THE POULTRY YARD

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 584, 9 February 1929, Page 30

THE POULTRY YARD

(By

GEO. H. AMBLER.)

POULTRY AND HOT WEATHER

FflOM this time forward the decline in the egg- yield becomes more pronounced. It is due partly to the prevalence ot" broodiness, which, it should be noted, may occur even among leghorns and other so-called non-sitting breeds; partly, also, to natural exhaustion of the stock after a heavy season oL' laying. It should be noted that the most prolific layers are by no means the first to stop laying. Very often the pullet which starts first is the last to finish, and lays the most eggs, so that under normal conditions the early quitters may be weeded out as undesirables.

A great deal, however, depends upon the management of the laying stock at this time of the year. Nothing is more conducive to the early stoppage of layiug than close*confinement in a very warm, unshaded run, and illventilated sleeping quarters. Then, again, a poor diet, consisting largely of cooked vegetables and cereal meals, with a low proteid ratio, will reduce the birds’ condition; whereas a fairly stimulating diet will maintain production. A little tonic at this time of the year often has an excellent effect in keeping birds laying where otherwise they would have moulted. Long grass in the adult pens and young stock pens is useful in the hot weather. It provides a certain amount of shade and cover, especially for the young birds. In wet weather long grass is a nuisance, and on the whole it is better to have it out, though in a good sized run the farthest portion from the house and gate may be left growing. If the other part is out during a dry spell it will come in very useful for nest boxes or for litter. Lawn clippings will also serve for this purpose if spread out to dry for a day or two. THE COCKERELS There should be many cockerels j approaching a marketable age, and as ; i he demand is good, steps should be I iaken to improve their condition. The! average amateur is not in a position i to fatten his birds by cramming, and confinement in a coop is not i advisable* The best plan is to isolate a number of young males that have i

1 been brought up together, and, there- [ fore, should agree well in a small ruu with a ventilated house, and to feed from troughs three times a day, letting them eat as much as they will at each feed, and then removing the troughs. Ground oats snould constitute the bulk of the soft food, and one feed of grain may he given every day. DUCKLINGS Those who are rearing ducklings for the table should bear in mind that the birds ought to be fit for killing at nine or ten weeks if they have been well fed, for very soon after that the pin feathers will appear, and the birds will lose condition as feather growth proceeds, besides being more difficult to pluck and dress. Heavy feeding is essential with table ducks, mixing the food in a sloppy consistency, and kesping them feeding regularly three or four times a day, especially from the age of six weeks outward. CLOSING THE HOUSES Many people wonder if it is a good policy to close the trap doors of fowl houses at this time of the year. They argue that if doors are left open the birds will be able to get out as soon as it is light, which just now is at least two hours before the majority of people are out of bed and able to release their stock. There is undoubtedly an advantage in being able to give the birds a chance to catch (he proverbial early worm, but whether it is a good policy to leave doors open depends upon circum stances, more particularly upon whether any risks are run. I would, therefore, prefer to keep the birds, both old and young, without

restriction at this time of the year so long as ciroumstances are favourable, but failing that it is a great convenience to have a roomy, airy scratching shed in which the birds can amuse themselves until feeding time. A three hours’ wait, with nothing to do, is somewhat trying for stock, especially if the house is of very limited extent and is stocked to Us full capacity. I have often been asked whether it is necessary to clean out poultry houses every day. It may not be absolutely necessary, but it is a very sensible precaution for those who can spare a couple of minutes every morning, for each house should not take up more time than that, provided it is equipped with a droppings board. Without that it would be a longer job to clean the floor, but a droppings board can be scraped with a short-handled hoe and the droppings collected in a pail. Keep the board well littered with fine soil, sand or any other fine litter—then the droppings will not foul the woodwork and can easily be removed. IMPORTANCE OF DRINKING WATER Do not only glance at this betiding, but read every word of this short but valuable bint. Summer-time neglect of your fowls’, ducks’, or chickens’ water and troughs will mean unhealthy stock, and a poor and slow moult, with fewer eggs iu the autumn. Now that we are having such hot weather, and fowls and chickens drink so much during theso long days, my few notes are of the utmost importance to ail. One of the details too often overlooked is clean drinking water, and: I contend that the importance of ei plentiful supply of pure water cannot be over-estimated, especially when it is considered that , in an egg the white contains 50 per cent, and the yolk SO per cent, of water, so that it follows that the quality of the egg laid is greatly dependent upon the nature of its largest constituent parts. It will be found that six hens will daily consume over a quart of water. If my readers will consider that fact alone they will see how absolutelj’ necessary it is that pure water should be given, as it enters into the composition of the blood, bone, aud flesh of all live stock, and is, therefore, one of the great essentials of life; in fact, this small detail, pure water, must be considered just as essential to life and growth as pure air. Scientists prove beyond doubt that the tendency of water is to absorb obnoxious effluvia, and there is no greater source of unhealthiness than

> when stganant water is allowed to be , consumed by the birds. Small bodies of water, when left exposed to the sun’s rays, soon lose their freshness and satisfying qualities, and if drunk 1 in any quantity by the birds will cause - disease and retard the operations of , the functions of the body. Most if the diseases that poultry suffer from ’ may be traced to the- neglect of providing them with suitable food and i a plentiful supply of fresh water, and ! as I have said before, although it is such a small and inexpensive detail, it is of the greatest importance when profitable poultry is the desideratum. ; During visits to poultrykeepers’ yards l have been surprised to find so little attention given to the provision of clean water troughs and water, and it is quite time that conspicuous attention was drawn to its necessity. With chickens and young birds generally, tainted or sun-warmed water is invariably associated with gapes or tainted cholera, both of which contagious diseases wflll soon carry off 1 the birds. It is useless to pour clean water into a dirty trough, and really it is disgraceful to notice how often poultrykeepers neglect, to scrub out the drinking vessel. I have seen them all green around the sides, accumulated mud at the bottom, and yet they pour w r ater into such a disease spreading vessel, never giving it a thought that this will prevent a plentiful supply of eggs, will cause crop trouble, and seriously injure the health of the birds. . , * [ i L