The Poultry Yard

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 951, 19 April 1930, Page 26

The Poultry Yard

THE INTENSIVE SYSTEM

FEEDING AND MANAGEMENT SOME years ago the American system of intensive poultrykeeping was introduced into England (and later into New Zealand) on a large scale. Demonstrations were given at shows, where a great measure of public attention was attracted by the large open-fronted, electrically-lighted ltouses, containing very big and very active flocks of White i Leghorns.

The activity displayed by the birds as they picked up their living, corn scattered among the floor litter, seemed very hopeful in days when most poultry-keepers were afraid of their birds becoming over fat. It must be admitted that the appearance of the stock exhibited left nothing to be desired In health and vigour. The Intensive system on a large scale did not prove, however, as profitable as many had hoped; but, in spite of failures. poultry-keepers generally benefited by the introduction of this method. Several very Important improvements in general management followed. For example, cleanliness, an essential to success In egg production, is an absolute necessity to the intensive system, and its value was demonstrated thereby. Since that time greater attention has been paid to this point, no matter what the method of poultry-keeping may be, and the improvement can be attributed in large measure to the introduction of the intensive system. It also taught the use of dry. light and well-venti-lated houses, affording space for exercise under shelter during inclement weather. These requirements are now recognised as essential to maintain both health and egg production curing the winter months. Another point emphasised by the intensive system was that of the need for exercise. At first it was rather overdone, but at length poultry-keepers realised that occupation rather tban vigorous exercise is the indispensable thing. In addition to those important principles many small details of management were established, but as a whole the system conducted on an extensive scale had a short life, largely because of the too artificial conditions it imposed on the birds. The renewal of stock, or of a great proportion of stock, due to the waste under Intensive conditions, proved too expensive, and this system of keeping considerable flocks has now been superseded by semi-intensive methods. For the townsman, who has but a limited space at his disposal, and desires to keep a moderate number of birds, intensive methods are not regarded as unprofitable, or in any way to be condemned. FEEDING COSTS REDUCED ■ Such poultrv-keepers are not obliged to incur heavy expense in the annual renewal of stock. The cost of egg production is greatly reduced by feeding the birds on material which would be wasted otherwise. Labour is no

charge. seeing that attendance on the fowls is regarded as a relaxation, and the many little details which add to success are rather a pleasure than an irksome duty. Where the operations are on a larger scale the pressure of more important work leads sometimes to the neglect of that thorough care necessary to the health of the birds. Poultry kept on the intensive system have no open run. It is well to remember that a run is an advantage only If It is a run, and not merely standing room in a mire. The advantages of open air exercise are undeniable, and the provision of an outside run is to be preferred if the necessary space can be found, otherwise the intensive system is the only one to adopt. Where small flocks of from four to twelve birds are kept the allowance of ground should not be less than six square feet each bird, and the whole of the floor space should be available for exercise. Common sense will guide the prospective poultry-keeper in the design of the house most suitable to his own special conditions. Dryness, good ventilation and ample light must be provided for in the selection of a site, and in the planning. The question as to whether roost and shelter should form separate compartments, or be combined, depends largely upon the situation. The two compartments give greater change for the birds, and are to be preferred on this score, but a slightly larger area of ground is required, and the cost of building is generally higher. Many poultry-keepers working on a small scale err in their methods of feeding in two main respects, overdependence, or under-dependence upon the household waste. In the absence d£ meat scraps a poultry-keeper should include fish or meat meal in mashes wet or dry to the extent of 15 per cent. Too much house waste with two little concentrated food, such as corn, is detrimental to egg-production. Corn, that is, wheat, oats and maize, is valuable in moderate quantities. It provides “scratching” exercise for the birds, but the value of dry mash (bran and meals'! is not yet sufficiently recognised by small poultry-keepers. DRY MASH FEEDING The industry would gain many recruits if dry mash-feeding were practised to a larger extent. There are two reasons for this. The method is labour-saving, and requires little skill and judgment. Dry mash-feeding is a happy medium between corn and wet mash, and may to some extent replace either with great advantage. Composed

