The Poultry Yard

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 152, 17 September 1927, Page 26 (Supplement)

The Poultry Yard

PLUMAGE AS A GUIDE Something About Chickens

By

GEO. H. AMBLER.

AVERY good inkling of t'.he way chicks are thriving can be obtained by a glance at their feathers; chicks of a fortnight old, whose scanty wing plumage is ruffled, and who go about shivering wretchedly in consequence, whenever it is a bit cold, are probably suffering from insufficient warmth, the effects of constant draughts or damp litter, the remedies being obvious.

PHICKS that are coddled, on the other hand, by too much shutting in and artificial heat. feather too rapidly and eventually become weakened by the excessive drain on the system of too much feather growth. When this is the case the chicks are frequently seen standing still, with closed eyes, while their drooping wings seem too heavy for them. Chicks aX a fortnight to three weeks of age should display merely a neat pair of wings with a few sprouts appearing on the tail and head, the remainder of their bodies still being downy in the main., especially so in the case of the heavier varieties, for the Mediterraneans certainly do feather rather earlier. CHICKEN AILMENTS With regard to chick ailments, there certainly need be none where a wellhatched brood, with a good fostermother, fed in the way previously described, are concerned; in any case a sickly chick should be dispatched instantly, for it is little less than cruelty t.o attempt to rear any that are deformed or handicapped in any way from birth. Slightly sour food will often cause a merely temporary disagreement, which manifests itself in a small clot of droppings round the vent; all chicks thus affected should be caught at once and the clogging substances removed, after whicji it will probably not return, though if this precaution be neglected, a regular outbreak of diarrhoea, with fatal res Lilts, may ensue. Just keep an eye on the chicks for a day or two after the above preliminary attention, avoiding, ol: course, any feeding likely to aggravate the complaint. Personally I have found that a small pan of charcoal, renewed once a week, and with which fine grit is mixed, keeps the little birds’ bowe:ls in excellent order.

If, from time to time, you come across young chicks stretched out gasping in the warm chamber, it is a sure sign that the ventilation system of your brooder is not perfect and that fumes of one kind or another are slowly exerting their poisonous effect: such chicks as above will generally recover speedily if placed in the fresh air, but later they will again succumb Linless some radical change is effected. Usually it is the fault of the brooder itself, though occasionally it may be traced to exceedingly careless and slipshod methods in cleaning and filling the lamp. Cases of cramp never appear unless the brooder floor is very unsuitably littered, or has been allowed to get damp, and upon the first sign of any leg trouble appearing it is desirable to look for and combat this source of trouble, it being almost certain that damp somewhere or other is the cause. AVOID STALE GROUND Economy of ground must be practised where the amount of land available iA not great, or where large numbers are to be reared —in fact, it is unwise to attempt to go on rearing brood after brood unless a change of scene can be managed for each one; at any rate, the ground over which a brooder has been moved, space by space, should . not

again be used until it has rested for at least a month, which, of course, amounts to only two broods a season on the same piece. An excellent plan for keeping chicken-rearing ground sweet almost perpetually, if used as above, is to hand sow it with basic slag in the autumn, at the rate of five cwt. to the acre, and get it harrowed early the following year, rolling later still, in. the spring; this treatment, by ! the way, will pay for itself and more by the extra amount of hay.procurable as a result, besides greats im-

proving the quality of the pasture. Should a novice poultrykeeper find, to his misfortune, that he has taken some land on which the gape-worm abounds (infected by the bad method of the previous owner), there is only one thing for it; he must rest the sour part altogether for a season, dressing it thickly at the end of the winter with powdered air-slaked lime. NEED FOR OBSERVATION Be on the look-out for chicken-pox and roup, and, on the first signs of any outbreak, take stringent measures. In the case of chicken-pox isolate the sick bird at once. Give each of the other birds a small sulphur pill, as large as an ordinary size bean. Spray the sleeping quarters, and, if possible, remove the birds to a fresh run. SUPPLY GREEN FOOD The sick birds should have the sulphur pill and a dose of Epsom salts besides. Feed on soft food and greens. In giving Epsom salts one teaspoonful to a tablespoonful of water is the dose for all adult birds; young birds in proportion.

Wash the face and head, or affected part, with a strong solution of permanganate of potash; break off the crust from the wart and drop in one or two permanganate crystals.

Another treatment is to wash head and face, etc., with a mixture of equal parts of vinegar and water, and rub on carbolic vaseline, or paint the warts with tincture of iodine.

