POULTRY NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3100, 13 August 1913, Page 33

POULTRY NOTES.

By Tkukoh.

Diarrhoea in Chickenhood. —For the information of a correspondent, I may explain that the cause may be feeding on stale or sour food, poor-quality gram, or impure' water; or it may be tout the birds having been kept without water too long, arc allowed to take too much when at last supplied. Give the chickens sonic dry rice and a little raw meat, and stop giving them green food for a day or two. in bad cases give each bird two drops ot chlorodync m a teaspoonful of tepid water twice a day till improvement is seen.

—M. B. S.—The freight -landed a/id all expenses in importing lewis from England averages 35s per bird. “Constant Header,’’ Fairfax.—Yes, tho whites are sports from the silvers, and they very frequently occur amongst the very best strains.

“Novice” asks if eggs, in incubator, having been subjected to a temperature oi 108 degrees, are likely to hatch. —Yes, providing that the temperature was not sustained ior more than an hour or two. I have known ihe temperature in an incubator to exceed even 108 degrees and then produce good strong chickens. “Brown Leghorn.”—Yellow legs are the correct thing in some breeds, and good colour counts more than standard points in tho estimation of some of the best judges. Good leg colour is best attained in a clean grass run, particularly it it is kept well watered in dry weather. Scratching in dung-heap as farm birds have the Itfxury of doing—also ensures good leg colour. Not only do the advantages mentioned tend to good “yellow,” but to good colour of any kind.

“Miko” wants a book of instruction for running a Simplex incubator. Can anyone oblige V Perhaps if “Miko” wrote to Mr Austin, who is referred to in this column, he would get the information he requires. —Mr Austin, Calder street, North-East Valley, has a splendid Hock of white Leghorns, the breeding pen being headed by a cockerel of Mrs Milk’s strain. Mr Austin has had to turn to poultry from his ordinary occupation because of ill-health, and under the circumstances it is pleasing to report that his birds are giving exceptionally good results, the egg yield being most satisfactory. Mr Austin has already sold some eggs, and has chickens of all ages, from just hatched up to a month old. Hia houses are well built, and his methods modern in every respect; and it is those facts, combined with the possession of leading strains, which no doubt account for his success in his new venture. As a general-purpose fowl Mr Austin favours the silver Wyandotte, and is starting a pen of these of Konncdy-Mills strain, from eggs procured from Mr H. L. Snroson, of Clyde street. As something out of the ordinary, I may mention that his incubators—one a 50 and the other a 250 are heated by gas; they are Roberts’s Simplex. Chickens require food rich in framebuilding material, and that of the easiest digestible kind. Fattening food is not desirable. because that tends to undue weight and hinders hone-construction, so necessary at this period. The hen or the artificial brooder may be relied upon to provide (lie warmth necessary to the chickens during their first few weeks of existence, and it is when on their own and able to roost that their food ration should be richer in oubonaceons or fuel-providing, warmthgiving constituents. Be particu'ar, above all other things, about the nature of the chickens’ food during the first few days, for a mistake at this period of -their lives will prevent the chickens taking hold of life and beginning their growth as they should do. Don’t leave them more than 24 hours without their first feed, and don’t start feeding sooner. Feeding too soon or after too long a delay are both wrong. heed every two hours as much as they will eat clean up, and give the first feed as soon after daylight and the last feed as late as possible. Any of the chick-feeds (mixed grains) now on the market are suitable for ike youngest chicks: a little flaked oats ig also good, and a very little cut-up meat or cooked liver is much enjoyed and is beneficial. Don’t forget to provide green feed, suitable grit, and fresh water, and clean out and air their sleeping quarters dully.

WHY FARMERS SHOULD KEEP POULTRY.

1. Because by their means farmers ran convert a great deal of waste on the farm into money in the shape of eggs and chickens for market.

2. Because with intelligent management

they ought to be all the year round revenue* producers, excepting during the moulting season.

3. Because poultry will yield a quicker return for capital invested than any of the other departments of agriculture. 4. Because the manure from the poultryhouse will make a valuable compost for use in either vegetable gardens or orchards. The birds themselves, if allowed to run in the orchard, will destroy many injurious insects.

5. Because, while cereals and fruits oan only be successfully grown in certain districts, poultry oan be raised for table us* or egg-production in all parte of the country.

6. Because poultry-raising is an employment in which the farmer's wife or daughter may engage, and leave him free to attend to other departments. 7. Because it will bring the beet returns, in the shape of new-laid eggs during the winter season, when the receipts from other sources aro short.

