POULTRY NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3882, 7 August 1928, Page 33

POULTRY NOTES.

By

Terror.

The Balanced Ration.—Although every poultry keeper should understand how to balance a ration, beginners are sometimes inclined to place too great im-. portance upon getting an exactly correct albuminoid ratio. It is well to remember that a diet may be perfectly balanced when worked out on paper, and still be far from good. Many other factors have to be taken into consideration, viz., digestibility, bulk, palatability, and the like. Sometimes an apparently welL balanced mash, made up of good and suitable meals, will disagree with the birds, and it may be necessary to make alterations which will somewhat upset the albuminoid ratio in order to get satisfactory results. It is better to upset the calculated albuminoid ratio than to upset the birds. In the first place the figures given in analyses tables are based on average samples of the given food, and may sometimes differ consider-

ably from, the actual analysis of the sample used in the mash in question. Again, the requirements of different birds vary, one thriving on a proportion of albuminoids that would upset the digestion of another. The albuminoid rati is a most valuable guide : n compounding a diet, but too much reliance can be placed upon this one point. Mash is not necessarily good because the albuminoid ratio has been well balanced, but, on the other hand, it certainly will not be a good one if the ratio is much at fault. It requires very little imagination to realise that, balance the food as you mav, the hen may do a little balancing cn her own account. She may. of necessity, eat the mash you serve, but, after digesting it. what she will assimilate into hgr blood and 'what she will pass out as dung is another matter. In fossicking on the range a hen, it may be presumed. seeks most assiduously for what her nature craves for, and no doubt the rood she prefers is not altogether the best for egg-making’ purposes—at least such will be the case unless it be springtime. Birds in confinement are required to consider it “spring” all the year round, and the ration recommended by experience is balanced to that end. It is supposed to be an egg-making diet; but the purpose of this note is to convey the idea that variety—change of diet—is necessary to keep the fowls healthv and contented.

. If you have not attended to the cleaning of your incubators and brooders since they were used last season, do so now without further delay, and do it thoroughly. Scrub them out with a wire brush, and then wash with disinfectants. The hatching and brooding season is a busy one, and it will soon be in full swing.

Marketing of Surplus Stock.—Breeders as a rule are very loth to grade out their fowls. In culling they are seldom quite confident as to whether, after all, one or two good layers are not bein'* discarded from the flock; but, as Mr W Powell-Owen points out in the followin',’ n °ie- these culled-out birds may be re” garded as assets if properly and promptly marketed. He says: “It is a great asset, it not a necessity, to have a market ready for surplus table birds. Table and grading go hand in hand, because after all those graded out are the inferior specimens, and the table is their best and proper end. It must pay every poultry farmer to find a regular market for table birds. It is surprising how the numbers tell up. If he sells blit 10 each week it will mean 500 or so in the year. How nicely it allows'him to grade out and study economy. A little special effort should enable any poultry breeder to find a few clients to take a given number of table birds each week. Each must be his own marketer, but it is a very essential part of poultry work. Where one sees to the table side and secures definite orders for so many table birds weekly, he gets more confidence in his grading; and does the latter without any complaints. He is even on the look out for table specimens, and more promptly disposes of inferior and low-grade nonpaying birds. Private-trade is, of course, best, and should be encouraged and sought. On the other hand, he must bear in mind local shops and local markets, and sell to the best advantage. But grading as you go is much better than a systematic grading out once a yeaw" In ‘the first place there is greater economy. As a hen is noted and found ripe for killing off she goes to. table.’ She is not kept on for months eating her head off and proving a loss, also robbing other birds of their laying. And while she is plump and ready for killing to-day she can if kept on be thin and’useless later on. Other real advantages in,selling as you go are that (1) money is always coming in, and (2) one avoids the autumn glut, which means low prices, because everybody is clearing out at that time. There is wis-

dom in getting in money all along the line, and it beats any system of seasonable returns. Take the case of summer sortings, one has a host of chickens to be fed and reared for no immediate return. What one can get by way of returns from table cockerels, surplus tabic hens etc., means money coming in to help the heavy outlay. What can be sorted out in low-grade layers, wasters, and surplus stock can help greatly to reduce feeding costs. Get into the habit then of summer sortings.”

