THE POULTRY INDUSTRY

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1931, 13 December 1913, Page 19

THE POULTRY INDUSTRY

(By Chantecler.)

TWO YEARS' COMPETITION.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. "31. H.," Joiinsonvillo: Tlio sample chicks sent iii died of roup, which is nil advanced stago in colds. You may as well kill the lot. Disinfect the promises thoroughly and .burn all litter, liven though you do euro them they wilt be almost useless, as the constitution is ruined onco roup gets old. The cause has been exposure to draughts, or they liavo sweated in the brooder. Chicks must have the best of care or you cannot succeed in the work of poultry raising. "■\V.C.," Levin: Would advise you to dispose of tlio male bird and. rnato up* with a fully-matured cockerel next season. ,: L.H.," Wellington: Will give information on the subject next week. What you term "in-breeding" is really line-breeding, and practicable to a degree. Is Creen Food a 1 Necessity? Last week Mr. W. Davis opened up a very important discussion regarding green feed for poultry, llis experience goes to show that ho obtains as "good if not better results without green feedthan with it. It is significant, too, that Mr. Davis keeps poultry.'on'tho intensive system. Ho suggests it as a suitable subject for discussion at tlie next conference, and tho committeo might well consider it in drafting tho order paper. Poultrymen ' generally would 110 doubt like to hear the subject thoroughly discussed, as there is extensive room for all kinds, of experiment in the poultry business. Green Food Commeiider. Mr. Davis, however, will have many of tlio opinions of tho ablest poultrymen in tho world against him. In view of a conference discussion wo will not give tho opinions here. Tho following taken from tho "Agricultural Journal" will bo useful to beginnors this month: — . _ "Poultrymen generally will bo well advised to give more attention to green feed. Reference has again and again been mado in these notes to the value of lucerne. The successful establishment of this plant, hoivover, requires somo prior preparation of • land, and whero the season has reached its present stago it is well to provide a substitute.. An excellent plant for tho purpose, and one easily grown, giving a great wealth of feed right throughout tho year, is silver-beet. Whero watercress is availablo this is an admirable feed—in fact, nothing is equal to it whero a good colour iii tho yolk of tho egg is desired. For young chickens it is admirable. There is, as a matter of fact, a great variety of plants to select from for green-feeding purposes. Itapo and. green oats (cut' when short) aro very good. I v/ouldj however, strongly recommend silvor-beot."

Covcrnment Go-operation. At a meeting of tlio Now Zealand Utility Poultry Club,'hold last week, a discussion took placo on tlio advisability of tho Government supervising the CKS-layinp; competitions in New Zealand. Tliis is the outcomo of a deputation that waited oil tho lion. Mr. Massey a lew weeks It, is not ii tended that the wliolo of tho work should bo done by tho Government. The present cominitteo would attend to details, but it is expected, that tho supervision by the Government would make it a more official test and tho returns would then be more readily accepted by outsido countries. Even in Australia our claims arc liot recognised. We cannot get the Government into too closo touch with the tost. Their help is needed. It would -also- be an advanco. in tlio right direction to issuo a yearly .Government "bulletin giving tho results, of tho competition. This is dono in Australia, and they arc advertising their tests by this means in'every part of tho world. Poultry papers from America and England aro constantly referring to Australia and its doings in poultry, but rarely mention New Zealand. It is to bo hoped that .the. Agricultural Department will sect its way clear to assist tho club as requested.

Notes for the Novico. "Why is it ; " asks one poultry editor, ''that people' believe poultry keeping and statesmanship rcquiro no previous training, yet the humblest other trade requires a long apprenticeship if you do it right?" , Cleanliness -is tlio silver key to success in the poultry business. It is so strongly essential that, given good poultry to start with, it is nearly all of it, and yet it is the last thing many poultrv keepers think necessary at all.' Chickens will cat everything imaginable, no difforcuco how bad it is. I'ccd your poultry well. Give them good grain and food and you will find them disdaining filthy, strange food. They only cat it when turned out to find what tboy can to cat or starve. Tlio farmer should. be as highly ashamed of an unclean poultry house as an unclean stabe. More so if ho is fond of eggs, for eggs absorb odors, poisonous or otherwise. And yet the farm poultry house is too often a matter of shame; so are tho poultry yards.

'■ Tliero was a time when tho farmer ate his-freshest and choicest eggs and sold all tho doubtful,.old, dirty and misshapen ones to tho country store-keeper, iviio, to get the farmer's trade; did not carc what kind of eggs ho brought him. Then the merchant got his orders to not do that kind of business, and now tho farmer keeps his doubtful eggs at home and sells the best ones.

