys. Charcoal pounded fine and mixed witK the soft £od will be found, beneficial Jg

poultry. Its absorbent qualities enable it to take up gases generated by fermenting food, and in this way it exercises a beneficial effect upon the process of digestion. TABLE POULTRY. The production of chickens f or table purposes attracts a good deal more attention now than it did a few years since. Many persons who are desirous of trying to breed fowls for eating are seeking information as to the clas6 ot bird with which they should commence. There is no question that it is infinitely more profitable to grow firstclass table chicken than moderate or inferior ones Complaints are often heard from farmers and others who take no trouble to have good stock that it does no* pay to rear fowls for the table. There is oertanly no demand for the wretched little wasters that are too often to be seen. Such chickens do not pay fb rear, and are often unsaleable. But really good sized, well-fed chickens, properly prepared for the market, are always in demand. The qualifications sought for in the besttable 'poultry are plumpness of breast, whiteness of skin, absence of offal, smallness of bone, and fineness of quality. Heavy-boned and heavy-legged fowls should be avoided. The breeding stock to produce the desired result should consist of birds that have plenty of meat in the right place, that have good quality of flesh, and whose offspring' will be hardy, mature quickly, = and fatten readily. The hens and pullets to be used for stock should be deep square shape, with long, broad breast, straight in keel, and with large wings. The cock bird should be deep in the breast, should handle well-Mhat is, be firm and fleshy, not light & and feathery—and be alert and active. All the stock birds must be well matured, the ' cock, for choice, being in. his second season. We regard to the breed of fowl-to be made use of, the best result is generally considered to be produced by a first cross -■between two pure breeds. A cross invariably promotes early maturity and gives great hardiness. The most valuable purebred for crossing purposes is the Dorking, which fowl is the foundation of our best table poultry. Many farmers and poultrygrowers object to the Dorking as being delicate so it is the exception to see this •bird made use of. But even if the Dorking be delicate—which-is not admitted—crossed with another breed it will produce strong and hardy chickens. The Indian game, - though the flesh is somewhat hard, is a highly useful bird for crossing. It has a lot of breast meat, and when mated with the Dorking produces perfect table chickens—large, quick-growing, and easy to ' rear. JDhickens thus bred have weighed. Zibs the couple. -This cross can be maae either with the Dorking cock and Indian game hens, or with the sexes reversed. A splendid chicken for the table results from mating a white-legged game cock - with Dorking hens. A cross that met with considerable success in the table poultry section of the last dairy show, where it took three prizes, was that between the Faverolles and the Indian game. A favourite cross, producing large, useful chickens for eating, is the Brahma-Dorking. This should be bred from a Dorking cock and Brahma hens. Amongst the pure breeds, not crossed, Dorkings, Langshans, Wyandottes, Faverolles, and Plymouth rocks, all nake excellent table birds.

