POULTRY NOTES.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4933, 1 February 1926, Page 1

POULTRY NOTES.

THE MOULTING SEASON. The following article, from the pages of the ‘‘Poultry Bulletin, will be of interest at this time of the year, which is the usual, moulting season. There are other aspects of the matter beyond those mentioned by the writer, such as hastening and delaying the moult. It is. quite a Simple thing to hasten the moult, but whether it is good policy, in many instances, is debateable. Usually the best results are obtained by letting nature take its course, with but very little alteration in the feeding ration. The process of moulting is a subject .that is, or at least should be, of vital ‘interest to every poultryman, be he fancier or marketmail, owner of a small, backyard flock of fowls, or a man who produces thousands annua - ly, and devotes his entire time to the business. The moulting period is really an important epoch in the life of a fbwk but, owing to its annual occurrence, is quite a severe strain on a fowl, and it is .the breeder’s duty to give special attention to its welfare during that period. When the little chicken first comes' into the world it is cloth d in soft down, which is. of colours that are likely to change ’when only a few weeks old it gets its first crop of feathers ; in parti-coloured birds these are about alike in both sexes. Soon the first crop of feathers is moulted and the second crop ’is grown with the colours denoting .the pex more or less distinct. This second growth of feathers is the adult coat, and henceforth, except in exceptional cases, the fowls will change their plumage once a vear.

Practically the same colours and markings will be retained throughout their lives, although with some breeds there are frequently slight changes in colour after each moult. Especially fe this true of buff-coloured fowls, as with each succeeding moult their feathers, become lighter in colour. The desiccation (drying "out) of the old feathers is the flrst step in the proecss of moulting. The juices are all dried out, the quills becoming dry and'sapless, and the colours are dead and Lustreless. The quilljs shrink within their cells, and the feathers begin to drop. Fowls should begin, to nloult about February. A bird which does not commence that month, or earlier, will hardly be able to get into condition during the period when “eggs are eggs.” It seems to be easier for the younger members of a flock to moult than it is for the older ones, and the former will complete their moult in the shortest time. In fact, the weakest fowls' sometimes die from the strain of moulting, or from exposure while lacking the plumage that would be a protection to them. When the birds do not start moulting until late in the season .the advent of cold weather will protract the term so that none of them will lay until spring, and, in addition to this, it is quite likely that there will be much hickness and mortality among the fowls during the winter. As a preparatory measure for the mounting period the males and females should be separated as soon as the breeding season has drawn to a close. If the males are allowed to run with the hens they will interfere with the moulting of .the latter. Another important point is to s,ee that the fowls are absolutely free from vermin. Lousy fowls are necessarily weaker than fowls that are free from Tice, and strength and vitality are quite important factor while the Fowls are producing their new suit of clothe'si. The red mites or lice do not stky on fowls during the day time, but hide in cracks, during the day, sallying forth after dark to seek their prey. The perches should be so constructed .that they do not touch the walls of the house at any point. When the roosts are constructed in .this' way the mites will, have little opportunity .to hide, being unable to get off the perches. Then, if a small whisk broom is taken and the perches painted with kerosene oil, which is instantly fatal! to, them, very Little difficulty should be experienced with these pests. There is ajiother kind of louse that is frequently found on fowls that is. even more harmful than the red mites. Ii refer to the grey louse, which stays on the fowls all .the time—both day and night. It is quite a task —and not a very pleasant one, either —to go into the poulr try house after dark and dust each individual fowl with insect powder, but this is the only satisfactory way in which these can be killed. This must be repeated .at intervals, of three days for at least two weeks, in order to kill the Lice that are constantly being hatched among the feathers of a fowl which is vermin-in-fested.