POULTRY NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3337, 27 February 1918, Page 40

POULTRY NOTES.

By Tjskhok.

"Capon."—From six to eight weeks is the right age, but some leave it till, the third or fourth month. Experience, it is said, shows that there is less loss by performing the operation between the sixth and eighth weeks. The chief aim in caponising is to prolong the quality and texture of meat which is found in the chicken.

Scaly leg is oaused by a mite which is seldom seen, but the effects of which are the formation of grey masses on the feet and legs. They form under, the scales, and cause them to rise, and. as it were, stand on end. In some yards, probably on account of the nature of the soil, it seems difficult to keep clear of this trouble. It is not only painful to the bird, but it oauses loss of eggs, for a bird out of condition cannot do its best at laying. Any penetrating oily substance that is not otherwise injurious, if rubbed or painted on the parts, will kill the mites and remove the unsightly masses of scale. One authority recommends caraway oil mixed with lard, one part of the former to four parts of the latter.

For profitable early winter egg-produc-tion the early-hatched pullet is three times better than the late pullet, four times better than the yearling hen, and 30 times better than the " aged " hen. This is the opinion formed by experimental farm investigation over many years, whilst dealing with large numbers of birds, and should influence poultrymen in a small way in their breeding operations. With all kinds of poultry feed as costly as at present, it should be a guide in deciding the class of birds to keep. The aged hen eats as much, though she lays less, as the younger bird, and consequently is not a paying proposition. Some novices think that the moult is a disease, and are accordingly disturbed. It is a natural process common to nearly all the feathered tribe. It causes a great strain on the strength of the fowl, and they should be given nourishing food a 8 soon as the new feathers begin to show age. Give a tablespoonful of flower of sulphur in the soft food for 12 moulting birds three times a week. Flower of sulphur is a blood-purifier, and keeps the birds in good condition. absolute necessity in the poultry yard. Eggshells are largely composed of lime, and if. hens are to lay normal eggs lime of some kind must be given. It is true that those who never consciously give lime get eggs from their fowls, but they get only the limited quantity of eggs which the fowls can shell with the lime obtained in their grain food, and that after their own body requirements have been attended to. To obtain the number of well-shelled eggs which nre required from- a bird of good laying strain Nature must be assisted. Crushed oyster shells, old mortar, phosphate grit, crushed bones are all good for this purpose, and in one form or another lime should bo always before the bird*. Every egg should weigh at least 2oz. By consistently setting such eggs you build up a strain of large egg-producers, and by selling such eggs you gain a reliable trade. A 2oz egg is a normally-sized egg, and is what is wanted by the consumer. Don't set abnormally large eggs with the idea that you can thus breed a strain on similar lines, as with normally-sized eggs. It depends to a great extent on the breed you are favouring. A normal Minorca egg or good strain would b-3 an abnormal egg if laid by a Leghorn. The 3oz egg is to be aimed at as far as Leghorns are concerned, and in the case of Minorcas another J>oz would be satisfactory. Here is a good hint for laying in a store of winter food withut any cost what-

