The Poultry-Yard

Digger (Invercargill RSA), Issue 39, 10 December 1920, Page 11

The Poultry-Yard

(By "S.Q.M.").

THE LEGH0RN FOR INTENSIVE WORK. For egg-production the L.cghorn is agrand fowl. Its eggs are large and pure white, and if it is from a good laying strain it will repay well for the eomparatively small amount of food it requires. Being light and active, the Leghorn very rar.ely becomes fat, consequently it is less prone to disease. Where it is kept on intensfve liues it will be found most satisfactory. Take care this season that you do not allow surplus cockerels to eat up the profits; ke.ep enough for breeding purposes and 110 more. If the others cannot be sold for breeding get them into condition for market. Hens must have some kind of mineral matter to form the shells of their eggs. Do not, therefore, omit to supply them with shell-making material and hard, sharp grit. These will keep the fowls in a healthy condition. Don't force the breeding birds, You are after strong chickens, and you are more likely to get them from a hen that lays four eggs a week than from the one ' that lays sev.en a week. It is right and ] proper to breed from your best layer, but when she is in the breeding pen, don't whack too much meat into her. Be satisfied with four or five eggs a .w,eek at this time. It is but fair to the hen tha : is wanted to produce strong chicks to give her two or three days' sjoell from lajnng in the week. You can't have it all Ther.e is a limit, and when you over the edge something must breax.

FEATHER PULLING. One of the troubles that the small poultrykeeper has to contend with. particularly where the birds ar.e closely confined, is feather plucking. Fowls appea" to develop the ha-b.it more for lack of somTthing to do than for any other reason, and the male, if one is kept, is apt to he the first victim. As soon as the practice begins, however, it quickly spreads to the other members. of the fiock, and if allowed to go unchecked will presently result in nearly all the uirds being more or less denudcd, and with this there is a reduction in~the egg yield. The best remedy for feather plucking is exercise. The birds must be kept busily engaged during the day, and made to scratch for their feed, plenty of scratching material must b,e addcd to their s'neds, and their food ra-ked well into it, or if they can be given more lioerty they usually will discontinue the practice, uuless it has become too de,epseated. One preventive measure is to prepare a strong sohition of bitter aloes, and sponge the feathers about Ihe denuded parts with this. This makes them very distasteful. A lack of. animal food is sometimes held to be the cause of the development of the habit. A regular and liberal supply of fresh meat is recommended. This is a good plan. for almost any flock in confinement, though it is doubtful whether a deficiency in this part of the ration really has anything to do with feather pulling. If the meat is fasten.ed to a string and hun-g high enough above ihe floor so that the fowls have to jump for it, this will. also assist in keeping them ~usy. The birds should be supplied with plenty of green food, as this will help to keep the blood cool. A small quantity of Epsom salts in the drinking water two or three times a week will also be of service. INCUBATOR ITEMS. If possible run your incubator in a well ventilated cellar. If a cellar is not available run the incubator is a well ventilated room. Always mahe sure that it is away from draughts. Attend to the machine carefull'y and at regular hours. Keep the lamp wick trimmed and clean. Always disinfect your incubator after the completion of a hatch.,.