THE POULTRY INDUSTRY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1166, 17 June 1911, Page 14

THE POULTRY INDUSTRY.

(By Chantecler.)

j ; How to Get Eggs in Winter. | While eggs remain at their present, hig! j prices, this question is bound to fiirnisl S food for thought. Those fortunate pre dnccrs whoso hens arc laying aro reap ing a good harvest. One correspomlen . ' wishes to know tlio "secret" referred tc I | in last week's notes. Well, the writer i a unaware that he tried to conceal any I i thing, but precise information, is askc i i for. So here'it is: To get eggs at thi: » | time, of the year wo must look to tin ' | pullets that wero hatched early last sea son. Sonlo have success with aufumr hatching. They get tho birds in to laj in November and December, and through ! tho moult in February and March, and ' then in to lay for tho winter. Others hatch in August and September, and, li i not forced, tho pullets will begin to lay in March, and go right through tho winter. The system of feeding referred to is ! tho "full a'nd plenty" system. It needs \ a good deal of food to maintain bodily ' heat during the cold weather. There is I then a very considerable drain on tho hen's strength, and she must bo fed abundantly, i'he writer has had excellent success by boiling a copper of water into , which is placed two scoops of meat meal. Tho products mako an excellent soup. Added to this aro finely-cut carrots and lucerne, and a bucketful of mixed cracked ; maizo and wheat. It is allowed to stand ! all night, and, in tho morning, it is j placed in a trough and dried down with sharxis and fed freely, so that the fowls may eat at it till noon. In the evening | mixed maizo and wheat ore fed in-tho || troughs. There is usually enough left H for arCeariy breakfast' to meet emergencies Ja ! till tho-mash- is--fed; — Eig Chicken Business. Mr. H. Leger, of Levin, is making rapid progress in his day-old chicken business. He has already, hatched 1000, and purposes incubating nearly -1000 this soason. He is a reliable breeder, and the beginner in quest of day-old chicks may find it advantageous to give due consideration to > this promisiug sourco of supply. The Poultry Show... Ob\ ously the poultry fancy is in -a ■j lather low stato in Wellington. Tho - exhibits at the show only number about | liO all told, and at least 500-birds should | be on view. Jn (ho game classes thcra | i-< litllo competition, though the birds which have been entered are of good qnala ih Barred rocks havo solendid repress tatives from llv. Jackson. These aro imported birds. The hen is beautifully birred,, and of excellent type-and colour, the cockerel is weak in furnishings, but his lacing is very fine, the barrings liein* all that one.could expect.- ■ ■The"Wyaudottes arenot'a 'strong class':" The first silver cock is weak in top colour. The hens are. not well. placed,. No.. 32 being the writer s fancy. The whip cockerel looks aged for his class, but is a finelv--1 need bird. In pullets, the best bird win's, put shows signs of double lacing, is small ln , WW> and not distinct in colour. In i whites, the wing cock stands out fine in colour and type. Mr. Wanden, of Blenheim, has an easy win in all these classes. ™ O/Pinctons there is little to-comment on as tho coninetitionissinall I-nMinorcas arc sonic of the best exhibits—the finest I . have, seen .penned this season. The winning pnllot % a beauty-fine lobes, even comb of splendid texture, fine eye, nfco type, and good colour. She deserves tho championship which she won. In Leghorns the winning cockerel had faulty lobes, and, in the hen classes, most of the turds showed want of condition. In brown Leghorns, tho winning ■ cock is good, having fine saddle and neck hackles and good even colour. In these classes the competition was keen, biit Mr. •Iremonger easily led the-way. Tho winning pullet v;as fine in type and colour, though .showing an excess of 'comb. In Andaluslans and Hamburgs there were signs of weakness which seem to show that tho breed requires an infusion of new blood. Iho canaries are well worth seeing, being

