The Poultry Yard

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 898, 15 February 1930, Page 30

The Poultry Yard

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GRO. R. AMBLER.)

WORK FOR FEBRUARY

TF.E month of February is usually glorious summer weather, and a good deal of heat is generally experienced, therefore the sleeping quarters of poultry must be well ventilated.

Fowls would keep in better health and condition if they were allowed to sleep in open sheds all the summer. with nothing but a roof above them. This, however, is not always convenient, and the best alternative is to have houses in which sliding shutters may be let down, so that the fronts and sides are practically open. By keeping birds in such houses, it is possible to harden them so that they become practically immune from colds. Shade is another necessity, and those who make small permanent poultry runs in the garden or elsewhere would do well to plant some young fruit trees, for the sake of the shade, as well as obtaining some results from the fruit. However, for those w'ho require a quick-growing annual plant, I can recommend the tall sunflower. If a strip of ground is dug and manured all round the run just outside the wire netting, the plants can be put in about 16 inches apart, when in a short time they will form a dense tall hedge, and provide splendid shade all day. Sunflowers, however, form a double purpose, for when the seeds are ripe the heads should be cut ofT. The fowls will peck out the seeds, which exercise is splendid for them, or they can be threshed out by beating the heads on the ground. Sunflower seed is of an oily character, and very useful for growing feathers, but should be used sparingly. Owing to the long days and plenty of insects, chickens should be making good growth now, plenty of milk and a variety of foods being essential. Care must still be taken, however, to keep them free from vermin. It often happens that chickens stop growing about this time, and the cause may be usually attributed either to insect pests or overcrowding. The latter is a frequent cause of failure. How often one finds half one’s chickens bare of feathers at this time of the year. The cause is a dryness of the skin through some mismanagement. The remedy is to add boiled linseed to the wet mash daily for fourteen days.

Keep reducing the stock in each sleeping place as the birds grow, or they will be spoiling one another’s chances. Sort over all the cockerels, sellirg or eating all the mis-marked ones, as they are worth more now than in two months’ time, besides giving the remainder more room. Broai flat perches about a foot from the ground may be put in the houses for veil-developed chickens over four mon hs old. and it should be seen that the birds roost upon them every nigh', or those remaining on the floor will be fouled by those above, as well aB becoming too hot when closely packed in the corners. Keep all perches on the same level, or the birds will crowd on to the top onet If any old birds are moulting, H will be a good plan to put them

in a well lighted outhouse, so that they can be fed by themselves. The growth of new feathers is a severe strain upon a bird, and it should have three good nourishing feeds a day, with scraps of meat and vegetables, and about an eighth part of hemp seed with the hard corn.

There should be a considerable saving in the food supply at this time of the year with the adult stock, and those who are fortunate enough to be able to turn their fowls out for a run can keep them at very little cost. Many amateurs in country places can run their birds into a field, or even the roadside, and they will find that a few hours of such liberty and extra exercise each day will do a great amount of good, besides effecting a saving in corn. Even in small confined runs, fowls do not require nearly so much food now as they did in the early spring, and of what they have a large portion should consist of vegetables. UTILISING GARDEN WASTE Poultrykeepers can utilise a lot of waste garden produce for their fowls. While lettuce, cabbage leaves, and onion tops are very welcome, the evening meal of hard corn must not, however, be forgotten. Oats are the best grain for this season of the year, mixed with a third part of wheat. This is the best time to get rid of all old hens and make room for a stock of young birds. CULLING To rear pullets to maturity, they must be given every encouragement to make the best growth. Stern measures must therefore be taken, and birds deficient in constitution, of poor type, or suffering from any deformity, must be culled out, and either used on the table or sent to the market. There must be no sentiment. Those that do not come up to your standard must be culled out, and standard must be cleared away. Always remember that the good bird costs no more to keep than the poor one, and the poultrykeeper should

have “Cull! Cull” as a motto continually before him. The poultryman will from time to time come across chicks suffering from weakness or ailments. Chickens aro not prone to many ailments, despite the fact that many rearers have a heavy percentage of mortality among their young stock. Jn many cases the had mating and ii'r’-feeding of the parent stock are to be blamed. If weakly fertilised eggs or those from forced or poorly-fed stock are used, mortality w-ill naturally be heavy among the chickens. In chickenrearing many difficulties are sure to turn up, but with patience they will be mastered, and the experience gained each year will clear the way for better results later on. COMMON-SENSE METHODS If the rearing is to be a success, the poultrykeeper must apply commonsense methods. It is useless to hatch 100 chickens from 100 eggs if the owner loses 99 of them. The art lies in being able to rear to maturity, even more than in being able to secure higher hatching percentages. Nothing stimulates -growth and ensures health better than frequent changes of run. To the man with unlimited space, the providing of fresh runs is an easy matter, and he will soon reap the benefit in seeing his young stock grow by leaps and bounds. HINTS TO REMEMBER When purchasing grain, it is best to examine it carefully, being guided by its weight, taste, colour, and smell. Where possible, buy in quantities to save expense. Where several poultrykeepers reside in one district, it is best to club together, and thus be able to buy at the best possible rate. The cockerels intended for breeding purposes should not be taken up and fed heavily. Leave them in their pen or in their run, and keep them hardy and vigorous. Let them "rough it,” so to speak. Without vegetable matter in some form chickens cannot thrive. It is obvious, therefore, that when chickens are confined and in consequence have not access to grass, some sort of green food must be supplied to them. Finely-cut lawn, trimmings may be given in a feeding trough, while other greens may be suspended on a string a few inches from the ground.