Weakened Resistance.—Edward Brown, LL.D., F.L.S-, writes: “A factor which needs to be taken more fully into consideration than has hitherto been the case is the evident reduction in many directions of that power of resistance to malign influences which is Nature’s chief protection against disease. The forces and influences which are at work militating against the maintenance of physical vigour and functional activity, though the latter is sometimes temporarily present to a degree when the former is absent, are many and varied. The questions involved are of supreme importance to every breeder and producer, whatever the scope of his operations. In this respect, as indicated above, there has been a distinct retrogression wherever more intensive methods have been adopted, as indicated by embryonic and post-hatching mortality, by ■'he greater virulency of disease of various forms, and by loss of resistance at all periods. As an indication of how important is this question may be named _ome suggestive observations made at Cornell University bearing directly upon this question, to which attention may be recalle' 1 Flocks of white Leghorns and Plymouth Rocks proved so unequal in growth that they were divided into strong and weak. It was found—(a) that in all cases the weaker birds consumed more food per dozen eggs produced than the stronger; (b) that the number and value of eggs produced and the profits made were greater from the strong flocks than the weak; (c) that the mortality in adult birds was. in the main, greater in the weak than the strong: and (d) that the percentage fertility of eggs, of chickens hatched, weight of chickens when hatched, and of chickens living at the end of six weeks were in favour of the stronger. Such data is confirmed by practical experience. There can be little question that all domestication tends to weaken the resistance. Nature is wonderfully adaptable to fresh conditions, so long as the environment is more or less normal. When, however, that is either abnormal or directly injurious, as is often the case, then parasites and bacteria and poisons , in atmosphere or earth can exert their influence, and are able to conquer. A further point is in respect to the muscles and functions which must be exercise J to keep them up ti the standard of healthful activity. I am at times greatly concerned at the systems advocated of rearing chickens ..nd maintaining adult stock under conditions where little or no exercise can be obtained, the birds feeding without even seeking for food. Let it be remembered that permanency of race cannot be maintained without steady development and physical reserves; that production will sooner or later fail unless the health is satisfactory; that health means constitutional vigour; and that constitutional vigour is, in large measure, dependent upon exercise of the muscles and functions. A supply of weeds with a little earth adhering to the foots, if 'served to the fowls daily, will be found productive of good results. Sweet, clean earth from the garden is a very different thing to that in the fowl run or scratch’ng shed, and the fowls find much in it (besides the green stuff purposely provided) that is invisible to the human eye. It tends to health, and consequently to more eggs.

Faulty Type.—We speak of a bird as being faulty in type when one or more sections are defective in such a way as to change the typical appearance of the bird from one breed type to another. A Rock female by a combination of faulty back and leg shape might become more of a Wyandotte than a Rock, and by faulty back and body "shape more the character of a Rhode Island Red. A Rock that was too broad and deep in body and short in legs might assume somewhat of the Cochin type. What is needed is good shape in every section of one particular breed.—Poultry. _lf the breeding is right, the feeding right, and the management is worked .on well-known hygienic principles there are no anxieties in chicken rearing. On the other hand, if chicks come from stock that are disease carriers or have suffered from any contagious disease, then wehave the beginning of chick-rearin'’ troubles. ’

Why Hens Don t Lay.—lntestinal worms may cause a slump in production, even when feeding has been excellent. In the intestines, worms have first chance at the food before it is absorbed by the intestines and carried into the blood. Lice on the hens’ bodies may also interfere p’ith their laying, and so may mites in their houses and nests. The housing may 11 a* f ,au lL He are always told to allow four square feet of floor space for each hen. but we may need more in proportion to how small the flock is. It is like this: when we put 100 hens in a house 20ft by 20ft. every one has 400 square feet over which .to run, bit when we put five hens in a place 4ft by Mt, while they may have their recommended four square feet of space each, they are crowded. We must consider comfort as well as rules.