tno best exhibit ever held in New Zealand. Tho pigeons aro well staged, and snow good quality. Notes of Interest. The National Poultry Organisation So-says-tho. London ''Daily News," profiting by the experience 'of last year with tho .South AVales Demonstration train, is contemplating further educational propaganda this year. The entrain will bo dispatched to a purely agri- . cultural district, with a staff of lecturers, and a van containing all the latest scientific apparatus for poultry rearing and o™ production..-.Models.'Of,'the best kinds of .ponltrjybc-uses'will he shown, tho methods of feeding,'fattening,''and preparation foi market, tho method of testing eggs by light, the value of combination in getting tho produce, to the market, and .other mat' tors'of the greatest; importance to the poultry farmer. • Ths'.'English paper '"Poultry," records tho arrival of two pens of White-Leg-horns from Mr. A. H. Padman, tho wellknown. South Australian. Tho birds commenced to lay tho day after their arrival, but it will bo more interesting to note how they perform during tho English winter. ' If one tablespoonful of warm common treacle is given to hens that are eggbound there will bo no more trouble. I have seen a hen eggbound four days which-has passed her egg two hours after this treatment. It is also a great help to youn" birds to put a little in their soft food, say, onco a week, when commencin" to lay. Poultry sometimes get into the habit of feather eating, which makes tho fowls look : very ragged. To cure this put 'a handful of common salt into their soft food, and a few bits of meat or other animal food, and apply vaselino to tho bared parts of tho affected fowls. This treatment will cure tho worst cases of feather eaters. Lovers of poultry should make a practice,of collecting bones from the table, and placing them in tho oven to bake or become crisp, when they can bo easily broken. If this is done, and thrown down for tho fowls they will greatly enjoy it, and' return their thanks by helping to fill tho egg basket. This, 1 I am sure,' repays one for tho little trouble given.. At this time of the year nest boxes become infested with lice. The cheapest and most certain way to clear this pest out is as follows:—After every hatch take box into the yard, turn it upside down; let hay or straw fall to the ground, then set light to it. When "it is well alight place a very thin sack over the box. Tho smoke will then get into every crack and crevice, and without doing any harm to the box you will rid yourself of every pest. Those who use orango boxes should set light to all partitions at once, else they will drive tho lico from one nest to the .other. New Zealand Ducks. Messrs. A. S. Juniper and Co., of the Central Markets, London, have just received a consignment of a few boxes of New Zealand ducks, which arrived with tho frozen produce on board the s.s. Matatua. On making inquiries'in Siiiithfield, a representative of the Christchurch "Press" was told that although small consignments of ducks from the Dominion have been sent over on previous occasions, the trade is still • largely experimental. There appears to bo no reason, however, why poultry farmers in Now Zealand should not pay' more attention to tho exportation of ducks. Messrs. Juniper state that the present consignment is a very good sample. Tho average is up to that.of the English duck, and when Toady for tho table the appearance is similaT to that of tho Homo bird. Tho quality is reliable, and the birds have realised the standard prico ■ of frozen produce—namely, a little over ' 3s. per duck. I It is essential that more care should bo I taken in tho packing, because,'in Smith- ' field appearance goes a long -way, and ' the Now Zealand birds were not quite so 1 nice-looking as they might have been. In this respect a pieco of paper should be wrapped round each duck. There is also i the appearance of each duck having been > stuck in the neck, and the result is that when packed in the box tho blond oozes , out and discolours the birds. This would r 1-" obviated if the ducks were stuck in . the mouth, and all the blood allowed to i run away. Tho ducks, too, ought to bo plucked much clcauer at first, aud not singed.

