POULTRY NOTES

Taranaki Daily News, 23 March 1935, Page 24 (Supplement)

POULTRY NOTES

BETWEEN THE SEASONS WORK FOR MONTH OF MARCH. This month, being between the summer and winter seasons, provides an opportunity for comparing notes. There can be only one paramount thought for this month, and that is to make final selections from the stock. This is of the utmost importance, as is the bringing along of any of the earlier-hatched stock into form. In feeding young stock see that it is of the best, or the maximum results are not likely to be obtained. While in the ordinary diet meat has not formed a part, a little can now be given with advantage all round. The young stock will eat their food more readily, and the old ones will keep in better condition through it. All the growing stock can have plenty of milk, but not so much as to sicken them of it.- Vary the foods as much as possible, for there is nothing like variety to keep the appetite keen. If allowed a free range they are not likely to get too fat. • MAKE FINAL SELECTIONS. March is usually an open month, bright and sunny, and therefore affords plenty of time to make final selections from stock, placing all pullets intended for autumn laying into the quarters that they are to occupy during the whole of the winter. Pullets dislike being changed once they are on the point of laying, and often resist it by going out of laying condition until the more natural season of the September following. Many poultry-keepers do not differentiate sufficiently between autumn and winter eggs. It is the autumn eggs that are so scarce and are most in demand. If April eggs are to' be obtained it naturally implies' that the birds must be in their permanent quarters by March. It sometimes takes three weeks before, the birds settle down and actual laying commences. Weeding out ought to be finished this month. With the increased growth of the chickens it is imperative that they should have every available space. To attain success with poultry all wasters must be culled out. You have, a flock of 20 birds. You secure a certain average profit a bird, yet a closer examination would possibly reveal* that two or three of that flock are wasters, which, if not present, would mean the average profit being increased, with a corresponding decrease in the cost of keep, accommodation and labour. DO NOT KEEP WASTERS. Neither you nor any other poultrykeeper 'can afford to keep wasters. Whj» is that lame bird permitted to continue its miserable existence? What is the object in keeping that crooked-backed pullet that commonsense alone dictates to you will never lay? What is that flock of cockerels for —probably retained against all reason in the fond hope that they will develop into stormers and sell as stock birds. Away with all of them! Your food bill will be lessened, your labour and accommodation be less severely taxed, your land will not be so polluted, and your average a head will be increased. The advice is given today because the time is opportune. Moulting is now in full force, but it is a mistake to regard it as a disease. The moult is a perfectly natural condition and healthy birds go through it without the aid of drugs. Highly-bred stock may require some good tonic, and there is certainly no objection to giving them any that contain the essentials that go make good, healthy blood. A good percentage of birds can be induced to moult by shutting them up in a warm house, the warmer the better. Never, mind overcrowding for the short time they are , in. Keep them in like this until from their ragged appearance and the state of the floor it is certain that the moult has well begun. Until such, time they should be fed very spar-, ingly, giving only a quarter the usual allowance. I find that poor wheat or wheat screenings, and, later on, new wheat, give the best results, and about half-an-ounce each evening will be plenty. All the drinking water should be made to taste rather strongly of Epsom Salts. When the moult has well started leave off the salts and begin to feed the birds rather more freely. Soft food should now be given, such as scalded bran dried off with pollard, and as time goes on a little cooked meat at noon. Leave off the poor wheat or wheat screenings and give good wheat instead. Make these changes gradually, for the. birds should not be on full feed until the tail is almost fully grown. Now; as the moult is complete, wait a week and feed the birds moderately; do not let them go down, and do not let them go up in condition. After this put them on full diet, and give plenty of meat. Add a smart young male bird to the pen, and they ought to lay about the first week in June, then there will be some likelihood of their keeping at it. Boiled or soaked linseed or sulphur added to the soft food is also very useful in helping on the moult. In cases where the moult is very slow, that, is, where the birds seem stuck in it, a good warm bath will generally accelerate it GENERAL MANAGEMENT. Keep everything clean, particularly the water vessels, and have only those that can be opened and scoured easily; this should be done two or three times a week. Skim milk can take the place of water if a plentiful supply is at hand, and it will prove of great benefit to the birds. All surplus stock should, if not already done, be cleared off without delay. The old hens will practically have finished laying, and the sooner they are sold ’the better, to make room for the growing stock. The supply of eggs is now dropping off and naturally the prices will go up, and so every effort should be made to induce laying. Those who have had a large number of hens with chickens will be the ones who have the best supply,'

as these hens will now be in full lay. The houses and scratching-sheds should be gone over, and if they require any repairs these should be done at once. See that the roofs are sound and water-

tight and if they need any painting or tarring get it done without delay. It is essential that the houses be dry and well ventilated, and the birds when roosting free from draughts.