10 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
Joxe 16, 1906 
iste 
‘Torrefield Barley 
eoee 
Petalomia and Munburnie 
Incubators 
| ei BROODERS 
Everything in the i 
; Poultry Line 
is Write for our Catalogue to 
F. J. Anthony and Co., 
Payneham Road 
ST. PETERS. 
Telephone 948. 
‘¥.G. Lillingston 
Electrical Engineer 
And 
Contractor 
Amporter and Electroplater 
occseves 
122 Grenfell Street (near Arcade), Adelaide, 
How to Get Rip or Cockroacnes.— Among 
thie remedies used in the ordinary house where 
the run or hiding places of the pests are located, 
is to puff in Paris green. An excellent bait is 
powdered cho olate and borax, equal parts; grind 
it up in a mortar, so that it is thoroughly mixed ; 
dust into their hiding-places or place in bunches 
here and there, covering up/all ford at the same 
Yime. 
Louth Lustralian Utility Poultry 
Cliab. 
The objects of the above club are— 
To encourage the breeding of pure birds with 
dhe regard to utility, by breediag only from 
selected layers. 
_ To give ‘prizes fcr the most efficient and eco- 
nomical system of packing and marketing poultry 
produce. r ae 
To give prizes at exhibitions for table poultry. 
To give special prizes for eggs in three classes, 
white, tinted and brown, instead of only white 
and brown as at present: E i ozs 
To establish laying competitions between pens 
of birds under proper management. 
To obtain the best adviee ior members on all 
matters relating to the selection, breeding and 
keeping of poultry. ‘ 
To facilitate change of blood from good laying 
strains between members. i 
A register will be compiled of the breeds kept 
by each member, giving particulars of strains, 
situation” of runs, and other information (copies 
of which can be had of the’Lon: secretary), so that 
the difficulty of getting birds of known Jaying 
strains should be'considsrably Jessenéd. ~~ * 
POULTRY. — 
By D. 10 Lavunrir. 
Seratehing Sheds. 
Tuer CHaracter.—Many poultry owners 
find the problem of feeding laying hens a diffi- 
cult one. If too sinall a supply of feed be given, 
the hens are unable to produce eggs; if too 
much food, especially if unsuitable,’ be given, 
the birds become over-fat and lazy; and a lazy, 
over-fed fowl is on the sure road to ruin.’ It 
has long been an article of faith among the 
more erperienced breedérs that fowls should be 
kept busy all day in their search for food. - The 
books recommend you to scatter the grain in 
litter, so that the birds may obtain exercise and 
occupation in searching for the food. It was a 
brilliant thought which occurred to the man who 
adopted the modern scratching-shed system. 
Although I have referred to this question 
before, the time is now opportune for again 
urging consideration of readers. In some of 
the large poultry establishments each poultry 
house has-a scratching shed attached, thus 
forming a portion of the building. In very 
cold climates these sheds are somewhat elaborate 
of construction, Some in use in this State are 
really part of the roosting house, which for, say, 
eighteen or twenty hens and pullets, is about 
14 ft. long by 5 ft. (about) wide One half-is 
fitted with perches for roosting accommodation, 
and is generally closed in front, the most 
approved form ‘being the mova Je front, which 
‘is closed down on cold nights, but it is raised to 
serve as a verandah in daytime ©The front of 
these combined houses is, az a rule,-wire:netted, 
and provided’ with a wire door or movable wire 
screen. By this method the birds are secure 
from predatory animals, and may also be kept 
sheltered on wet days. The half not used as a 
roosting house is use: as the se;atching shed, 
and is floored to a © pth of about six inches 
with straw, or, better still, © coc \y’ chaff (wheat 
chaff.) In this the grain 's seattered, and therein 
the fowls scratch and work, he scratching 
material is retained by means of a nine or ten- 
inch hoard in front of the shed, which also 
divides the roosting portion from the scratching 
sheds, In cold climates light oiled muslin cur- 
tains (on frames) are used to divide the com- 
partments at night, and to shelter the birds’ 
during days when the weather drives into the 
houses. : 
Although I am decidedly in favor of su 
stantial iron houses, with as little woodwork as 
possible, still the cost of these is sometimes a 
bar to. their general adoption, and something 
cheaper is sought. If every poultry-keeper were 
scrupulously attentive to. cleanliness’ ‘in -all 
matters, especially with regard to vermin (in- 
cluding tick), the necessity for urging the adop- 
tion of the sanitary forin of house ‘might be 
less. However, a cheap scratching shed may'be 
adopted which will to a large extent answer the 
purpose. This may be a eontinnation of the 
poultry house or may be detached and erected 
in a sheltered position. |The form ‘may,be a 
plain, lean-to roof, erected on alight framework, 
resting on four posts, which may be about 4 fc. - 
in front and 3 ft. to give slope to a roof of iron, 
zinc, or even cut kerosine tins, fastened) to bat- - 
tens. The front, ends, and ‘back may. be enclosed 
with wire-netting and a door provided, and:all 
around the bottom: a board 9 or 10 im, high is 
provided to retain the seratching material. “The 
ends may be permanently closed with’ curtains 
made of split wheat sacks, and a movable curtain 
of similar material may be provided, which can 
_be used to enclose the front or back, aceording to 
the direction of wind and weather. A shed.7 ft. 
by 5 will accommodate a dozen or more hens, 
and will cost but a few shillings. - ahs 
Tue Opsect or Such Sueps— Reference has 
been made to the difficulties in apportioning the 
correct amount of food, and also in keeping the 
birds in health. Birds running at large in good 
country obtain much natural food, as a rule by 
dint of continued scratching. ‘The process of 
scratching keeps the birds occupied, thus they 
do not’ contract feather-eating and other vices ; 
it provides exercise; which promotes digestion 
and health generally, and with young stock 
assists development. In cold weather 'the exer- 
cise promotes good circulation, and keeps up 
the body temperature continuously, which no 
carefully prepared hot foods:can do. The food is 
consumed gradually, and has to be sought and 
found before eaten. 
Birds should have their first meal as.soon as 
they are off the perch in» the morning, and on 
farms there is, as a rule, a gieat deal of work to 
do at this period. The suburban breeder may 
find it very cold work torise before daylight 