8. Because to start the poultry industry on the farm requires very little capital. Under any circumstances, with proper management, poultry can bo made, with little cost, a valuable adjunct to the farm.

NEW EGG-PRE&ERTING PROCESS,

A Chcapcr-In-the-end Method. —

A French engineer. M. Lcscarde, has developed a new process for preserving eggs, which is said to be much superior to the common cold-storage method. The process has reached the manufacturing stage, and plants are starting operations—-one in Franco and one in Belgium. As everyone knows, the ordinary methods of cold storage for eggs are far from perfect, partly, perhaps, because certain microbes withstand freezing temperature without serious hurt; moreover, eggs as ordinarily handled are affected by the surrounding air through the effects of evaporation. For these reasons prolonged cold storage markedly impairs the value of eggs. It is found that by the Lcscarde prccoaa eggs may bo kept as long as 10 months, while the limit for the customary process is about four months. Moreover, the eggs stored on the now plan retain a much bettor quality. The inventor, in fact, claims that they can be sold as fresh eggs, ana that it is impossible to detect any difference. In carrying out the Lcscarde process, according to the Scientific American, rha eggs mo set up upon a piece of cardboard provided with a number of suitable perforations. There are 160 holes in each slab, which forms the cover of a (in-lined wooden box containing two incandescent lamps, so arranged that the light passes through tho eggs and is viewed by the operator. It is thus easy to detect any spoiled eggs, and it takes but a few seconds to examine tho entire 160 eggs. The next stage consists in packing tho eggs in special metal boxes, in which they are treated with carbonic acid gas and nitrogen. The room in which this step is carried out is kept cooled to a rather low temperature.

The eggs are fitted into perforated frames, which are placed in sheet-iron boxa holding six frames of 160 eggs each, or 960 eggs in all. The sheet-iron case is surrounded by a wood framing so that it can be handled readily, and the boxes can bo .slacked up in the apparatus. When the box is Tided with eggs, a small amount of chloride of calcium is put in to absorb the greater part cf the moisture of the air, and then the cover is soldered on, leaving a small hold in tho top for the circulation of air or gas. The boxes are then ready to bo taken to tho steriliser, which consists of a largo cylindrical tank. The boxes are stacked upon roller trucks, which are then run upon rails to tho tank, a considerable number being treated at a time. The cylinder baa a tight-closing door, and resembles on injecting" cylinder for treating railroad ties. The tank is first of all exhausted to os tract the gases or air from the air-pocket of the eggs, and also the gases dissolved in tha albumen. After this has been done, carbonic acid gas is sent into the apparatus from steel bottles containing compressed or liquefied gas. As the gas which leaves the bottles becomes very cold owing to its expansion, it is warmed somewhat to prevent cracking the eggshells. For this purpose the gas is run through a worm tube placed in a tank of warm water. The pressure in the tank is observed by means of a gauge. After admitting a certain amount, the gas is shut off for a time, while it continues to bo absorbed by the albumen of the'eggs. Fresh gas Is then lot in when the pressure is seen to fall, and this is kept up until tha cgg« absorb no more gas.

When tho proper point in this operation is reached the carbonic acid gas is shut off. and a portion of it is then again extracted by pumping, to be replaced by a certain amount of nitrogen fed from impressed gas cylinders. The eggs are then ready to Ixs removed from the tank, and tho trucks aro rolled out, after which the workmen solder up tho small inlet opening. As the pressure in the box is above atmospheric, there is no danger of air leaking in. The eggs are now ready to be taken to tho cold storage quarters, where they can bo kept for a long period of time. Three storage rooms need no special precautions as to the state of the air or the amount of dampness, as this can have no effect upon the eggs. Accordingly the storage chambers aro cooled bv a simple brine circulation, and the temperature is kept about at the freezing point. The eggs aro thus stored for th« proper length of time until they are needed for use, and aro then removed. The lioxes are first heated gradually by placing them in a moderately-heated room until they roach a temperature of 7deg or Bdeg Cent, if the outside air is at 15deg. Lastly, tho boxes are opened, and the eggs can bo packed and shipped in the usual way. The cost of carrying out the Lesearda process is but little greater than that o! the usual cold storage method, as there is no great expense for the gas-treating plant, and the slight extra-cost is more than made up by the greater market value of the eggs when treated by tins process.