THE POULTRY INDUSTRY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1204, 12 August 1911, Page 15

THE POULTRY INDUSTRY.

s (By Chanteder.)

Firelcss Brooders, No subject in connection with poultry culture gives promise of such reformative change as the use of lifeless brooders-'. Thoso of us who have constructed our brooders on tho hot water pips system have been reluctant to aciopt the new system. Briefly, the fireloss-brooding appliance consists of a square box on which is placed a frame containing two or three mats to conserve the heat. It is held that the hen, by means of her feathers, retains the heat of tho chickens, and that the quilts serve the same purpose. On first thought it seems almost incredible that chickens may be taken from an incubator, and placed in a cold box when the frost, say, is on the ground. Nevertheless, experiments which I have made this season seem to prove that chickens do as well under the circumstances indicated as in the heated brooders. j There are, however, some disadvantages. i The weak chickens stand no chance, while tho labour of training the youngsters to go under the hen on thenown accord is somewhat of a tax. When one is rearing large numbers, this labour means a great deal. In the heated brooders chickens quickly learn where to go for warmth. If the tireless system eventually becomes practicable on a general scale, it will mean the saving of hundreds of pounds to poultrymen— maybe 'more than hundreds, as the suggested appliances are simply and cheaply made. How the chickens thrive towards maturity and the ago at which they come on to lay has yet to be determined. The system is being widely used in New Zealand this season. Vancouver ,Egg Test, ,It is possible that Australia wilj be represented by two pens at the Vancouver test. The birds will join the New Zealand pens at Auckland, and, from that port, will go on to Vancouver by tho Makura. The Egg Market. The price ■of eggs has fallen considerably, and we are now in for summer returns. It would appear as if the supply will bo very heavy this year, and poultrymen will require to look for an export trade to relieve a possible congestion of the market. ' , j Dunedin Fanciers' Show. The Dunedin Fanciers" Club's annual exhibition was hold on Thursday, Inday, and Saturday of last week., Ine entries in poultry totalled 4G7, pigeons 33(i, and canaries and cage birds 15i. The qualitv of tho exhibits on, the whole was equal "to previous shows. The staging, lighting, and the building were unsatisfactory, and the method adopted for numbering tho pens was '•difficult to follow. The building, however, was nicely situated so as to catch the visitors to the Winter Show, and I understand that the club's takings were ahead of last year's record. . • , , leghorns were strongly represented, and Mr. H. G. Hunt's awai'ds gave general satisfaction. Mr. J. Tindul's winning white cock stood out in this variety, and the same owner's winning heu was of a beautiful type and colour, though.she was not looking in the best condition. In white cockerels Mr. G. C. Lane's evenlybalanced stvlish littlo bird of hue quality won. Quality was strongly represented in the Brown Leghorns, but Air. W. Goodman's tine coloured cock stood out in his class, and Air. W. W. Robertsons beautiful hen was much, ahead of the other exhibit's. Tho Invercargill breeder also supplied tho winners in cockerels and pullets The rose-comb White Leghorns exhibited by Messrs. J. and T. Brown were fair, and gained four firsts. Iho Black .Leghorns showed a great improvement, and Mr. U. G. Davidson's fine ex-hibit>iir'hens,-cockerels and pullets stood out. Sir'.' T. Jiccles was successful m Buff hens and pullets. Wvandottes made a fine display, and the golden cockerels and pullets were tho finest collection that has been -seen at this show. Mr. W. Omand scored in liens and pullets; and Mr. A. W. V. Clark in cocks and cockerels. The Halswell fancier won tho fifteen-guinea' silver cup for most points in Silver and Golden Wyandotte cockerels and pullets. In Silver Wyandottes there was keen competition, and Mr. J. B. White captured the first prize in cocks and first and second in cockerels and pullets. Tho winning pullet was not a good black and white. Tho White Wya.ndottes ,wero of high merit, Mr. J.'-B. White scoring in cccks, hens, and cockerels, and Mr. G. H. Blair in pullets. Tho Andalusians were the largest classes seen out this season. Mr. G. Kerr was successful in cocks, hens, and cockerels, and Mr. G. Hunter in pullets. The cockerels and pullets were beautiful, clear, blue-laced Andalusians. Mr. A. Cresswell prevailed in weak classes of Minorca cockerels and pullets. Black Orpingtons were particularly good. Mr. E. 0. Baker was first in cocks, Mr. E. Fountain in liens, Mr. C. Carter in cockerels, and Mr. H. Ives in pullets. Mr. S. Solomon prevailed in Buff Orpingtons and also in Black-red and Duckwiug Game. Mrs. E. S. Lcversedge won the Ladies' Bracelet with a Black-red Game cockerel. v The Bantam section was only of fair quality, many of the exhibits being too big. Messrs. J. Smith, P. W. Watcs, Omand-and Day, W. F. Condon, T. Wilkinson, A. Heffernau, and Mrs. S. Johnson were the chief prize-winners. The Aylesburys, Kouens, and Pekius exhibited by Mr. J. Jtowat were of good quality, as also were the Indian Runners and Buff Orpingtons shown by Mrs. Lucy,