OUR POULTRY COLUMN.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 3699, 7 December 1912, Page 3

OUR POULTRY COLUMN.

NEWS AND NOTES. Now that the heat of Summer is at hand, see that your poultry, both old and young, liavo plenty of shade from tho fierce heat.

The growth of chickens is retarded for want of proper shade, and the older birds, unlees provided with shelter, are liable to heat-appoplexy; and on an extra hot day many birds will be lost.

The heavy breeds suffer most from this complaint; and it is incumbent upon all .poultry-men to provide proper shelter against such loss. L * * *

Be particular in providing a cool spot for the fowls’ drinking water. * * *

There can be no doubt that a breed of table birds, with a white leghorn cross, mature much earlier than the ordinary run of pure breeds of heavy table birds; and their nice, white, tender flesh should ho a recommendation to persons on the look-out for something choice.

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Fattening poultry for market is carried on in anything but a systematic manner, and the few who go in specially for this generally make the effort with their own table birds about Christmas time.

With cockerels in fair condition nothing more is required than two or three weeks special feeding, and the main thing to be observed on their point is to keep tho birds cooped up so as to let them have as little exercise as possible, and try to induce them to eat as much fattening food as they can stuff into themselves. « * *

Feed morning and evening mash three of pollard to one of bran —and in the later stages oornmea! can be substituted for the bran, along with pollard, in equal parts. This should bo mixed with milk, if possible, or fat boiled down. Feed sufficient to satisfy their appetites. In the middle of the day feed corn, ahd occasionally corn and wheat. In between times some wholesome green food may bo fed. One other necessary thing to be observed is, that plenty of elicllgrit and charcoal be supplied. • * *

Farmers, who will be sending poultry to market for tho coming festive season, will do well to avoid sending birds in poor condition, for the extra price that good table birds will bung at this period, will well repay for any extra feed that may be given. * * *

Farmers should grade their poultry for the market, and ought to he just as particular over tins as the grading of their eg go. Do not put mixed broods into coops intended for. sale, as this will not enhance the price ot the weeds, and may he a drawback to the sale of the better class birds. Rather aim to have an even lot or one breed, such as Buff Orpingtons- Langshans Plymouth Rocks, Black Orp-in-tons,. and Wyandottes. Teed as directed in the above paragraphs, and your, poultry will be much sought after.

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To get the quickest return, young stock “should be fed largely on soft food. Alter three weeks, the chickens can be fed on small cracked corn, pour feeds a day up to eight weeks old should be given, then three feeds after that.

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White Leghorn pullets should start to lav when about six months old. Those belonging to tlie heavier breeds take seven to eight months. * * *

Rape is not detrimental to the laying hen. Some breeders, however, say that rape gives the yolks of the eggs an objectio'nable greeny tint; I have not found; this so myself. Rape acts as an aperient, and it lias a tendency to scour the lowls a bit until they v get used to it.

Sulphate or iron 111 the drinking water, a teaspoonful to a gallon, is an efficient help for the chickens to feather.

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A small quantity of cooked meat, cut finely, can be given to chickens when, a fortnight ohl. They are exceedingly fond of this, and it tends to strengthen and improve their growth. 0 * • *

Green cut bone may be fed sparingly, a little later on. ‘ 5 « * *

Bo careful not to buy, or cut up more green bone than is required toi the time being, as it is liable to go bad in the hot weather, and if then fed to stock, trouble is sure to lollow.

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Liver trouble follows acute indigestion, which is plainly visible in the dark red appearance of the conic. Indigestion is in most cases byougnt about by irregular feeding, or by being fed on any sort of grain too long, by overfeeding, and by sour food with a poor supply of grit. * $c *

To prevent liver trouble, see that the fowls are regularly, hut not overfed. Rather underfeed them to compel birds to do plenty of scratching for food. This exercise is most bencfibial.

In producing good table birds for market, the first consideration is rapidity of growth, and the proper distribution of flesh on a large frame. The more quickly the birds mature, the more profit will he made. At four or live months the fowls should be fit for market. Short legged blocky ■birds are the best for this purpose.

Always keep clean your fdwlhouses, by'the frequent use of lime and kerosene. If this work is carried but to the letter, disease will rarely be met with in the yards.

Perhaps it is more important that the beginner should know how to prevent diseases rather than have to treat and cure them, for ill a number of cases where the novice begins to doctor his stock, he is pretty sure of failure. It should therefore he the object of the beginner to endeavor to prevent disease getting hold of luo stock. It behoves him especially to be ever on tjie alert for disease and x vermin, when introducing now stock into Iris yards; a great cause of a number of complaints is derived from the vermin on the fowls, and so as to guard against introducing disease into your flock, just quarantine them for a few weeks, by putting the new birds into separate’ pens and carefully

watching them. To have healthy poultry we should breed for health as carefully as for any desired good egg laying qualities. There are a number of poultry diseases, and in spite of all tho sure cures thousands die annually from ono sickness dr another. My advice to the beginner is to make good us© of tho ono great preventative against disease —namely, cleanliness. * * *

Tho fertility of eggs greatly depends on the health and stamina of the male bird as well as the number of hens you may choose to run with him. bi.v hens to a cockerel has been found to give good results. Strong active birds such as tho Leghorn, Minorca,, or Hamburg would be able to attend to more liens than <>,.<. erne, Lang shans, and Brahmas. it little attention to the hens hr the breeding pens will be of great use. For instance, when they begin to lose their feathers on the hack, the remedy will be to put in more hens. It is my experience that most beginners are inclined to run too many hens with the male bird and many infertile eggs is the result. In cases where only a few hens are with tho cockerel, a majority of cockerels is generally the outcome, and where ihe hens are more plentiful with the male bird, ' pullets are frequently head of the list. _____