HOW TO INTRODUCE NEW BLOOD. To the farmer breeder of fowls, who •wishes to keep the inmates of hie yards in the vigorous condition without which egg production in a satisfactory degree—is impossible, the introduction of new blood into hie yards each year is a positive necessity. When one cares only for the practical qualities of his fowls, the purchase of the male bird is the usual method taken to get new blood, and in such eases this method ie'all right. . There are those, however, who aim to produce fowls, which, in addition to being profitable in a practical sense, are alsc intended to possess the standard requirement* necessary to enable them to compete successfully in the show .pen. In such cases new blood must be introduced, in a different manner. One is forced to run too great risk by the introduction of new blocd through the male line. For instance, a man may have a fine flock of females, which, in type and colour, are just what his idea of what a perfect specimen of the breed should be. He secures a male bird which apparently is in every respect just as .good as the females, and when the little chickens become of age to show their characteristics, thev are found to differ decidedly from the type which the breeder had taken such trouble to develop in his strain. The trouble in such a case is to be found in the inheritance of the male bird. While he was apparently of the desired type, it .is evident that some of his immediate ancestors were of a decidedly different tvpe, and the unsatisfactory chicks .reverted* to these ancestors. By this method of introducing new blood, the breeder has lost an entire year, for his chicks are of value only for their practical qualities. A method of introducing new blood, which one may use with perfect safety and with-out-fear of introducing undesirable characteristics in his whole season's flock of chickens, is to introduce it through the female line. In order to do this, purchase pullets or hens which conform with y<ynr idea of the proper type and colour of the breed you keep. If possible, see the birds before you purchase, or visit one or two exhibitions and then, put yourself in a position to buy the birds on your own judgment. Mate the female or females with your best male bird, and if the mating turns out as you expected, select from the •chickens so obtained, a male bird to mate with your own females. You will a dash of .new blood, and still retain the characteristics in your birds which you have given them by painstakimg selection. If a .mating of this kind proves unsatisfactory, there will be only the chicks from one hen possessing the undesirable traite, and one may feel that the whole season's work in the breeding yards has not been in vain. As a rule, the method of introducing new blood through the female line will be most satisfactory in its results, particularly so when the breeder buys a female which from personal observation he decides will suit him. It is quite possible to buy a female from a reputable breeder whioh will answer the purpose in every respect, but. if he can personally select her, or have, her on approval, he will be far more certain of being satisfied witi- her ?Some will sav this method of introducing new blood will necessitate inbreeding, bo it will, but not to a decree which will interfere in the least, with the vigour which must be- present m order to keep up the SiSy qualities. A new female secured,

each year means a male, for the following year with 50 per cent, of new blood, and that is certainly enough to prevent any of the injury which results from 'ntense inbreeding. It is only by this method that one can hope to establish a strain which will combine the practical with the show qualities. To inbreed in any intense degree means loss of practical qualities, and to introduce radical outcrosses means a ruination of the .strain for exhibition purposes. There is no reason why the farmer should not combine both the utility and show qualities in his fowls, thus increasing their earning capacity, and it is the experience of the writer and manj others that he can best do this by introducing new blood in his yards by the method here outlined. WINTER EGGS. At a Wisconsin Farmers' Institute, Professor W. R. Graham, of the Ontario Agricultural College, gave his method of promoting the production of eggs in winter. As Mr Graham has made a great success of the poultry business himself, and has taught Canadian farmers how they could also make a success of it, his method is worth studying, for it it adapted to the colder parts of the country. One of the- principal sources of profit in poultry is in egg production, and to make the most of it you must have eggs in winter. The winter egg will sell for three times as much as an egg produced in summer.

