The Poultry Yard

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 840, 7 December 1929, Page 34

The Poultry Yard

' (By (JBl> H AMBLER.) PREVENTION BETTER THAN CURE

IF prevention were practised as universally as it is preached, all of the doctors, fire departments and lawyers in the country would be hunting for other positions. They would have nothing to do. In line with that is the prevention that should be exercised in the poultry-yard at this time of year to avoid sickness and disease. Tt has all been outlined previously as eliminating dampness, sudden changes in temperature, and with sufficient sunlight and ventilation.

There are three things that do hap- i pen too often and one should try to | guard against them rather than treat-' ing after it has happened. Lock the barn before the horse is stolen. The three diseases ar phases of the same disease are cold, roup and chic-ken-pox. In too many cases the introduction is through the purchase of breeding stock that may have the disease in a mild form that can develop under adverse conditions such as are encountered in transit. A safe rule to follow is the rigid quarantine of all stock for a few days after receiving and before placing with the flock. The fowl can be kept in confinement to watch for symptoms. In one instance the production of a flock that had been laying around 3ixty per cent, for the early winter months was i uined when some cockerels that were purchased brought chicken-pox with them. It can happen with any reliable breeder or while in transit, so one needs to be safeguarded. At this time of the year, mix up a saturated solution of permangate of potash. A small quantity of the crystals can be purchased at the chemist's. Place in a bottle, and add enough water to dissolve it. Kach day, or every other day. add enough of this solution to the drinking water to give it a pink colour. This material is not r. cure-all. but is a disinfectant, and acts in that way in preventing a spread of this disease to the rest of the Cock, as the common drinking vessel seems to be a source of distribution. Kpsom salts should be given when the flock appears to be in poor physical condition. One pound to the hundred birds in the drinking water is enough. Allow the flock access to this in the morning, and in midafternoon throw out what remains, and replenish with fresh water. With more immature fowls, the amount can be used proportionately to the development. Follow the same rule as mother did with castor oil —when in doubt, use it. WHEN COLDS APPEAR Colds indicate their presence by a watery eye. The fowl indicates a condition that is not thrifty, is not normally active, and has a sharp sneeze when roosting. It can easily be de-

tected by the sound in a flock. In a little more advanced stage, there will also be a watery discharge from the nostril. If not very far advanced, the permangate will be satisfactory. Although little is known about roup, it might be an advanced stage of a cold. The three diseases are supposed to be caused by specific organisms, but have never been isolated. In all cases of roup, one should separate the infected fowls from the flock immediately, and either treat or kill and burn or bury. Rather satisfactory medicinal treats ment can be followed. Keep the fowls in a warmer, well ventilated room. Three times a day the cheesy material can be removed from the eye and nostril, and those sections dusted with boric acid powder. Keep the bird on a rather laxative ration, including some grain. Roup is indicated by a peculiar obnoxious odour, and it is only in cases of fowls of particular value that individual treatment is advised. In case of an outbreak one should clean out the litter and replace with fresh, dry, clean material. Some fault is also apparent in either immature stock, damp quarters, or poor ventilation. Attempt to remedy this condition immediately. If one could just remember that sunlight and fresh air under control are necessary adjuncts to a good poultry house, a lot of grief could be avoided. CHICKEN-POX SYMPTOMS The last member of this unwelcome triumvirate is chicken-pox. A fowl does not seem to be as listless with this disease at the start as with roup. With roup the constant sneezing is a warning and the discolouration that is found on the wing feathers when the fowl attempts to clean the discharge from the eye and nose are a help and the odour is a certainty. Pox can often be associated with roup in which case the axe is the best treatment. Chicken-pox is indicated by the scabs that appear on the comb, face, and wattles. At the first these appear to be little yellowish spots that later turn brow n and seem to be scabs resulting from injury. Oftentimes fights between males or between hens are the start, when the wounds caused

are a starting point for the organism to enter. Possibly the fighting caused a lowered vitality and made the inroads of the disease possible. Separate the sick birds and paint the sore spots with either iodine or lysol. Use full strength and apply cither with a small brush or a feather. Give a spoonful of castor oil to help carry aw'ay the poison and to tone up the fowl. If this condition is detected in ti.me and properly handled it is not the created disease that poultrymen think. Although a serum has been devised for some of these, it is not generally recommended. HINTS ABOUT LATE HATCHING It is not possible for every poultrykeeper to hatch his chickens early in the season, and those who are compelled to delay operations until the present time should not regard their chances of success as necessarily ruined on that account. Though their late chickens will not catch up with the earlier ones, they will serve a useful purpose, and the financial result should be nearly as good. There has always been a disposition to regard late-hatched chickens as unprofitable; but I think that means in the comparative sense, for the reason that earlier pullets come into profit in less time, and produce eggs when prices are highest. Whether the later broods really pay their way depends mainly upon the manner in which they are reared. If they have to make shift with little attention and inferior accommodation, or if they are run along with older chicks and bullied and badgered day after day, their development will be slow, and there is an element of doubt whether they will pay their way. However, late chicks are better than no chickens at all, and late hatching should appeal chiefly to those whose earlier operations have failed, and also to those who contrive to produce eggs all the year round. GENERAL NOTES The following are the results of the Taranaki egg-laying competition lo and including the 34th week:—ln the White Leghorns three birds have now reached the 200 mark, M. Scanlon’s leading bird with 2T7 eggs, Gibbons Bros.’ No! 1 bird with 204, and R. Cannon's No. 3 bird with 201 eggs. A. J. Lacey’s No. 2 bird leads the Rhode Island Red section with ISS eggs. Golden Wyandottes are headed by Gibbons Bros.’ birds with 167 and 166. D. M. Waddell’s No. 1 Black Orpington still maintains her lead over the whole competition and has a total of 241 eggs. Gibbons Bros.’ White Wyandotte still leads her section with a score of 174 eggs. Light Sussex, Langshans and White Rocks are doing badly. The leading Brown Leghorn gives a vast majority to her sister breed —the

