POULTRY YARD

Taranaki Daily News, 16 March 1928, Page 12

POULTRY YARD

BY

G. H. AMBLER

FINISHING PULLETS. This season of the year is entirely too late for one to think of growing out a bunch of pullets for winter egg production. That part of the scheme should have been considered at hatching time last spring. A late-hatched chick will never develop as lapidly economically, or reafli maturity in as short a time, as earlier hatches. Most of the late stock always will ap[ ear rather immature, never attain sufficient size, and will not start laying early enough to hit the market of high egg prices. With latehatched birds a proper feeding method will help, but cannot work the miracle of making something worth while out of nothing. In handling test cows, a feeder is always careful to have the animals in prime condition before the real works starts. There must bo a reserve established before the work starts, to assure a maximum production for a continued period. Pullets that are precocious develop rupidly, but never attain sufficient size and are apt to be a flash in the pan. Ono of the flock owners had an example one year that was typical of this condition. After a growth of about four and a half months, production started. This pullet was a small undersized individual that was lacking in reserve. Iler production during the month was shown by the trap-nest to be a heavy lay of about 20 eggs that utilised the reserve and was followed by a resting period of almost a month. She finally finished the year with a rather low record. There was not enough fowl there to stand the strain.

It ( may be fine to own occasional pullets that start laying at an early age, but there must be proportionate development. Early maturity is desired but not necessarily early production. In order to produce- eggs properly a pullet should be in prime condition. The fuar of having tens too fat has been drilled into all of us so long that we are beginning to feel about the same in regard to pullets. There are more pullets that are poor producers because of improper condition than there are those that are too fat in the autumn. We do not expect them to become flabby fah but prime condition is required. Sometimes it seems that one could be safe in stating that a pullet going into winter quarters cannot be too fat. MASH FEEDING. Mash feeding is a wonderful asset in the right place, but it can often be overdone. A properly'- compiled mash will mature pullets too quickly when fed in unlimited quantities. A proper proportion between mash and grain feeding is necessary for best results. One needs to feed rather heavily on grain and then allow as much mash as the fowls will consume. Under some conditions the hopper feeding of grain as well as mash is advisable. A regular mixture that is heavy in maize and oats will be found satisfactory. Even a straight ration of maize may be fed when the mash is properly balanced. Grain will put on flesh, and that is the ideal that one should strive to attain.

Young stock should be moved to the laying house before they are fully matured and production has started. Quietly moving them at this time will not cause any damage, while a later change will seriously hamper production. About the middle of March to the first of April should be set as the time to make the change. After housing for about a week they will become accustomed to the new quarters and will return each night if released. In cases where development is a little bit slow, a more rapid maturity will be experienced when the stock is housed. Under no conditions should the flock be released again after the first break in the weather. They will feel a great deal more comfortable if confined. NECESSITY FOR FRESH AIR. All the windows should be removed 1 from the house during the summer and kept out until cold weather. Every time the young stock begins to roost on the window-sill, along the nests next to the windows, or in other adjacent places, we feel that it is just an expression of their wayward disposition. When one considers, though, that these birds have been roosting in trees or other places whero fresh air was abundant, it is partially explained. Colds are caused, each year from lack of ventilation. Allowing the windows to remain open overcomes this objection and prevents part of the trouble. x A stuify, poorly-ventilated building will cause the flock to feel the same way. As the season advances one can adjust the ventilation to meet the conditions. hi cases where development seems to be a bit slow, one can hasten growth by the use of a moist mash. Using a dry mash of equal parts of maize, ground oats, pollard, bran, and me.it meal, moistened with milk, will give the extra feed needed to start production. Some pullets are just like a railway train on a steep grade that needs just a little more push to get over the top, after which they can sail along on their own power. Moist mash feeding will supply the extra push. This material should be given to them at noon during t’heir regular resting period. Feeding at this time will not interfere with the consumption of other feeds, but does give the finish. Tn all case* tlu mixh’ift should bo crumbly,

but never slippy, and given only in an amount that will bo consumed in about fifteen minutes. Any tbat remains should bo removed, and the feeding troughs ecraped clean. At this season of the year vertigo is an affection which often visits the poultry yard. It is caused by a congested state of the brain, which in turn may result from an obstruction of the bloodvessels supplying that important region. Congestion of the brain may occur in sluggish and fat birds, while another prime cause of this malady is intestinal worms. The symptoms of vertigo are giddiness, which causes the 'bird to throw its head backwards, or to bend the neek to one side; sometimes there are spasmodic movements of the wings, the gait is uncertain,, such as the bird's walking backwards or from side to side in a circle. In other cases the affected bird falls to the ground, apparently unable to move. Sometimes there are convulsive movements of the legs together with occasional flapping of the wings. Before an attack comes on there is generally a warning. There may be dullness, heaviness, or a stupid look about the bird for a day or so beforehand. A blow or fall on the head may often induce vertigo, and frights, shocks, irritation of the crop, stomach, or bowels will lead to it. The affected bird should be given half a teaspoonful of sodium sulphate (Glauber’s salts) dissolved in a little water.