POULTRY NOTES

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 20146, 28 June 1935, Page 2

POULTRY NOTES

(By Alex. Peat.) The Gizzard of a Fowl What is the gizzard for? The gizzard is really the third stomach of the fowl, and a very Important one at that, to grind shell-forming material, fibre, etc., and make them all soft so that they can be readily acted upon when they reach the duodenum. To show the immense power of this organ, an abbot experimenter named Spallazani obtained metal, also glass balls perforated with holes. In these holes various kinds of grain were forced and the balls were given to different kinds of poultry. These balls were allowed to remain in the gizzard up to 48 hours, and were then taken out. It was found that the digestive juices had not effected the least change in the grain, although they could penetrate the holes in the balls. Repeating the trials with bruised grain, he found that they were then more or less dissolved, which gave him the idea that to bruise the grain was the work of the gizzard. In another experiment tin tubes filled with grain were given the birds, and these were broken and crushed in a singular manner. The tubes, it was said, were bent at right angles, and moulded like a gutter, or looked as though they had been struck with a hammer, showing the enormous strength of this organ, one of the largest in the bird’s body. The point is what is. to happen when feeding is of such a nature that there is no work for the gizzard to do? Sooner or later it loses its muscular tone and the gizzard becomes impaired or the muscular cover separates from the muscle, and the whole becomes useless. But this is not all. The presence of a larger muscular organ in constant working order has an Influence on the surrounding organs, which are duly managed as the gizzard works. Bjs some freak systems of chicken rearing, we have had a six-month-old bird with a gizzard about the same size as that of an eight-week-old chicken. What chance have these birds with small gizzards of passing enough food though them to produce eggs?

Take the precaution to examine behind fittings for red mite infestation. Jeyes fluid neat, one application with a tooth-brush, has proved a perfect cure for scaly leg. >lt is absolutely harmless, and one application causes the scurf to drop off, leaving the feet clean and healthy. If in any doubt as to using it neat, a solution of two teaspoonsful of Jeyes to five tablespoonsful of water may be used.

Birds must be confined to their houses during- the cold, wet, wintry months if the best results for egg production are to be maintained.

If there is a shortage of green feed during the winter months, swedes or turnips can be used. The best method of feeding- them is to cut them in half; this will encourage the birds to commence picking.