THE POULTRY INDUSTRY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1198, 5 August 1911, Page 14

THE POULTRY INDUSTRY.

& (By Chantecler.)

Enterprising Poultrymen. Now Zealand poultrymen havo given jmarked indications of enterprise by entering pens for tho Vancouver egg-laying contest. It is only a week or so ago since Mr. J. B. Merrett, .Christchurch, received the request from- the Exhibition Commissioners to send fivo pens from Australasia. No sooner did the "New Zealand Poultry Journal" arrive'.iu Sydney with tlio particulars than, with remarkable promptitude, the "Daily Telegraph" cabled Jlr. Merrett to reservo ono pen for them. The "Telegraph" has been tho journalistic pioneer in the matter of egg-laying tests, and has dono more to establish the poultry industry in Australia than any other medium. New Zealand will bo represented by Jlr. E. Hopkins, Otaki; Jlr. A. It. Browne, Napier; jlr. W. A. Nixon, Christchurch; New Zealand Poultry Institute, Christchurch; and tho fifth pen available will bo taken by the "Telegraph." \Good luck to theso poultrymen! May they_ win the,, laurels and add another achievement to I\ew Zealand poultrydom. Big Prize Money,' Tho Vancouver tost is known for its prizes. Forty pounds is to be divided between the pen layiug most eggs in light breeds, and tho pen doing best in heavy breeds. Other cash prizes are added as iollow:—Second, .£2O; third, ,£10; fourth, io; and filth, If wo can establish a win at Vancouver it will mean the opening up of good business with Canada. We are only three weeks steam from Vancouver, and shipment of stock will lie ft comparatively easy 'matter. Mr. Merrett is also opening up negotiations in Vancouver for table eggs,, poultry, and feathers. The possibilities are great, and the egg-laying test. will do much towards bringing tho two countries into touch. High-watf@Mark. When we made a/wagti 1 last year of a 10s. lid. hat that-the leading pen in the New Zealand test would boat tho world's record of 1538, wo believo/l that wo had a I sure win. - -The total fell snort by 17 eggs.' This yety it does not appear that auy of tho tests in Australasia aru going to put up. records. Our own test is bad enough, btij;. tho Australian Ivsts aro infinitely worsa. ' The averages havo fallen considerably. \ The weather is no doubt responsible for a good deal of tho drop. In any case, as far as high totals are concerned, competitors havo dono their best. The Hawkesbury test is the only ono that is /teaching us anything of worth. Their' experiments show the respective value of layers at different ages and tho response to different systems of feeding. Value, of Young Hens,

Thousands o? pounds are lost annually by farmers retaining old hens. Personally we only keep out layers for one sea.son..„ They aro' hatched from Juno; to September, begin to lay from December to February, and ate forced on riglit through tho year till they begin to moult, whtin they are sold off;. There is considerable profit on pullets, but onco thev,enter ttio second season's moult they little more than pay for their keep. Tho Hawkesbury. tests show that in the third year hens are a dead loss, and yet thousands of birds exist' in New Zealand to-day that havo passed that age. Hero aro tho results:—

First ; Second Third Hens— ■ year. year. year. Avorago per penfor.;': :-C i'-: Juno 88 ,' 49 32 Ducks £12 / 56 . , 32. Even ducks, which lay better than hens in their second and third year, will do little more than pay for their feed.

Scarcity of Ducks. There is going to be a scarcity of ducks. Market reports from Canterbury show that table (lucks arc already realising from ss. to Cs. 6d. per pair. ' Thousands of ducks wero sold during tho summer because their own'ers failed -to make them pay. Duck breeders have gone out of the ousiness, and less ducks will be hatched -this :seasolr. Ducks will* reach Bs. a pair this "spring; : - . The Poultry Conference. The committee which is to draw up tho programme for the conference at Christchurch in November will meet at an early date. The southern poultrymen nro. going to . make, tho event something to be 1 remembered. There are several places of interest to tho poultrymen. in Canterbury, and visitors will seo and learn. Tho Burnham. poultry farm ind tho egg-lay-ing competition are both'of great .educational value. _ Tho egg circlo movement will also* rcceivo a great impetus at tho confcrence. Splendid work" has already been accomplished, and' is'-bearin'g fruit. The aim of the work is to'improve thomethods of marketing eggs, and not, as some think, to. try .to increase the price. The.average prico of good grade.eggs"in New .Zealand is higher than in any other part of tho world. Chicken Raising. . The raising of chickens is now in full swing. Thousands are already hatched, and the producer of winter eggs. knows that unless preparation is inado now he will not clip next winter's prices. August and September are the ideal months for chickens.. Splendid hatches aro reported among poultrymen. Jlr. Loger has done exceedingly well, and has sold a very largo number of day-old chicks. This phase of poultry-keeping is becoming very popular, as it ensures a certain number of chicks without having to bother with the hen. New Zealand Poultry Institute. There are few poultry establishments in Australasia that can surpass in completeness and excellence of laying stock tho New Zealand Poultry Institute, Christchurch. Fully COO birds aro kept at' this poultry farm,'and, this season, the num-. ber of laying birds will reach 1000. Already UOO chickens aro hal'ohcd and scores of visitors are viewing tho institute each week as an object lesson. An advertisement appears in this issue. Those interested in poultry should write for- a catalogue and full information of tho stock that is kept.

Our Correspondents. H.B.—Your chickens have contracted a bowel trouble as tho result of a chill. Feed boiled rice twico daily, in addition to your usual chick feed. L.M.—Yes, tho shedding system has come to stay. The confinement of birds will solve i'ho problem of numbers. On an aero of ground a roan with experience can get a living. Benjamen —Will deal with irreless brooders next week.