POULTRY NOTES

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2902, 14 October 1916, Page 17

POULTRY NOTES

(Bz Ohamibcmb.) A PRACTICAL ADDRESS . FARMERS' FIELD DAY IN KIBWEE. Last Saturday, on the farm of Mr. T. E. Conway,. Kirwee, Canterbury, a , farmers' field day was held on behalf of poultrymen. There was an excellont attendance of about 60 farmers, many of those- ooming a distince of 13 to 15 miles to be present. They spent a. profitable hour in loolcing over Mr. Conway's stock, and viewing the pens. Mr. C. Cusson, Government-Poultry Instructor, gave an address. He said he was glad of the opportunity to address the farmore, as if wo' wish to build up tho poultry industry, we .must get the farmers interested. Even if tbe farmer himself cannot attend tho work, his wife, son, or daughter, may take an interest in it. The Department were out to foster tho utility phase of poultry culture, and to further this end . two assistants were appointed to assist . Mr. Brown, tho chief instructor. These wore Mr. Salisbury, from the North Island, and Mr. Cussen from the Soutli. "While I have no hesitation in stating," said Mr. Cussen, "that the right,class of poultry, properly handled, will return good profit, it must be understood that poultry in large numbers are one of tho most difficult of live stock to handle properly. There are three essentials necessary in my opinion to success for poultry men. First "Love for your work,' second 'Experience,'' third 'A certain amount of capital.' I would not advise people taking up, poultry culture unless they hare their work at heart, for sucoess in the business depended on attention to detail, and unless one had the work at heart these details would not bet attended to. I advise people to start in a small way, and gradually build up. If anyone present is anxious to start, I am prepared to give any assistance possible by way of advice and making periodical visits to put them on tho right traok, for I realise that if we could start one in each district and ho made a success of the venture it would not be long before we had many others following 6Uit."

Selecting the Site. It was accessary, in selecting the site for -poultry housing and yards, to seo that the birds were protected from prevailing winds, and were: guarded against dampness. Dampness in the . poultry houses was most detrimental to esg-pro-duction and the health of tbo bir3s. It was well to see that the floor of tho house was perfectly dry, and I advise having it raised 8 or 4 inches higher than surrounding ground, ■' Housing. During tho past 15 years a great changfl has taken place regarding the housing most suitable for poultry. Previous to this time it was considered the 'warm, closodin house was tho most suitable, but experiments have proved that tie deep, open-fronted houso is the one now most suitable. Plenty of fresh air and sunlight are the two essentials to successful housing in poultry culture. Roughly speaking, from 3 to 4 square feet floor space to be allower per bird. Eaoh bird requires from 8 to 9 inches perch room, aocording to the breed. The front of the houso should bo covered with spar-row-proof wire-netting, as this would prevent sparrows getting in and eating'the feed meant for tho fowls. All grain should be fed inside the house on the floor of which should be 4 or 5 inches of litter. Tho house of this description wilt undoubtedly pay for itself before long, by tho saving of food, which at tho present time is being fed to sparrows, Feeding.* . Too-mauy birds at piesent time ars underfed. We do not hear the farmer 6tate there is too muoh feed in his paddock- for the dairy cow. and the egglaying pullet is very much like a good dairy cow in this respect, and can hardly bo overfed, provided the food is of tne proper class. No grain will take the place of wheat: as a gram for laying fowls, but .it should be of good quality arid or immature. -,ln fact, the. .best is always tho cheapest. Oats rank next to wheat, and they must be good, short, thick oats. The long, narrow ono of more than two-fifths husk and less than 301b. per bushel is useless as a food. Maize should bo fed sparingly. Barley is a good food, but shoul dalso be of good quality. This is one of the best grains to form part of a feeding ration for poultry. Linseedi is good,, especially at moulting time, but never use more than 5 per cent, in the mash. Too much wet mashes are bad for fowls, interfering seriously with the digestion, and if wet mashes' are continuously fed to fowls their life will be in danger. The masli should bo mixed t a crumbling consistenoy. Grit and charooal should always be before the birds. Green feed was the fowls' natural tonic; it should become'a regular food. In fact, too much greeu stnif can hardly bo given. I advise those contemplating going in for poultry to grow a patch of lucorne, as this is ono of the most suitable fodders.. Lucorne could also be mado into, hay and be used during the winter months. Mangola were'one of the best winter foods. A good clear watersupply, of course, was- necessary, for n-hen wo consider a dozen new-hud eggs containing about a pound of water we Bee the necessity of always keeping before the birds fresh clean water.

