Poultry Notes

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 31, 6 February 1935, Page 11

Poultry Notes

OVARIAN DISORDERS. j Judging front complaints received, pho desire to secure a big egg-yield | has led several poultry-keepers to overtures their birds with boiled mca*t, meal meal, and etc., and ovarian troubles, such as protrusion of the ovjduet, are a natural consequence. A liberal supply of nitrogenous material is essential Io heavy egg production, especially during the colder mon'ths of the year ,but there is a danger that this may be carried to excess during the spring and summer months, which are the natural breeding-season for bird-life. The rich forcing foods, such as meat or its substitutes, should therefore be fed with caution at this period of the year, especially where Ihe birejs have a free range, and thus have an opportunity, especially after rain, of picking up much ani;nal food in tho form of worms, etc. Not onlydocs an excessive supply of a forcing ration tend to bring on ovarian disorders, but it induces the production of thin-shelled and double-yoked eggs, and also those containing blood-spots. The chief danger in feeding a heavy meat ration is where this material is mixed with the morning mash, and the latter is fed to all members of the flock irrespective of their ago and whether or not they are in a laying condition. The oversupply of meat food is specially accentuated where the su Pffly of grain material is not as liberal as it should be, which often happens owing to the poultry-keeper’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 wise course, especially where a large flock of birds is concerned, to feed highly i nitrogenous material such as meat-meal sparingly in the morning mash, but I there is no objection to its being always available for the birds to pick at in a separate hopper. 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 nature’s dictates, and she can usually be relied upon to do this better than we can do it for her. Usually, when a bird becomes affected with protrusion of the oviduct.

haemorrhage to a greater or lesser extent sets in, with the result that the other birds in the flock will pick at tho bleeding part and often pull out ithe bowels and oviduct of the victim, causing a cruel death. Protrusion of the oviduct in a bird resulting from the feeding of a highly forcing ration and the other birds picking at the affected parts is not necessarily responsible for this part of the bird’ anatomy being injured, it is frequently (hie to one or more birds in the flock acquiring th c cannibalistic habit of picking at and puncturing the oviduct just wnen their mate is in the act of expelling her egg. As a result bleeding sets in t and once the latter makes its appearance and after the bird leaves the nest it is soon attacked by its mates, which usually results in death, and, as is thc case with protrusion of the oviduct, a dead bird may be frequently found in a house whore other members of the flock have pulled out and eaten the greater part of thc oviduct and intestine. When a oird is on the point of expelling an egg, the body is raised and the oviduct protrudes more or less, and presents a highly flesh-coloured appearance. The latter condition no doubt induces thc culprit in its desire for animal food Io pick at and puncture this delicate organ. Where birds have acquired this vice, the only course is to deepen the nests and arrange them in such a way that the oviduct of a bird cannot be seen or picked at when in the act of laying. Careful observation will often locate the culprit, which is frequently seen standing at the front of the nest-boxes waiting for an opportunity to satisfy its cannibalistic inclinations. It goes without saying ihat such a bird, if detected, should be immediately got rid of. as it is surprising how soon one bird will teach its mates the habit. Referring again to vent-picking, it may be well io mention that such is often the result of a hen picking at the vent of another bird when the latter is in the act of excreting. This 'trouble is most common when birds become constipated as a result of being insufficiently supplied with green food, or with green material that has reached a decidedly fibrous stage. In such cases when the bird is excreting

the anus protrudes and the red-'col-oured flesh thereof attracts the culprit. This is a very bad habit, which causes much mortality, especially among pullets when commencing to lay. Succulent green material fed in abundance and a hopper of meat-meal 11 placed within reach of the birds at all ■ times 'to pick at will do much to cheek >■ this habit. >■ Generally when ovarian disorders • or vent-picking takes place in a layr ing flock, the owner assuming that the diet provided is of too rich a nature • s and is responsible for the trouble, and 8 as a means of cheeking i 4 eliminates > forcing-foods by degrees from Ine n ration, but in many cases, instead of >- the trouble being reduced, it is in t creased. The birds have acquired the t vice of picking each other, and, being in a productive condition, they natur 1 ally crave for animal food and pick r at the vents of their ma'tes in their endeavour to secure it. The worst s ■ -’-o's of this kind that have come . under my notice have been where i oi pu.iets gave evidence of corn's ing to lay at too early an age and, as s a means of checking this, all forcing I. food was suddenly withdrawn from tho ra'tion. True, a heavy meat or milk ]i ration will encourage early maturity. I which is undesirable; but of what n n\ail is it to check this by eliminating all forcing-food from the ration if ns I a result much mortality lakes place due *1 o vent, picking .etc.- F. U. Brown, chief poultry instructor, Wellington.