THE POLTRY INDUSTRY

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2001, 7 March 1914, Page 15

THE POLTRY INDUSTRY

Answers to Cor/osponrJents. "H,," Wellington,—'Tho dangers of ■ : keeping hons on the intcnsivo sys,tem are that they devolop habits, ; . unless ample -green .food and animal food aro _supplied. The habit of fea- . ther eating - is ■ encouraged by- the ' juicy subjtaiieo at.tho end of the .- quill.' Tho .birds ''should bo well suppliedl with green food and meat meal or boiled livers should bo fcd.!...'f ~ you can give, the birds a run out into a yard do' po. In ovbry other way you aro treating your birds well.

A Distinguished Win, A notable oveni_ during tho past week has been the winning of tho second year test by Mr. A. G, .Mumby, of Sifveretream. Tho teat does not finish till tho end of the month, but tho win is assured. Mouth aftor. month this gallant little team has been gradually lessening tho big handicap which was set it by tho Nixon team. Tho world's record is 2624 for six hons, and last week Mumby's birds beat this by ono egg, and have threo weeks to go. It says much for the stamina of tho flock and the ability of tlie breeder to make tho ■ncheivemont,..and everyone will congratulate Mr. Mumby on his win.

, The Conference. Arrangements for tho poultry conference are moving apaco, and a successful gathering is assured. The' conference will ho represented by a large number of egg circles, as several-socie- 1 ties havo affiliated, sinco the last gathering at Auckland. Poultrymen should make a.point of attending.the gatherings, as they wil} bo euueativo and helpful. No charge for admission is mado to any of tho lectures.

Notes for the Novice. Tick may bo "kept off fowls by giving each bird a bit of bread dipped in, keroTho odour permeates tho body, and_ is obnoxious vo this pest. If you do not intend to carry all your birds over to tho noxt season, you should sort them out right away. The moult will get in at any timo now, and onco tho, birds begin to cast their feathers they will bo unsaleable and unproductive for_ two or threo months, besides occupying tho spaco that the young birds coming on could do better with. v

Green food is required all tho year round to obtain the best results in tho poultry yard, and it is especially necessary in the hot weather, when tho birds are slack and out of sorts. In warm weather you got on to fruit and salads, i' and are all the hetter for it. Well, the fowls are just tfhe. same, and feel liko you do. They want a largo proportion of greon food and less wheat, and pollard, etc. So if you can do it, see that thoy have plenty of chopped green stuff in tho hot weather. If you cannot manage the green stuff, soak some chaff in hot water overnight, and mix tho liquid into bran and pollard next morning. If you cannot manage the chaff, dissolvo Epsom salts (1 packet to _ 20 grown hirds, or to 30 half-grown chickens), and- add to bran and pollard onco or twice a week. If you are too tired ■to use the salts,'then all you can do is not to worry when the birds become ;6ick through the lack of a blood cooler. In feeding grains to t'ho birds, do not forget that Siose that havo a lot of husk aro.'apt. ,to cause internal ij-fita-i'tion and inflammation.' if'.'Kd'timiously and in, a j'aw„ stato. If these grains aro husk may be broken down' to a large'extent by cooking. Taken all round, good, clean wheat is probably-tho best grain food for fo>vls. It does not contain much egg-forming.' material, but it maintains tho flesh and blood _in good order and condtion, although its overuse will cause the formation of internal fat.' ':■' i

At this .timo of the year, .when. tho birds aro hecoming slack, and therefore mora .liable to. contract any ailment that may bo about, it is a, good preventive to add a few Condy's crystals (permanganate .of potash) to the drinking .water—just sufficient to colour, the water a light pink. , The best way of getting fowls through tho hot weather is to damp a soft patch of ground with water and rid up a shado over it.' The birds will _ scratch holes in the damp earth and lie in them, also where they can back up behind shelter from- tho wind .they will- pet on better. Wind is destructive to fowls, as it quickly puts them off .their food and out ?f sorts generally. ' There should be. no male birds with the hens at this time of tho year! They are only wanted for breeding purposes, and aro useless for any other piirposo except to eat. ' .

EGG-LAYING COMPETITIONS

The returns for the forty-seventh week of the New Zealand Utility Poultry Club's ninth egg-laying test for fowls ore as follow: — ; Total Total ' ■,:..'•'. for to week. date. W. Scull, Christchurch, White Leghorns 20 1291Dominion P. Plant,' Coromandel, White Lughorns 23 1291 R. • Wylio, Hutt, White Leghorns 20 1292 W.-Mercer, llowick, White Leghorns .........'...' 26 1392 R. A. Lazarus,' Hutt, Wh. ' Leghorns .... 12 1320 A . h.. lirmvne, Petaho : Beach, Wh. Leghorns 18 1302 C\ I).' \j. Eggers, ivolson ■White Leghorns .....'. 23 1295 Thomas Vose, Carterton, White Leghorns 20 ,1275 Hcretaunga P. Co., Silver- • stream, Wh. Leghorns, No. 1 17 1270 J CooKur, Bromley, White . ! Leghorns U 1262 T. Kenncdv, Rangiora, SilverW'yan"dottes, 11—858;' A: W. Adams, Sheffield Silver Wyandottes 21—1083; A.E. Wilson, Shirley, Silver Wyandottes, 11 —808; W." Knight, Hutt. Silver Wyaiw dottes, 13—881; Jas. Ashton, Hanmer, Silver - .Wyandottes, 17-929; Thos. AVilson, Marshlands, Silver Wyandottes; 21—956; W. O. Sail, Cust, Silver Wyandottes," 15-1066; S. H; Scott, Onehunga, Silver Wyandottes. 16—1052; A. E. Wilson, Shirley, White Wyandottes, 16—879; T. Kennedy, Rangiora, White -Wyandottes, King and Watson (N.S?W.), Black Orpingtons, 11 Verrall' 'Bros., • Swannanoa, Brown Leghorns, 2i—1205; J. H. Shaw,

