POULTRY-KEEPING.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 41, Issue 1, 21 July 1930, Page 60

POULTRY-KEEPING.

Management of the Breeding-birds.

August is a good period during which to hatch out chicks of any breed, hence next month the poultry-keeper's time will be chiefly devoted to the critical work of hatching and brooding the new flock. If success is to be achieved the necessity for maintaining the parent stock in proper breeding condition cannot be emphasized too strongly. This implies giving the birds a variety of grain foods such as wheat, oats, maize, &c., for it must be remembered that if properly developed chicks are to be produced the mated hen must be provided with the necessary elements to pass on desirable qualities to her offspring. No one class of food will fulfil all requirements in this respect, and the greater the variety of food supplied to breedingbirds the greater is the likelihood that good hatches and strong chicks will result. The dead-in-shell trouble during the various stages of the incubation process is invariably due to a weak germ, which may be traced back to the breeding-pen. Breeding-birds should be induced to exercise as much as possible by such means as feeding the grain ration in deep litter. - Nor should the liberal daily supply of green food be forgotten : a plentiful supply of succulent green material .not only tends towards economic production, but in addition ensures the maintenance of healthy stock. With breeding-birds' high eggyields' should not be aimed at, or trouble may be expected in the hatching

and rearing of the chicks, and for this reason meat, meat-meal, and other forcing-foods should be sparingly supplied, while condiments should never be included in the ration. The ideal condition for breeding-birds is a free range whereby natural food and exercise is available. I have seen eggs from birds kept in confinement and from those on free range placed in the same incubator. The eggs from the free-range bird could easily be picked out when testing during the incubation process by the strong embryo and the distinct contrast generally. It is not convenient for every one to give breeding-birds a natural run, but the aim should be to provide food and conditions as far as possible resembling those available on free range.

Selection of Eggs for Hatching.

It is well to reiterate that every care should be taken in selecting eggs for hatching purposes. However good a bird may be as a layer, if its eggs are on the small size it should not be bred from. If the proposed system for grading eggs on the local market is carried into effect (by which eggs will be disposed of according to their weight), and there is reason to believe it will be in the near future, the size of the egg will then be considered of almost as much importance as the number produced. No doubt the weight clauses adopted in the egg-laying competitions have done much to check the production of small eggs, but, generally speaking, much remains yet to be done in this direction by producers before it can be said that the bulk of the eggs that reach the market conform to the first-grade standard of 2 oz.

It must be admitted that under the present crude system of marketing the producer has little if any inducement to breed for large eggs, as these command no better price on the local market than do those of medium size. Eggs for export are sold according to their weight per long hundred (or ten dozen). The sooner this system is adopted on the local market the greater will be the tendency for the industry to become stabilized. At the' present time egg-pulp is sold by weight, and there, is no reason why eggs in shell should not be disposed of in a similar manner.

Parasitic Infestation and its Treatment.

It is safe to assume that, with the exception of the commonly adopted but weak policy of underfeeding fowls, parasitic infestation is more responsible for the unthrifty flocks seen and the low egg-yields secured than any other cause. In previous issues of the Journal particulars have been published regarding experiments conducted at the Wallaceville -Poultry Station on ridding fowls of insect pests by the use of the nicotine specific Black Leaf 40. The results of the experiments demonstrated that these parasites can be more rapidly and effectively destroyed, and with less harmful effects to the productive capacity of the flock, by the use of Black Leaf 40 than probably by any other means yet discovered.

In a general way it is an easy matter to ascertain by searching among the feathers of a bird whether insect pests are present or not, but this is not the case with intestinal parasites which affect poultry. When birds are suffering from the effects of intestinal worms the symptoms are often so similar to those which manifest themselves in certain forms of disease that a -post - mortem examination is the one and only means of making sure of their presence ; indeed, there are certain kinds of worms which can be located only by means of the microscope. Among other species of these enemies of the domesticated fowl is a small tapeworm which usually makes its home in the upper part of the intestines and is so minute as to be invisible to the naked eye. Lately many cases have come under my notice, particularly of pullets, which in spite of being provided with good food and management failed to thrive and come into profit when expected, their owners being usually at a loss to know the cause. The birds in most instances were practically devoid of flesh, and showed similar symptoms in many respects

to birds suffering from tuberculosis. As a result, however, of investigation at the Department’s Veterinary Laboratory the fact was disclosed that in all cases the impaired and unthrifty condition was due to intestinal parasitic infestation and nothing else. Several experiments have been tried on the treatment of birds affected in this way, but the use of Black Leaf 40 gave the most satisfactory results. The birds were starved for a day before the dose was given, and Black Leaf 40 was used in the proportion of one liquid ounce for each hundred adult birds. This was added to the water with which the mash was moistened. In the same water | lb. of Epsoms salts was also added and well dissolved before stirring in the mash. Sufficient mash was moistened with the water mixed with the Black Leaf 40 and salts, so that each bird had about 1 oz. of the mash. It is important for the troughs to be sufficiently long, so that all birds in the flock can feed at once and ‘in comfort. It must be clearly understood that Black Leaf 40 is poisonous, and on no account must the dose stated be increased, or fatal results may follow. In most cases for a few minutes after the birds have eaten the mash they will lose the power of their legs and give indications that they are likely to succumb under the treatment. This condition, however, will be of short duration, as the birds will soon regain a normal state, providing of course the amount of Black Leaf 40 is not given in excess of the quantity stated. When small flocks are to be treated it is a good plan to add 9 oz. of water to 1 oz. of Black Leaf 40, and to use 1 oz. of this mixture for every ten birds. A common indication of worms is when the birds stretch, their necks and make a screeching noise somewhat similar to a seagull : while other symptoms are poor condition, feathers loose and ruffled, comb and face pale, with frequent yawning. The effect of this treatment given after a fast will be to expel the worms. It is well to confine the affected birds to the house for at least a day after being treated, so that the cleaning-up process may be properly carried out, thus avoiding the risk of the runs becoming further infested. Care must be taken to thoroughly clean up and remove all droppings after the treatment, while, in addition, the quarters should be given a good spraying with a strong disinfectant. 7 It is a good plan to place wire netting over and in front of the perches, so that the birds will not have an opportunity of picking among the droppings after being treated. The treatment may be repeated in, say, two weeks time. As is the case with most troubles affecting poultry, the only feasible way of dealing with intestinal parasitic infestation is by preventive measures, which include maintaining the birds in good health and vigour by sound and liberal feeding, together, with strict attention to cleanliness, and- not allowing the runs to become poultry-sick.

- —F. C. Brown,

Chief Poultry Instructor, Wellington.