The Russians «md (heir ducks in-excel-rh lent conditon, and are very careful in -li I , , nt ' k ' n "' bot]i *hn heads and bodies of tho birds being wrapped in paper. p- " " it NEW ZEALAND UTILITY l .° POULTRY CLUB. *': SEVENTH EGG-LAYING COMPETI- . TIOX. is i* APKIL 1, 1011, TO MARCH 31, 1912. n Official report for tho tenth week endy ing June Till Last Total d . week's to •s I Total. Date. if Misses M. and M. Bradley y (Papanui), W.L 30 281 i- G. If. Kobinson (Chch.)B.o 25 268 s 'J'. Kennedy (Rangiora), S.W. ... 22 235 is Hcrctaunga Poultrv Co. (Silvery stream), W.L 29 225 s A. Tisch (Dallington), W.L. ... 10 216 o A. E. Browne (Greenmcadows), i- W.L 19 213 t Heretaunga Poultry Co. (Silver--0 stream), W.L 19 208 . A. E. Wilson (Shirley), W.W. 21 200 i, A. E. Browne (Greenmcadows), 1 W.L 33 198 1 D. 1. Gibson (Herbert), AV.L. 29 195 1 Mrs. E. W. Hawke (Papauiii), 3 .L ]s igo ! Edgar Hall (L. Hutt), 8.0 20 181 ; T. Collins (Waiwctu), W.L. ... 20 ISO . N. Solomon (Westport), W.L. ... 20' 178 J AV. Nixon (Burwood), W.L. .„. 25 174 : A. K. Wilson (Shirley). W.L. 17 171 5 Master Gordon Wilson "(Shirley), N'-L-, • '.... 20 164 Vorrall Bros. (Swannanoa), W.L. 25 156 Thomas Frothey (Martinborough) l B.L. 27 156 1 T. Kennedy (Bangiora), W.W. IS 155 ■ Eangmru Egg Ranch (Otaki), 1 W.L , ng JJ.J 1 B. Willis and Sons (New Brighton), W.L 18 132 C. M. Peek (Avondale), 8.0. .. 21 152 Cr. H. Barnctt (Leeston), B.L. 19 144 A. K Kinncar (Adelaide). W.L. 19 143 A. L.Kent (Shirley), W.L 10 140 i ".■ VT Hnlpin (Greenmcadows), ■ "-L 23 339 ! ?,■ I'"" 1 (Wellington), AV.L 2S 138 O. L. Bridges (Wanganui), AV.L. 25 135 i James Ashfon (Hanmer), S.AV. ... 22 126 i AV. Nixon (Burwood),. AWL 21 123 i C. M. Peek (Avondale), AV.L. ... 1G 122 I E. AVillis and Sons (New Bri°-h- " ; ton), 81.0 °... ig 122 ,• Mrs J Mills (Dunedin), AV.L.... li 119 1 P. J. Keller (Eollestoii), AV.L. ... 13 117 « J. AV. Green (St. Albans), AV.L.... 27 116 c Dominion' Poultry Plant (Core- c _ mandel), AV.L 28 107 a C. Hammond (Eunkura), AV.P.E. 21 106 s A. B. Menzies (Addington), e K.C.AV.L. ig log ] F- £■ Goodwin (Thames), AV.L. 25 105 c w •?• ?, nd , m , an , ( A,lelaid e). W.L. .21 104 n W. Scull (Chch.), B.W 12 104 W. Knight (Hutt), No. 1 AV.L. ... 21 101 h AV. Knight (Hutt), AV.L 21 98 c H. Leger (AVereroa), AV.L 15 94 i\ H. Meadows (Spreydon), AV.L. ... 12 91 A A. AV. Adams (Sheffield), S.AV. ... 19 SS w AV. O. Sail (Cust), AV.L n 73 n i Stevenson (Wellington), AV.L.- 6 65 s. A. AV. Irvine (Epsom), AV.L 20 G5 « H. M. Bannehr (Pic'ton), AV.P.R. 5 r,,i v: A. AV. Irvine (Epsom), AA'.L 11 57 0: AV.Balch (Belfast). AV.L 17 49 ol G. H. Robinson (Chch.), AV.L. ... 20 39 sc D. Stewart (Normandy), AV.L. ... 0 34 P •Tames Maxwell (Masterton), 8.0. 0 29 c; P. J. Keller (Eollcston), C 0 "-, c( G. H. Bradford (Cust), AV.L. ... 9 j> A. P. H. Sutherland (AA'elling- H ton), AA'.P.E r, 6cl T. Dowthwaito (Auckl'd.), AV.L. 1 1 ; cc Totals 1099 7710 a E ai SECOND DUCK EGG-LAYING COMPETITION. 8' (All Indian Runners.) „ ( ! Last Total of

1- ' week's to d TT , Total. Date Herel'annga Poultry Co. (Silverstream) ;.., 03 oj< W. Knight (Hutt) .-. .'.... 31 27J P. J. Keller (Kolleston) 30 20t ~ T. Dowtlm-aito (Avondale) 25 191 A. It. Browne (Greenraeadoivs) 21 191 1 T. E. Hall (Wereroa) 3f 190 S. 11. Scott (Onehuuga) 15 103 " W. Knight (Hutt) s 44 T. Strong- (Doylesfon) 8 ,]() C. Hammond (Ituakura) ]2 in '_ W. Hodgson (Clieviot) ■ 0" 22 " Scott and Bctldingtoiii(OnDhun"a) 0 "0 f 13. A. O'Brien (Waihi) .!... '0 n [ I'. Webb (Levin) ' 0 0 r Totals 210 1585