POULTRY NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3993, 23 September 1930, Page 31

POULTRY NOTES.

By

Terror.

“ Novice.”—You will find a paragraph in this week’s notes explaining the cause of soft-shelled eggs. I may add here that lack of shell-forming material is not always the cause. Very often softshelled eggs are due to a forcing diet and (or) the serving of condiments—i.e.. pepper, etc.

“ Soft-shelled eggs ought never to be soon in a well-managed poultry run,'’ a friend said the other day. When asked

why he replied: “It is a sign that something is wrong, because it is not natural that hens should lay soft-shelled eggs.” When soft eggs are noted everything possible should be done to right the trouble. The eggs are more or less a dead loss, because they are useless, and in nine cases out of ten they- -will break as soon as handled. The trouble is that lime is missing in the diet, and shell-making material must be given the birds. The best way- is to keep before them crushed oyster shell and fine grit. If hens have been laying soft-shelled eggs, the feeding of oyster shells (ground up) will be followed by an improvement; in fact, if oystershell is regularly fed one can expect an improvement in the egg supply. Ihe hen in her work is always striving to produce the complete article, and a* she can do this only with the food at her disposal it is-as well to see that she gets all she wants. Do not stint any ot the essentials if you want the full \ a ‘ u ® hen. Make a study of the food content of the mashes that are being fed. Unless they contain the necessary protein the hens cannot give eggs.

Many are already brooding chickens, and some are anxious to improve on the results of last year. A good manv buyers ot day-old chicks, however, do not seem to possess the requisite knowledge in regard to brooding. Brooders of a typo designed for working in a properly constructed brooder house are expected to function properly in a draughty lean-to not fit for the purpose. Others, again, overheat and overcrowd, and then start the bogey of white diarrhcea—i.e., the forni due to the Specific apullorum. which I think I am right in saying is not here. There are several causes of the white fluid droppings commonly ermed white diarrhcea. Overcrowding overheating, or chilling so affect lungs and kidneys that the droppings include large percentages of urates—symptomatic ot white diarrhoea and not necessarily due to any disease organisms. The poultry literature of England and America contain much about B.W.D.—i.e bacillary wlnte diarrhcea. Novices here read about it, and promptly conclude that the cause of death among the chickens they are mishandling is white diarrhcea from the parent stock. The writer has heard so much of this that it is evident that novices look for any excuse.

Feed the Layers.—lt is foolish to expect a pullet to continue laying e<-o- s it the feed does not contain rich protein, either of a dried milk, fish meal or meat meal nature. These three feeds' are rich in those necessary constituents tor the yolk and albumen of the e'—. and no matter how much grain is fed "to a flock, n protem-rich feeds are omitted tiom the ration the birds will show it by dropping production. It has been tound by practical research and experiment that the amiuo-acids present in protein feeds provide the necessary elements tor egg production, and these vital ammoacids that are present in milk and its by-products, fish meal, and meat meal enable the laying hen to store up reserves of bodily energy and material from which good, rich eggs are produced. As v. e cannot get fish meal for our poultry as poultry people in other civilised countries can do, it is well to know n 1 (cods’ heads, etc.) can be usefully employed. All that is required is to cook gently until all the bones will snap between the fingers, when the cooked fish is mixed into the mash. Even big cods heads or the heads of other fish will break up quite easily if cooked ‘n tllls wa >’- The alternative is to put all the fish and bones through a meatmincing machine, and then mix with the meal; but in any case, it is much easier to work up if it is cooked. Fresh fish is not so concentrated as-fish meal, therefore more should be used. If you use 1 part in 10 of meat meal or fish meal, then you could use fully two parts of cooked fish, or even a little more. It is quite a good food, and gives excellent results. It is also very good for feeding ducklings for market purposes. Testing Eggs.—A simple method of determining the age of eggs other than those preserved in waterglass is as follows:—Use a flat-bottomed vessel deep enough, to hold sin to "Gin of water. To each pint of water add loz of ordinary salt, and dissolve. Place the eggs geiitlv in the solution. A new-laid egg will fall to the bottom and lie on its? "fide An egg between 12 and 21 days old will assume a decided angle, the crown or broad end. containing the air cell, being highest. As age progresses this angle win be accentuated until the egg stands uptight, the base only touching the bottom. At a later period it will float upright in mid-water, and when it has arrived at the election ” stage it will float on its sid<at the surface. Three tests to decide whether an egg is preserved or not are : ■1) Ip boiling the shell of a preserved egg will crack from crown to base (?) Lhe yolk is displaced and often touching the shell. (3) The white or albumen is watery and thin, having lost its firmness and elasticity.

One rat killed 112 chickens on a Mangere (Auckland) poultry farm on a recent night. The rat bored a tunnel three feet long under the floor of a shed and in the tunnel the dead chickens were found, stored there, as well as a rat’s nest with 13 young ones.

Entomologists of the United States Department of Agriculture have demonstrated that all species of lice which infest poultry may be quickly destroyed by the application of a very small quantity of sodium fluorid, according to the /annual report of the chief of the Bureau of Entomology just issued. Entire flocks, of . poultry were cleared of the parasites in this way, and were found to remain free when ordinary precautions were taken against reinfestation by contact with infested fowls. In connection with this work the entomologists of the department made the first complete studies of the chicken mite, and determined that it depends exclusively upon the fowl for its food, and will not develop in any stage on filth or similar substances. In tests of a large series of insecticides it was found that a few thorough applications of crude petroleum to the interior, of poultry houses will completely destroy the mites.—U.S. Department of Agriculture.

