THE POULTRY INDUSTRY

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1925, 6 December 1913, Page 15

THE POULTRY INDUSTRY

(By Chantecier.)

AXSWKUS TO CORKESPO.NDKXTM. "Inquirer," ITtitfc: The New Zealand J'oultry Association should be supported by every poultry enthusiast. Anyone intercstc-d may join on payment of 2s. Gd. per annum. Representation at the conference is through affiliated associations. Delegates being elected according to membership. Tho secretary's address is liex SFB, Christchnroh. J. I'atz, 'Wellington: Vour ducklings have sore eyes, as the result of shallow drinking vessels. Ducks must have water deep enough to got the full length of the head into it. It is almost cruelty to supply them only with water in shallow dishes. They cannot remain healthy, and soon loso their vitalMr. I '.Davis, Jsapior: Wo agreo that the subpect would bo a suitable ono for discussion at the conference. Some of the best authorities in America are against your theory of green food, but opinions differ. Tho final results in any certain method is what wo want. It is not sufficient to take one season's results only. Wo thank you for your . letter, and commcnd the subjeet of ''Dead in Shell" to tho conference committee.

Chicken-Rearing Failures. Tho New South Wales Government have been specially fortunate in securing the services of llr. Hadlington, who was for many years a practical poultry iarmcr. His appointment as poultry expert goes to show that instructors should be selected from men of practical experience. Our own Government is considering the appointment of all extra instructor, and no doubt a practical man will be selected, also ono who is familiar with Now Zealand conditions. As n result of his observations in visiting poultry yards in various districts during the past two months, Mr. Hadlington has coino to the conclusion that tho weakest link in tho pou'trv industry is tho very general lack of proper broader equipment, ant} tho want of knowledge in chicken-rearing. This is a very serious position, and ono which ho is determined to make strenuous efforts to overcome.

"The success of tlio intjustrv," ho says, "depends upon the poultry farmcrs facing able to roar tlieir chickens successfully, and it is almost heartbreaking to see, as I have seen, the enormous losses of chickens this season that aro duo to tlio people not having proper provision for rearing and not knowing how to treat their chickens. Some farmers have lost 'them b,v the thousand, simply,. I am convinccd, through faulty brooding." In the first place, tiic expert continued, the vitality of the breeding stock was lowered by the weeks of vain in the winter, and this conduced to bad hatches and to chickens not being as strong to start with as in ati ordinary good season. ' "The conditions obtaining during the spring v.cru very bad for chicken life, and the weather being so variable was calculated to chill them even with ordinarily good brooding arrangements. I have noticed, too, that there has been a tendency with many to overcrowd tlio brooders, and so accentuate their troubles. On very few farms are the brooding arrangements anything !sl;e what they should be. "This is undoubtedly the weakest point in the poultry business to-day, and I havo found it iu every ■ district visited. In many cases brooders that would accommodate 50 chickens all right, I find 100 to lot) stuii'ed in. Tho icsult is that the chicks either get suffocated or they get over-heated, and consequently are most ssiscoptible to chills. In other cases, where the bioodors were not overcrowded, there has been no proper ventilation, and the result has been the same. I have always found that when we get a hot, dry spring, and can throw everylliin;; open night and day. the chickens thrive better than in a spring like wo have | had this year.

'■'It is a groat mistake to turn the • lamps in the brooder o\ii in the day time. Many do it, but tins allows the brooders to cold, niul if there is a sudden drop in the temperature the chickens cannot jzot warm, The proper way to run a brooder is not to put the lamps out at all, but to turn them down on a hot day. Xo matter lioiv much heat there is the chic-hens will get away from it 'if the.v have the chance. The broader should ho run at a temperature, sufficient for one chicken if necessary. • A lot of the mortality this season is attributed to white diarllioea and to j«asl.ro-cntcritis. That may be So, but- the primary canst: of all these troubles is faulty brooding, by which the chickens arc debilitated and weakened, and thus rendered a prey to beeterial disorders."

Jlr. ITadlington added that he is preparing an illustrated bulletin dealing very thoroughly with all phases oi' brooding. It is his intention in connection with the model plant, to be erected at the Hawkosbury College to push on with the brooder houses, so that poultry-keepers can' go tlicro and scg how tho various forms if brooders should he constructed and manipulated, lie also aims at' a vigorous educational campaign among the farmers themselves before next breeding season, fo tli.it they will ho in m better position to rear their chickens .successfully when hatched. "I meet people everywhere," said Mr. I-ladlington, "who are full of plans for running thousands of hens;; but I find they cannot roar the chickens, and until they can they are up against a dead eiid."

