THE POULTRY YARD

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 566, 19 January 1929, Page 26

THE POULTRY YARD

(By ■ ... •• •

GEO. H. AMBLER.)

WITH January comes the birthday of fresh resolutions, in many instances to be broken before many days are past. The wise poultryman who conducts his poultry-keeping on business lines will now make up his balance-sheet to ascertain his profit or loss. He will look back over the past year and reckon up in his own mind where he has failed, and why. Sometimes the reason is hard to find, at others the remedy lies close at hand, palpable to the man who has an open mind, and easily altered by anyone with sufficient energy and desire to rectify the mistake.

With many the past year has been a trial year. They started with a few birds of quite ordinary quality, so as to have some idea of the run of things generally. The method of feeding and housing, the breeding for points and colour, and in some cases marking, have been difficult for them to understand. and yet the trial year has taught them a great deal. Commencing with a desire to learn, they have benefited by experience, and now feel more confident to launch forth into a better quality stock. LATE HATCHING It rarely pays to hatch so late as this, since chicks, as a rule, are much more difficult to rear at this season than in September or October. Late hatching is not to be advocated for various reasons. The stock birds are losing their vigour as the hot weather comes along and laying is continued less regularly. The eggs are much more difficult to hatch. Cripples and deformities are more common, and the chicks that do arrive during the latter part of December and January and get on their feet seem to have insufficient interest in life. W’hen j breeding has continued since June it is i only to be expected that the stock birds eventually become exhausted, or I in other words stale, and are incapable I of supplying strong, vigorous germs, hence the difficulty with the offspring. I If breeding must be continued, an , improvement in results may be ob- | tained by placing the stock birds on j fresh ground. The change of surroundings quickly induces a more regular egg supply, and if a fresh male is introduced —one that has been preserved for the purpose of late hatch ing and has been kept apart from the hens—the innovation will have a marked effect upon the strength and vigour of the offspring. Late hatched chicks prove valuable later on for keeping up the egg supply when the earlier hatched birds begin to flag, and it is worth going to some trouble to ensure healthy progeny, since weakly chicks must develop into in-

different adults, and this class of stock never paid anyone. ORPINGTONS With respect to the utility types, Black Orpingtons seem much stronger than the White Leghorns, and I find the Orpingtons are, in consequence, much easier to rear. Unless some steps are quickly taken to preserve the constitution of the utility White Leghorn, the Black Orpington will soon be ahead in the race for first honours. I have the record before me of a pen of four Orpingtons which X have had under observation this season, and the trap nest has shown that, notwithstanding the fact that two of the birds did not begin to lay until the third week in May, the four pullets have an average of over 20 eggs a month during the four winter months of May, June, July and August. This test, I think, taken at a time when eggs are nearly twice the value they are at any other time of the year, speaks very favourably for the Orpington. The breed, too, has a furj ther advantage over the White Leghorn as far as the market goes and ! that is that the egg is brown. I do not know that the colour enhances the price, or that it means richer qualities or superior flavour, bur it is ’ a fact that the public are attracted by 1 the brown egg, and it ig thus more ■ j readily saleable. The Orpington egg | is scarcely so large as the White Leghorn, and the breed has its broody • intervals. By careful selection the i broody instinct has been practically ■ eliminated, with the result that broodi- • ness is not so pronounced as formerly, i and the broody fever is as quickly • checked. I have seen them stopped l by a day or two of confinement In a i coop, and laying again In a few days’ . time. These brief rests appear to ! give a stimulus to egg produc- . tion. and seem to aid nature in sus- • taining the necessary strength of con- ■ | stltution. We have been able to , j prove as the season has advanced that ■ I the constitution of the Orpington is : j much more robust than the White ■ \ Leghorn, since the mortality among

