THE POULTRY RUN

Southland Times, Issue 19395, 8 November 1924, Page 13 (Supplement)

THE POULTRY RUN

NOTES FOR AMATEURS. (By “Leghorn.”) Where it is necessary to pen a bunch of young cockerels together—with no females in the flock—it is generally a good plan to run a wise old cock with them to keep the youngsters in order. But do not make the mistake of putting a feeble or timid cock in with a bunch of young cockerels, for if you do they are pretty certain to kill him before you realise what is happening. It is reported in the ‘Farmers’ Express’ (England) that by crossing the Brown Leghorn with White Wyandottes the cockerel chickens are all white and the pullets are all brown. This is the latest triumph of the scientific poultry-keeper and it seems to present great possibilities both to the breeder who maks it his business to raise chicks for sale and also the poultrykeeper who is out to produce eggs and doesn’t want to be bothered with cockerels. This is an example of sex-linked inheritance, and it is interesting, because it has been questioned whether the White Wyandotte possesses sex-linked character. Since the White was derived from the Silver, however, it may be assumed to possess the sex-linked character of the Silver, and that is proved in this case. It is stated that a man employed on a poultry farm which does a big business supplying poultry to hotels can pluck a duck in one and a-half minutes, and a hen in 30sec less time—i.e., in one minute. A hen should be plucked immediately after it has been killed but a duck shoultl be hung-for half an hour at least before a start is made at plucking. A Rhode Island Red hen belonging to Mr G. Adams, of Purton, England, is said to have put up the wonderful sequence of 312 eggs in 308 days. Having laid one egg on each of 304 days, and the other four in two days—i.e., two eggs each day. This record is claimed to have been put up at the Wilts County Council laying test, so, according to the ‘Poultry World,’ must be accepted; but, as that paper says, it seems almost an impossible feat, and had it coine from some sources would have been discredit ed. The hen is very small, and not at all typical of the breed to which she belongs. She is a world’s record breaker. The breeds of ducks in New Zealand are principally two—the Indian Runner and Peking. It is probable there are also birds of the Aylesbury, Rouen, Muscovy, and other varieties in small numbers here and there, but they are not grown here to the same extent as in some other parts of the world. The Indian Runner is the egg-laying machine par excellence, the world’s record in this respect being held by Lady Knight, bred by Mr. Willoughby Knight, at one time a resident of Lower Hutt. This bird put up a record of 363 eggs in 365 days at the Papanui egg-laying competition, a record which will take a lot of beating. The Indian Runner may be regarded as the White Leghorn of the duck world, as it is not of a great amount of use apart from its

egg-laying capabilities for table purposes, but the Peking, on the other hand, is an indifferent layer and quite a good proposition for Christmas dinner. Egg production should not begin until a pullet has completed physical growth and development- of the reproductive organs. Generally speaking those influences which hinder growth also operate to delay egg production. Any disturbance affecting the habits ,quarters, or comfort of the pullet at any stage of her growth may retard laying, and it is quite a common practice for poultry fanciers who desire to keep pullets in condition for exhibition to often use these means of keeping them from laying. When, however, a bird has reached full maturity, and is constantly visiting the nest box, it is decidedly unwise to try to dissuade her from laying by adopting severe measures. She is ready to commence her duties, and any reduction and serious alternation in feeding will cause her to lose condition and possibly affect her whole career. A bird should look like laying five or six weeks before actually doing so, and during this period she needs plenty of nourishing food in order to get into condition for the duty she is to perform later on. Her actions will denote her desire to lay, for she will visit the nest many times before producing the first egg, in the same way that most female stock prepare ahead for their coming family. Ducklings do not require to be fed for from 36 to 48 hours after being hatched when their first feed should be a mixture of pollard and bran in equal parts, the bran being first scalded, and great care being taken that the food is not sloppy, but crumbly. For the first few days it is a good plan to mix about 5 per cent, of fine grit in the food, and after that it should always be before them in a box or trough. Boiled meat, put through a mincer, should be mixed at the rate of about 5 per cent, when ten days old, increased gradually to double that quantity as time goes on. Maize-meal should be added to the other ingredients from about the fourteenth day. Green feed is an essential, and after the ducklings are a week old can be fed separately, if cut up fine. Water must always be available, and on no account should it be placed where the sun’s rays can reach it. Swimming water is not advisable for ducklings being raised for the table, nor is it necessary for adult birds, except in the case of heavy breeds, which are being kept for breeding purposes. The water vessel should be deep enough for the head to be submerged, so that the nostrils can be kept clear. After a long fast, it is a good policy to feed first, before allowing the youngsters access to water, otherwise the mortality may be considerable. THE GARDEN AS A POULTRY RUN. Those who take a pride in their garden are careful to keep poultry out at this time of the year, though at other seasons, especially at digging-time, when worms and various insects are turned up, it pays to let the adult stock have a run over the ground every day. Young stock, however, are different, because they are not likely to do much harm by scratching, and even when growing crops are on the ground chickens up to three months old may be let into the garden for an hour or two each day, preferably in the evenings, when slugs and all manner of insect pests are more plentiful. This will be found a great help to young stock that are being brought up in close confinement, and if there are any crops that are specially vulnerable, to which the chickens pay particular attention, it will be worth while to wire it off or to protect it in some way. Anyone who is planting an orchard or is taking one already established should stock it with poultry, not merely because hens are the most profitable crop to raise under fruit trees, but also because they constitute the best and most economical means of fighting insect pests. Caterpillars do an immense amount of damage in orchards, stripping many trees of their leaves, and ruining the crops. But where poultry are kept in the orchard, comparatively little damage can be traced to this cause. CLEANING OUT THE SCRATCHING SHED. The present time is a good time to have a thorough clear-out of the scratching shed. First take out all movable articles such as perches, dropping boards, food and grit hoppers, water and green food trays, etc. Then shovel all the old litter out of the house and take it away on a wheelbarrow to a corner of the garden where it can be stored in a heap until required for manorial purposes. Sweep the ceilings and walls, and thoroughly clean out fixed nest boxes. Then brush out the floor (if made of wood cement, etc.). If it is an earth floor, take off a thin layer of the top soil, and put a few more shovelfuls of soil in before relittering. When the shed is quite empty and brushed clean, dress the woodwork with limew’ash or creosote preservative, taking care to run it well into the corners, cracks, and crevices. This should be done as early

the morning as possible, so that it may be ■ fairly well dried before the birds go to roost. A WEEDING-OUT. I The increasing needs of the growing • stock in regard to accommodation necessit- • ate a look round just now to seee whether j any stock can economically be disposed of. One does not like to part with hens while in full lay, but in all probability some of the older members of the flock will have to go a little later on, and in the interests of the growing pullets it will be a good policy to anticipate the annual clearance by a few weeks. Moreover, old hens should fetch a better price if they are still laying than I they will later on, when reduced in conditI ion and nearing the moult. ! An annual weeding-out of the stock is, of course, an essential part of the poultrykeeper’s routine, and this is the time of the year when that weeding-out should be started. Every breeder will find that no matter how good the pedigree of his stock, there will always be among the progeny faulty specimens. And these birds should he disposed of as soon as they arp marketable.