ever:—Whilo garden produce is plentiful slioi up ail available vegetable scraps, spread them on the oven shelves when not too hot, and leave until quite dried. They can then be crushed with a polling pin or just broken in the hands before being transferred to a sack. If this is done daily a quantity of food soon accumulates, which, when scalded and added to middlings or a similar meal, not only provides the necessary bulk, but also nourishment in a highly concentrated form. The time is now approaching for those who intend buying their stock for the coming season. A few words of advice will, I trust, prove of use. If you are going in for utility poultry get your birds or eggs from a reliable poultry-farmer that you know makes a specialty of. and table qualities and keeps his birds as near to the standard, as possible, i By keeping up these qualities he must make good use of trap-nests—that is, if he wishes to get to the top of the 'tree in this branch of business. Advertisements are very plentiful at this time of year. The novice, thinking it an opportune time to get his birds, scans the advertisements of the particular variety he fancies, ancT, meeting with one that takes his eye, sends for the birds. They arrive safe, and he is very pleased with them, thinking what a good deal he has made. After he has kept them a few months he finds his mistake. Why? Because he has the breed, but not the strain, and instead of helping the weekly income they aro helping to empty his pockets; therefore he is disgusted with the results he obtains, and gives up all hopes of successful poultry-keeping merely through not being cautious and selecting a trapnested strain, which would have done both himself and the producer justice. If your aim is for exhibition birds, get the best you possibly can; if for utility purposes, get a strain that has been bred for your requirements, and you will find a fair profit can be made from birds kept for eggproduction. Many exhibitors of poultry—and especially those who operate on a smaller scale —do not realise that it is necessary not only' to pay careful attention to their birds before sending them to show, but that it is also necessary to tend them judiciously on their return. This is more especially applicable during hot weather, as at almost all shows the birds may be seen panting and gasping for lack of air, a requirement which does not tend to increase their condition. On arrival from show, therefore, the fowl should be put into an ordinary exhibition pen, and kept in this for a day, or until it can be seen if it is fit to be let out into an open run. In the meantime, the food should be of a light and non-heating character until the bird is put back in an ordinary run, when the usual diet may be observed. The main object, however, is to avoid subjecting the bird to extremes of atmosphere. Thus, coming from a stuffy exhibition hall jar tent in a warm basket, and then being taken straight out into the open air, would naturally affect the constitution of any bird, especially ono which is in a constanilypampered state. The manure heap should be kept as far . away from the pens as possible. It should be kept dry. Wet manure loses its value as fertiliser, and quickly becomes offensive. Use hen manure sparingly in the garden; it is very powerful. , The sex of growing stock of heavy breeds about four months old may be distinguished in the following way: —The cockerel has a well-developed comb and wattles. He is usually without a tail, and is badly feather'd, particularly in the neck hackle. The pullet is nicely feathered all over, and the tail is well grown. The comb and wattles are very small. An infallible sex test is to draw a feather from the reck, hackle of the doubtful bird. If the inner webbing (to be seen when the feather is held up to the light) is fanshaped, or rounded, the bird is a pullet. If pointed, the bird is a cockerel. Extra large egg 3, double-yolked eggs, shelless eggs, and misshapen eggs are not matters to boast about. When any of my hens lay such eggs—very, very rarely— I. set to work to find out why. The hen that lays peculiar eggs is either over-fat or over-stimulated. The cure is to feed more sparingly and on the plainest meals. Needless to say, the hen must be removed irom the flock.

that goes to roost with a full crop. See that your birds do this by visiting the roost at night and feeling the crops of the birds Don't squeeze the crop, bu.t handle it gently. Messrs Fraser and Co., 146 Crawford street, Dunodin, agents for the Otago Egg Circle, report: "Eggs: Market firm. Fresh, Is 7d; stamped, Is 9d. Poultry: At our auction sale on Wednesday at 1.30 the following prices were realised at per head:—Hens—so at Is 6d, 50 at Is 7d, 100 at Is Bd, 50 at Is 9d, 200 at Is lid, 150 at 2s, 100 at 2s 2d; cockerels—3ilb to 41b live weight, 3s to 3s 6d ; chickens from 6d to 2s; ducks from 3s to 4»; geese from 3s 6d to 5s each ; ' turkey gobblers, 10£d to Hid; hens, 9£d to lo£d - live weight. Write for poultry crates." The Co-operative .Fruit-growers of Otago (Ltd.) report: "During the week some 'very nice consignments of poultry came forward. We had a fkie yarding, and there was spirited competition at our sale on Wednesday. The following prices were secured for our consignors:—Hens—16 at Is 9d, 29 at Is lOd, 161 at Is Hd. 106 at 2s, 56 at 2s Id, 69 at 2s 2d, 44 at 2s 3d. 16 at os 9d; cockerels—l2 at Is 9d, 16 at 2s, 27 at 2s 2d, two at 2s 3d, 18 at 2s 4d,. 29 at 2s 6d, 36 at 2s 7d, 14 at 2s Bd, eight at i2s 9d, 17 at 3s 2d, 12 at 3s 3d; ducks —six at 2s 6d, six at 2s 9d, eight at 3s. Eggs: Early in the week eggs were being sold at Is 9d and Is lOd; to-day (Friday! the market is easier, and Is 8d is the ruling price."