LAYING COMPETITIONS. [Now Zealand Utility Poultry Club's Esg-laying I'osfc for Fowls. Returns for thirty-lifth week.] Total Total for to week. date. W. Mercer, Hotvick, White Ijeghdrus 35 1011 It. A. Lazarus, Hutfc, Wh. ' , Leghorns 34 1027 C. D. Kggers, Nelson, Wliito Legliorns 27 1023 W. Scull, Christehurch, • ? White Leghoriis 25 1012 A. It. Broil no, Petaiio Beach, White Leghorns 29 995 Thos. Fanakerle.v, Sydenham, Wh. Leghorns ... 19 990 It, Wvlio, Hutt, Whito Leghorns 22 984 Dominion P. Plant, Coroinandel, "Whito Leghorns 34 984 R. .Tames, Marshlands, Whito Leghorns ...... 21. 979 ,T Cocker, Bromley, Whito Leghorns 31 907 T. Kennedy, Ilangiora, Silver W.van dotUs, 14—714; A. \V. Adams, Slieflield, Silver AVyandotles, 10—835; A. K. Wilson, Shirley, Silver W'yandottes, v>0 —010; W. Knight, Ilutt, Silver Wyandottes, 26—077 ; ,las. Ashton, Hanmor, Silver Wvaiidottos, 12 ,(>0; Tiios. Wilson. Marshlands, Silver W.van22—70.'!; \V. O. Sail, Cust, Silver Wvundottes, 17—820; S. H. Scott, Onclniiiga, Silvfir Wvandottes, 25—780; A. K. Wilson, Shirley, White Wyandottes, 10—093; T. Kennedy, Rangiora, Whito Wvandottes, 23—722; King and Watson (N.S.W.). Hlnek Orpingtons, 18—766; Verrall Bros., Sivannanoa, Brown Leghorns, 30—589; J. IT. Sliaw, 'Christehurch, Brown Leghorns, 30—781 ; A, W. Irvine, Mount Roskill. Blue Mottled Leghorns, 10—478; 11. 'Leper, Wernron, White Leghorns. ,13 8/3; Heretaunga Poultry Co., Silverstream,

White Leghorns No. ], 20—051; D. Y. Gibson, Herbert, White Leghorns, 33— ' SGG; Heretaungo Poultry Co., Silver- . stream, White Leghorns, No. 2, 31— 9-W; T. M'lhvraith, West Melton, While Leghorns, !}(!■■—S97; R. AY. Hawko, I'apanni, AVhltc, Leghorns, 26— 557; J. Wordsworth, Geraidine, White Leghorns, 21—82"); A. AY. Irvine, Mount Roskill, Wlkito Leghorns, No. 1, 27—797 ; Middlepark Poultry Farm, I? idcar lon, White Leghorns, 25—775; T. White, Napier, AVhite Leghorns, 35— 907; Stewart and Landsperg, Normality", White Leghorns, 28—876; J. A. Corrio, Beckenhani, White Leghorns, 33—SJ17; F. Mason, Hutt, "White Leghorns, 24—913; G. Bonnctt, Sproydon, 27—852; R. Willis aiul Son, New Brighton, White Leghorns, 27—897; Brackenfield Poultry Farm, Riecartmi. Columbian AVyamlolfces, 20—843; lliomas Vose, Carterton, White Leghorns, 30—943; 11. S. AYoodnoi'th, Winton, White Leghorns, 28—594; Mrs. J. Mills, Dunedin, 28—935; A. W. Irvine, Mount Roskill, White Leghorns, No. 2, 26—846; Mrs. J. Green, St. Albans, White Leghorns, 33—92?;; Mrs. A Hairy, Bromley, White Leghorns, 18—802; Mawson Stewart, Christohureh,- White Loghorns, 2G—936; W. Knight, Hutt, White Leghorns, 25—004; J. W. Green, St. Albans, White Leghorns, 26—933; I. Stephenson, AYiinganni, WHiite Leghorn's, 29—888: Muwson Stewart, Christehurch, White Leghorns, 29—939; N. Solomon. Westport, White Leghorns, 29—945; AYainoni Poultry Farm, AYainoni, 33—944; A 7 orrall Bros., Swannanoa, AVhite Leghorns, 32—942. FOR DUCES. ' [New Zealand Utility Poultry Club's fourth laying test- for ducks. "Returns for thirty-fifth week.] Total Total for to week. date. W Knight, H'ltfc (No. 1) >. 1 . Indian Runners ........ 24 S9O j W. Knight, Hutt (No. 2) ■. •., ■ Indian Runners 28 •. 818 Hcretaunga P. Co., Silver- 1 stream, Indian Run- ... ' . ners 24 Jt 722 Thos. Dowthwnite, Avon-'" ■ dale, Indian Runners 28,708 W. Mercer, Hawick, Indian Runners 28 -?,. : 1773 Miss A. v Donald. Bunsandel, Indian Runners..'. 23 -. 755 A. 11. Browne, Petane Beach, Indian itiiiiners 30 754

[New Zealand Utility Poultry Club's two years' egg-laying test for fowls. Returns for eighty-seventh week — thirty-fifth week of sccoiid year.] Total Total for to week. date. T. Kennedy, R-angiora, Silver Wyandoti.es .33 1948 Room in- - Jhmger,.. Hutt, : Black Orpingtons ...... 8 1623 Hcretiuing.i I'. (Jo., Silverstream, AVhito Leghorns 27 2295

J. W. (ircea, Christchufch, White' Leghorns 20 2140 11. Leper, Lovin, White Leghorns 2" 2188 W. A. Nixon,Christchurch, Wli. Leghorns 26 2348 FOR DUCKS [New Zealand Utility.-Poultry Club's Two Years' Egg-laving Test for Pucks. Returns for • eighty-seventh iveek—: thirty-fifth week of second year.] Total. Total - - for to ■ . " . week. date. ' Thos. Dowthwaite, Avondale,.lndian Runners,.. 21 - 2093 Hcretaunga I'. Co., Silverstream,' Indian Runners 29 2107 T. R. Hall, Woraroa, Indian Runners 34 2312 P. Keller, llollcston, Indian Rimnors 31 1910 S. H. ' Scott, Onclumga, Buff Orpingtons ........ 21 1709 An' advertisement appears elsewhere convening a meeting of poultrymeii and those 'literested in the Poultry Conference, to be held in Wellington next Easter. Arrangements are to be made for tho programme, the subjects selected, and the speakers. A committee will ho elected to entertain visitors and arrange social functions for the delegates. It is cxpcctcd the conference will bo largely attended, and' be the'means of advancing the industry in Now Zealand. The conference will bo held in'the Town Hall.