In two or three days the bird is usually fit to be returned to the run. The treatment in regard to roup is similar as regards feeding and isolation. In addition give the sick bird one grain tabloid of ammoniated quinine night and morning: wipe the face and nostrils with an old rag and wash with sulphate of copper solution (loz dissolved in a pint of water). If the bird does not recover by this treatment in four or five days, then destroy it. BREEDING PENS

In many cases breeding pens can still be sold, especially tested ones. These; should be advertised for sale Beginners should watch for these chances and buy prov ed breeding pens.

MARKETING EGGS

# Sell all the settings of eggs possible; a reduction in price will often help in this direction. Although some of the poultry-breeders who sell at fancy prices condemn this method, lit certainly pays best to sell settings at half-price than at the price of newlaid eggs at this time of the year. The industry is, as a matter of fact, advanced by such sales at a reduced price to farmers and others, who, availing themselves of the reduction, obtain a better class of poultry, and thereby increase their egg output., yet do not become serious competitors to the breeder later on.

GENERAL NOTES

Mr. Henry, president of the Christchurch Canary and Cage Bird Club, has had a remarkable run of success during the past show season. His canaries were awarded seven challenge cups, twelve specials. twenty-seven tirsts. eight seconds and seven thirds, also South Island Championship. One of Mr Henry’s canaries, a Buff Foul Green cock, holds an unbeaten record in the show pen, having won 14 firsts and also several cups and specials.

A special meeting of the executive of the Auckland Poultry Club was held

this week, Mr. G. H. Ambler presid ; ing. After some discussion it was de j cided, provided members agree to giv< 1 their support, to hold it social an<

dance when the club's, also three spec ialist clubs’ trophies, won at the Auck land Show, will be presented to th< respective winners.

A protest lodged during the recent show against a winning pigeon in the Flying Homer classes was considered. Although it was stated that the bird had flown the required distance in a private race in England, it had not complied with the rules of the North Island Association by flying the distance in an official race in New Zealand; therefore the protest was upheld.

Mr. .J. Armour. Riccarton. is shortly expecting a pen of Red Sussex from England. These will be the first specimens ol' this breed to be imported into New Zealand. The Reds are becoming very popular in England, nlany breeders taking up this breed in preference to the Rhode Island Red. We congratulate Mr. Armour on introducing into New Zealand a British breed of such outstanding merit as we know the Red Sussex to be.

We hear of another Christchurch breeder who is importing a pen of Exchequer Leghorns from Scotland. Mr. W. Bailey, Onehunga, has a fine lot of early chickens, mostly Minorcas. In a conversation with him a few days ago he said fertility had been wonderfully good. Only about 4 per cent, of the eggs were infertile. Mr. F. G. Bayiis, Avondale, who is well-known as a successful poultrybreeder and competitor in the laying tests, has been most successful with his Alsatians. His puppy, “Marlows Dian,” continued its winning career at the Wellington Kennel Club show by winning four first prizes and special for best of the breed in the show. Although only six months old this puppy has a long list of wins to its credit, and during the last two and ahalf months has travelled 1,460 miles to keep its show engagements. During the week our poultry correspondent, Mr. Ambler, received a letter from Mr. J. H. Gilbert, manager of His Majesty the King’s poultry farms, Windsor, England, requesting him to write an article on Leghorns for a book which Mr. Gilbert is publishing. We regret to announce the death, in Auckland Hospital, alter a lopg and painful illness, of Mr. W. A. Smith, of Te Papapa. Mr. Smith was for several years in charge ol: Messrs. Wingate and Co.’s poultry appliance department, and was well-known to the majority of poultry breeders in the Auckland district. We tender our deepest sympathy to his sorrowing wife and family. Mr. Smith was also brother to Mr. Gordon Smith, Sussex Poultry Farm, Morningside.

During the first six months of 1927 the enormous number of 1,479,473,480 eggs were imported in :o Great Britain. This represented approximately 49 per cent, of the total British consumption. From the above it would seem there is ample scope for New Zealand producers to build up an export trade to Great Britain. Why have we no organisation to deal with export ?

