Sep. 2, 1920.] Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W. 675 



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together for company and warmch, disasters of the character mentioned above 

 have resulted, while their owners would protest that the chickens had plenty 

 of space. Here, then, is a lesson that must be learnt before successful 

 rearing can result. 



The best plan is to house chickens of this tender age in much smaller 

 numbers — fifty to seventy-five is sufiicientfor one lot — and this applies to the 

 whole growing period until they are removed to the laying quarters, when, 

 say, 5 months old — and even then there is still danger of trouble (particularly 

 from roup) if too many, say 100, are put together at that age. Mature birds 

 are naturally much less susceptible to roup and other diseases of the young, 

 and may be housed in larger mobs if desired. Thia out, spread out, give 

 more space — that should be the motto of poultry-rearers. Only in this way 

 can we prevent the terrific wastage that is the one great cause of failure in 

 poultry-farming on a commercial scale. 



Vermin. 



A sharp look-out should be kept for the appearance of vermin, and 

 particularly for head lice on chickens. When the birds are seen to be 

 drooping without appai'ent cause, a search should be made for these parasites. 

 The slightest touch with salad oil is quite effective to destroy them, but care 

 should be exercised not to smear the chickens elsewhere with oil, as is often 

 done. 



Many operators, thinking that the treatment is* too mild to be effective, 

 use stronger remedies (such as mercurial ointments), or add kerosene, turpen- 

 tine, ikc, to the salad oil. This is not only unnecessary but dangerous. 

 Chickens are often killed as a result of these departures from the advice 

 herein given. 



Another common mistake made by beginners is to spray the brooders and 

 chicken-raising equipment generally with disinfectants as a precautionary 

 measure against disease — a precaution which not infrequently brings about 

 troubles the birds would otherwise escape. There is such a thing as being 

 over-anxious in anticipation of disease. The same thing applies to the use 

 of disinfectants and germicides put in the drinking water. The point is 

 that the operator should be more concerned as to the conditions under which 

 the chickens are being run than with anticipation of disease with which (in 

 all probability) no trouble would be experienced if the conditions were 

 good. 



Meat Meals or Concentrates. 



In last month's notes i-eference was made to the excessive use of meat meals 

 and concentrates. Questions received on this matter appear to indicate that 

 the methods of using these are not yet well understood by many. For the 

 information of such as ai-e in doubt, it might be stated that taking the 

 ordinary foods used for poultry, comprising say, wheat, maize, oats and 

 barley and their meal-products used for the morning mash, together with 

 lucerne with or withovxt a small percentage of some of the oil cakes, examples 

 of which have been given from time to time in these notes and in publications 



