THE POULTRY YARD

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 400, 14 July 1928, Page 26

THE POULTRY YARD

(By

GEO. H. AMBLER.)

Benefit of Scratching-Shed

THE domestic hen is a scratcher by nature, and since in rural conditions she works for her living, she should be given the opportunity to indulge her natural instinct when she is kept in confinement. The scratching shed is, indeed, a factor of great influence in the management of layers.

'T'HERE Is abundant evidence to *- show that there iare a great many poultrykeepers who have not yet realised the importance of scratching as a factor in the maintenance of health and prolificacy In their stock, more especially during the winter months. We still see enthusiastic beginners—plenty of them —who imagine that all they have to do, in so far as accommodation is concerned, is to put up a row of small houses, often no more than glorified coops, enclose them in rectangular areas with wire-netting, and install the layers. These houses are, as often as not, planted down on the bare ground, floors being rather an epensive “extra.” And if the prevailing winds happen to be from the north-west —well, the houses are put with their faces to the south-west, because the wind has a nasty habit of playing rough with them when there is no one about to hold them down. This is by no means an exaggerated picture of the attitude adopted to-day by hundreds of mistaken beginners, and if it implies a bad look-out for them it is equally bad for the in-' dustry. It is because the welfare of this industry is so largely dependent upon that of the successful individual that 1 am constrained to try to dissuade adventurers from attempting the impossible and courting disaster when, with a trifling greater outlay in material and common-sense, they might easily achieve their object. One would have thought a better understanding of the pricniples underlying winter egg-production, which has been so widely disseminated during the last 20 years, or since the coming of the scratching-shed, would have rendered present resort to the teaching of elementary rules superfluous. But it is quite evident that among the great number of recruits who are daily taking up poultry-keep-ing, a very large and appalling pro portion are either wholly ignorant of the principles alluded to. or foolhardy enough to imagine that their “little knowledge” is all that is needed to carry them to success. Ethics of Scratching

The ethics of scratching, properly understood, cover practically the whole field of that particular part of the subject with which I am dealing here. We begin, as a basis of argument, in

realising that a fowl is by nature a scratcher. So distinctly so under an old system of classification the genera to which it belongs was accorded a term which signified “seratchers.” The definition was a good one because the peculiarity is unique. The hen finds her living by scratching, as do ner wild prototypes and the pheasants, using also the powerful beak for the turning over of soil or litter in search of food. The instinct co scratch is so firmmly implanted in poultry that even though that means of earning their daily subsistence has not been an essential to existence for countless generations, it is as strong to-day as ever it was. The chicken will begin scratching automatically as soon as it is able to stand, and it will go on scratching throughout its life if not denied the possibility of doipg so. So "much being granted, one may pursue the argument further and contend that this instinct, being an inherent impulse of such extraordinary fixity, is one that cannot be thwarted wit himpunity. There is ample testimony to prove that unless a flock, unable to indulge in scratching at liberty in a natural way, is provided with an efficient substitute, its health will become impaired, prolificacy will decrease, and sex-fecundity gradually fail. Deprive the fowl of this, the most powerful and essential of her instincts (because it is the instinct so inseparably associated with selfpreservation), and you are asking for trouble. She may stand it for a long while, out she will not prosper under such conditions; she will not be a healthy, happy and prolific fowl. Very well. It is simply the recognition of these facts, the frank admis sion that we have got to knuckleunder to certain elementary laws of natural history or suffer the consequences, that inspired the scratching shed. The evolution of the latter has not been rapid. Evolution never is. It has taken centuries to develop a modern incubator, and 100 years to bring Faraday’s electric-dynamo to its present state of perfection. The scratching-shed itself is still in the experimental stage. However, of this much we are quite sure; The prin-

The Hat of Hats—At Bert Marshall's.

ciples which are implied by the name we have given it are sound. The shed is a place for layers to scratch in, and one tsvat must be large enough and dry enough for the proper exercise of that function. Suitable Litter Here I am only concerned with the scratching, but this involves the use of a litter which must possess certain more or less clearly defined attributes. I the first place, a good scratching litter must be an absorbent, and one that, while it will dry up and deodorise the moisture of the droppings, will remain inoffensive. It must also he as free from fine dust as possible, light enough to enable the birds to turn it over, yet weighty enough to prevent its being blown about. A satisfactory litter must, furthermore, be economical, which does not necessarily mean cheap, and it should be composed of some material which will enhance its value when, as spent litter, it is cleared out to be turned to account as an aid to -fod production on the land. Of the whole range of litters that we possess there is not on>. that will fulfil all these requirements better than peat-moss. This is not only a splendid absorbent and deodoriser, but like the sphagnum of which much of it is composed, it is extraordinarily endurable. nfortunately peat moss is unprocurable in New Zealand, and it is useless considering it further. Straw, leaves, or even bracken can be used. Where straw is used I would advise short oat straw in preference to wheat straw. I would, however, warn the beginner against utilising any old straw or hay that is musty. Floors Necessary The practical value of litter as a scratching medium, as well as its durability as a factor in the maintenance of sanitation, depends a good deal upon the house and its floor. I know there are poultry-keepers who contend that they get along quite well without one. Well, I have tried both walys and I am convinced that a good floor, preferably wood or con Crete, is woth all that it costs, taking into consideration not merely the dryness of the scratching material, and the comfort of the birds in winter, but also any other points of importance. I might go further and discuss the necessity of having ample light upon one s litter, the former being essential to a full use being made of the latter. Then there is the question as to how and when grain should be fed in litter, so that the birds may get the greatest advantage of the scratching exercise in searching for it; and many other matters inseparably connected with this subject. The novice must recognise to the fullest those primary essentials upon which the basic principle of the scratching-shed rests.