the chicks has proved to be less by over 60 per cent. The difference in two breeds may have been brought about by the close and incautious breeding that breeders have resorted to in the case of the White Leghorn, with the object of record-breaking. The Orpington is being subjected to the same treatment for the same purpose at the present moment, but the broody periods are nature’s safetyvalves, aud while it is a drawback rather than a help in the competition for honours on account of the brief rest required, it is also a safeguard against us in our blind haste against wrecking the constitution of the breed. ! The Black Orpington is already treading on the heels of the White Leghorn in the laying competitions, and ere long I shall not be surprised to see it pass the latter in public esteem. WHEN THE CHICKENS FLAG It is often the case at this season of the year that thriving young fowls, especially cockerels, suddenly become debilitated. Frequently it is the result of intense heat, and in such circumstances to supply the birds liberally with stimulating food aggravates the evil. In hot weather shady places must be provided for the growing stock, and green food ad libitum allowed. If there be no natural shade, such as trees and bushes, there are other means of providing the necessary shelter from the sun. As vegetable food, a supply of lettuce leaves hung in the run is excellent; and another good thing is to chop up some freshly-cut dandelion leaves and mix them with the soft food. The strictest cleanliness should be observed during the hot weather, and all green food given to the fowls should be in a perfectly fresh state. Stale food, and particularly if acid fermentation has occurred, is a constant source of dysentery and diarrhoea, and many birds “a re lost annually through neglect in this matter. As soon as a fowl is noticed to droop it is advisable to change its food. A small quantity of raw meat, finely chopped, may with advantage be given, and medicinally two drops of tincture of perchloride of iron I should be administered morning and ] night. A teaspoonful of a common | medicine would contain one grain I of phosphate of iron, two and j a-half grains phosphate of lime, I one-sixth grain phosphate of potash, ! and one-eighth grain phosphate of | soda. The dose usually given is a teaspoonful once or twice a day; I but, apparently, it is harmful. Many j years ago an old fancier of mine in i England told me there was considerable mortality among some chickens in his yards, and it was only after he had examined a number that the cause was discovered through his happening to examine.the bones of some of the dead birds. He found the vascular tissue in the bones acutely inflamed, aud, supposing it was due to an excess of some constituent of bone in the diet of the

chickens, he at once discontinued the use of the mixture which he was in the habit of using, and the mortality among the chickens ceased without any treatment.

GENERAL NOTES

The following is the result of the Taranaki egg-laying competition to and including the fortieth week: The birds in the White Leghorn section are laying well, very few showing any signs of moulting. The leading hen, belonging to W. Cannon, having laid the possible, which firings her total number of eggs to 220, A. J. Davey’s hen being second, with 214 eggs, followed by W. Ferguson’s hen with 211 eggs.

The position of the birds in Minorcas and Andalusians are unchanged.

The fawn and white Runners are keeping up remarkably well, V. L. Gane’s duck’s score being now 263. G. L. Gayland’s laid eight eggs during the week.

PERSONAL NOTES

During the week I paid a visit to Mr. Braime, Point Chevalier, and saw several of the most promising Utility White Leghorns and Black Orpingtons 1 have seen for some time. Not only were the specimens of both breeds true to type, but the White Leghorns were also pure in colour, but possessed of exceptional leg colour and good head points. The Blacks have grand sheen, eyes and legs, with bodies of the correct shape. Mr. Braime has never done any exhibiting, but there is no doubt he could make the pace hot in both breeds if he cared to enter the show arena next season.

The Government having now lifted the restrictions regarding the importation of Angora rabbits, breeders are making extensive arrangements for the importation of Angoras. Several shipments have already reached tiie Dominion, the latest being a consignment of 50 for Mr. Arthur Sainsbury, the well-known Auckland rabbit specialist. Mr. Sainsbury’s shipment arrived per Remuera, and has been forwarded to Blenheim, where they will be in the care of Mr. J. Fea.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS

Perplexed, Epsom. —The reason for blood being- in the yolk of the egg laid by your hen was owing to the rupture of a blood vessel in the ovary, and this, no doubt, led to the white of the egg being discoloured. As long as there are no further eggs laid of this description there is no need to worry or take any remedial measures, but if they continue a dose or two of Epsom salts, dissolved and added to the food, should be given. Another way would be to add the salts to the drinking water and feed for a time entirely on grain.

D.M.N., Papatoetoe.— The trouble in this case is that the crop has become

pendulous, owing to the muscles being stretched, and these cases rarely get right again without an operation, bn the other hand, they do not seem to inconvenience the bird very greatly. The usual method of curing these cases is by operation; a small piece is taken out of the crop, thus reducing the area, and a few stitches are put in, hut it needs doing carefully under antiseptic conditions.

Leghorn, Swanson.—The main thing in this trouble is to prevent feather-eating, which can be done by judicious feeding, bousing and management. Treatment may consist of a change in feeding, inclusion of sufficient animal food (meat or fish meal, etc.) in menu with plenty of raw succulent greenery, scratching exercise, occupation and, where possible, free range. An aperient will also be useful if given every other day for a week. Rub into any bare parts lard and sulphur ointment and apply to the feathers around the bare parts quassia water. To prepare the latter, place some quassia chips in a jug overnight, pour on boiling water, cover the receptacle, and allow to stand till cokl. This solution will make the feathers taste bitter if they plucked, and several “dipped” feathers can be left as bait on the ground. A dust-bath of ashes (placed in a box <%. the ground) will provide occupation and keep the birds clean. Observe titter cleanliness in housing, and whenever old feathers are found in the litter originally, they should be promptly removed. The habit of feather-plucking may start in a low-conditioned flock through a hen appreciating the taste of an odd feather.