IN DEFENCE OF THE HIGH-PRODUCING HEN

(To the Editor, THE SUN). Sir, — In the interests of utility poultry and poultry breeders, will you permit me to comment upon some features of the article by Mr. G. H. Ambler in last Saturday’s issue (poultry column). In the first place Mr. Ambler states that “it seldom pays the utility man to begin hatching before September.” As a matter of fact utility breeders, who know their business, aim to finish hatching by the end of September. The reason is simple. The ideal time for pullets to commence laying is about the end of March or early in April, when eggs are dear. Cn an average light breeds take about six months, and heavy breeds about seven months, to mature. A simple calculation thus gives the ideal time for hatching light breeds as being about the middle of September, and heavy breeds about the middle of August. As few breeders have sufficient incubators, broody hens, etc., to enable them to set all

their requirements in one lot, it follows that in the case of heavy breeds the first lot have to be set during - the latter part of July. If my statements appear to be dogmatic, I make no apology on that score, as I am stating bare facts that admit of no argument. Mr. Ambler devotes half a column to condemnation of the high egg record hen as a breeder. This sounds like an echo of the sentiments expressed by Mr. C. A. House, of England, when in New Zealand some years ago. I have the pleasure of knowing Mr. Ambler as a poultry enthusiast, and while I would not for one moment question his authority on matters relating to the fancy sections of poultry, I refuse to accept his theories—put forward as facts —that heavy egg production is conducive to weak constitution in the progeny, and that, therefore, 300-egg hens are undesirable as breeders. I say emphatically that the hen which lays 800 eggs in a year must of necessity be endowed with strong constitution, otherwise she would not be able to put up such a record. This being so, she will, if suitably mated, transmit strong constitution to her progeny. If Mr. Ambler is right the sooner we do away with all laying competitions the better. The argument advanced that “Dame Nature’s provision for 30 eggs being spread over 200 to 300 eggs just results in constitutionally fragile produce,” is futile. Personally, I don't bother to breed specially from hens laying under 250 eggs. As for 200 eggs, why this is only a flock average. Surely Mr. Ambler must have been thinking of the fancy classes, when he emphasised the great strain resulting from the laying of 200 eggs in a year? Nature intended the cow to produce only sufficient milk to rear her calf. Does Mr. Ambler maintain that record milk producers should not be used as breeders because the strain of great production weakens their vitality? If so, why do the keenest breeders and deepest students of dairy stcfck pay £3O to £SOO for calves from high record cows. I have before me the New Zealand Government Journal of Agriculture, with a list of records of two-year-old heifers, which produced from 6,000 to 12,0001b5. of milk in their first year,* most of them having calved at a few days over two years old. When such heifers are offered for sale experienced breeders simply rush them at fancy prices. For the actual milk they will yield?. No, for breeding purposes. The sheep was intended by Dame Nature to carry only sufficient wool to keep itself warm. On the line of argument advanced in regard to high producing hens the present day sheep, carrying an enormous ileece as the result of selective pedigree breeding, ’should be discarded as breeding stock. Well, ask any sheep breeder.

The argument might be extended indefinitely, embracing the vegetable kingdom, where enormously increased yields of cereals, fruit and tubers are secured through selective pedigree plant-raising. might even dare to bring in the human race, and ask if the mother who bears and rears a large family is, as a consequence, impaired constitutionally, and transmits such weakness to her children. Inexperienced breeders may, and no doubt often do, ruin high producing lines of poultry by undue forcing, breeding from immature birds, and indiscriminate in-breeding. But why blame the dainty 300-egger instead of the real offender? The experienced breeder of utility poultry knows that the first—the indispensible—necessity in his breeding stock is sound constitution. The ideal bird for breeding purposes is one bubbling over with energy and vitality. These are the sort of hens that lay 300 egg& or more. I have never seen an anaemic, sleepy, weakly pullet that was worth her keep as a layer, regardless of her pedigree. The article raises several other questions of vital importance to the poultrybreeder, including: (a) Breeding from pullets, (b) fecundity and prepotency, (c) line breeding by the chart and line breeding based on observation and knowledge of particular strains, (d) experience of breeding from high record hens over a period of ten consecutive years, using generation after generation in descent. I have done so.

I am afraid, however, that I have already trespassed unduly on your space. I admit that, when I read of the enormous prices paid for cattle, both milking and beef strains, for sheep both for wool and carcase, running into hundreds or even thousands of pounds each, their value on a production basis being extolled in the Press to a superlative degree, and then find that in the papers generally and even in poultry journals, the high producing hen gets no kudos, but is continually being assailed as a danger—something to throw a brick afi—l wonder whether her sole offenca in the eyes of her critics, is that she is just a producer, instead of following in the footsteps of her fancy sister, who queens it on the show bench, gets a. prize ticket for her fine feathers, has her photo in the papers and condescends to lay an odd egg every week or two by way ot an interlude. J. N. MCLEAN. Rotorua.