, (By Chantecler.)

Chrislchurch, Brown Leghorns, 20— 1063: A. \\. Irvine, Jit. Uoskill, Dluo Mottled Leghorns, O—GSO; 11. Legcr, AVeraroa, White Leghorns, 2-1—1209; D. Y. Gibson, Herbert, Whito Leghorns, 1(5—1123; Heretaunga Poultry Co,, Silverstream, AVhito Leghorns, No, 2, 20—1255; T. M'llwraith, West Melton, Whito Leghorns, 21—1187; R. W. Hawke, Papanui, White Leghorns, 10— 1062; J. Wordsworth, Goraldine, White Leghorns, 24—1081; A, W. Irvine, Mt, Eoskill, Whito Leghorns, No. 1, 20— 1087; Middlnpark Poultry Farm, lliccarton, Whito Leghorns, 9—979; T. White, Napier, White Leghorns, 22-1206; Stewart and Landsperg, Normanby, Whito Leghorns, 11—1121; J. A. Corrie, Beckcnham, Whito.Leghorns, 16— 1203; F. Mason, Hutt, Whito Leghorns, 21—1185; G. Bonnett, Spreydon, Whito Leghorns, 27—1119; E. Willis and Son, Now Brighton, Whito Loghorns, 8 —1108; Brackeufiold Poultry Farm, Piccarton, Columbian Wyandottes, 20 — 1094; H. S. Woodnorth,- Winton, Whito Leghorns, 10—1144; Mrs. J. Mills,.Duncdin, .White -Leghorns, 22—1232; Thos. Fazackerley, Sydenham, White . Leghorns, l£-115G; A. W. Irvino, Mt. Hoskill, Whito Leghorns, No. 2, Pluses Mrs. J. Green, St. Albans, Whito Leghorns, 19—1242; Mrs. Ansley, Bromley,. Whito Leghorns, 17— 1001; Mawson Stewart, Ohristcburch, White Leghorns, 23-1238; IV. Knight, Hutt; White Leghorns, 28—1229; R. James, Marshlands, Whito Leghorns, 16—1198; J. W. Green, St. Albans, White Leghorns, 10—1198; I. Stephenson, Wangamii, "White Leghorns, 11— 1143; Mawson Stewarts Christchuroh, 23—1240; N. Solomon, Wostport, Whito Leghorns, 22—1243; Wainoni P. Farm, Wainoni, Whito Leghorns, 26—1297;. Verrall-Bros., Swaunanoa,'AVhite Leghorns, 30—1229. . . ■'•

FOR DUCKS. [New Zealand Utility Poultry Club's fourth laying test for ducks. Returns for forty-seventh week.] Total Total for to week. date. W Knight, H'itt (No! 1) Indian Runners 11. 1103 W. Kmght, Hutfc (No. 2) Indian Runners 10 1019 Horetaunga P. Co., Silverstream, Indian Runners 10 004 Thos. Do.vthwaite, Aeondale, Indian Runners 16 955 TV. Mercer, Hawick, Indian ners ' 20 959 Miss A. Donald, Dunsandel, Indian Runners ... 10 932 A. . It.. Biownc, I'etano . Beach, Indian Runners 11 913

TWO YEARS' COMPETITION.

[Two- years' egg-laying test for fowls. Returns for ninety-e'ighth week—fortysixth week of second year.] Total Total for "to week. date. T. Kennedy, Rangiora,.Silver Wyandotees ....;.... 17. - 2177 Romain JJungor Hutt, Black Orpingtons 17 1758 Heretaungi V. Co., Silverstream, White Leghorns 30 2G20 J. W. Green. Christoh'utch, • ■ .-.White Leghorns ...;.... 21 ■ . .2396 H. Legcr, Lovin, White ; sLcgWns n . 19,,..,,2467; W.pA. IMuou, "- ~,V: n! '■■ 'ilntrch, W. Leghorns i, 9'' ! '257&

■FOR DOCKS [Two Years' Egg-laying Test for Ducks. Returns for ninety-eighth week —forty-sixth week of second year.] Total Total ! for to, ; - week. date^. fhos. Dowthwaite, Avondalo 19 2348 ■Heretaunga P. Co., Silverstream, Indian Runnods 14 2348 T. R. Hall, Wereroa, In- . dian R-inners .'. 34■' 2679 ■P. Keller, Rolleston, . In- ' i dian Runners 7 2156 S. H. Scott, Onehunga, Buff Orpingtons 17 1839