The Annual Clean-up in the Household Poultry Pen

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 81, Issue 6, 15 December 1950, Page 563

The Annual Clean-up in the Household Poultry Pen

THE suggestion that an annual clean-up be embarked on does not imply that poultry housing should be cleaned out only once yearly, but the holiday period, now at hand for a large section of the community, provides an opportunity for a thorough and special effort to bring everything about the poultry run into the best of order. The beginning of the new year is a little early for the annual cleanup, which could be left with advantage until February or March, but it is better done now than neglected altogether. In this month’s article for the household poultry keeper W. L. Mclver, Poultry Instructor, Department of Agriculture, Hamilton, explains points that should not be overlooked and why the clean-up should be done preferably in a few weeks’ time.

A POULTRY laying house and its equipment need frequent cleaning, Troughs, feeders, and drinkers require constant attention, all sorts of unwanted items tend to accumulate, bones and unpalatable scraps from the household table are left lying about the pen or the run, and if more than a sufficiency of greens is fed, cabbage stalks and leaf stems are left. All these things should be tidied from time to time. Accumulated arrears of such work can receive attention during the holiday period. Untidiness is at least an eyesore, and certain aspects of it can increase the likelihood of disease outbreaks. Surplus table scraps, bones, and vegetable stalks encourage rats. January is not the best time of the year for the annual clean-up, but an early reminder may be useful, and the work is better done early than not at all. However, a better time is just before this season’s pullets reach maturity and are to be transferred to ,the • laying house. Everything would then be made sweet and clean in readiness for them. When pullets are ready for this transfer varies with the date of hatching and their growth- Earlvhatched chicks should be reddening in January, August-hatched birds will be ready for transfer any week, September hatches will mature in FebruaryMarch, and late chicks will not redden up until April, May, or even June. The best periods during which to have light-breed chickens hatched are: In the northern parts of the North Island, the middle to the end of August; in the southern portion, early to midSeptember; and in the South Island, the second and third weeks of September. For heavy breeds the best times are a month earlier. Chickens hatched at these times are likely to give the best laying results through-

out the year and should not winter moult. Of course, hatcheries cannot cope with all the demands for chicks hatched at these periods, so buyers are well advised to place orders well ahead. Cleaning Equipment Perches, droppings boards, nests, and hoppers should be built so that they can be dismantled. Carefully scrape these items, other equipment, and the walls and framework so that they are f£ ean ora]aic matter. Then scrub equipment well, preferably with a caustic soda solution, keeping it ? wa J rom contact with the skin. A Can used to c^ ean down .... . ... „ LiTfer, Floor, and Walls ™ '■ „ . , , cannot be sprayed until attention has, been given to the floor ktter. +1??? ac t la n vanes both the type of flooring and the ° no v-Vd r ' d + ir d i ai ]?b’^ ca^ d ’ be a^H ned out altogether. If it is deep and loose > only a portion or perhaps L° n^ ay to be removed. Later, y JJ I®eb^s, 1 ® e b^s , more added from time to time untll the depth is. sufficient. If the flooring is of concrete or wood, the spray running down the walls quickly accumulates in pools, so a decision has to be made whether the litter can be piled up to one side or must be shifted out of the house temporarily. Poultry-house floors should have a slight slope to drain off water, An earth floor requires digging to an adequate depth before spraying can be done; even then a drying-out period is necessary.

Litter need not be discarded merely because it is old, for the bacteria in an old, but dry, loose litter are excellent friends. A loose litter 6in. deep or more is desirable,-.. ‘ Pay special , attention I to cracks, crevices, knot-holes, . and any place where timber is nailed to timber. Ensure that the caustic water seeps into these places. . Painting When all the equipment and walls are dry a decision must ; be made whether the house is to be painted with creosote, whitewash, or both. - . Creosote makes everything - dark in colour and reduces the reflection of light from the walls, but that is not serious. Even if whitewash is used for the upper walls and roof, it is advisable to creosote the lower walls, droppings boards, perches, and nests. Creosote can be ■ put on with a brush or a spray pump. If it is too thick, add a little kerosene; used car-sump

oil may also be added. As the. fumes from creosote are very strong, this work should be done early in the day if .laying fowls are to go back in the shed that night, or they may be put off the lay. ’ 1 Creosote is also a good preservative for the exterior timber, but a poultry house looks much neater if it is well painted. Paint left from another job may be available, and the little extra expense is well worth while. Repairs The holiday period provides an opportunity to effect repairs and even major alterations : which will enable more efficient management. Taking a pride in the, fowls and their ; housing leads to their becoming an asset which adds to the, value of the property. Perches, droppings boards, and nests should be built to counteract red mite and, as far as possible, body lice. The method of building this equipment was described in last month’s article.

The Run Attention to the run should include removing rubbish,k. replacing fence posts which have deteriorated, repairing broken wire netting, and re-strain-ing slack wires. If the run is bare of vegetation, dig it over. , Deep digging is not essential —in fact, frequent shallow digging is better than one deep digging. Keep stirring up the lower soil so that,., sunshine can work on fresh surfaces. The run should not be depended on to supply enough greenfeed for the birds. The fowls soon scratch bare an average-sized run and the growth is not sufficient for their needs. If they do not get ahead of the growth in a larger run, the surplus greens become rank and coarse, then having little, if any, value to the hens. Growing special greens for the birds and feeding, some daily ensure good yolk colour and increase . the egg yield far more than many poultry keepers believe.