The first year I was engaged in the production of winter eggs the best price I received was 40 cents per dozen. I was offered the same price last winter on board cars at Guelph and in Montreal; at the same time some sales were made at 50 cents. —the highest price I ever heard of being paid in this country;—and in the big markets of New York and Boston, despite the enormous increase in the production, due to the introduction of incubators, prices to-day axe not more than five cents, per dozen below the ruling figure of 10 years ago. . One of the first conditions necessary to the production of winter eggs is regularity of food and kindness. The dairyman will tell you important it is to feed your milkers in the same order and at the same time every day. It is just as important to follow this practice in feeding hens. Hen's have a better idea of time than you, without the aid of a watch, would have. If the fowls are not fed when they ought to be fed they become fretful and uneasy, and.the result is a loss. When I am away from the college flock they will fall off, sometimes despite the careful training given the students who handle these flocks —as much as 25 to 30 per cent, in egg production in two or three days;— ahd it often takes four or five days to bring them back again to their regular yield. A plentiful supply of pure water is another of the essential points in handling hens. The importance of this will be more fully understood when it is stated that 66 per cent, of the contents of an egg is made of water. Kill off the surplus cockerels. By keeping too many roosters the eggs are spoiled for table use. When eight or ten roosters are running with a hundred, hens the chances are that all the eggs produced in the summer will be fertile. If these eggs are exposed to a temperature of 85 degrees for six hours the germs will_ develop. If the egg is then placed in a lower temperature the germ will decay, and the flavour of the egg is lost. Even absolutely fre-sh fertile eggs are not equal in flavour to those not fertile. Save -for breeding purposes, the males should never be allowed with the hens; you spoil the flavour of the eggs by allowing this, and waste the feed taken to maintain useless male birds, and decrease rather than increase the egg yield. The first regular feed of the morning consists of pulped roots, and is given at 9 o'clock. In roots I place sugar beets first, mangels second, and turnips third in point of quality. I aim to make roots onethird of the total weight of the and by pulping the roots and making these the first regular feed of the morning I get the fowls to take more of these than they otherwise would. Two or two and a-half bushels of roots is required for 300 hens. I feed cut bone or cooked meat —about-two handfuls for a dozen, hens. By feeding meat every day, and a little at a time, you are less liable to bowel trouble with the hens than when you feed a lot at once and at less frequent intervals. At 4 o'clook I feed the mash; this is usually made up of bread crumbs, clover leaves, bran, and fine ground oats. In extremely cold weather I add a little cornmeal or peameal. This mash is mixed with skim milk, and the hens get all they want of it. The last feed is whole grain—a handful per bird; —and this is not all taken up at night; about half pfi it will be left over till the morning. I am satisfied that the majority of people feed too much grain in winter. Where this is done a lot of fowls are lost in spring. If the dead fowls are opened their livers will be found to be twice the natural size, and of a da.rk purple colour. This is the result of feeding too much starchy food, and a lac,k of meat and vegetable diet. We aim to make a third of the weight of the ration vegetable food and 10 per cent, of the whole meat. Commenting on this article, the editor of Commercial Poultry says: "We desire to call particular attention, to two assertions made by Professor Graham. One that infertile eggs are not only better keepers than fertile ones, but are actually better flavoured; the other, that a great manyhens are overfed in winter, and the necessity of feeding more vegetable and meat feed and less starchy grain. Out clover is cheap, and on many farms clovei hay litter is plentiful. This "answers for vegetable food, and either green cut bone or beef scraps are within the reach of every poultry keeper. These little points should be kept in mind, for on them depend good prices and large profits."

CENTRAL PRODUCE MART (LTD.). Messrs Reillyf Scott, and Gill, proprietors, report for week ending Saturday, the stb inst.:—At our poultry sale on Wednesday last we had a full yarding of poultry, young unfinished cockerels being in excess of requirements. Ducks came forward freely, and met a good demand. _ Hens were also in good demand. Holding an export order, we were able to keep values at a paying price. We give, below the actual prices secured for ouy consignors. Hens, good quality> Is od, Is od, Is lOd, and 2s; poor hens, Is 3d, Is 4d, and Is 6d each; 9d, Is, la Id, and Is 3d each; cockerels, Is 4d, Is 6d, Is 9di, 2s, and 2s 3d ©aoh; d^cks—Brims, 2s, 2s 3d, and 2s 6d each; fnall and thin, Is 6d, la ?du Is Bd, and Is M each.: old cooks, 9d, la, and 1$ 3d each j p.vltete, 2s, 2s 3d, 2s. fed, 2s 9d,

and 3s each. Geese none forward. Tur.key gobblers, 8d to B^-d; hens, 4d to per lb; old Jocks, s£-d to Eggs: During the week supplies have increased, and 1 sales have been very slow, some agents selling at Is Id per dozen; but as we expect prices to firm shortly we have held suppliers unless we can clear at Is 2d per dozen for case eggs and Is 3d per dozen for stamped and guaranteed; and at present we are shipping large quantities to the Coast at Is 2d per dozen,, and this will relieve our local market, and prices must firm shortly. In the meantime, we have confidence in recommending regular consignments. Consignors can rest assured we shall safeguard their interests as far as possible. For balance of our market report see our weekly report in this issue.