POULTRY NOTES.

Waikato Times, Volume 109, Issue 18342, 30 May 1931, Page 22 (Supplement)

POULTRY NOTES.

HOW TO DETECT VIGOUR. ! Strong vigour is to be seen in the | deep body, where food is assimilated, and eggs are made. The strong bird has what may be called a “long box" shaped body, the weak bird a body ' that is like a triangle, running to a I point at .the lower part between the legs. The strong bird has legs set well apart—the big body forcing them- apart. Vigorous chicks have bright eyes, big heads. Best males are the ones that are first to crow and that are always ready for a “scrap.” Cackling hens are the valuable ones. LOW AND HIGH VITALITY. fi'he secret of vitality is in. the breeding. Low vitality in the pullet means a loss of one or two dozen eggs in her year’s work, and in the cockerel a loss of one-half to one pound in the dressed article. POULTRY MANURE VALUABLE. Poultry manure, according to "The Smallholder,” Is worth money if it is stored so that it does not spoil. The best way to store manure is in a specially made pit. A concrete pit is desirable, but any one will serve the purpose, provided water cannot percolate through the sides and up from the bottom. A pit 2Jft deep, sft long and 12ft wide gives ample accommodation for all the manure.from 250 birds in three months. The two most important points in connection with storing manure are that the pit must be covered and well ventilated. Covering is -a simple proposition, for a few sheets of corrugated iron suffice. To provide proper ventilation, the pit mentioned above.is surrounded with a wooden frame made of sin wide, lin thick boards. Holes lin in diameter are bored every foot along both sides and ends. These should be screened to ■prevent flies getting in, and this can be done with little pieces of perforated zinc. The droppings from the boards below the perches should be thrown into the pit every day directly after the cleaning operations are completed. To store the manure and prevent loss by evaporation of the volatile constituents the manure is covered twice a week with a mixture of dry earth, road sweepings and sifted coal ashes. Before use the whole is thoroughly well mixed, and when the value of this manure is realised the demand from gardeners in general and market gardeners in particular, should pay well for the trouble taken. The one time when poultry manure is not really good for a garden is when the litter used for the birds is sawdust. Sawdust is apt to encourage wireworms and other pests if it Is applied to the ground. GENERAL NOTES. Water is a cheap raw material, but it makes up two-thirds of the contents of each egg. It does not pay to try to economise by using poor equipment. Time is

money on the poultry farm, and wellbuilt, durable equipment gives an adequate return. All hens which lay thin-shelled eggs should (be culled. They .ail; as objeotionable as those /which lay rough-shelled or misshapen'. eggs. In mating up breeding hocks (says an American expert) onerof the outstanding factors that must be considered is the cockerels. . Too often breeders fail to ralise the importance of the male. He is one half the mating. One poor cockerel can do as much damage as a whole pen of hens. In the mating of stock the male bird should possess sign's Indicating strong constitutional vigour, and he should be the son of a healthy mother with a record of egg-laying performance behind her. The head of the breeding pen should possess strong masculine characteristics as indicated by good chest development, good w’dth and depth of body, stout legs, with flat (not round) bone : , and a bold carriage generady. The digestive tract of a hen Is short and the time in which to digest is short. ' That calls for plenty of easily-digestible feed properly balanced in respect to proteins, carbohydrates, fat, minerals, etc., with supplementary vitamins where not provided otherwise, and plenty of clean, fresh water. All of these elements are required to build and maintain blood, bone, tissue, and even feathers, and provide the wherewithal eggs are made of. ’During a visit to a fowl fattening establishment in Sussex, a representative of “The Poultry World" noticed men throwing handsful of fine loam into the feeding troughs; On inquiring why this was done, the reply ready received was that it prevented feather-picking, which is one of the great troubles, especially during hot weather f. with-bifds put into cages for fattening. The birds were ploking at the mould with great avidity, and apparently had a craving which the earth satisfied. When choosing birds for the breeding pen, whether pullets or hens, the aim should be for birds. of uniform laying type, combined with points inchesting good health and constitutional vigour. The latter quality is usually indicated by a prominent bright eye. bright red comb and face, close and thick feathering, short shanks, set well apart, well-developed crop, and a general active appearance. The chief points indicating egg capacity are an oblong body, width across the back, depth and fullness of abdomen, together with fine texture throughout.