The Conference. The Poultry C'onfercneo irliieli is _1o bo iiolil at Easterlime is meeting with, enthusiastic. support. Next week a meL'tinr: of pmiltyirion will be caiietl at Wollinstoii to mako arrangements for the programme and for entertaining visitors. 7113 Laying Competition. At. a mooting of the New Zealand Utility Poultry Club held in Clirislclnireh this week it was decided that tlio Government he asked to supervise tlie laying competition. it is thought that an arrangement of this nature will give the official fi cures more weight ami give greater confidence in the records. The club will continue the work under the iurisdiction of the Government,

1 *' H fowls must have green food to l'UKiuc!- |j llt the Americans arc njHimg out- many things lor the advancement <>f the* ])ouitrv industry. One , u!om is that green Iced will not pro-iiioi-o ck«s or better fertility in rH'"?' s ' r - I liavc lurl this season • ill breeding pens of various light and heavy breed poultry. Not a bird of inern has had a taste of gieci! feed at'i the breeding season. 1 have had not less than LVJOO eggs at a time in my incubators all the season. I have never seen, •■.letter lertihty. stronger chicks, or loss "Pad in shell. This '"dead in shell" question should he, a subject, on the order papef p.t next Master Conference. I he question of green food above is only in reference to its value or otherwise to birds in the brooding pens, and not in reference- to chicks or crowing stork. Thanking yon in anticipation. —1 am, etc., M. DAVIS. Napier. November 29, 1913.

"DEAD IN SHELL"

To tho Editor. Sir, —Few papers in the Dominion have a better poultry correspondent thnn your paper in the writings liv "Chaitle;-ler." But iliis week J wish In differ from liis last week's advice to Wellington, which reads: — "T have repoitecilv given rcapoiis for dead in shell. V cur omission ol green feed is, in my opinion, the cause of llie 1 rouble. Tim eges lire light in colour, lack mineral olonienfs, so ihat iiie frame of the chick is weak. Try a liberal alloivance <>T given feed daily, and yon will note the eeang! 1 ." I. will agree that, titer? will lie a ehiingo in colour of yoke of egg by the use of some kinds of grteit food (not nil kinds). The colour of the yoke lias no more to do with the fertility of- the egg than tho feeding of colour fend to a ciliary lias oil the binl's sinking Dualities. Neither ha:; errni; I'srd. I know that is one of tho old grar.duiollier slor-

LAYING COMPETITIONS-

[Now _ Zealand Utility Poultry Club's Egg-laying Test for Fowls. Returns for thirty-fourth week.] Total Total for to week. date. W . Morccc, Ilowick, White Leghorns 35 1006 R. A. Lazarus, Ilutt, Wh. , Leghorns 3,j 1003 C, 1) t;, Jiggers, Nelson. Wliito Leghorns 28 996 W. fcciill, i_Jiristchijrch 3 White Leghorns 27 087 Tlios. l''azaekeriey, Wool- . sto.u, Wh. Leghorns ... 27 971 A. ]?. iirowne, Petano Roarb, White Leghorns 29 9G/3 R. Wylie, Unit, White Leghorns 30 062 K. James, Marshlands, White Leghorns 31 !)oS Dominion I'. I'lnnt, Coromandcl, White Leghorns 32 g.jo <T Cocker, Bromley, Wliito Leghorns 31 P3S

