POULTRY-KEEPING.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4, 20 October 1928, Page 278

POULTRY-KEEPING.

LATE-HATCHED CHICKS

The end of October brings to a close , the correct season for hatching out chicks of any breed. It is a recognized fact that the late-hatched bird never gives a high annual egg-yield, nor does "it produce an egg of desired size for the export trade. Not only this, it is usually more susceptible to disease and parasitic infection than the early-hatched bird. Of course, . where the majority of the hens in the flock are old, and the hatching of young stock has been delayed owing to inability to secure broody hens, poultry-keepers may certainly be advised to hatch .out some chicks to replace the old and unprofitable birds, even if they are brought out on the late side, . .

But, while it is a mistake in the ordinary course to have latehatched chickens on the plant, it is a greater mistake to hold on to old hens that have passed their profitable period of production. Where the hatching-period is to be extended, the young birds, as pointed out in last month s notes, must receive the best possible attention if they are to make satisfactory development. This involves clean fresh ground, shelter, good nourishing food, and, above all, a plentiful supply of green material. The adoption of incubators and brooders, or the securing of day-old chicks, is the only safe means of having the full complement of chicks brought out at the right season of the year.

THE GROWING STOCK.

With the advent of summer it is important that special care be given to the young stock. Every effort should be made to provide conditions as ideal as possible,- in order to guard the birds against a set-back during the trying hot months. After drafting chicks from the brooder to the colony-house special care should be taken to prevent them, huddling in corners by night. The colony-house should be rounded off with 1 in. mesh wire netting ; then in’ the event of the chicks piling up they have ‘an opportunity of securing fresh air. It is a mistake to try and harden the chicks off too rapidly after leaving the brooder. Obviously, to remove the young birds from a cosy secluded quarter to an ordinary colony-house is only encouraging them to huddle in their endeavour to secure the warmth and seclusion

they have been accustomed to. While the hardening-off process should be carried out by degrees, the chickens should at the same time be encouraged to perch as soon as possible. It is all against the birds making sound development to allow them to huddle together when hot-weather conditions prevail.

It is commonly believed, and rightly so, that early perching will cause crooked breast-bones. This trouble, however, will be reduced to a minimum if wide perches are provided. A board about 4 in. wide will serve for the purpose. Do not allow the chickens to sleep on a hard floor, as probably this is the most common cause of crooked breast-bones.

The floor should be well bedded down with perfectly dry straw. Grass hay should never be used for this purpose, as it is apt to heat and bring on a sweated condition of the chickens, with serious results. The chief trouble caused in this way is an inflammation of the veins. It first makes it appearance in the . hock-joints, which become discoloured. Then a gangrenous swelling follows. In a few days the wings become affected in a similar manner, and later the neck and head swell. At this stage death is usually near at hand. There is no cure for this trouble ; it is only a question of prevention. Do not overcrowd, provide ample ventilation, keep the floors clean and dry, and check everything that tends to create a moist atmosphere.

EGG-SHELL QUALITY.

At this period of the year, when the great majority of the birds are laying to their full capacity, weak-shelled or shell-less eggs are apt to be produced. These not only mean a direct loss, .but. they also encourage the birds to acquire the habit of egg-eating. Such eggs are easily broken, and once the hens have tasted the substance it will probably not be long before they learn to break the shells of the normal eggs for themselves. ' - ■

Weak-shelled or shell-less eggs are usually caused through the bird’s inability to secure the necessary lime' as a shell-forming material. Losses through thin-shelled eggs, &c., can be considerably reduced by keeping the birds well supplied with fresh crushed oyster or other sea-shell, while broken burnt bone is also valuable for this purpose. Bleached shell, such as is often collected from the sea-shore, is not so .good, as it does not contain the necessary lime to produce the desired strength of egg-shell. It is a mistake to provide the —or, indeed, any kind of grit —in a narrow receptacle. The best plan is to place it in a shallow box at least 1 ft. square. In this way the birds are given an opportunity of scratching it about and securing pieces they like best.

The lack of lime is not always the cause of weak or soft-shelled eggs. The overfeeding of rich food, such as meat and meat-meal, are often responsible. Thus, where a liberal supply of egg-shell-forming material is available to the birds, and eggs with poor-quality shells are produced, it will be found a wise course to reduce the amount of forcing diet. Of course, even on the best-managed plants an odd bird may lay imperfectly shelled eggs owing to an overfat condition preventing the reproductive organs from functioning in a normal way. Obviously, such birds should not be retained on the plant.

-F. C. Brown,

Chief Poultry Instructor, Wellington.