THE POULTRY YARD

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 370, 2 June 1928, Page 28

THE POULTRY YARD

(By

GEO. H. AMBLER.)

Defects in Cockerels A RIGID examination of all male birds intended for breeding purposes should be made prior to their being mated. Any defective feature should disqualify the bird, as such defect is sure to be reproduced in a number of the youngbirds and may, in all likelihood, be greatly accentuated in many of them.

Logs and feet require very special attention, these extremities often being not exactly as they ought to be One will observe a sort of flat foot, with the fourth small toe coming more round to the front than it. should do This is known by poultry experts as “duck-foot.” It is a defect very readily transmitted, and a bird showing this tendency should never be kept for breeding. Equally objectionable, though not perhaps so common, is “web-foot,” another serious defect which ought to be avoided. MALFORMED COMBS Very frequently the comb is, to a certain extent, malformed. « The serrations may he unequal in depth, and uneven in distances, and there may be side sprigs which are much more objectionable than badly serrated combs, though all are a decided disqualification in the male bird. Lopped combs, though not such a serious fault, are in some classes of birds considered quite an objection, especially in 'the show pen. DEFECTIVE BEAKS Defective beaks are another of the features that one must keep in mind, and make sure that such a feature gets no chance of being transmitted. There is the cross beak—that is where the under and upper parts of the beak cross each other. This is unsightly, and may become much more so if transmitted. In the hook beak the top is hooked, and extends at the point beyond the lower part of the beak. Both these deformities are usually found in birds of low vitality, and under no circumstances should such birds enter the breeding pen. COARSENESS OF BONE Where birds show coarseness of bone, it is not infrequently accompanied by parrot beak. Such birds are quite unsuited as breeders, while a squirrel tail is a great deformity in a male bird, as is also a crooked breast bone. These are perhaps all triviallooking matters in themselves, but where one is desirous of having perfect birds these things count, and that to a very considerable extent. SHORTAGE OF EGGS One is continually hearing complaints about the shortage of eggs, and one wonders if the poor maligned birds are getting the material with ; which to manufacture the eggs. We must not forget that at the present season birds, even on a free range, cannot collect sufficient, animal food in the form of grubs, insects, and worms to supply them with the necessary amount of protein required. Such as they can get must be supplemented ,

by the poultrykeeper, while birds in confinement must of necessity be given the full amount. It is estimated that for bqst results every hen, to be able to manufacture her eggs daily, must be supplied with half an ounce of this a day. You may give your hens 6oz of food. They may eat it, and yet not return the same number of eggs that another lot of fowls are producing from 3oz to 4oz. Your food will cost you more, and yet you do not get the results, simply because you are not feeding the right elements in their right proportions, for loz'of a properly constituted ration ought to be enough for most birds except those of the very heavy breeds. It is worth while just»adding to your mash a good proportion of one of the following foods, which is rich in the necessary protein. You will find protein in meat meal, fish meal, meat scraps, and maize meal. To eight parts of the other meals add one part of one of these, and in a short time you will find a very considerable difference in the egg output. Remember that what goes to make the egg must go in at the hen’s mouth. If she is supplied with the necesary elements, she will do her duty. Not only does an insufficient quantity of animal food prevent good egg production, but want of exercise has also something to do with it. Inactive. idle hens are really never profitable, and the food given to them they usually utilise to put on fat. Exercise must be encouraged as much as possible, and to this end plenty of scratching litter is a necessity; but not only is lack of exercise one of the reasons why eggs are not. shelled out as they ought to be. OVERCROWDING Overcrowding has also its share in causing the shortage. A hen, to keep up laying almost daily, must be in the pink of condition, and this sh,e cannot be if the house is inhabited by more birds than it should accommodate. Especially does overcrowding show its bad effects at this season, when the fowls have to spend more of the time indoors. The air becomes foul, and if with the' overcrowding there is also insufficient ventilation, it becomes very much so, and results; in what we would call vitiated air. Birds kept in an atmosphere of this kind cannot possibly be fit and vigorous, and when the general health gets lowered one can hardly expect eggs. In every fowlhouse there should be ample ven tilation to allow of the entry of plenty of fresh air, and the exit of the foul air. This must bp accomplished without subjecting the birds to

draughts, otherwise colds and their many complications are sure to follow. CLEANLINESS Cleanliness is a great asset, and there should always be much care taken on this point. Where there is not cleanliness, there is sure to be disease, and when disease of any kind enters the poultry yard the egg outlook becomes very poor indeed. Al! vessels used for food aud driuk should be kept scrupulously clean, as disease is carried and spread through carelessness In this matter. Wild birds not infrequently carry trouble to the food throughs or water vessels. Where these, however, are cleaned out dally, the risk is minimised, and to all drinking water should be added enough permanganate of

potash to colour the water pink. This is a disinfectant which will destroy any disease germs that may have been deposited. This, and perfect cleansing of the vessels daily, will be a great help toward keeping off disease. To sum up, one would say that the main causes for the shortage of eggs at this season are late hatching, improper food, overcrowding, bad housing, insufficiency of exercise, neglected ventilation, and keeping birds not suited to climatic conditions. Birds should not be kept under a coddling system, but reasonable care should be taken to maintain the temperature of the house at something above the outside level. On very cold and wet days the birds are better confined in their combined houses and scratching sheds.

Schedules for the annual show will be out shortly. Entries will close on June 2S.