POULTRY NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 19782, 4 February 1928, Page 24

POULTRY NOTES

[By UTILITY-FANCY-]

“Safely First” asks the distance a poultry house must bo from a residence to comply with the municipal regulations.—The following extract from the by-law gives the information required and also other requirements. The bylaw is No. 1, section 348, and is as follows:—“No person shall keep live poultry in any premises in the city (a) under Such conditions as to create a nuisance or to be dangerous or injurious to health, or (b; unless the same be -kept in a properly constructed fowl house and run, no part of which shall be within a distance of 20ft from any building used as a dwelling or in which any person is employed; (c) in no case shall the fowl house be erected within sft of the boundary lino of the adjoining owner’s land unless the wall be constructed of brick, stone, or concrete.” “ Novice.”—The substance found in the oviducts was an incystcd egg, or, perhaps, more than one. For some reason the yolk of tho egg was stopped in the oviduct, and became lodged there. Possibly several other yolks following up also became lodged. This produced an irritation in the duct, and Nature undertook to effect a cure by enclosing the obstructed yolks in a cyst, wnich would prevent further danger to the life of the fowl. The foul odor was no doubt from the sulphur in the yolks enclosed in the cyst. The yolks had probably become somewhat decayed before the cyst was formed. Such an accident, while not very common, is by no means unknown. If the hen had been taken in hand at the proper time and the obstruction in tho oviduct cleared away ? she might have lived for further usefulness. When a _ fullyformed egg becomes obstructed in the oviduct we call it egg-hound, and remove the eggs; but in a case where only the yolk is stopped, one is not likely to observe that anything is wrong with the hen for some time, and bv that time a diseased condition of the oviduct has set in which ruins the hen, so far as egg production is concerned. Ido not think anything could have been done for her. It is not at all likely that any other hen in the Hock is afflicted in the same way. I have been asked to direct attention to the fact that there is a great deal of dissatisfaction in respect to the way special prizes are allotted by specialist clubs in Dunedin shows and elsewhere in tho dominion. A showman may have the best bird of any particular breed, yet bo debarred from winning any specials, because ho does not happen to be a member of one or more specialist clubs. The custom of clubs of allotting specials available only to its members is. it is pointed out, unsportsmanlike. It is not an invitation to all comers, wthont fear or favor, and the best bird to win. It is an indication of selfishness; it limits competition. A fancier entering a bird at a show, here or elsewhere, must go to tho expense of joining tho local chib as a member, and also of the specialist club or clubs of tho breed, if there is one (or any), before he is able to compete for tho special prize or prizes. Dunedin. Christchurch, and other shows would exchange exhibits more freely if the prizes were open to all comers. The object in allotting a special prize should be to encourage the keeping of the breed which the specialist club desires to foster an interest in. Let an outsider win such a prize, and tho chanecs are that ho will in due time join the club, not begrudging the subscription, as he now does, but willingly, having a desire to meet others interested in the breed he keeps. The ordinary show prizes are necessarily small sums, and often, when won. do not cover the expenses of showing. It is the hope of winning a guinea or two guinea special wliich encourages tho expenses incurred in sending birds a long distance, and

no doubt it is the added expense of joining one or two specialist clubs, which one will never attend, which decides a breeder not to enter his birds. So far as the clubs are concerned, tins is not a financial question, but one of policy, and their policy should be to encourage every breeder far and near to compete for their specials, and not selfishly limit the competition to_ practically local fanciers—i.e.. their own members. Fanciers are supposed to be sportsmen. If a hen shows a reluctance to start laying, try her with an iron tonic. Dissolve a small piece of iron sulphate (about |oz) in a tumbler of cold water, and add a teaspooimil of the mixture to each gallon of drinking water. Give her as much direct sunshine as possible, as this is absolutely essential to a high rate of production. During the summer see that a dust hath is always available, and see that the perches are periodically kerosened, especially in the sockets in which they rest. This precaution is essential it parasites arc to be kept down. Continuing the Egg Flow.—lt will be found that if the fowls arc kept in good condition that they will continue their egg flow even after they start moulting. The feeding and good housing is tho cause of that to a great extent, though strain is another factor. They get the habit of utilising the food supplied for egg formation alone, and tho hntural food obtained otherwise is all that is necessary for their bodily requirements. By good feeding is meant a balanced ration.

Soil and litter from under pine trees makes excellent litter, as it is a good deodorant and keeps both chicks and fowls free from insects.