In testing hens as to their laying ability there is what is known as the crop test, which may be described as follows: — In making the crop test it is quite necessary that you feed liberally of mixed gram the evening the test is to be made, thus permitting the hens to fill their crops. This done, and the hens gone to roost, they are ready for the test. The work may be done by placing the left hand gently under the hen from in front, catching her firmly by the legs, allowing the body to rest gently on your arm (laying hens must be carefully examined for reasons too numerous to mention), and with the right hand examine the crop. If full, then examine the pelvic bones. If' these are separated 2in or more, the tip end soft and thin, examine the abdomen, and if it is soft and lax and rounds snugly in the open hand, the hen is a good layer, the egg bag full, and in the pink of laying condition. The same hen, as the laying season progresses, will gradually lose the fullness in the abdomen, but the crop and pelvic bones will remain practically the same until the last egg is laid. The distance from the keel bones to the pelvitf bones is considered by certain breeders a means of identification, although I have known this to fail on more than one occasion. There appears, however, this much in its favour. When a bird shows from three to four fingers’ space or more between these points it is safe to presume that she will be a good layer. Still, as stated, this is not in itself an infallible sign. On the other hand. I have not found one good layer that did not exhibit this peculiarity. The distance between the pelvic bones is another sign of the hen’s condition, though many other things must be considered in making the test in addition to the bones relaxing enough to admit three or four fingers, depending in many cases upon the size of the' bird. The hen, if laying fairly well, does not pack her crop tightly, only enough food being needed to make an occasional egg. The pure loafer, the over-fat hen, or the broodyhen, will have what is called watery’ crop—one containing little feed. The width of the back should also be taken into consideration, as yvell as its length, for no hen can be a good layer if there is not enough room for the ovaries to expand. She will have eyes large and bright, the bill short, the head fine featured suitable to her sex, yet not delicate or depressed. She is active, restless if confined, and will travel a great distance in search of food if on free range—the one you see on the highway a mile from home. She is always looking for something to eat, thus endeavouring to satisfy that hunger created by the abnormal functions of the egg organs, and she will not return home until she has harvested a full crop. So by the abdomen test you may- know just about what stage of laying the hen has reached The opposite condition, or that of the dormant hen, will manifest no crop, the pelvic bones, hard and rigid, lying close together, the surrounding skin tense and thick, the abdomen empty, firm, and drawn snugly in, showing no sign of laxity. Now the puzzling condition is the intermediate layer—the hen that lays eggs, but not enough to pay for her board. She is somewhat difficult to identify. Her crop will be full, though not as large as that of the good layer. Nature not giving her a capacity larger than is actually needed, she requires two days or more to make an egg. The food must be kept moving, for if a hen would take more food into her crop than the other organs could handle it would spoil in the crop before being used. Her abdomen will be slightly- smaller, secretions are not so abundant, consequently less room is needed for albuminal deposits. The pelvic bones yvill not exhibit the same laxity because of a diminished circulation, neither will they be widelyseparated. Reilly’s Report.—Whitebait now coming to hand more freely. Poultry in short supply. There is a good demand for all lines of table poultry, and trussed poultry commands a ready sale. Eggs remain steady at Is Id to Is 2d dozen. During the week we received and sold:—Hens—2 at 10s, 6 9s Bd, 7 9s. 3 8a lOd. 3 8s 6d, 8 8s 4d, 2 Bs. 8 7s lOd, 12 7s Bd, 20 7s 4d. 15 7s 2d, 6 6s 4d, 6 6s. 2 ss; cockerels—2 30s. 221 s, 210 s, 2 9s Bd, 3 9s 2d, 3 8s 6d. 4 Bs, 2 7s 6d, 6 6s Bd. 4 6s 6d. 3 6s 2d, 2 6s, 10 5s 6d, 2 5s 4d. 5 ss, 4 4s lOd, 2 4s 6d; pullets—--2 255. 5 9s; ducks—s 10s lOd, 4 10s Bd, 210 s 6d. 3 10s 2d. 210 s. 2 9s 6d; all at “ per pair ”; turkeys—gobblers 1 at Is 3d per lb; hens—3 Is 41d, 2 Is IJd, 1 Is 6d.

TAPANUI POULTRY CLUB. The annual meeting of the Tapanui Poultry and Produce Club was held on Tuesday evening, when Mr J. W. Jarrold presided over a good attendance of members. Mr A. C. Goodlet, Dunedin, wrote conveying his thanks for the attention given to his birds when exhibited at the club’s annual show. Mr D. Martin, Beaumont, advised that he had no expenses and no charge to make as judge at the show. The president, in speaking to the balance sheet, congratulated members on the satisfactory position disclosed. They had started the year with a credit balance of £2B 4s "lid and finished with eash in hand totalling £4O Ils Id, whilst they had assets to the value of £2l 15s, with no liabilities. This position was in a large measure due to the club’s keen canvassers and the generosity of the public in presenting goods and cash to the club. The annual show was again an unqualified success in every way. He had to thank all the committee for the work put in throughout the year, and especially so at the annual show. The president specially mentioned the good work done by Mr A. Munyard, who had completed 26 yea<§’ unbroken service to the club as secretary. He had much pleasure in moving the adoption of the balance sheet. Mr M. M’Auley seconded the motion. The report was adopted. The president, secretary and Mr M. M’Auley were appointed to revise the schedule. The elections of officers resulted as follows:—President, Mr J. W. Jarrold; Vice-presidents, Misses G. Pullar and J.

A. M'Donald; secretary, Mr A. Munyard; Committee—last year’s committee was re-elected, with the addition of Mr B. Stifcn. The date of the annual show was fixed for the second Saturday in July, and the secretary was instructed to apply to the conference for this date. Mr Robertson gave notice of motion to add to Rule 6—“ That all roots and vegetables entered for competition must be grown by the exhibitor.”