THE POULTRY YARD

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 218, 3 December 1927, Page 26 (Supplement)

THE POULTRY YARD

(By

GEO. H. AMBLER)

YOUNG STOCK

Cleaning, Housing and Feeding

THE steady growth and development of the young birds of both sexes can be secured only by attention to cleanliness, housing and feeding-. It is therefore essential to bear these points in mind throughout the rearing season, and endeavour to meet the growing demands of the stock as they become necessary. A few good hatches from the incubators and hens, followed by successful rearing, often place one in the unhappy position of not being able to provide sufficient accommodation for the youngsters when they attain three months.

'J'HIS frequently leads to trouble in the form of roup, cannibalism and slow feathering. Many of the ailments of chickenhood are the outcome of mismanagement at some stage or other of development. It is not always easy for one to locate the cause of cannibalism; but there is no doubt that lack of exercise and cramped housing accommodation are largely responsible. Only those with experience realise the serious nature of this habit, and what a source of trouble it means to the rearer. Sometimes the habit spreads with rapidity through the whole brood, at other times an add one or two are affected. Artificially reared birds are more prone to it than hen reared. Chicks up to the age of three months are liable to be attacked by others frequenting the same brooder house, and owing to the sudden and irregular outbreaks, one is not often able to witness the slaying of the victims. Sometimes the feet are attacked and at other times the vent and shoulder parts. TREATMENT DURING AN OUTBREAK With the appearance of the first case, more room must be given the brood, and if one can break it up into two or three small lots the risks are lessened. Sometimes an extra allowance of meat or fish meal has the desired effect, and one lot I have in mind, and which were dwindling at the rate of a dozen a day, were completely cured through the introduction of dry mash and grain, in place of wet mash. This system of feeding kept the birds employed, and incidentally helped in their development. Chickens which have been damaged by others should be removed and the wound dressed with Friar’s Balsam, followed by a thin coating of Stockholm tar. I have found this treatment most efficacious; but the difficulty is to rescue the victim before it is torn to pieces. There is a tendency among some rearers to keep the youngsters too closely shut up. One frequently finds a brooder full of chicks allotted the same place as a hen and dozen chickens, and under such conditions

one is certain to have trouble sooner or later. Providing the brooder is in an enclosed run, the boundary of which will keep the youngsters from straying, there is no reason why they should not be given their liberty after they have got on their legs and used to the i location. SLOW FEATHERING I The slow feathering are frequently found among the large broods reared artificially, and apart from their unsightly appearance they do not develop like the rest. Such birds invariably become the victims of cannibalism, and when left with other birds which have developed the habit, it is courting trouble. It is difficult to state the exact cause of slow feathering. Lack of vitamins, over and under-feeding the brooders, insects, shortage of animal food, and overcrowding have all been suggested as predisposing causes. Treatment has little or no effect, and I feel certain that it would be more profitable to kill than to make an attempt to rear them to a marketable condition. If they ate not killed, they should : bo placed in a separate brooder and allowed skim milk to drink with plenty I of chopped green food, either fed ! separately or mixed with the mash. Boiled linseed might also be given in the mash once a day, at the rate of a i handful to every dozen birds. HARDENING OFF When large numbers of chicks are being reared together, there is always the possibility of the weakest getting crushed at night, more especially i during the hardening off period In | one sense, the loss of the “ne’er-do- ! wells” is not serious; but at the same ! time, it is disheartening to the novice and spoils the rearing average. The crushing and subsequent losses can be avoided by placing wire netting round the inner walls of the brooder house, thus blocking up the corners and preventing huddling. When two or more broods are placed together in such houses, it is advisable to use the wire for a few nights until the various lots have become accustomed to their surroundings. Assuming the chicks are strong, healthy and well developed and the rearer is not prejudiced against early perching, huddling can often be avoided by placing a few low perches in the house. The precocious birds will soon take to them, and as these are invariably the largest in the brood, floor congestion is greatly minimised. Up to the present, the nights have been rather cold, and the rearer should take the climatic conditions intc account when hardening off the broods, i On a cold night, a hurricane lamp suspended from the roof to. within one foot of the floor will provide the necessary warmth, and prevent losses such as I have mentioned. Owing to the rapid development of the later hatched broods the rearing ground frequently becomes somewhat crowded at this period. This state of affairs can be avoided by placing the most forward pullets into moveable ! colony houses, and giving them free range in the paddocks. USING COLONY HOUSES A house Bft long and 6ft wide, will provide perching room for about 50 p illets for a few weeks, and if culling is practised, the number can be reduced from time to time to mee* the ] extra perching accommodation re- ! quired. Cockerels selected for future | stock purposes can also be treated in I this manner. When 16 weeks old (the 1 age recommended for the colony houses) three meals a day will suffice j the birds, and in order to save labour, dry mash can be given instead of wet. When several lots are placed in the | same field there is often a tendency for them to mix and roost in their wrong houses. This, however, can be avoided by allowing a few days’ between the j stocking of each house. Wire netting ! should be placed round the first lot of chicks near their sleeping quarters. . They may meet the feeder at the first ! house, but will soon return to their proper section of the paddock. I have had as many as 500 pullets of various ages housed in colony houses in one paddock and with the exception of a few persistent wanderers, all have kept most religiously to their respective .houses. GENERAL NOTES CHRISTCHURCH CLUB At the last meeting of the Christchurch Poultry Club, Mr. Finnegan the j club's president, reported that he had i been able to secure the King Edward j Barracks for the club’s annual show to I be held on June 7, 8 and 9. AUCKLAND CLUB MEETS ! The monthly meeting of the Auckllnnd Poultry Club was held this week, ! Mr. G. H. Ambler presiding. Owing to | the date arranged for the club’s annual | meeting being within a few days of the Christmas holidays it was deemed advisable to postpone the meeting until the fourth Thursday in February. Mr. Ambler reported that he had received prices of exhibition poultry and pigeon pens from England, and it was decided, if possible, to devise some means of raising the necessary capital or security for the amount required. A letter was read from the North Island Poultry Association asking for further information regarding the disqualification of an exhibit at the club’s annual show. The association also stated that they had received a communication from both the judge and the exhibitor of the disqualified bird. The secretary stated that a letter signed by himself and the president had been forwarded to the North Island Association pointing out that the bird in question exceeded the weight laid down by the association, and the club, therefore, had no alternative other than to uphold the protest. In the letter it was also pointed out that it was their opinion that the exhibitor had acted in good faith, he being under the impression that the bird was within the weight. Mr. Ambler expressed his sympathy with the exhibitor whose bird had been awarded a seven-guinea trophy, and also pointed out that seeing the disqualification of the bird was an infringement of the rule governing the 1 weight of birds and not due to faking there had been no necessity to call in the judge other than to make another award. IMPORTATION Mr. G. Mitchell Christchurch, has just regeived a breeding-pen of Red : Sussex consisting of six hens and 1 cock from Mr. Percy Furness, of Melbourne. There are now four varieties of Sussex in Christchurch, viz., light, i buffs, whites and reds. We hear that j