GENERAL NOTES

The following are the results of the Taranaki egg-laying competition to and including the 44th week: In the White Leghorn section M. Scanlon’s hen still maintains ner lead with 282, followed by R. Cannon’s hen with 264 eggs. A. J. Lacey’s Rhode Island Red is well ahead of her competitors. Golden Wyandottes are led by Gibbons Bros.’ hen with 217 eggs. Dr. M. Waddell’s Black Orpington still maintains her lead over all fowls and ducks in the competition. Her total is now 308. In the White Wyandotte section Gibbons Bros.’ No. 1 bird has now laid 235, her nearest competitor being 202 Light Sussex, Langshans and White

Rocks have not yet put up very high scores. In the White Runner duck section D. M. Waddel’s duck is leading with 217 eggs. Fawn and White Runners have done considerably better, D. Riley’s duck has now laid 250 eggs, V. L. Gane’s duck is following up closely with 247. J. W. Carrick’s Khaki Campbell still leads the whole duck section with 293 eggs. In the three-bird team test, light breeds, R. Cannon’s White Leghorns have now a total of 66. In the heavy breeds’ team test, Gibbons Bros.’ White Wyandottes are leading with 641 eggs. » * « Owing to pressure of business, Mr. Geo. H. Ambler, who, since the death of Mr. Jarvis, has been secretary of the North Island Rhode Island Fowl Club, has asked Mr. J. H. Kissling, Massey College, Palmerston North, to take over the position of secretary. Mr. Kissling, who is one of the most enthusiastic Rhode Island Red specialists in the Dominion, has consented to take over the secretaryship until the annual meeting to be held at Palmerston North in June. All communications regarding the club should be addressed to Mr. Kissling. The Canary and Cage Bird Fancy in Auckland has taken a new lease of life during the past 12 months and the most successful shows held for some years have been the outcome. The Auckland Canary and Cage Bird Club has practically doubled its membership. The Aviculturist Association, which has joined up with the club, exhibited all varieties of British and foreign birds, which added considerably to the other attractions at the last annual show. During the past year, a far better feeling existed among members than has been the case for some time, with the result .that all have worked together in perfect harmony. The success of any club depends, to a great extent, on the good fellowship of its members and unless the true fancier’s spirit prevails a failure can only be the result. Owing to difficulties which arose some time ago, rhe Yorkshire Club did not have such a successful year as did the Auckland Club. The members are, however, doing their best to place the club on its oldtime footing. Mr. Gilbert, the new secretary, is an enthusiast —the right man in the right place—and his efforts, coupled with those of nis executive, will bring about the desired results. Members of both clubs can congratulate themselves on the attendance of the public at each of the shows held during the year. Mr. S. Devonport is to give a lecture on the origin of canaries at the next meeting of the Hastings Poultry, Pigeon and Canary Club. By the last American mail 1 received a copy of the year book of the American Bantam Association, which contains items of especial interest to bantam breeders, also sevei-al valuable articles on breeding and mating by leading American fanciers. A number of New Zealand fanciers are members of the association and Mr. C. H. Bull, secretary of the Canterbury Bantam Club, is the New Zealand representative.

PERSONAL NOTES

Mr. J. H. Kissling, Massey College, officiated as a judge at the Waimangaroa Poultry Club’s show, where he judged all classes of poultry, Mr. W. Hart, the veteran bantam breeder, is much improved in health and intends taking a trip to England, leaving New Zealand early in April. Mr. T. Fazackerley, Sockburn, one of Canterbury’s leading utility poultry breeders, is another fancier who intends visiting the Homeland during the coming summer. It has been suggested that, failing Mr. Fred Brown, Mr. Fazackerley be asked to represent New Zealand at the World’s Poultry Congress to be held in England in July. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS B.N.G. has an Ancona pullet laving shell-less eggs from the perch. On two occasions she has been put off laying but with the same result. The birds have plenty of oyster shell grit and green food * ar JT afraid you will not be able to cure this Ancona, and I can only suggest that you keep her entirely on grain and green food, and, of course, water. This sometimes effects a cure, but you cannot keep the whole lot in this way unless you have an extensive grass run, so it does not look as though she will be much use to you as a breeder. You might try a teaspoonful of the following for 10 dayslodide of potassium, 1 drachm; water! 6 ounces.