Reillys report: Prices were well maintained for all classes of birds at our sale on Wednesday. The following are the prices realised:—Hens: 4 at Us, 4 at 7s 4d. 4 at 7s, 9 at 6s 6d. 6 at 6s 4d 20 at 6s, -8 at 5s lOd, 11 at 5s Bd, 5 at 5s 2d. 5 at 4s Bd, 2 at 4s 2d, 2 at 3s 10dpullets: 6 at 14s, 9 at 12s 6d, 2 at 6s; bantams: 4 at 6s, 2 at 2s; cockerels: 2 at 17s, 2 at 14s 6d, 3 at 14s, 2 at 13s, 3 at 12s 6d, 2 at 12s, 5 at 10s, 6 at 9s 2d, 2 at '9s, 2 at 8s Bd. 2 at 8s 6d. 3 at 8s 2d, 2 at Bs, 8 at 7s lOd, 4 at 7s 4d, 3 at 7s, 2 at 6s 6d. 2 at 6s 4d, 3 at Gs, 2 at 5s Bd, 6 at 5s 6d, to at 5s 2d; geese: 2 at Ils 2d, 3 at 8s 2d (all-at per pair)’. Stud birds: 2 cockerels at 15s each, 6 cockerels at 10s

each. Eggs: The market has shown a further decline, to-day’s value being Is 4d and Is 5d per dozen for stamped and guaranteed. 24th PAPANUI ECC-LAYINC COMPETITION. Leading Pens 16th Week ended July 21 (112 days). TEST I.—J. H. SHAW MEMORIAL CHALLENGE. —Light and Heavy Breeds, Single Penned.—Week's Weight Eggs, oz.drs. Total. Black Orpingtons—

T. D. Dalziel . . 0 Miss Meyrick . . 3 0. 0 4.13 74 54 White Leghorns— L. J. Knowles . . 7 14. 1 97 Green Bros. . . 7 14. S 91 T. W. Betteridge . . 6 13. 1 90 Master Liggins . . 5 10.10 89 Green Bros 4 8.14 89 E. J. Ross . . . . 6 12. 8 88 G. H. Mitchell . . G 13.11 87 TEST 2.—WHITE LEGHORN SINGLE HEN (Owner Enters Three Birds.) Week’s eggs. Total. T. Bond, No. 1 . . 7 97 H. Williams, No. 1 rr 92 H. Williams, No. 2 .. IS 91 S. E. Davey, No. 3 . . Fi 91 ]•’. Hawes, No. 2 . . G 91 J. W. Thomson, No. 3 . . b 91 TEST 3.—SINGLE HEN. (Owner Enters Three Birds.) —Any Other Variety Light Breeds, Except White Leghorns.— ■Week’s eggs. Total. Anconas— R. Pearce, No. 3 . . 68 S. II. Mitchell. No. z 2 . . 4 63 TEST 4.—BLACK ORPINGTONS ONLY. Week’s eggs. Total. J. M. Campbell, No. 2 . . 7 102 J. M. Campbell, No. 3 . . 6 96 A. R. Leckie, No. 1 . . r" 88 A. M. Espie, No. 2 . . 6 87 A. R. Leckie, No. 3 . . L, 81 A. M. Espie, No. 3 . . 4 79 TEST 5.—ANY OTHER VARIETY HEAVY BREEDS. —Other than Black Orpingtons. Week’s eggs. Total. J. R. Griffin (L.S.), No. 1 5 95 J. R. Griffin (L.S.), No. 3 6 S3 B. G. Corlett (W.R.), No. 2 5 82 J. C. Wilson (L.S.), No. 1 5 78 J. Kingsland (R.I.R.), No. 1 5 69 TEST 6.—FLOCK TEAMS. —Light and Heavy Breeds.—Week’s Weight Eggs. oz.drs. Total. White Leghorns— H. Harrison . . 34 79. 5 482 H. W. Beck, No. 1 29 58. 5 480 H: W. Beck. No. 2 2G 55. 1 454 W. E. Ward . . 23 48.11 443 (One dead) F. Hawes . . . . 31 60.11’ 414 J. Liggins . . . . 26 56.11 381 TEST 7.—SINGLE DUCKS. — (Owner -Enters Three Birds.)Week’s eggs. Total. White Pekins— H. A. Dawber, No. 2 .. 7 89 Mrs A. Little, No. 3 .. t) 88 J. W. Thomson, No. 2 .. 6 87 J. W. Thomson, No. 3 .. b 83 Indian Runners— • F. R. Cotton, No. 2 .. 7 106 .- J. W. Thomson, No. 1 . . *7 108 C. E. Barnett, No. 1 .. 7 102 J.W. Thomson, No. 3 .. 7 101 ■ F. R. Cotton, No. 1 .. *7 101 H. A. Dawber, No. 2 . . 6 101 C. E. Barnett, No. 3 .. 8 94