POULTRY YARD

Taranaki Daily News, 20 June 1931, Page 24 (Supplement)

POULTRY YARD

BY

G. H. AMBLER

THE VALUE OF GRIT. AN ESSENTIAL TO DIGESTION. VARIOUS KINDS OF ROCK. As most poultry-keepers know, grit is absolutely essential for poultry. Without it they cannot digest their food, because they have no teeth by means of which they can masticate it. They swallow all their food as fast as it is given to them, and it enters, first of all, the crop. Here it is softened and passed on to the gizzard to be ground up. And how is the gizzard to pm* form its duties if it is not supplied with tools, so to speak? A large flock of poultry soon pick up all the sharp particles from the surface of the ground, and they then need to be supplied with it. First of all, poultry need sharp grit, and flint is. the best, for it is both sharp and hard, and will grind up the food in the gizzard, but as well as hard flint it is good to have some soft grit that will mingle with the flint, and make a better grinding mill. Limestone is very good for this purpose, and other kinds- of grit are equally good. The grit should not be all one size, but should consist of various sizes, as this is much more natural. A perfect grit, then, should consist, first and foremost, of hard, sharp grit, together with softer grit, not all of one size. It should be of a good shape, with plenty of corners and not flat and thin, so that it will grind up the food easily. THE TONIC PROPERTIES. The tonic principles of . grit must be considered. Different kinds of rock contain different mineral substances, many of which are extremely useful. Limestone, for instance, provides lime, which is most essential for egg production, dor egg shells are practically com-

posed of lime. Oyster shell is also excellent for the same reason, and ironstone is a good tonic; in fact, there are many kinds of grit that contain such mineral substances, and they have an excellent effect upon the system. Of course, it does not follow that the only mineral substances a fowl gets it obtains from the grit consumed. There is much lime in grass and grain, and fowls will always use first the lime that is in an easily-assimilated form before they have recourse to the crude article which is in the grit they have eaten.

Poultry should not be forced to eat grit by mixing it up with the soft food, and 'by so doing compelling them to eat more than they require. It should be placed about in shallow boxes, so that they can have recourse to it when they are so disposed. Grit which is provided should be as similar as possible to that which they would procure if £hey were wild, like pheasants; and jn this, as in many other things in connection with poultry-keep-ing ive cannot imitate Nature too lyMAKING OF LIMEWASH. So far as poultry-keeping is concerned, cleanliness plays a most important part. Often we see fo.wlnouses that have never known a whitewash brush, and when one opens the rowlhouse door first thing in the morning one has to stand back to avoid the dirt and dust, and also the stench from the accumulated droppings. It is next to impossible for poultry to thrive in dirt, and dirt always brings disease in its train. Lice, red mite, and other insect pests, which are deadly enemies of the domestic fowl, thrive; in fact, revel in dirty surroundings. It is, therefore, necessary to make use periodically of some cleaning preparation for the walls, all wood-work and appliances. This ; will do much to minimise dirt, and, above all, promote health, and it should always be remembered an unhealthy, fowl cannot produce eggs.

Lime and water are the commonest mixture used. This, however, is very often used in a crude st te, and it pays to take a little more trouble and prepare a better mixture. First pour boiling water on the lime, covering the cask or pail with a sack. This,, together with the boiling water, causes the lime to dissolve better. When the lime is thoroughly dissolved cold water may be added to bring the mixture to the desired consistency. To’every four gallons there should be added a cupful, or more, of good disinfectant (one that will mix with water), and Jl'b. of soft soap, which had been previously dissolved in water. The addition of the disinfectant makes it impossible for insect life to exist, and the soap causes the whitewash to adhere more firmly to the woodwork. THE EGG YIELD. The egg yield is dependent, to some extent, upon the weather, though with maturity, and improved conditions, birds are better able to withstand severe changes, and to maintain a fair rate of production. Pullets and hens that are well housed on scratching-shed lines however, will stand a fair amount of cold weather this month and next, whereas birds that are not so housed, and have to spend their days in inactivity in a small, open rim, or a stuffy, small roosting place, are practically certain to cease laying when the temperature is very low. In fact, winter laying is difficult to maintain unless the housing conditions are entirely favourable. Many amateurs are in the habit of hanging up the green food so that the fowls have to jump for it, the idea being to give the birds some exercise. As a matter of fact, jumping is not good exercise, especially for laying hens and pullets, and if they get any scratching the juniping is quite unnecessary. The chief purpose of hanging up green food prevent its 'becoming fouled, and. it is quite sufficient to hang it on a level with the fowls’ heads, or just above, so that they can reach it without jumping. In any case it should: 'be seen that the birds have full facilities for such good exercise as is obtained by scratching in the dry litter.