September, 1912.] 



201 



POULTRY NOTES. 



(By P. A, V.) 



Tuberculosis of fowls is very difficult to eradicate except by the 

 adoption of drastic measures. The quickest and most effective method 

 is to kill off all of the birds, disinfect the premises as thoroughly as 

 possible and start with a new stock from a flock that is known to be 

 free from disease. But in large flocks or where it is desired to preserve 

 a certain strain in breeding all birds that show the least signs of illness 

 should be promptly slaughtered and cremated, the healthy birds re- 

 moved to new ground, new houses built and eggs for hatching secured 

 from stock that is known to be healthy. If incubators are used the 

 problem is made simple. Precautions should also be taken to prevent 

 the possible infection of the fowls from bovine sources by the feeding 

 of offal from slaughtered tubercular cattle or hogs or from human 

 sources by picking up sputum carelessly expectorated on the ground 

 by consumptive persons. New stock should be secured only from 

 flocks that are known to be free from disease. An additional pre- 

 ventive is to increase and maintain the natural vigour of the fowls by 

 care in breeding and feeding and housing in open-air houses. 



Profitable Duck Farming, 



Mr. H. V. Hawdins, Poultry Expert of the Victoria Department of 

 Agriculture, Australia, puts in a vigorous plea in the last December 

 Number of the Journal of the Department for more extended duck-farm- 

 ing which he states is very profitable. He gives a few hints in regard 

 to handling ducks : (1) Do not attempt to catch the ducks by their legs : 

 it is much safer to handle them by the neck ; (2) Do not reduce their 

 weight by taking a lamp amongst them at night; (3) Never throw dry 

 lime in a duck pen : it kills ; (4) Never select the largest duck eggs for 

 hatching : they are usually infertile ; (5) Ducks should always be locked 

 in at night and kept on an absolutely dry, soft floor : they lay best 

 under these conditions and the eggs are easily gathered ; (6) Never hurry 

 the lxying ducks : it usually injures them, sometimes seriously ; (7) When 

 sickness attacks ducks, it is useless to doctor them : the best remedy for 

 duck ailments is plenty of sliced raw onion in the mash and an absolutely 

 dry, soft bed ; (8) Ducks shoud never be permitted to run with fowls : they 

 both do better in pens by themselves ; (9) When fowls and ducks are allow- 

 ed to drink from the same vessel, an outbreak of disease may be expected ; 

 (10) Birds with crooked backs, wry tails and similar defects should not 

 be bred from. 



Fowl-selection for Egg production. 



Comparatively little is at present known with regard to the biologi- 

 cal factors which cause improved egg production or as to the laws 

 according to which these factors operate. Empirical methods have led 

 to a knowledge of how to feed, care for and. to some extent, breed fowls 

 with a view to high egg production, but the biological laws under- 

 lying the process of egg production are still but little understood. 

 A valuable contribution to the subject has recently been made by Dr, 



W 



