POULTRY-KEEPING.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 54, Issue 1, 20 January 1937, Page 56

POULTRY-KEEPING.

The Moult.

Nature’s way of assisting fowls to keep in a clean and. sanitary condition is for them to shed their old coat and grow a new coat of feathers each year. This process is known as moulting. Practically all fowls moult once each year, while occasionally some moult twice in the course of twelve months, and what is known as a neck moult is not uncommon at almost any season of the year. Some very heavy producers go for two years without shedding their feathers, but this is abnormal, and it is wiser not to breed from such birds until they have moulted and rested. Though the growth of feathers may take place at any time, the usual moulting-period is at the end of the laying-season, which, generally speaking, is during February and March. The average time it takes a healthy eighteen-months-old bird to get through the moult is from eleven to thirteen weeks. There is, however, a considerable difference in the time and manner in which birds shed their feathers, a good deal depending upon the age of the birds, when they were hatched, their health, and how the birds have been fed. The weather may also have an influence upon the time the moult may start. Two-year-old and three-year-old birds usually take longer than younger birds, while some continue in the moult a long time, which may be taken as a sign of a weak constitution, or that such birds were over-fat or in too poor condition when the moult started. As a rule the poor producer starts shedding its feathers first, and takes a good deal longer to resume laying than the more prolific birds. On the other hand, the strongest and best producers in a flock are usually amongst the last to start moulting, and such birds often shed nearly all their feathers at once, grow their new coat, and start laying again in eight or nine weeks. The greater majority of hens cease laying during the moulting-period, but at times a few birds produce a few eggs throughout. Any sudden change or shortage of feed or water is likely to bring on an early or false moult ; especially is this so with pullets that have just started to lay, or with hens towards the end of the year. The usual order in which a bird moults is first the neck, then the back, wings, and body. If a bird is caught and the wings examined it will be found that the wing feathers are divided into two sections by a short feather known as the axial feather. On the outer side of the axial feather will be seen ten primary feathers which are used when flying, but which are out of sight when a bird is at rest. On the inner side are the secondary feathers which are more or less visible when the wings are folded. When a general moult starts the primary feather next to the axial feather in each wing is moulted first, and about two weeks later number two primary is dropped, and so on until the ten primary or flight feathers in each wing are moulted. It is seldom that more than two flight feathers from each wing are dropped at the same time, for this is nature’s way of so providing that although a bird is going through the moulting process it can still fly and so protect itself against its natural enemies. It takes on an average about six weeks for a feather to grow to its full size. Although the process of moulting is a natural and healthy one, it is a drain upon the system, and, as over-fat birds or those in poor condition

do not moult well, it is advisable to examine the birds, and, if some of them happen to be over-fat or a little on the thin side, they can be separated from the rest and treated suitably in order to bring them into the best condition to get quickly through the moult. Care should be taken to see that they are free from insects ; a little nicotine sulphate applied to the perches or the dusting of the birds with a fine dusting-material should rid them of vermin. It is also desirable just before or when the moult has started to treat the flock for internal parasites, which may be done by first starving the birds for about twenty-four hours, then feeding a mash of equal parts of pollard and bran, in which has been mixed a teaspoonful of Epsom salts to each three birds, and one teaspoonful of spirits of turpentine to every five birds. The amount of turpentine required should be first mixed with the bran. Epsom salts should be dissolved in hot water, and when the salts are throughly dissolved and when the water is cold the solution is used to moisten the bran and pollard. It is well to note that best results are obtained when the mixture is given cold. Feed when Moulting. When casting their feathers birds do not have great appetites, but care should be taken to see that they get sufficient. However, as the moulting process advances there is a heavy strain on the system, and a more liberal supply of food is required. If insufficient food is given the growth of the new feathers is checked, but care must be taken not to fatten the hens. Though a liberal quantity is required at this time, the ration need not be so strong as that given when the birds are in full lay. A mash made up of two measures of pollard, one measure of bran, 2 per cent, linseed-meal, 5 per cent, of meat-meal, and, twice a week, a tablespoonful of flowers of sulphur, to each twenty fowls should give good results during the moulting period. The grain mixture may be made up of equal parts of wheat, barley, and broken maize. It is important to see that a regular and liberal supply of succulent green food be given. As the moulting process is a natural one, if the quarters are kept clean and dry and the birds fed regularly they will pass through with little trouble. However, extra care and attention during that time assist nature and are amply repaid. ■ Forcing the Moult. Plants have been visited where to benefit from the season of high prices for eggs poultry-keepers have tried forcing some of their hens into an early moult with a view to their coming back to lay early. In some’cases this has been more or less successful, but on more occasions the results have been most unsatisfactory. In one instance 130 yearling hens were separated from the rest of the flock about the middle of December. Their mash was discontinued, and only a little more than half ration of grain was fed for about three weeks. When the moult was fairly under way they were liberally fed. The result was that by the middle of March the 130 hens were producing 50 eggs per day, and by the end of March 80 eggs per day. This production was maintained during April, but fell to 60 by the Ist May, and by the end of May 50 eggs per day were being produced, and by the end of June 40 per day were being laid. From experience the writer would recommend allowing the birds to go through a natural moult. Export of Eggs.

During.the past egg-export season a total of 11,281 ca5e5338,430 •dozen— were shipped from New Zealand to London, compared with 11,915 cases —357,450 dozenduring the 1935 season. The quantities from the respective centres were as follows: Auckland, 1,928 cases; Canterbury, 5,953 cases ; Otago, 3,400 cases— thirty dozen each.

—C. J. C. Cussen, Chief Poultry Instructor, Wellington.