The Poultry Yard

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 892, 8 February 1930, Page 28

The Poultry Yard

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GRO. R. AMBLER. )

CARE OF FOWLS WITH the hot V7eather and birds moulting, weakness in in some shape or form is sure to be.present. When birds lose all their feathers at once the tendency is to go off into consumption, or “going light,” as it is usually called, so that there is the need for the care and watchfulness on the. part of the breeder. As soon as such cases are found they should be removed to a cool place by themselves, and then fed on nourishing diet, and given a tonic to keep the system up to concert pitch.

The blood must be kept in good order, otherwise the bird will soon go wrong. If the bird is taken in hand before the debility gets a firm hold the treatment will not be so long. In the ordinary way of feeding, chop up small some raw meat, give plenty of oatmeal porridge and milk, and the birds can have a little hemp seed with advantage. This seed contains a good percent age of oil, anr] has a tendency ro produce fat, both of which are good for a bird badly in moult. Give lettuce and dandelion leaves; also medicinally two drops of tincture of perchloride of iron In a tea- . poonful of water morning and evening to each fowl. See that grit and fresh water are always within reach. As a tonic l know of nothing better than the well-known Douglas Mixture. Cod liver oil capsules and quinine may also be given as a tonic. These capsules are valuable in maintaining the strength. Such a course will naturally lower the profits of the yard, and if the birds are merely kept for stock it may not pay to keep them. In a severe form, consumption or “going light" is highly contagious, and should the birds so attacked recover they should on no account be used for stock, as the disease is no doubt hereditary. Those who have several broods of late hatched chickens will need to keep their weather eye open. Chickens want more air than anything else at this time of the year, and as much as they can get; therefore, see to It that they are not overcrowded in their sleeping quarters or their run. Just now, in many poultry runs, the young birds evidently consider it beneficial to crowd together at night on the least drop in the temperature. Cold nights and mornings are often

with us in February. In most instances, the trouble arises in attempting to rear more birds than the ground and building will accommodate. At first, when the chickens are in small broods, with the hens in coops, there is room enough—plenty and to spare. When they are nearing the half-grown stage they require quite as much room as adults. It is then often difficult to know how to manage them. Readers can take it, however, that it is infinitely better to devote a lot of space to a few growing chickens than to attempt rearing a large flock of them outside in small quarters. SURPLUS COCKERELS If there is no demand for the surplus cockerels they should always be disposed of as soon as they are big enough to be eaten; surely there is a profitable outlet for them on the home table? They can be tastefully served in more than one way, and will make a welcome change from “roast or boiled,” and reduce the butcher’s bill. January and February are certainly the worst months of the year for overcrowding, since most yards are stocked to the maximum. Much can be done by proper accommodation. There cannot be the slightest doubt that one of the best preventives is to teach chickens to take the perch as soon as they are strong enough to fly Another is to have only one flock and one house to each range. While on this subject; I would mention another—the real benefit of very small “flocks.” It is a fact, and anyone can prove it, that after a certain stage of growth has been reached half-a-dozen, nay, three chickens, will get on better and make more rapid progress if housed and kept together than will chickens in a large flock. Thus, after they are feathered, and before they are half-grown, chickens should, if early maturity is desired, be graded out into such small flocks as I have mentioned, and be given as large a house and run as would be set aside for a dozen full-grown fowls. I admit that such a plan as the foregoing is almost impossible on a large poultry farm, not alone on account of iho great expense in providing housing accommodation and suitable divisions for the runs, but on the question of labour in attending to the birds. Nevertheless, those of our readers who wish to see just what amount of growth chickens can make in the best circumstances should give it a trial. Let the test be made by having, say,

half a dozen birds so kept, and a large flock in a house, and range of equal size in proportion. The growth of the small flock will surprise those who have never tried the plan.

As an old exhibitor who has tried practically every available method of rearing, I can vouch for its success. Of course, to separate the sexes, as I have previously advocated in my notes, does much to ensure good growth, since where they are allowed to mix, the stronger birds, and invariably the cockerels, get much more than their share of the food. PROTECTION FROM ELEMENTS Moreover, let me repeat, to teach the chickens to perch early in their lives is a sure preventive of the evils of overcrowding. The latter plan may result in a few being slightly crooked in the breast, but where the birds are not for exhibition this is no serious detriment; in any case, it is far the lesser evil. In sunshine or rain, fair weather or foul, the poultry will require protecting from the elements. During the heaviest rains—and we do get thunder showers in summer —they will need a dry spot where they can retire to think things over. Not that they have a great deal of brain capacity, but they appear to know enough to enable them to seek shelter when rain is beating down “at the rate of knots.” All will be well if the birds can retire to the hedgerows, bushes or orchards, where the foliage is plentiful enough to keep out the wet. They will be found in such spots on fine days; with the sun at its heighest free range fowls instinctively find out these places for themselves. However, where such natural cover is lacking there is no need to give up in despair of “doing” the birds properly. Substitutes there are in plenty. If nothing better, a few yards of canvas or a hurdle—a wattled hurdle or a thatched hurdle are not to be despised as shade producers. It is quite an easy matter to knock up some kind of cover for the birds in the form of shelter or shade. One or the other? Decidedly, since shade is something that intercepts light, heat, or winds—a screen, shelter, that which covers. One free range in summer the south side of a hedge, a haystack, a closed fence, a bank, a wall, even the fowlhouse itself, acts well as shade, in that it protects the fowls from the glaring light and heat of the sun. Nevertheless, during the prevalence of a steady downpour of rain, how would the birds fare if that were the only cover they had? Truly would they be unprotected, and liable to get drenched. On the other hand, shelter which provides shade assuredly does more, in that, if it is properly constructed, it enables the poultry to have that dry retreat of which I have just written.

