THE POULTRY RUN

Southland Times, Issue 20667, 24 April 1929, Page 14

THE POULTRY RUN

THE MOULTING PERIOD.

CARE OF THE BIRDS.

HINTS TO KEEPERS.

The recent broken weather provides a sharp reminder of the care that should be given at this time to moulting hens, writes “Utility” in • the Auckland Herald. Human nature is rather weak in the matter of poultry culture, in that most attention is usually given to the birds during their most interesting stages—when they are commencing to lay, when the shows are on, and when they are hatching their chickens. Without minimizing the importance of all these periods, when extra care seems quite natural and therefore does not require any special prompting, a reminder of the moulting period, will not be out of ■ place. Miserable looking and bedraggled, with faces anything but the brilliant red which betokens health and energy, and with all the deep pigments gone from the usually yellow legs of Leghorns and Wyandottes, it must be admitted that old birds are now at their worst as regards appearance, while their egg output is down to the minimum, which encourages neglect. For the sake of their future welfare, this is just the time when a little extra care is likely to bring the most tangible results. Yellow Legs a Bad Sign. In a couple of months, when the poultry shows are in full swing, all the exhibitors of Leghorns, Rocks, and Wyandottes will be taking a pride in the yellow legs of their beautiful birds. Just at present, however, yellow legs are a bad sign in old birds. All the good layers will have lost all trace of yellow in their legs, some being reduced to a pale fleshy colour, and others even to a kind of coral shade. Any yellow legs in April are a fairly sure sign of a bad layer. If the breeder has adopted no other means of testing the individual laying capacity of the various birds; a fairly safe guide is to be had in the leg colour of all the yellow-legged varieties. This is a good time, therefore, to cull out those with a full pigment, and to treasure for next laying and breeding season those that have become pale.

It will take these birds quite two months to get through the moult, and that is the time to let them recover in every respect from the strain of the laying season. The growth of a new coat of feathers is a further strain on a system already weakened and impoverished, without making the process harder by neglect and poor feeding, whereas with proper care the bird will come through the moult with all the brightness and- vigour which it showed when it laid its first egg a year ago.— Abundant feeding, in variety rather than in quantity, with plenty of green stuff and grit, not forgetting a little sulphur in the mash occasionally, will restore the bird to its normal health, and by the time it is again fully fledged its legs will be the colour of the richest butter, its comb and wattles will be like rich red wine, and its feathers will sparkle with the sheen that denotes vigorous health. Meantime, the internal organs will have had a much-need-ed rest, and will be fit for another long season. Guarding Against the Cold.

One other warning may be useful. Beware of colds. The weather is changing, the birds arc weak and are losing their full covering for a while, so keep them warm, and out of the wind.

“Red Mite” writes from Wanganui to ask how to get rid of the mite. "We had an old fowl-house which was full of red mite, and wc pulled it down and built a new one. It has been white-washed. It has a soil floor, covered with mortar and lime from an old brick chimney. The nests arc made of kerosene tins. We had sand in them, but it got so full of the pest that we threw it out and put in straw. The nests have been washed out with kerosene —in fact, the house has been sprayed with kerosene, as well as with Jeyes fluid, and with lysol, in addition to which it has been well limed. Yet the house is full of red mite, and we can find no way to get rid of it. Then hens are well fed, but are not laying.” This does not sound like red mite at all, for red mite go about during the night. In the daytime, they slink away into corners and crevices, and during the day one could go into a fowl-house infested by them without any getting on the clothes. Also, kerosene is sure death to them. I have seen a few drops kill a whole nest of them, although they were huddled away in a corner where no life was visible, until they were disturbed with a stick. The insecticides mentioned, unless thinned down too much, would make short work of red mite. Tar and Lime Wash. However, in case it is this pest, if would be as well to try a drastic remedy recommended by Mr. F. C. Brown, chief Government poultry instructor. Fie suggests giving the inside a coating of tar, and, following this up, when thoroughly dry by spraying with limewash, to cover up crevices Which would' harbour the pest. Neither the tar nor the limewash above are nearly so effective as when both are used. Most likely, the trouble is some form of hen-lice, and it would be as well to try another good, strong limewash, mixed with sulphate of iron, a pound to three gallons. If possible, put it on hot. from the slaking, and thoroughly work it into every crevice. When it is settled dow n and dry, spray it with a solution of carbolic acid, one part to sixty partf of water. In fact, a little carbolic could be put in the limewash with advantage, say one ounce to the gallon. If the birds themselves are infested with lice, they should be thoroughly soaked in a solution of carbolic at the above strength, but this would need to be done during the morning of a fine day, so that they would quickly dry. Most likely, however,’ the carbolic in the house will clear out all the vermin, for it will smell for days. It seems rather a pity that the infested house could not have been burned down, instead of being pulled to pieces.