ever popular White —by having laid only 169 eggs. In the duck section G. L. Gaylard’s Fawn and White Runner holds a narrow margin of one egg over her nearest competitor. D. Riley’s duck, which laid the possible this week and looks like regaining her position of lead. D. M. Waddell's White Runner leads that section with 154 eggs. In the any other variety ducks, J. W. Carriek’s Khaki Campbell has laid the possible and her total now stands at 222. In the three-bird team test, light breeds, R. Cannon’s team is leading with SSI eggs. In the heavy breeds, Gibbons Bros.’ Golden Wyandottes lead with 491. I am indebted to Mr. R. Pearce, secretary of the South Island Association, for a full report of the association’s annual conference at Waimate. The conference, which was well attended, was presided over by Mr. George E. Jeffries. Prior to the commencement a civic reception was accorded the delegates by the Mayor, Mr. G. Dash. The annual report and balance sheet was adopted, and quite a number of important remits was discussed. The report showed that 35 societies were affiliated to the association, 25 of which held public shows during the past year, and championships to the number of 106 had been offered for competition. It was decided to again run an art union, 17 clubs having supported the scheme during the past season. At the Christchurch Show several protests against exhibitors were received, one exhibitor, Mrs. J. Bell, having been disqualified for five years. The disqualifications by the Christchurch Club were endorsed by the delegates. A large number of remits was carried. the most important being:—That in the event of the association deciding to spend between £SO and £6O for championship certificates, the quorums to read three or more com petitors, members of affiliated clubs competing to qualify for championship certificates, and in the event of there being six or more competitors, the association to donate £l. (2) That the association adopt a standard for judging angora and chinchilla rabbits, the council be empowered to secure a suitable standard to judge rabbits under its control. (3) That the association, if possible, standardise the entrance fees and prize money for poultry, pigeons and canary classes for shows under its control. (4) That the association publish a list of approved judges to cover all classes, clubs to be asked to forward a list to the association of names of judges and the breeds they were qualified to judge. (5) That it be a recommendation from the association to clubs that all birds be fed and watered at shows. One of the remits, and in my opinion one of the most important, was submitted by the Waimate Club and later withdrawn. It referred to judges, and was as follows:—“That the association set up a list of qualified judges who will adhere strictly to the stan-

dard.” A previous remit having covered part of the one from the Waimate Club may have been the reason for its withdrawal, the latter part insisting on judges adhering to the various standards should have been adopted. Show dates and championship shows, also list of officers elected, gtc., will be held over until next week’s issue. PERSONAL NOTES Mr. J. Herberts (Henderson Valley), who for two or three seasons has been one of the most prominent and successful exhibitors of Minorcas In the North Island, has sold all his bantams and White Leghorns, and in future intends concentrating his efforts on Black Minorcas, Light Sussex, and exhibition Black Orpingtons. Mr. Herberts has quite a number of very promising Black Minorca pullets. Mr. Geo. Hyatt (Ranui), who, by the way, is a returned soldier, has had an exceptionally good hatching season, and has close upon 1,000 very promising White Leghorn and Black Orpington pullets. Enthusiasm is just as important to success in breeding poultry as in any other class of livestock. Mr. R. B. Arnott (Point Chevalier), who is one of the most enthusiastic poultrymen I know, has by a combination of’enthusiasm and common sense come to the front more rapidly than most amateurs. Although the last season was his first in exhibiting poultry, he had remarkable success, and his birds in the Mount Albert laying competition are putting up exceptionally good scores. His team of White Runners is leading in the duck section, one duck having laid every day since the commencement of the com petition—a sequence of 240 eggs—and is still going strong. His team of White Leghorns is being handicapped through the fact of one of his birds having broken down, and consequently not laying for 14 weeks. The average of the three remaining birds is, however, practically equal to any other birds in the competition. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS J.W., Onehunga.—Pleased to hear you have derived so much benefit from my articles. Regarding your pullets, you can reduce the ground oats by lib, increase pollard by 21b, bran by lib, and meat meal lib. Regarding grain feed, the birds should now have whole wheat and oats, the latter a good sample, and clipped. You might add a pinch of flour of sulphur, twice a week, to the two cockerels’ mash, and give them a little cooked meat. Write me again in a month or so, and I will advise further. J. Mcß., Epsom.—There is no reason why your hen should not lay again. The

fact of her producing an abnormal egg does not mean that she had finished laying. What you term the “egg bag” did not come away with the egg. At present I am ill in bed, and consequently writing under great difficulty, but next week 1 will give a few reasons for the laying of abnormal eggs. Mrs. F.L., Hamilton East. —Some people do preserve duck eggs, but on the whole it is unsatisfactory. In any case, the eggs would need to be sterile, as the germ develops so quickly in duck eggs. “Skim Milk," Arch Hill.—You have a valuable asset in your skim milk, and you can leave it before the birds all the time. You should, however, keep water before them as well. J.H.H.—Thanks for letter. Your good wishes are reciprocated.