POULTRY NOTES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 294, 31 August 1918, Page 13

POULTRY NOTES

(By "Chanticleer.")

PROBLEMS IN GROWING CHICKS. ! No doubt there will bo thousands of baby chicks hatched this season. Tho percentage of these which mature and develop into strong, vigorous, and profitmaking birifo is n queslion which should concern ovcry poultry-raiser. Wo offer ibe following sugg rations, which, wo bclievo. will be of interest and benefit to tho poultry fraternity :— Avoid Crowding. . One, of tho chief causes of death in youp.K chicks is tho result of overcrowding. Chickens cannot sweat as they havo no sweit Elands in the Bkin. therefore tho impurities and moisture must bo crowded oua through tho breath. If the chickens a'/o overcrowded, and there is not suffic/ont ventilation in their roorting eiuarters, tho air becomes filled with impurities and laden with moisture, which places an unusual strain on the system of the bird in many ways, especially upon tho which result in a weakened system. This accounts for much of the lack of vitality which wo find in many flocks. Hoppor Feeding is Bosti Tho use of hopperß for feeding both RTain aud dry mash after the chicks are six weeks old is a good practice. By this timo they are usually on free rarigo in coops or colony houses provided for that purpose If you continue to feed tho chicks by hand when you open the house each morning to let them out. they will wait and follow you and beg you to feed them. They will fill up on train or feed which you give them. They then bit arouud and wait until tho noon feed, and just so again at night.- Tho result is that they follow around after you every time you come in sight, and they are never satisfied or. contented, and do not liUßt-le and got tho exercise or develop as they should. But if you place tho feed in hoppers when you turn them out of tho coops and hovers each morning, they pay no attention to you. They rush by you and on to the hoppors containing tho feed, ;ind mi. into t.hc clover or cornfield or orcliaiv! in ware-h of worms bugs, etc.. soon ham that tho food is always t/tero 'wlien they want it, and they also learn tint the "early bird catches the worm," and they go in search of it first. Thoy then come bf.ck to the hoppers anil fill up on graiu and dry mash. But if you hand-feed., unless /ou aro an emert, tho chicks fill upon your fed and then sit in tho .shado of a tree until they see you coming in sfelit again. Tho chicks know much more about their wants than dees the average' inexperienced person who attempts to raise poultry. By actual test they do not eat any more where they are honper-fed than where they are hand-fed. Water Important. Neglecting the drinking pan. especially during waim weather, and allowing tho chicks to go without water, sour milk, or buttermilk during the dry, hot days of summer, will cauße ureater injury to the voune stock than tho lack of sufficient food. Also, the uso of stale, dirty, and stagnant water will often lead to a complication of chick diseases and digestivo disorders. Water is very cheap in price and it is pure neglect on tho part of the poultrynian to allow his chickens to suffer for want of water. A man who noglccts to keep frwh water before his chickens at all times does not deserve 1a succeed, lloisturo is an absolute necessity in the life of tho young chick for the followine reasons :-(l) ffo soften the food in the crop:' (2) to dilute concentrated food; (3) to Tcgulate the temperature of the body; (4) to aid in the digestion and assimilation of tho food; (5) to carry nourishment throughout the body; and (6) to carry waste out of tho system.

Provide Shade (or the Chicks.> Much of the loss of young chiokens in summer months can often be traced to the lack, of shade. If the young stock is not protected from tho hot sun on a summor's day the chicks are certain to bo dwarfed to a great oxtcnt. and death* are sure to result. The drinking vessels i should bo kept in the shade, and the | : fowls given protection from both sun and j, rain , It you cannot provide for a corn- • field near the poultry yards, then sow somo I sunflower seed, set out soino cherry trees, ; or placft vines around the fenceß surrouw^.. ing the poultry yard, or provido s v ftl jg In.some jther way that will not 'Letn.r.f from the appearance of your pi- £ y ,:. had just as well grow o. cr';. „»' _..■„ : or a crop of fruit on oofn f |f^ L™ t«? rfaer mannCl '. drive ?„,?„:' "1™ •*« t«<* some burlap, Jm ?i™ ♦£ m lMn of this nature. This i iZ.II 0 ; • uirds » comfortable resting place on a jjot, ot summcr ' B ttay , Control, tjcß antJ . is nothing that is more detrimeji- ■ (."•i to the hktitk and growth of young jimcks than to let parasites gain a foot- ' hold in your flock. If you notice the chicks becoming listless, their combs and wattleß becoming palo in colour, and tho young birds losing in weight, make an exammatian of such birds and also of your houses and ooops to see if you can discover evidences of eithor lico or mites. Qjucken mites are one of the worst pcets found in the poultry yard. The growth of' tho young chickens depends upon the digestion and assimilation of nourishing food. The blood carrios this nourishment to the various portions of the body, and, as long as raite3 livo'upon the body of tho chick and' remove tho blood aa fast as it iB made, there is little ohance of growth. There'is great danger of mites, especially in the warmer sections of Iho country. All coops and perohes should be regularly examined, and brushed with a solution of three to flvo parts of kerosene mixed with one part of crude carbolio acid or with some of the reliable commercial products which you see advertised.

Valuable Birds. What is a bird -worth? This is a question often ftsked. Thß breeder is certainly the best judge. We cau dismiss tho assessment of tho man who wants to give 10s. for a "well-tested bird. That amount will not pay for tho bird's food for tho year. In Australia tho record for a single bird is £23, in New Zealand £30. Tho latter price was obtained by Messrs. Green Bros., who are undoubtedly among the leading poultry breeders in Australasia. Lady Cornwall put up a Now 'Zealand record of 317 eggs, and has set the price as lar aB values are concerned. The breeder wno single-pen tests his birds, flnd knows eiadtly what their records are, must secure a satisfactory price tor liis ]>reeders. In Australia tho Government does not supply birds at the price charged by the Government in New Zealand. At Hawkosbury College wo saw a team of birds that were sold at £4 each, 'ine time has come when a bird's value is truly known, and he who wants a good brocder must bid high. Tho effect of Messrs Green's sale will set a higher value on all tested slock. It is pleasing to note in Australia, that leading oreedern considered Lady Cornwall a Leghorn of excellent type. She has set a model in breeding in that country. This is h great compliment to New Zealand breeders, who deserve recognition lor their Invaluable work. Green Bros, have presented the N.Z.TJ.P. Club with an enlarged photograph of Lady Cornwall. It is suit ably framed, and will bo placed in the club rooms.