POULTRY NOTES

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 154, 25 March 1939, Page 8 (Supplement)

POULTRY NOTES

Winter Egg Supplies

FEEDING PULLETS FOR PRODUCTION

(Bt

New Laid.)

Getting pullets into lay and keeping them in production through the winter is the task which confronts the poultrykeeper at this season of the year. Correct feeding plays a very important part in egg-production, but breeding and management have an equally important bearing on a pullet’s performance. "Feeding rightly,” says Irene Berry, in tlie "Australasian Poultry World,” “is one key to success, and one which is likely to present a puzzle to the beginner, but . . . breeding and environment have as much influence on a pullet's production as feeding, and, unless these two factors receive as much attention, the most scientifically perfect rations will not bring out the bird's best. Rate of production is inherited, but it can be prevented from full expression by faulty management. On the other hand, the best methods in the world will not induce a 120-egg bird to lay 220 eggs —therefore, pullets must be bred to lay. "Environment is important, because good results cannot be expected from birds wliich are overcrowded or kept in quarters which afford insufficient protection from heat or cold-—also sheds and runs must be clean and healthy. . . . “When pullets first come into production, do not be in a hurry to give them a layer’s mash, particularly if they are early maturers. A good growing ration containing plenty of bran and not too much protein concentrates will guard them against the effects of over-stimula-tion and prevent the sacrifice of body development to egg formation. Precocious birds which begin to lay while still not fully grown will tend to lay small eggs for a long time, but persistence with the growing ration for from six to ten weeks after production commences will probably prevent this to a large extent. Pullets which are late or slow coming into lay should be helped along. “A mid-day feed of wet mash where dry mash is generally given will be beneficial as the days grow shorter. The consumption of grain should be encouraged, particularly at this time, and the birds given all they will eat at the afternoon feed.” Use of Maize in the Ration.

Referring to the use of maize in the winter ration, Miss Berry writes: “I do not recommend maize as a feed to be used to any extent for young birds or birds out of production, as the fat it contains will accumulate in the body if not used in the formation of egg yolk. Maize, nevertheless, will be a valuable part of the ration later on in the winter . . . and the best time to introduce it into the ration is about April, or when the birds have begun to show signs of heavy production by bleaching somewhat (i.e., in the yellow-skinned breeds). “Everyone is familiar with the term, ‘balanced ration.’ A ration which is deficient in carbohydrates will not maintain the birds' condition, while one which contains an excess will put flesh on them instead of producing eggs, and may soon lead to such trouble as enlargement of the liver. It will not pay us to weigh and measure the layers' rations if we want to make sure of winter eggs. A drop in production may take weeks to remedy itself. You cannot overfeed a laying fowl on well-balanced rations. Overfeeding occurs when there is an excess of starchy or fatty ingredients, or when too many feeds of wet mash are given during one day, with intervals between in which no food is available.

“It is important to stimulate the birds’ appetites and to avoid satiating them with morning feeds of grain, too much green food and other means of “filling them up” too early in the day. The time to make sure that the birds’ crops are full is at bedtime. Grain is best to finish the day with, as it is slow-digesting and heat-forming. “Never feed mechanically. Always watch your birds' condition and distinguish between ‘lean heaviness’ and ‘fat heaviness.’ An individual pullet which runs to fat is a poor layer. Bran is the antidote to an over-starchy mash. If 20 to 25 per cent, is used, there should be no trouble. The danger is in mashes which contain small amounts of many ingredients. Total up the whole meals and make sure that they do not over-balance the amount of bran. Too much pollard

will make the feed deficient in bulk and over-starchy. Avoiding Digestive Troubles. “Do not give too much wet feed. Wet mash and soaked grain with green feed, or wet mash which is too wet, will cause digestive trouble by diluting the digestive juices. On the.-other hand, in cold districts, laying fowls must be made to take in sufficient water if maximum winter production is to be obtained. Giving a small midday feed of wet mash to dryfed birds, or soaking the grain feed will help. "When making up a mash for layers it is naturally important to strive after economy, but make sure that it is true economy. There is no need to include small amounts of a lot of different ingredients, and it will be cheaper, easier and just as efficacious to stick to a few ingredients of good quality, so that these may be bought in larger quantities. “Vitamins are important to all classes of poultry. But the only ones which are not normally plentiful In any ordinary mash are A and D. Green food, lucerne meal and yellow maize are sources of the former, and cod liver oil, in the absence of sufficient sunlight, will supply the latter. . . . Other vitamins sometimes referred to are already in the mash, being sufficiently contained in the grain products of which it is made up. “It will be understood that feeding rightly is' not the royal road to success. The points of management have to be right as well, and all circumstances conducive to the proper assimilation of food. Draughty houses, sour runs, overcrowding, or even slight ailments and parasites (internal or external) will, any of them, interfere with this. Watch the birds always. Remember that they are individuals, and find a way to get the best out of them. Give them all they want to eat, mash and grain, but allow no waste.” Egg-Laying Tests. It is stated that as the result of a recent meeting of representatives of the Agricultural Department, New Zealand Poultry Board and egg-laying elubs, a move was made in the direction. of securing some degree of uniformity in future testing at the officially-recognized laying contests in the Dominion. It is understood that all the suggestions agreexl to cannot be incorporated in this year’s contests, but the 1940 tests will see them all in force.

Breeding Cockerels. Many young breeders and beginners do not pay the necessary attention to the male bird that they should. While the hen can influence only the eggs she lays,the influence of the male is transmitted to every future egg of every hen in the breeding pen, so that it is the most important factor in the production of good stock. Unless the male is from pedigree stock with known egg-backing he is an unknown quantity, and his progeny will be likewise. The breeder who sets out to procure a cockerel at something a little over the market price of table birds is on unsound ground, and generally pays for his parsimony by finding that his next season's i pullets are not up to expectations. It is sound policy to give a reputable breeder any reasonable price be asks for a really good cockerel, and as a general rule the price does not give a great return to the conscientious breeder who has culled heavily to be in a position to offer to his clients a type of bird worthy of his reputation as a stud breeder. Fortunately, there are a number of breeders who have in the business for years who pride themselves on the quality of the stock they supnly, and whose ambition is to maintain the enviable reputation they have won.