GENERAL NOTES

Major N. L. D. Smith. Wellington, secretary of the Wellington Bantam Club, informs me that he is trying to organise a New Zealand Bantam Association. Christchurch, Oamaru and Wellington Clubs are favourable, and as another new Bantam Club is being formed in Blenheim by Mr. J. Gibson,

v. leading Japanese and Old English Game fancier, Mr. Smith is very sanguine as to the result.. A meeting of delegates is being arranged to take place during the Christchurch show in June, when a common standard for all bantams will be adopted, and also the appointment of judges for tile shows held under the jurisdiction of the Bantam Association. The Wellington Club is considering the running of an autumn show for young birds, but is having some difficulty in securing a suitable hall. Major Smith suggests several new ideas regarding the running of shows. Although his suggestions are a departure from what he terms the stereotyped method of coilducting poultry shows, there is much in them. The following are the results of the Taranaki Egg-Laying Competition to and including the 43rd week. The leading position in the White Leghorn section is still held by M. Scanlon’s hen, which laid six eggs for the week, bringing her total to 275. A. J. Lacey’s hen is leading in the Rhode Island Red section with 234 eggs. Gibbons Bros.’ hen with 231 is leading in the Golden Wyandotte section with 231 eggs. Positions in the Light Sussex, Langshan, Brown Leghorn and White Rock sections are unchanged. D. M. Waddell’s hen, by laying seven eggs for the week, brings her total to 302 eggs, which, I should say, must constitute a world’s record, as I have no knowledge of any hen having laid 302 eggs in 43 weeks. In the three-bird team test, light breeds, Gibbons Bros.’ and G L. Gaylard's teams of White Leghorns are running very closely together, the former’s team having laid 683 eggs to the latter’s 677. The bii'ds in the heavy breed test are not laying so consistently, probably due to broodiness; seven eggs now divide Gibbons Bros.’ Golden Wyandottes and A. J. Lacey’s Rhode : Island Reds. In the Fawn and White Runner duck section only two eggs divide D. Riley’s duck, and that of V. L. Gane’s. D. M. Waddell’s duck is well ahead in the White Runner section. J. W. Carrick’s Khaki Campbell duck is still going strong, having laid seven eggs for the week, her total being now 286. The following judges have been appointed by the New Zealand Utility Poultry Club to officiate at their young bird show, to be held the third week in March:—Utility Light Breeds, Mr. J. Liggins; Utility Heavy Breeds, Mr. J. D. Gobbe; ducks and eggs, Mr. R. W. Hawke; open classes and bantams, Mi’. C. P. Bradford; fancy pigeons, Mr. J. M. McLean; homing pigeons, Mr. A.lan Buckley.

PERSONAL NOTES

Fanciers will regret to hear that Mr. Tom Harrison, the well-known Grey Lynn fancier, is seriously ill in a private hospital in Wellington. Mr. Harrison, who went to Wellington on holiday, was suddenly taken ill and had to' be removed to hospital, where he underwent an operation. Mr. J. Cummings, Christchurch, who recently had a serious illness, is now much better and looking forward to the coming show season. He has some promising White Leghorns,

Black Minorcas and Black Rosecomb Bantams and when “friend Cummings” says they are promising, fanciers can expect something good. He also has a few good Brown Leghorn cockerels, bred from his recent importation. This last importation was cockerel bred and Mr. Cummings is expecting a trio of pullet-br<jd birds of the same breed, also a show cockerel and a Minorca cockerel. Miss Cummings' is interesting herself in the Brown Leghorns, and if she makes the same success of them as she has done with Black Rosecombs, breeders will need to look to their laurels. Mr. Fred. Dacre, Christchurch, reports having a good breeding season and is looking forward to a successful show season as he considers he has some exceptionally good Brown Leghorns bred from his last year’s winners. Mr. F. Kingsford, Christchurch, who, some time ago, imported several birds from the well-known lofts of Dr. Tressider, has been successful in rearing some very good birds from his importation. Mr. John Breeze, the veteran West Coast Old English Game breeder, has not been enjoying good health for some time. Mr. Breeze is, however, still keenly interested in his hobby and has bred a number of promising youngsters from his winning birds.