POULTRY NOTES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 9, 5 October 1918, Page 13

POULTRY NOTES

• * ' (By "Ghanticlsor.") A Pleasing Recognition. At tho Inst moeliug of tho N.Z.U.V. Olub a presentation of an illuminated address was niadu to -Mr. .1. W. Uriilln, in recognition of his services' for the' last competition. In making Iho presentation tho preBiUeut : congratulated Mr. Griffin on tho i-xcullont work he bad done, and the splendid performance tho birds had made. Much ndvo'ruo climatic conditions had to be contended with. It mattered little how the birds were bred or reared unless they were properly fed, and the club wan oxtroniely lortuntito in; having ft ma<r uke. thi present caretaker. He felt sure n ttould bo hard to find hie equal in the Dominion. He was a hard worker, and understood pftultry. The artdreßs wan beautifully inscribed and made referenco. to tho , appreciation in which Mr. Qrlllin was held by (ill ponltrymen, and congratulated ■him on establishing a' Dominion record with' Lady. Cornwall in .laying 317 eggs in 52 woeks. In acknowledging receipt of the address Mr. Griffin said he was very , proud to handle such a splendid competition. He. always did'his ,be3t ; and hoped that this coming year they would bo able to establish further records. ,Conßiderable experience was required to feed birds to cot best results, and after, the breeders having dono their part, ho looked upon the feodilij; r, the birds an being a very, important wjrl<. Ho had many to satisfy, 'nnd ho always did hie btsfc for everyone conoerned.

Experimental Works. ... •■-'■ iuo fioifui'tuibuL i.i. Agriculture has been leijubsbcu to conduct several exiierJinenib uu, behulf of pouitryinen, and ii Iβ oxpeutou that at an early iliito some ol these tests will he nut into operation. Uno tost . wiijoh will bo of considerable lniorost in tiio ascertaining wneuiov ciucKs arc nioru profitable than heue, from an egg-laying • poult ut-view... Twenty live..W-Jiite-ucßuome--itna twi-nty-llvo Indian hunnor ducne are to be used in a third-year test. The birds aro 10 ua brert H'oui piiventu ut limet, two years old. So replacements aro to be pllowod after tho lest has commenced/and the birds are to ''be- oix" months old on April 1, when tho test is to besin. Tho system of feeding will bo left to the Depiinmont of Agi'ioulture, nnd tho cost of the food and the amount oon6umeu by each section will bo annually recorded, aawell as area, value of the laud ana houses to bo-used.. Results will bo published" , at tho;end of each year with particulars as to deaths, softeggs, moulting and broodiness., Tho 'results will be baeecl oil the average immber Of birdß competing, in the tost: There is considerable difference' of opinion aa to whether duoke are more profitable than hens, and a test conducted on the nboro lines cannot fail to be >~ food value. Regulating the Market. I'roduCers have only themselves to blame it they do not concentrate their eunniit. . and regulate their owit markets. There should.be no attempt to exploit tho public, but the value should bo adjusted equitably. Some merchants and salesmen take a delight in bringing tho price of egge (town against tho producer, irrespective of the'cost of food. Tho wholesale price 01 , eggs locally, ie Is. sd, and when tho increased com , of feed, is' considered; eggs-are practioally the cheapest Hrticlo ! of diet on the breakfast , ' table.. No ' advance■ has been made, since.the'war began, although the cost ofproduotlou has- considerably, increased. Unloas producers recognise , this, and prevent their' products'realising low prices, the. industry cannot, succeed. ;At present- there..are thousands of pounds '.

eggs being imported into' the .Dominion. I'Jiis may. not cheapen' the fresh egg'for 'tho'publiq us most of tho imported tomes in in pulp forms but unless', the industry is Ci|courasea,'it ia apparent that production will grow loss, and in , the end the public will have to pay a higher price for tho new-laid egg, ' ; . '■ ' ■'." ' : ■ .

Our -Losses. ' - '■;... •-.' .'■ .. '. During the paet' few weeks thb' poultrymen iave■'■'.Buffered-' coneidorablfi "loss through the Tviir.. .''•' Private M'Darg, of AVoolßton, Private Taylor, . Oamaru, and Corporal J.,Jesscn, Wellington,..have given their , lives-for. the Empire; ' Corporal Jessou' was one of the llrat. to onlist -. when: the war broke out, and.wae No.'l in,tlw artillery. He.-.eaw servico in Samoa, and for,soveral months, has been fighting;iu France. Private Taylor is one of fivo sons who have givon their- services .for New Zealand- at. the front.' Ho left about a yoarago, ond -was-the younfeeet son of. the- family. Private H'Hai'K, who was a promising young man, -was tho cldcet son of Mr.'- J. T.-'. M'Harg, Woolston... Ho-had a very'. eucceßßful' scholastic career. - and was. making, rapid brogrees, in. hie pro-' feesio'n when;he cnlißted for the front. ■

0. 8. TbanK -writes :-"Beinir a conetant read6r:of'your, valuable hints on-poultry, ■'I.tliolisht it\likely,s;ou would assietißiein the £ollowiiig:dlrection:—-- ! -f-- ':;'■'■■" ■'" •• ■•'.What 18Vthe cause : of. : ».i;hen!s-.feet ewellinE' irito'.!'large puffy balls? .' 1 have, two. (White Leghorns, fAlrlj , old, which I havo'ltept'on account of them heinit such remarkably . coed layers; both have | now developed the above trouble. I tried otieiliflp one up, and found tho root full of black .'blood-'and matter. I , was auite imahle to do I should liave sought your advice earlier. - Aleo, what causes a two-year-old! White lieghorn lion,, splendid layers to carry her-hinder nart' depressed? Sho is • otherwiso all , right, , 'as nhe eats woll, and ;.l;ecpts the. colour '.of her.'.somb. I thiet I have;not imposed upon-you to too". erect n.a: extant., and thank you in anticination." ■ Answer.—Tlio csuec of the fowls' feet swelling ie bumble foot, caused through hard floors or a bruise. Tho ■ affected places should bo lr.nced, and wanhed -with a-good dißinfectant. Apply carbolic oil.' and place the bird in clean straw in a coop' by herself. The doprefised abdomen may be dropsy, an injury, fatty accumulation, cgR depression, or tuinurous growth. ■ In laying she ia of littio nee, ami if in' her second year would not pay you to doctor.