Selection of Breeders. There are three essentials: (1) Purity of blood; (2) vigour and constitution; (3) capacity to produce and. reproduce. Hundreds of pounds could be added to tho value of the 1 Dominion poultry products if there was one pure breed kept on each farm. There are too- many mongrel or barndoor birds kept. Such flocks will nwr bo profitable, and should not be kept. The mongrel breed, even if the . individual bird wns a good layer, bad not tho power to , transmit these qualities to their offspring. The mongrel was" also inferior as a table bird. There was really no excuse that this class of bird should be kept, when ■ purobred ■birds and eggs could bo obtained at such reasonable rates from tho Department's farm. Eggs, for heavy varieties can be secured at 4s. 6d. per dozen, and 6s. Gd. for the light breeds. There are also many private breeders.who supply good stock at reasonable prices. Vigour and Constitution; These are absolutely necessary, for without them tvo cannot expect the' bird to lay heavily for any length of time. The points to aim at i the breeder were then demonstrated _ by mean 9 of a live bird. [ The bright, prominent eye, comb medium' size, and fine texture thus giving the appearance of activity. The neck of medium thioknees, and not coarse. Crop full. The prominence of a Ml crop is important, as it indioates capacity of food, as if there is not a. good , crop we cannot 01pect the bird to produoe many eggs. The breastbone is short, and I also like plenty of depth between the end of the breastbone and pelvis-bone. The texture of abdomen must bo as line as possible. In selocting the breeder I generally like to hold on to the late moulters, as the bird that moults early in the season is generally the poorest layer. Birds that show bright yellow legs and beak colour at the end of the season are generally tho birds that can be put o.ut as not having done their duty. The best layers were generally the last to moult, and very often they ivore pale in leg and beak colour. In selecting tho sotting hons nlways choose one of tho sotting variety. It isnot advisable to set Leghorns, Minorca*, or any other Mediterranean variety. It is also well to avoid; tho wild and nervous bird; also avoid the bird with 6caly legs, as this trouble was likely to he transmitted to tho chickens. Birds should bo dusted boforo and at least one or two days during the period of incubation, in OTder to guard against insects. Insects destroyed moro chickens that wore roared in tho natural way than almost any othor cause. Tho nest should bo shallow and not too deep. It was a good plan to flatten out the nest just before hatching timo, as this often prevented weakly, chickens getting into the centre of tho nest and being crushed. There are many different mothods of feeding chickons, and more depended on how the food was fed than what was fed. Dry oatmeal is first fed, and will bo quite sufficient. .Vine grit should also bo supplied to tho chickons at the start. A good brand of chick feed will bo found to give good results. You

Bhould endeavour to give a variety, and a mash mixed fairly dry could bo given once or twice a day after the first week. Chickens should be reared on fresh, sweet ground. Chickens reared on ewoot ground will make as much growth in four months as others given the same care and attention, hut reared on stale ground, will make in six months. In conclusion,' Mr. Cusson emphasised the necessity of the farmer giving attention to tho production of table poultry. The exceedingly high prices now ruling in tho market should bo a great incentive for farmers to givo this subject their attention.' Feed' was somewhat cheaper to farmers than it was to most people, so that the margin of profit obtained from raising table poultry was more in favour of the farmer than any other producer; A hearty vote of thanks wns accorded Mr. Cossen, and he stated that any farmer who wished for advice or instruction sflbuld just send a request into the Department. N.Z. UTILITY POULTRY CLUB'S NEW COMPETITIONS. The official results of the twenty-sixth week of the New Zealand Utility Poultry Club's twolfth egff-layinß competition for fowls for the week- ended Tuesday, October 10, are as follow:—' LIGHT BBEBDS.

