POULTRY-KEEPING.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XXIII, Issue 4, 20 October 1921, Page 241

POULTRY -KEEPING.

F. C. BROWN,

Chief Poultry Instructor.

CARE OF THE YOUNG AND ADULT STOCK.

The end of the current season for hatching chickens is now at hand, so that the heaviest stock of the year is being carried. Thus in the work of management the poultryman’s time will be taxed to the utmost to ensure good results from both the adult and developing stock. Overcrowding, particularly as regards the growing birds, must be sedulously guarded against, otherwise the stock will seriously suffer. Indeed, making the quarters comfortable and the prevention of overcrowding ' are two of the most important items in the work of management at the present time. It is a better policy to cull : out some of the adult birds which show evidence of possessing a weakened constitution and poor egg-capacity than to make the buildings carry more than they are built to accommodate. ■ . Cleanliness is another important matter that must not be overlooked in the warm season of the year, or vermin will soon give trouble, especially with growing

birds. Even at this . busy time cleansing and disinfecting - operations- must be vigorously pursued. -It is only by these means and providing good dust-baths that insect . pests can be kept at bay. . . ■ Particular attention should be directed to the feeding of the young pullets. The aim should be to keep the birds steadily growing without forcing them to prematurity. This condition may be prevented to a great extent by the elimination of rich foods, such as milk, meat, &c., from the ration. Chickens, after they leave the brooder, should have at least three good meals a day. The morning and midday meals should consist of a mash of pollard, bran, wheatmeal, ground maize, &c. ; the evening meal should be of broken grains wheat, maize, or good plump oats. Oats, especially when shelled, form an ideal food for the growing bird. Green food is especially necessary during hot weather, and cannot be oversupplied. Wherever possible give the young stock a good range, as confined conditions are not conducive to a : healthy development. . - . ■ In addition to giving the growing birds the best of care and attention the adult stock must be maintained in a productive condition. The hens that , are to be culled next autumn should have a liberal supply of forcing food, such as meat-meal, &c., in order that every available egg may be secured before the birds are disposed of. Of course, when frequent cases of ovarian trouble - are being experienced a reduction in the meat ration should be made. • . ■ Among other factors that must not be neglected now is the making of ample provision for autumn and winter green food. This will not only tend towards the maintenance of a healthy flock, but also reduce the grain bill. . LEG TROUBLE IN THE BROODER. Many inquiries have reached me of late regarding chickens losing the power of their legs during the brooder stage. This -is usually found in brooders where the conditions are unsuitable, especially where insufficient. warmth is provided. Discomfort . induces the chickens to huddle in corners, and their movement causes the bedding-material to work away from them, with the result that in their endeavour to secure an inside position, which is necessarily the warmest, the delicate legs spread, and the chickens become unable to walk. This trouble is intensified when the floor of the brooder is made of smooth boards, as the constant slipping on these soon injures the legs. Once chickens become so affected there is practically no cure, and in most cases it will be better to destroy them than to try and doctor them. Removing the cause of the trouble is the only safe course to adopt. The first step in this connection is to supply the desired warmth in order that the chickens be made comfortable and may spread out over the floor of the brooder. ... .... A further preventive of this trouble, especially where . a fireless brooder is being used, is to first cover the floor of the brooder with a thin layer of strawchaff—say, | in. deep. On this place a single piece of sacking, the full size of the brooder-box, and cover with chaff or other bedding-material to a depth- of about 2 in. By the adoption of this method a good foothold is provided for the chickens, so that in the event of huddling the risk of the legs spreading .is reduced. >■/--. . DUCK-REARING. Where ducks are kept their eggs should now be set without delay for the production of the future laying-flock. If incubators are used the temperature to be maintained is 102 0 for the first week, and 103 0 for the remainder of the incubation period. It is a good plan to spray the eggs with water at a temperature of 103° every morning after the fourteenth day. This may be applied by means of the mouth or a fine florist’s spray. Immediately the eggs are taken out of the machine they should be quickly turned, sprayed, and replaced in the incubator. Never cool after spraying. Spray in the morning, and cool at night. The period of . incubation for duck-eggs is twenty-eight days, but they commence to pip on the twenty-sixth day. Thus the novice must be careful not to try and help the young birds out of the shell until they have been given their full time to hatch out.. ' Ducklings are much easier to rear in brooders than are chickens. Indeed, they require very little, brooding after the first week, especially at this season of the year. Fireless brooders are most suitable for rearing' ducklings. . Care -must be . taken that the brooder is arranged 'in such a way that ample fresh air •is available to them at all times. Neglect in this respect is apt to cause heavy mortality. .. Do . not feed the young birds for . the first twenty to . thirty-six hours after hatching. For the first few days give equal parts of bran and pollard, mixed with a small quantity of oatmeal and 5 per cent, of fine grit, the whole to

be moistened to the desired consistency with skim-milk or hot water. After the first week finely cut green food, such as lettuce, young succulent grass, oats, watercress, &c., must be fed daily. When the ducklings are about ten days old 5 per cent, of minced boiled meat should be added to the mashed mixture, and this proportion should be increased up to io per cent, as the ducks develop. During the brooder stage ducklings should have drinking-water available to them at all times, both night and day. If after a long fast water is supplied, and especially before the birds have been given a meal, fatal results are almost sure to follow. The affected ducklings will be observed to stagger and fall on their backs, and will constantly endeavour to look backwards. Ducklings which have been affected by sunstroke will behave in a similar manner; thus good shade is an essential at this time of the year. Never allow ducklings to sleep on damp or wet bedding, as this is a common cause of leg-weakness during the brooder stage. The drinking-water should be placed well away from the sleeping-quarters so as to prevent the bedding-material from becoming wet. As a further means to this end the water-vessel should be placed on a wooden frame a few inches high, and covered with small-mesh wire netting, under which a dish should be placed. The latter will catch any droppings, and greatly tend towards keeping the sleepingquarters in a dry state. See that the drinking-vessels are sufficiently deep to enable the ducklings to give their nostrils a good clean out ; if the latter are allowed to clog, the eyes become plastered and the bird soon presents an unhealthy appearance. The ducklings now hatched and being reared for the Christmas market must be fed and managed to the best advantage if the maximum price is to be secured for them. A good fattening-diet consists of equal parts of maize-meal, and bran well moistened with skim-milk, while in addition a large amount of skim-milk should be given to the birds to drink. Feed at least three times a day as much as the birds will eat without waste. Ducklings should be fed from troughs ; if the food is thrown on the ground a large part of it will be wasted, while the runs will become tainted owing to the wasted food turning sour.