POULTRY NOTES.

Waikato Times, Volume 108, Issue 18159, 25 October 1930, Page 22 (Supplement)

POULTRY NOTES.

GRASS SICKNESS. ' t Grass sickness comes ahout through the birds taking into the crop an ab- < normal quantity of grass, which they are unable to digest. By constant ■ scratching about, the grass becomes ; loosened at the roots, and the bird gets' the whole length of grass into the mouth, and is unable to break it up. It does not matter how long grass 1«, if one end is fa#t, the birds can break off short bits, but when the root is loose,' and the bird gets the whole piece of wiry grass in the crop, and eventually into the gizzard, a collection of such pieces form a ball, and are tightly wedged until the bird dies of starvation, or of exhaustion following starvation. There is no disease beyond the couple thus caused. The solution is. to feed, from troughs, and if grain is given', give it in a covered shed or on a bare piece of land, where there is no possibility I of its spilling on the grass. The trough I should be moved every day to a differi ent place. It. is a thing that can be fairly easily prevented if care is taken over, the feeding. Always interest yourself in your fowls. - |

Breed from useful stock only. Careful attention commands successcess. Dirt in houses and elsewhere is the most virulent conveyance of disease. Eggs should be removed from nests as often as convenient, and stowed in a cool, dry place. Good grit, flint, and oyster shell should never be absent. Hatch no more ‘ than your ground will hold, or you run the risk of heavy loss. Look out for the first sign of disease, for .. stitch in time save ninetynine ii) poultry-keeping. Make a spare pen; it’s bound to come useful for new purchases, training, or hospital. Nests should be roomy, comfort-, able, dark, and always clean. Over-feeding is the cause of many disappointments, such as scarcity of eggs, unfertility, etc. Perches should be movable, so that they cart be easily and often cleaned. Successful poultry-keeping is the result of careful study. < Turn every useful fowl into cash, or it will quickly eat the profit made by others. Utility points must.be maintained by pedigree and record-nest strains. Vegetable and greenstuff are an absolute necessity to the health and egg production of poultry. Water must be fresh daily, and I water-pots well cleaned regularly.

" WATCH BIROS AT NIGHT. Nightly visits to the roosting houses can be of real value to the poultry-, breeder. As the pullets are quiet when on their perches no better time can be chosen for an inspection of the flock. One can readily handle half a dozen pullets in each house to see if they are too fat or too thin, and the feed can be regulated accordingly. The owner can take observations for colds, proper ventilation, over-crowding, or sneezing. A few nightly visits while pullets are settling down may often nip trouble in the bud. Much havoc is frequently oaused by faulty night roosting of maturing pullets —a condition that is often responsible for many failures. Maturing pullets have a habit of perching on anything but the proper perches. These nightly visits will often act as a preventive of an outbreak of disease and its subsequent heavy loss in eggs. One has but to enter a house where the pullets are roosting in the nest boxes, or are huddled together in the corners on the dropping boards, to' notice how close is the atmosphere. It'is under such conditions that sweating, roup and such maladies are contracted. It is hardly necessary to stress the necessity for seeing that the birds are taught to use the perches, and thereby to prevent crowding with ita consequent ailments.