The Poultry-Yard

Digger (Invercargill RSA), Issue 40, 17 December 1920, Page 11

The Poultry-Yard

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

At a recent meeting of the Rouncil of th.e N.Z. Orpington Club (North Island), [ it was decided to hokl the club's next | annual club show in conjunction with ths New Plymouth Society's 1921 show. It was also unanimously agreed to adopt the new Dominion of New Zealand utility poultry standards, and judges will be instrueted to make their awards in utility elasses at the club's shows in aceoi'danee therewith. It was further decided to ask the Manawatu Poultry Association to institute an amateur judging competition at its next show. FEEDING CIIICKS. The feeding of the chickens must be as plain as pes-ible. Giv,e nothing for the first forty-eight bours, then feed on dry coarse oatmeal. Sift the oatmeal and thus save the fine stuff which would cther. wise be wasted. Mix a little fine grit with the oatmeal, but take out of this any glittering particles. These attract the chickens and eneourage them to take more than they should. This results in the gizzard becoming overcharged with the grit, and starvation ensues. Very finely cut up. ten-der green stuff should he supplied in. abundance. The chickens should be encouraged as early as possible to scratch in tbe littc-r for their food. Therefore allow some of the oatmeal to fail into the litter about the tray. After the third day combine a little of some good commereial chick food with the oatmeal, which may gradually be eliminated. The litter should consist of straw ctiafl or cavirtgs, or chaffed-up liay. Oaten chaff is not advisable as stray oats and the hard joints of the straw cause crop-bind-ing and gizzard troubles. When Ihe chickens are seveii days old a little moist masb is given twice a day. This may consist of two paris of oatmeal, tw o of pollard, two of finely-cut green stuff and half a part oi rolled oats, the whole mixed with boiled rice. The rice . helps to prevent bowel troubles such as diarroeha. To boil the rice take one part of rice to three paris of water, and boil this in a vesscl standing in a larger vessel of boiling water. The rice will absorb the water and yet not burn, and the grains will fail apart. In feeding the mash it is not desirable to feed it the last thiag at night, the dry niixture being the best thing at that time. Feeding mois't feed at night generally means, that this, rapidlv passing through the chickens, makes the bedding moist and at the same time it has not the same sustaining effect a.s has the dry feed. The moist mash can he altered after a week to a pla.iner diet, consisting of two pai'ts of green stuff, two parts of pollard, half a part of bran, and a half a part of maiz.e meal the whole mixed with skirnmilk. If maize meal is not outainable it may be eliminated. In changing the food it should be dorie gradually. After about a mon.th the chick feed can be made plainer by mixirg with the mash kibbled, or ground, wh,eat, a littlo crushed maize, or hulled oats, if procurable. Some of these should always fce in the litter, to enco#urage the chickens to scratch. Abundance of green stuff is desirable. Besides putting cut green stuff in the mash bunches should he tied up nine inches to a foot off the floor, thus provid. ing the chickens with further means of exercise. A little cooked meat, such as rabbit, liver, etc., maj' be fed occasionally in the mash, but care should be taken not to overdo it. Meat is a highly stimulating food, and should therefore be f.ed sparrngly. Failing fresh meat, a little meat, meal may b.e fed, but this can easilv be overdone. A little dry bran, in a tin or hopper, and always availa.ble, is beneficial. Chickens are very fond of it, and it is a great body huilder. Feeding bran sepa.ra.tely gets young stock accustomed to dry mash, and to balance their feed. Grit (with the bri.ght particles eliminated) should be eonstantly before the chickens from the fifth day. A good qnality grit is desirable. A brand manufactured by Rhodes, of Auckland, is excellent. It contains charcoal. invaluable for birds of all ages.