Welsh Newspapers

Search 15 million Welsh newspaper articles

Hide Articles List

22 articles on this Page

i IN THE POULTRY YARD. I

News
Cite
Share

IN THE POULTRY YARD. I BY COCKCROW. I A NEW SEASON'S HINTS. I The poultry season has commenced, and from now onwards keepers of birds will N kept very busy. To say that the season w< have just entered upon will be as eagerly looked to as has been the case in othei years would be the limit of the ridiculous, for the war has played havee with the in- dustry, and a point has now been reached when many are having to give up under the ever-increasing burden. The greatest diffi- culty that has been experienced is that of food. The prices are so high, the quantity so reduced, and the qualities so much lesa than they used to be that many have found it impossible to continue. If, however, you can carry on," do so, for when the wat ends (and who can tell how near or how far this is?), better days are bound to come. The poultry season, therefore, having com- menced, it is our intention this week to devote our notes, in the main, on a few hints suitable for the occasion. There are } items which occur in the course of a season on which some enlightenment may be needed, or some items which, although known, may have slipped the memory. These notes may serve both purposes, and they are, at least, written with the inten- tion of giving advice which will prove of use to poults-keepers. For first-class results first-class birds are necessary. In these days it is extravagant I FiltST-CLAS.3 BIRDS. to lEeCp any out tne oest I birds. Many keepers have fowlS that they know are defective, but they keep I struggling atod trying with them in tne nope j that they will improve. Such a plan is a j bad one. Start with birds of. hign quality. Before you purchase them find out their breed and pedigree. See that they come from parents whi6h have possessed good reputations. Don't buy "a pig in a poke," for the chances are you will be disappointed. Purchitde your stock from a dealer with a good rej>iit»tk>n, átki do hot allow them to thrust juat what they like on you. Do not purchase a bird because jt cheap, for you will do much; better fey paying a little more for another that you can depend upon. Next to first-class birds the greatest essen- tial to successful pouttry-keeping is good FIBST-CLASS HOUSBS, houses. Without them you I cannot expect your stock to prove profitable, for the I birds will not enjoy good I health, and unices they do the egg yield will be very small; therefore, pay X." .p at- teation to thb houses and runs. The wood used for the building must be well-seasoned. It must also be waterproof and damp-proof. The best plan is to build it against a wall. The roof should be sloping, with a tarred felting cover. The house must be properly ventilated, but at the same time it must be kept free from draughts. Let the Boor be of concrete, or better still, of wood. The former strikes cold, and therefore wood is to be preferred. The perches should be of various heights, and at least three should be put up in eivery house. Otherwise it means llll the fowls crowding on to the one perch. Scrupulous cleanliness must be observed. The houses and runs should be limewashed not les than three times a year. Dirty houses means dirty birds, and dirty birds means unhealthy birds. Sprinkle the floor liberally with sand, and in the house supply a good amount of hay or straw. The run should be built as long as pos- sible, for if the birds have not the fields to t_ i AV LL- WHEN BUILDING A RTJX. roam auoui mere to iuv I danger of them being de- prived of exercise. With- I out exercise the birds grow lazy and fat, and thus the egg-banket will only be half instead of com- pletely filled. The floor of the run shonJd I E of earth, for in this the birds can scratch. i 1k sure that the ground on which the run is, built ia not damp, for if it is the birds ,will find a dry spot and congregate too closely. In this way they become subject to disease. The run must be well drained. All mud and filth should be removed, other- wise the hens will become useless, and thus you will be keeping them at a loss, where- as, if managed on proper lines, they should bring in profit even in these difficult times. Unless the birds breathe good pure air they cannot thrive. Care, however, must PROPER VENTILATION. be taken in providing it. I Many keepers in their de- sire to allow the birds fresh I air make their houses draughty. This is as disastrous as no air at all. Arrange the ventilation so that there are no direct draughts, but an easy circula- tion carrying out the poisoned sy air and supplying in its place fresh, sweet, pure air. It is best to make round holes in the side of the house near the roof. In this way fresh air can get in, but it does not ailow a draught to reach the birds. If a strong current blows in it is over the heads of the birds, and thus does no harm. Some keepers make the hole near the ground, but this is a Very wrong thing to do. The current of air blows straight at tne birds, and if any- thing is dangerous to birds it is draught. When too many fowls are kept upon the land tainted soil nearly always follows (says DON'T OVER- STOCK YOUR LAND. "The Smallholder "). No evil must be guarded against more strenuously than this, for liver disease, gapes, tuberculosis, and various otner complaints are more often than not traeeable to foul soil. The ques- tion is being continually asked as to the number of fowls that one may keep upon a, given area of land, and, like many another question in connection with poultry, it is one that cannot be answered offhand. No hard-and-fast rule can possibly be laid down, for what might prove excellent advice under one set of conditions would be totally wrong under another. The nature of the soil, the time of year, and the breed of fowls are all important factors that must be taken into consideration. As some sort of guide, however, it may be stated that the average ltying hen, if it is to be kept permanently upon the same plot, should not have less ttan three square yards of gravel run, and (say) twenty square yards should the plot be all grass. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. I W, B.—Day-old chicks that have travelled by rail should be kept in the warm on the arrival at their destination. A good plan is to put them in a wicker basket or a bag in front of a fire, or place them inside a cool oven with the door open immediately they are unpacked. Hope this answer reaches you before your chicks arrive. D. S.—It is a great mistake to give fowls a "heavy 'brealdást, for it makes them liy, and as a consequence the egg yield will fall off. Remember that a lazy hen very quickly becomes a diseased one. H. N.—Young chicks can be .put on a. new tuff if it is dry. Let this be done only on a sunny day. The young one will derive much benefit from it.

-NOTES ON NEWS.

-INDIAN FRONTIER TROUBLE.t

IFOWL WITHOUT COUPON.I

blMft6YER SUIWK: ALL SATED.I

I TEA TABLE TALK. I

[No title]

IDRESS OF THE DAY. I

[No title]

GULtS AS FOOD. --.< I

FINE EXPLOITS OF BRITISHNA…

HIS" UNKNOWN DARLING." I

WATEUEB MILK. I

VKCOtJNT ASTOI FlftD. I

PRISON TOR SINN FEINERS. I

I PREMIER AT THE FRONT. I

S700 HOARDING FINE.J

DOUBLE RATIONS. I

POTATOES M CMAD. I

[No title]

[No title]

[No title]