T. Kennedy, Hsingiora, Silver Wvai (lottos, 22-700; A. Yv. Adams, Shei field. Silver Wyandottes, 21-825; A li. Wilson, Shirley Silver AVyandoite: i'.1—596; AY. Knight, liutt, Silver W'j andot-tes, 13—65J; Jas. Ashton, Han rccr. Silver Wyandotte, 22—748; Tlios AYilson, Marshlands, Silver Wyandotte* 17—(iSl; AY. 0. Sail, C'ust, Silver Wv andott-es, 27—809; S. H. Scott, One hunga, Silver AYyamktt-es, 20—7(51; A K. \\ ilson, Shirley, White W.vandot tcs 20—07/; T. Kennedy, Hangiora, Whit W.yandottes, 28—090; Kng and Wat son (N.S.W.), Black Orpingtons, 12718; Vcrrnl! Bros., •Svv:niiiaiift:i, Browi Leghorns, 26—859; J. 11. Shaw, Christ church, Brown Leghorns, 2D—751; A A\. Irvine, Mount licskill, Blue Mot Leghorns, 21 —-162; 11. Lcger, AYereroa White Leghorns, 30—S'10; lierotungr I'.C,, Silvcrst-rcilm, White Leghorns No 1-. 22 —925; D. Y. Gibson, Herbert White Leghorns, 30—S-10; Herofcaung; Co., Silvcrstream, White. Leghorn! No. 2, 25-911; T. M'lhvraith, We* Melton, White Leghorns, 26—867; B W. Itawke, Papamti, White Leghorns 22—831; Wordsivortli, GeraldinrWliite Leghorns, 24-804; A. AY. Ir vine, Mount Koskill, Wilito Leghorn; No. 1, 32-770; Middlepark I'. >:.r<n Riccartoo, White Leghorns 26—750: T White, Napier, White Leghorns, 31— 872; Stewart and Landsperg. Norman by, White Leghorns, 20—8-!8; J. A Carrie, lioeUenham, AYhito Leghorns, 3-; —88-1; P. Mason, Hutt, White Leghorns, 27—889; G. Boundt, Rprcydon While Leghorns, 30—525; 1!. Willis anc Son, New Brighton, White Leghorns 25-870: lsrnekon!ieki I'. Farm. Biccavton, Coliunbinu Wyandottes, 23—823 Thomas Vosc, Carterton, White Leghorns. 35—913; 11, S. AYoodnorth. AYinton. White Leghorns, 33-3CG; Mrs. J. Mills. Duuediu. White Leghorns, 30—907; A. AV. Irvine, Mount i\fisi;iil, AYiiito Leghorns No. 2, 28—820; Mrs. J. Green, St, Albans, White Leghorns, 33—89-1; Mrs. Ansley, Bromley, AYiiite Leghorns, 26—78-i ; Mawson Stewart, Christchurch, White Leghorns, 31—910; AV. Knight, Hutt. White Leghorns, 2-1-879; J. W. G:r, u. St. Albans, White Leghorns, 31—907; I. Stephenson. Wancanui, AYhito Leghorns, 35—859; Mawson Stewart, Christchurch, AYhito Leghorns. 27—91,0; N. Solomon, AYcslport, AYhito Leghorns, 32—910; YVainoiii P. Farm, Wainoni, AYhito Leghorns, 3-I—9ll ; Verrall Bros,, Swaiuiaiioa, AYhito Leghorns, 35—910-

FOR DUCKS. [Xc«* Zp.iiniul 'Utility Prultr.v Club's fourth laying lost for ;tucks. 'Returns far thirty-fourth week.] Total Tot.il for to week. date. \V Knight, TLiU (No. ]) Indian Runners 3> 880 iV. Knmht. Hutt (Xo. 2) Indian Runners 2f) 790 Morelaiinga I'. Co.. Silver. stream, Indian Ru:si)erg 22 COS Thos. Don-thwaitc, Avondale, Indian Runners 2!) 740 *Y. Mercer, Hawick, Indian. Runners 29 7.15 Miss A. Donald. Dunsautlol, Indian Runners... 23 730 A. 11. Brnwnp, I'ctano Beach, Indian Runners 28 721

TWO YEARS' COMPETITION.

[Xew Zealand Utility Poultry Club's two years' cßti-laying test for fowls. Report for eighty-sixth week—thirtyfourth week of second rear. 1 • ' Total Total lor .to week. dais. T. Kennedy, JUngiora, Silver Wyar.dottes HO 1013 Roninin Manger, llutt, Mack Orpingtons 7 1.015 Ueretaung.i P. Co., Silverstream,' Wiiito Leghorns 33 226S J. W. Green, Christchureh, White Leghorns 23 2120 H. J.cser, Levin, White Leghorns 23 2159 V*. A, Xi:"nn, Christchurch, Wh. Leghorns 23 2322 FOR DUCKS [Xow Zealand Utility Poultry Club's' Two Years' Kuc-larinc Test for Ducks. Report for uifjht.y-si.vih week—tliirtviotirth week of second year.] Total Total for to week. date. Thos. Dowthwnile. Avondale, Indian Runners 33 2072 Ftcretauiiga P. Co., Silverstream, Indian Run-' ■ ners 3i 2078 T. ](. Hall, Wernroii, Indian Runners .; 23 2278 P. Kr-iici 1 , Roiloston, Indian Runners !j(i ]S7!) S. 11. See!t, Onohiiiiga. finlf Orpi'Hrttins .' 30 !(]RS