POULTRY NOTES.

Shannon News, 8 December 1925, Page 3

POULTRY NOTES.

CUP WGiS HERE AMD! TWERE. •Thin-shelled eggs, which are. fairly common at this time iCjf the year, may he prevented by adding sqme ground oyster shell or tone meal to the mash two or three times -a week, as well as keeping oyster-shell in hoppers before the hens. Sometimes fowls will -not voluntarily consume enough of such material to imeet their needs, even when it is ayailaible, hut this is. most likely to happen with shells that have been on hand for some time and have grown stale. Scattering poultry droppings in big lumps is riot an efficient way to utilise their fertilising value. When spread on growing crops in that condajtion they are UaJbie to injure the plants, owing to the comparatively high percentage of nitrogen contained. New. wheat sometimes causes diarrhoea and many complaints of "cholera" at this season can he traced directly to this cause. If,the droppings (of the birds, /become soft and yellow in colour, give them Epsom Salts at the rate of one pound' to 100 birds, feeding it in a moist mash in the morning. Give some old wheat in order to reduce consumption of the the ne w grain until they.become accustomed to it.

Fresh, cool water contributes to the comfort of the fowls in hot weather. Place the drinking vessels in the shade and fill them twia or three timed, at least during the day. As the growing stock 'develops, certain birds will be found to show signs of early maturity, rapid growth or other desirable characteristics, and it is a good plan to mark these by legbands as soon as ithelse qualities become apparent. If this is. not done the birds are apt to be'lost'sight of as the flock develops. Similarly, slowmaturing, stiunted or .weakly birds should also he- marked so that they will be marketed and not allowed to get into the laying or .breeding pens at a later periiucl. Young stock should be 'kept in small numbers, and no changes should be made! in their location or diet.

Aiiter the young chicks have passedthe brooding stage and are running at large on free-range, many persons, unwisely attempt economy.by redue-. 1 ing the rations.. Instead,, everyofae who lias growing birds should,make it a point to see that they have all the well-balanced rations they will eat. A good-sizea flock of youngsters can be depended upon to pick ,up almost everything available on the range at any rate, and scant rations invariably meam slow- growth ana Slow maturity.. "' After rain, water is apt to accumulate in shallow pools, and the thorough jpoiultrynian will see that any such places are either drained or filled in. Drinking from stagnaart, filthy water is a bad thing for fowls. ASIATIC PUUR. 'The following circular letter issued by a Uunedin firm is of interest to 'those engaged in the poultry ilidustry: ". . . . We, as the accredited representatives of poultrj--farmers in Otago, gave Mr Collins (secretary of the .Board of Trade), a full list) of the bakers and their requirements in Dunedin. He was also supplied with further details of the position, with the result, we believe, that the embargo (ion Asiatic egg-pulp) will not be lifted. Mr Collins is anxious that the poultry farmers should increase their flocks, and we, as representing the poultry-farmers, assured him that the poultry farmers realised the dagger of Asiatic pulp. As it is too late this season to increase your stock by breeding more chickens, we suggest that all farmers should keep as many of their old birds as possible. We believe that wheat, ibrian and pollard will be cheaper next/ season, and that eggs will command a payable price; and we hope that the poultrymian ' will do 'his bit and endeavour to keep up his flock. If the Asiatic pulp once gets.' back into the Dominion, we will never get it icilut again. For some months past a section of the poultry farmers have been doing their best to ruin the organisation which has been built up during the last few years. We would assure producers that the need for supporting their own organisation has never been so neeesteary as it is at the present time. . - • Should permission be grafted to lilt ttha embargo, the • poultry industry will be in for a bad time."