■ ' I Poultry Notes l

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 72, Issue 291, 7 December 1929, Page 24 (Supplement)

■ ' I Poultry Notes l

THE GROWING PULLETS The time is now opportune to reiterate the advice that too much care cannot be taken in the feeding and handling of the growing pullet. The whole object of feeding during the 1 period from incubation to the commencement of the laying-period should be to develop the bird’s body and to build up her constitution. Many people force their pullets with rich food in order that they may commence to lay at an extremely early age This is very undesirable; under such conditions the birds cannot grow into vigorous stock, while from a productive standpoint they will probably prove unprofitable, as in most cases their eggs will not be of sufficient size to warrant top prices; furthermore, they will never make desirable breed-ing-stock. It stands to reason that when fowls have been bred for generation after generation with the object of extreme egg-production the natural inclination to lay is so strongly developed that no forcing methods are needed to make them lay as soon they have reached the correct productive age.

There is ample evidence that early maturity is not necessarily an indication of egg-laying capacity, and that premature laying is not a sign of the desirable breeding-bird. The principle that constitutional vigour is the basis in the breeding ‘of all classes of livestock cannot be too strongly emphasised, but with the high-type layer, upon which there is such an exceptional strain, constitution is of special significance, and constitution will never be maintained in a flock from which are bred birds which have been brought to profit before being fully developed. It will be realised that I am not speaking of the early laying of the well-developed bird, but of the pullet which commences to lay when only little more than half-grown.

The mistake should not be made of allowing thc cockerels to run too long with the pullets. Obviously, if the former arc to be well fed in order to put them into a good marketable condition at the age, say, of four and a half months, the pullets will be unduly forced. The future table cockerel sjiould be rapidly developed, and to this end should have a restricted range and a rich diet, whereas tho pullet should have good range and an ample but simple ration. In other words, tho future table cockerel demands artificial conditions’, and the pullet as natural a scheme of treatment as possible. This docs not imply any stinting of food, but rather that, everything should tend to strong development, for on the treatment of a pullet during thc period of her development very largely depends her future success as a layer. About six months old is a good time for a bird of a laying strain to commence her laying season, and this may be extended a month in the case of the heavy breeds. Over-Supply of Meat Substitutes The desire to secure a big egg yield has led several correspondents to overforce their birds with jneat-substitutes, and ovarian troubles such as protrusion of the oviduct are a natural consequence. It is true that a liberal supply of nitrogenous material is essential to heavy egg production, especially during the colder months of the year, but there is a danger that this may be carried out to excess during the* spring and summer montiw. Obviously a bird does not require the same forcinf-food at the present natural season as she does in winter, -when egg-laying may be regarded as more or less* artificial. The proportion of such materials as and meat-meal should be reduced now, especially where birds have a free range, and thus have an opportunity, especially after rain, of picking up insects, worms, etc. Not only does an overforcing ratioti tend towards ovarian disorders, but it also induces the production of thinshelled e,ggs and eggs containing bloodspots. The chief danger in feeding a heavy meat ration is where this material is mixed with the mash and the latter is fed to all members of the

flock quite irrespective of their ago and laying-power. The over supply of meat food is specially accentuated where the supply of grain material is not as liberal as it should be, which often happens owing to the poultrykeeper’s incorrect reasoning that an extra supply of concentrated meat* food will make up for the inadequate supply of grain. It will usually be found a wiso course, especially where a large flock is concerned, to feed highly nitrogen- , ous material such as blood or jneatb meal sparingly in the morning mash, but it should also be always available for tho birds to pick at in a separate receptacle. In this way ovarian disorders will be reduced to a minimum, as the bird is given an opportunity of balancing its own ration according to 1 nature’s dictates, and she can usually be relied upon to do this bettor than, we can do it for her.

Speaking of meat.substitutes, a case came under my notice recently iu which heavy mortality was taking place in a flock* On investigating thc trouble it was ascertained that the owner of thc plant had purchased and included. » in the mash a nieat-and-bone mixture that had been specially prepared as a fertiliser. It was easy, under the cir J cunistanc.es, to point to thc cause of the trouble. This is by no means the first case of the kind which has come under my notice, and it should be a , warning to poultry-keepers that only those meat mixtures which arc specially prepared for feeding to fowls should lie used for that purpose. Referring again to ovarian disonlers, such as protrusion of thc oviduct, it may b> mentioned that a trouble which is often confused with these is caused by a hen picking at the oviduct of another bird just when the latter id . in the act of expelling an egg. This brings on a severe haemorrhage, with the result that the other birds in the flock will pick at the bleeding part, and often pull out the bowels and oviduct of the victim, causing it a cruet death. Where birds have acquired this vice, the only safe course is to ken the nests, or arrange them in such a way that the oviduct of the bird cannot be seen or picked at when in the act of laying. When a bird is on the point of expelling an egg, the oyi" - duct protrudes more or less, ami presents a highly flesh-coloured appearance. This induces the culprit, in its desire, for animal food, to pick at and puncture the delicate organ. Careful observation will often locate thc culprit, which frequently will be seen walking along in front of the nestboxes, waiting for an opportunity to satisfy its cannibalistic inclination. Obviously, if such a bird is detected it should be immediately got rid of. — F. C. Brown, Chief Poultry Instructor, Wellington.