FOB DUOKS. The New Zealand Utility Ponltry Clob'i neventh eir-laylnj test for'dnoki. Beturna for the twenty-shth week are aa follow:— Total Total for to west: data. TV. Knight, LB 35 607 Hereteunea Poultry Co., I.E. ... 28 774 H. VT. Bower, LB. _« _8M Totalß 105 220T The letters after eaoh entry denote the breed, as nnder:—Bi„ Brown I*ffhorn; W;li., ,White Leghorn; 8.W.. BUto- Wyandotte; 8.1.8., Bhode lilnnd Bed; W.W.. White Wyandotte; 8.0., Bloek Oroington; W.P.8., White Plymouth Book; 1.8., In. Alan Burner.

uiunr xunuvn. ' Total Total I for to ~ , - _. ireek. date. Torral Bros., B.L 31 m Brockenfield Farm, BX 25 525 W. Davoy, W.I; 55 635 J. B. Merrett, W.I; 33 €85 B. G. Shearman. WJJ. 32 664 Heretaunga Poultry Co., W.L. 34 660 H. Ball, W.L 33 623 M. A. Ourrin, W.L 30 677 Balmuir Poultry Yards, W.L. ... 36 639 Mrs. H. Graham, W.L 29 685 J. Wordsworth, W.L. 29 634 H. B. Boss, W.L 30 631 E. H. James, WX 31 636 0. J. Norton, W.L '.. 30 616 Alfred Baton, .W.L 32 585 M. H. Walker. W.L 32 650 Green Bros. (No. 2), W.L 34 678 H. Legor, W.L :. 27 608 J. Nanoarrow, WjL 33 727 Gaidar Bros., W.L 33 737 R. Pounsford, W.L...... 32 660 A. W. Adams, W.L 32 697 A. E. Phillips, W.L 35 .692 T. Kennedy, WX 38 537 V. J. Hill, W.L ; 36 625 B. P. L. OlayBon. W.L ; 35 659 T. E. Conway, VTM : 32 697 Heretaunga Poultry Co. (No. 1), W.L. 34 693 Rangiuru Egg Ranch, WSi 35 .692 S. Dick, W.L 35 625 G. Gee, W.L. 32 614 H. 0. Yates, W.L. ;'....'29 576 E. P. Amyes, W.L. ....;...„.„. 28 652 A. E. WilBon, W.L 33 614 Mrs. J. Mills, WX 35 757 A. G. BraUoy, WX 27 456 Green Bros. (No. «.'W.L 31 620 Atkinson Bros.. W.L :. 33 664 A. A. Hoare, W.L .'. 28 584 L. T. Wrifrht, W.L. .. •:..■ 35 . 635 To Anau Utility Stud, W.L. 33 645 T. H'llwraith, WX 35 ,674 E. A. Lazarus, W.L 32 616 H. W. Bow, W.L ; 36 561 H. 8. Woodnorth, WX 31 487 HokoWhltu Poultry 0o„ W.L. ... 26 551 Oaldcr Bros., W.L. 34 691 J. B.' Merrett (No. 1), W.L 35 646 Jack Green, W.L 35 735 Totals 1549 t 30,693

HEAYT BREED TEST. Total Total lor to week. dato. T. Kennedy, W.W. .: , 27 390 Green Bros., W.W. , .- 24 609 W. Knight, W.P.it 25 587 A. S. Coonor. B-.l.R 31 573 Hise E. Willis, B.0 28 629 O.J. Norton, B.0 54 616 T. E. Conway, B.0 31 748 ,T. Nancanw, B.0 32 672 Miss J. James, B.0 31 661 T. Dovrthwadte, S.W. 24 618 A, W. A'dams, S.W 32 491 Totals 319 6494 SINGLE FEN TEST. Total TAU1 for to TOnk. data. A'. S. Oooper, Tt.I.B • 5 116 A. S. Oooper, RXB 6 137 H. H. James, Wi 6 139 T. L. Wright, W.L '5; '85 Baneiuru Egg Ranch, W.L. ... 5 •■ 115 Green Bros., W.L. •...; 6 128 Oalder Bros.. Wi 6 136 W. Davey, W\L. - 6 133 J. B. Merwtt, W.L 7 65 A. E. Wilson, Tf.Ii. — 41 Mrs. J..Mills, » « 138 Atkinson Bros., WJj. ; 5 116 B; P. L.,Claysori. WJ&.;................ 6 UJ J. Wordsworth, WIi ...;. ' 7 ' 65 Totals '...,. 76 1523