specimens of all four varieties will be exhibited at the next Christchurch show'. DEATH OF MR. SMITH We regret to report the death at Christchurch of Mr. Edwin Smith, who was well known throughout the Dominion as a breeder and exhibitor of Silver Spangled Hamburghs. Mr. Smith was one of the oldest members of the Christchurch Poultry Club, and was at one time a prominent member of the old Sydenham Club. GRADING OF EGGS In Auckland little or nothing has been done in the way of grading eggs, with the result few poultrykeepers go to the trouble of grading. In Canterbury thanks to Mr. Merrett, who first introduced the practice of grading, practically every egg that is sold now is graded according to size and quality. We feel sure that if the grading of eggs were adopted in Auckland it would mean a greater demand and, therefore, more profit. Where wmild our butter be to-day were it not graded? On the satisfaction of our customer depends our success. About five years ago Canada introduced legislation for compulsory grading of eggs. For 20 years the consumption of eggs in the Dominion had been static. Since the advent of standardisation the per capita consumption has almost doubled, so practically two eggs are eaten now where one was eaten before.

This shows how the consumer responds to dependable quality. If our eggs were graded there is no question there would be an all-round improvement in consumption.

Wo have just received a copy of one of the London trade papers, and note a large display advertisement of Messrs. McCaul and Co., the leading British egg merchants. The advertisement is headed, “Merrett’s Eggs Always Realise a Higher Price Than Other Brands.” The paper also contains a paragraph devoted to eggs, and, in commenting on the different brands, states that there is only one trouble with “Merretts' eggs and that is a serious one—they connot get enough of them. It also goes on to say that if “Merrett’s” eggs are kept to this standard and all other Australian exporters come up to it, in a year or two the Australian egg will beat the Danish in price. The article also quotes an interview with the managing director of Messrs Tredwen and Wood where this gentleman stated that if poultry-farmers in Australia would all pass their eggs through Merrett, the price would soar up as, for consistent regularity in grading and quality, Merretts’ eggs came out on top every time. During 192 G Mr. Merrett exported 5,? 34,400 eggs. When we realise tile great strides, due to Mr. Merrett’s organisation. that are being made in the export of eggs from Australia, it brings home very forcibly, as we have previously pointed out, the fact that it was little short of a calamity when New Zealand allowed Mr. Merrett the most valuable asset the poultry industry has yet had. to leave the Dominion for Australia. Where is our organisation to-day, or have we a single man in the Dominion with the same initiative as Mr. Merrett? So far as organisation is concerned Auckland, as usual, lags behind and sees all the race. RETIREMENT OF A FANCIER Fanciers will regret to hear that Mr. E. Bust, Ellerslie, has decided to sell his entire stock of Old English Game. Mr. Bust has, for some time, been an enthusiastic member of the executive of the Auckland and Onehunga Poultry Clubs, and also prime mover in the formation of the Auckland Game Club which owes its present position entirely to Mr. Bust’s untiring efforts. His retirement will be a distinct loss to the fancy. CANARY NOTES Fanciers should note that it is now necessary to obtain permission to import canaries. This permission must be obtained from the Minister of Internal Affairs before delivery can be taken. One firm of shipping agents in the United Kingdom makes a rule that the permit to import must accompany birds on their journey from England, but the practice is not general. In order to obtain a ruling on the subject the Auckland Yorkshire Canary Club is in communication with the Minister in Charge. This ruling will be forwarded to the shipping agents in the United Kingdom and also published in these columns. Under the new tariff canaries are not liable to Customs duty. This should be welcome news to those who are contemplating the importation of fresh stock. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS A correspondent wishes to know if ground oats are good for fattening poultry and ducks and where a good sample of these can be obtained. Yes, ground oats are one of the finest foods procurable for this purpose. The Sussex poultry-fatteners are recognised as the greatest experts that cun ne found anywhere. In fact, Sussex fattened poultry are always in high demand on the London markets. The chief basis of the food used by these men is ground oats. “Leghorn,” last week’s correspondent, informs me he procured his sample from an Auckland firm. As this firm’s advertisement appeared alongside the poultry column in last week’s SUN my correspondent will have no difficulty in obtaining what he requires.