largely of bran and fed in hoppers so constructed as to avoid waste, dry mash proves a most economical food. The birds, once accustomed to it, may he left unattended for 24 hours at a stretch, provided they have sufficient mash, and a supply of water. If stock be kept intensively, annual renewal is advisable, although not absolutely necessary. The artificial conditions render the birds generally less productive in the season than those kept more normally. The townsman poultry-keeper can seldom rear stock either conveniently or economically. After the earlier stages the chickens require more space than is generally available, and the tie of the poultry sometimes inter-feres with the household’s annual holiday. So It is better as a rule to buy pullets than attempt to rear them. Twenty years ago it was a good investment for the townsman to buy pullets at 5s to 7s 6d each during the autumn, then get full returns for these in eggs, and thereafter kill them off for his table as production lessened. By holiday-time the poultry yard was practically empty, and would not require attention until a fresh batch had been introduced. This practice is still economical with pullets at 21s each, and might be followed with advantage to a much larger exent. The time may come when our New Zealand farmers will book regular orders with customers for an annual supply of from 10 to 20 pullets, and such a practice would prove good business for both parties. EXERCISE FOR FOWLS Let fowls scratch for a part of their grain, but do not make them work for all of their food. You do not want to burn up a considerable part of the food in unnecessary excessive exercise; that is not economy. Neither should you get your fowls out of condition by failing to give them an opportunity to scratch, and run about sufficiently to keep their digestion in good order. Exercise is a good thing, it is necessary—but it is possible to have too much of a good thing. PERSONAL NOTES Mr. Stokes, the well-known flying homer breeder, who recently removed to Glen Eden, has taken up the breeding of Light Sussex. He has already a good flock of this breed, and is contemplating going in for Black Orpingtons. As Mr. Stokes is a great believer in having nothing but the best, I am looking forward in the near future to his debut as an exhibitor in both Light Sussex and Orpington classes. Mr. Alec. Daisley, Glen Eden, who a decade ago was associated with Mr. A. Wood in the breeding of Old English Game, when they bred some of the best fighting game in the Dominion, has a select lot ot White Leghorn and Black Orpington pullets. Mr. Daisley’s poultry houses are all up-to-date, several novel ideas having been introduced. I was particularly interested in his method of supplying water to the birds. The drinking vessels usually found in poultry plants are kerosene tins, but here we find concrete troughs worked on the ball-cock system, with a plug

at the bottom to enable the troughs to be thoroughly cleaned. Hinged covers prevent the birds from getting more than their heads into the water. Canvas shutters are fixed to keep out the rain, a large sheet of glass being let in to admit the light. All houses have concrete floors, and are fitted with dry mash hoppers and dust baths. Mr. Cnowhurst, the well-known Auckland homing pigeon enthusiast, has been appointed judge of the flying homer classes at the Wanganui show, to be held in June. ANSWER TO CORRESPONDENTS Leghorns.—Nosey, Takapuna, asks now to tell the difference between a thoroughbred White Leghorn and a mongrel White Leghorn. A thoroughbred should be racy-built, fairly slim and active, upright and “perky.” whiteplumaged, brilliant red comb, face and wattles, white lobes, and yellow legs. The cock’s comb should be single, and upright, and his tail flowing, the long feathers like sickles. The hen’s comb, which is also single, should fall on one side, ancj her tail somewhat fan-shaped So much for the thoroughbred, and as to the mongrel, perhaps it has red lobes, a thick and short body, and a coarse comb. It may resemble some other such as a in shape. But “one can never tell.” Some mongrel Leghorns are very much like Leghorns. 1.K.R., Epsom.—You say that your hen is not fat, but since “the last two eggs were not three-quarters of an inch in diameter,” I fancy there is an accumulation of fat in her abdominal cavity that is preventing the lower part of the oviduct extending as it should do to allow for a normal egg resting there to harden. If that be so. treatment will be difficult. However, since the hen has recently laid soft-shelled eggs, give her an iron tonic—five drops of tincture of iron perchloride in a teaapoonful of milk (sweetened) daily.