POULTRY KEEPING

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20101, 3 December 1930, Page 6

POULTRY KEEPING

(By Fancier.)

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. D.J.G., Ashburton The e gß i« like tliose laid by Greenfinches. to be backyarder vho bu> m store. X d ,° , not , rl \ e voto certainly did not ,; e rop S i on r o h f e .to f k. k oeper, scner.lly. ? h0 ha \° JtVaub l^ the 5 right to demand how th.

NOTES.

At last week's meeting of the United Pigeon Fanciers' Club, the secretary, Mr F. W. Chambers, was instructed to write a letter of sympathy to Mr W. Mably, wlio has been in the Christcburch Hospital for some time. Mr A. B. (Dick) Smith, a P. and T. officer, left on transfer to Wellington last Friday. This young fancier is a very prominent and respected member of tho United Pigeon Fanciers' Club, and his departure is much regretted by his Club mates, who at tho same tune sincerely hope for his advancement in the service. The value of a fowl i« usually 50 small that doctoring is seldom worth while. In cases of egg eating ami cannibalism iu its many forms, it is much better to kill and servo up tha culprit for dinner. The position of New Zealand breeders at tho ond of 220 days in tho Commonwealth and New Zealand test was as follows: —Anconas, J. W. Mathicson (Timaru), leads with ISI eggs; J. Griffin (Governor's Bay), leads in the A.O.V. heavy breed class with 18G eggs by a Light Sussex; in White Leghorns L. Koache is third with IS.} eggs, and A. M. Espio (Southland), 109 eggs; 111 Australorps, It. M. Cooksou (Opawa), 171 eggs, and J. Craine 1(0 eggs. All the scores arc by singlo birds and all the eggs standard. The Bossy Cockerels are the ones to keep for tho stud, and such cockerels if paired with hens that have worn down their too nails scratching will produce fine youngsters in the spring. Such parents throw vigorous and prolific stock. Delicate females are also very prolific, but vigour is desirable to make tho combination Al. It this season's pullets are late in maturing, one may bring them on by adding to the usual mash 2 per cent, germinated oats and 5 per cent, yeast and 2 per cent. cod-liver oil. When tho time arrives for sex separation some novices often iind great difficulty iu deciding which are pullets and which cockerels, says that wellknown authority, Rostock-Smith, in the "Feathered World.'' This is really difficult when trying to "size up' heavy breeds, but with light breeds it is comparatively easy, for light breed cockerels show their comb relatively early. One of the surest indications, whatever the breed may be, is tho shapo of the hackle feathers. I refer to the long, pointed feathers growing from tho top of the back and hanging over tho thighs of the mature male. On every cockerel these feathers are sharply pointed like the letter V whereas those 011 every pullet are rounded off at the tip like the letter U.

Prolific Canaries. Mr B. J. Grindlay, of Ashburton writes:—"l am a Canary breeder and fancier, and havo pretty nearly got a record thia year for a c.mn ry hrn. She was feeding tlireo young, and while they wore still in the nest laid three eggs, and the day after they left tho nest she laid the fourth egg, and continued to lay until she had eight eggs, and is now sitting. Another lien has just finished with three young and has laid her sixth egg. lam sure this is a record for hens. Havo you one to beat this? " Tes, hut one only. Somo years ago a Mr Kowley, of Christc.hurch, had a hen that laid eight eggs and another that laid seven, but such prolificacy is Tare indeed. I never heard of Norwich of Yorkshires laying so many eggs, but more than the usual four are sometimes laid by Boiler Canaries. Mr Itowlev's hen hatched eight cocks from the eight eggs and all were reared.

December. Whcro birds or any stock are kept thoro is always plenty of work, but the toil and moil of hatching stud birds and layers ia now over for another season, though one may continue hatching bantams and some o£ the "small feathers" until the moult. Ju addition to there being less work at the end of the year there is more daylight to do it in, and let us hope better weather. This will enable the breeder to find time to enjoy the Christmas and New Year holidays, and it is the writer's hope they will bo enjoyed to the full. The work this month will be cleaning up, selecting winners and good stud stock, and feeding the pullets, so that they will mature and come into profit in the autumn. Topping oft the cockerels and old birds for the market should not bo forgotten. Three weeks' confinement on a fattening diet will do wonders. The season's production will make many overstocked, and in consequence those starting will have a c.hanco to buy more cheaply than when the yards are less full of birds.

Best of tlic Gamos. A breeder has read in a usually weninformed American poultry paper that the Dark Cornish Game Fowl is tlic best layer of the Gamos, and lio also read that the Cornisli Game originated from a mixture of Old Knglish, Malay and Asil Game. The origin is_ near enough, and it happened about 85 years ago in Cornwall, hence the narno Cornish Game by Americans. But tho English name is Indian Game. This is a large fowl, and much used for crossing to produce table fowls, but it is far from being the best layer among the Games. That honour belongs to tho Old English variety, which somo good authorities deem could be much improved upon. The Old English Game, Scots Greys, and Bresse fowls belong to the light class, but all arc fine layers and possess first-rate flesh. Tho Greys and tho Bresso fowls arc classed as non-sitters. The Old English hens are most reliable sitters and rearers, and found in greater variation than any other breed.

£l2O FOR SIX HfENS. As showing tho importance attached to winning pens of poultry in the National Laying Test, the pen of six Rhodo Island Ileds, belonging to Mr J. W. Vickorman, of Wellington, Hereford, which led in its section from the beginning of the test, has been sold to British Poultry Services, of Iglitham, Kent, for £l2O (states tho Loudon "Daily Mail")-