When purchasing sittings of eggs, or eggs for incubator hatching, and also in buying day-old or older chicks, it is far more important to ascertain the sellers’ average yield from his Hock than that ho possesses one or two phenomenally high record-breaking layers. What you want to attain is his flock average. Rheumatism.—This shows itself in a “gnarliug” of the toes or joints, and not in puffed swellings, as some believe. Tho treatment recommended is to remove tho patient to tho warmest and dryest place and give her 20 grains of guiacol, which can bo obtained at any chemist’s, every day of th® week. Give her a normal diet during ihc treat-, inent. The rubbing of the affected parts with iodine will also help. Cramps in tho Legs.—This is often seen in the poultry- yard. The bird appears to have lost the use of its legs, wliile the toes are drawn closely together. A very effective remedy is to soak the legs in warm water, in which a small piece of washing soda has,boon dissolved, for lOmin every day. Dry thoroughly and then massage with a good embrocation, paying particular attention to the hock joints Divide the Run into Two.—lf the run is of sufficient size, the best way to manage it is to divide it into two halves, using one, half, an* refreshing the rest. Thus, directly one half comes out of commission, dig it over roughly and leave it to drain.

J'nkoy Raising.—An authority on turkey breeding says that tho great societof successfully raising turkeys may be said to be; “Never attempt to raise turkeys on the same ground.” The same authority explains that the very considerable losses in raising poults, frequently amounting to 50 per cent., are due to a variety of causes—mismanagement, faulty feeding, inconsiderate lion mothers, lice mites, and last, but more to be dreaded than .ail tho rest, blackhead. This is a very deadly disease to turkeys of all ages and only the most robust can escape tho ravages of the blackhead germ, which sets up an inflammation in the wall of the intestine and liver, and as far as our present knowledge goes there is no cure for blackhead. Blackhead germs, like the germs of anthrax, cannot be killed by cold, and such germs have been known to become active and deadly after twenty years, so that once the soil is polluted with them it is almost impossible to clean it, and this is probably the reason for the turkey raising districts to be continually changing. . . £IUO Hen.—Tho high price oi 500dol (£100) for a. hen lias been paid by a Greenwich' (Conn.) poultry breeder to the University of British Columbia, states a Vancouver correspondent. It is a, champion egg-laying leghorn, which has laid 335 eggs in 365 days, under the supervision of the Dominion Department of Agriculture. Sold for breeding purposes, her year’s egg production would be worth four times her selling price. Professor E. A. Lloyd, of the University of British Columbia, states that the heavy egg-laying quality of Canadian liens is due to improvement in blood strains. Poultry keeping is now becoming an important agricultural side line in Western Canada, as new settlers find it profitable. The banishment of non-layers and scrub stock from the barnyards has been an important step in the development of the industry. Signs of the Layer.—One of the signals that a bird is of a good laying type is the fading of the pigment coloring the skin. It fades first of all from the vent, then from the beak (commencing at tho face and travelling outwards towards the point), and finally disappears from

Contributions and questions for answering should be addressed to Utilitf-Faney, Poultry Editor, ‘‘Star’ Office, and received not later than Tuesday of each weefc “ Utility-Fancy ” will only answer communications through this comma. Advertisements for this column most bo banded in to the office before 2 jus. on Friday.

the legs. An observant poultry keeper tan toll, as a rule, whether a bird has recommenced laying after having had a rest, because light shades and dark appear on tiie beak. When the bird, was ‘‘resting” the color would be returning to the face, but as soon as she resumed duty it would begin to recede again towards the point. As to the depth of the coloring, that depends on management of the stock, feeding, and other items. A great deal can bo learnt about the capabilities of birds by observing how many days they lay without cessation, and the time of day that they lay. Poor layers generally make most noise, and if they do happen to lay they cackle excitedly in a manner that suggests blatant conceitedness. On the abhor hand, fowls that are accustomed to laying hardly trouble to advertise the fact. They are too exceedingly tamo and friendly as a rule.—E. BostockSmith. White-crested Black Polish Not a Now Breed.—The following extracts are from the ‘Poultry Book,’ published probably about seventy years ago:— “There is abundance of evidence to prove that the Black-crested White Polish formerly existed. Mr R. Palmer Williams, of Dublin, a gentleman who has paid great attention to the history of the different varieties of crested fowls, has favored us with the following, remarks on these birds: — ‘The breed up to about thirty years ago was to be had in some parts of Ireland, but they were extinguished, I may say, in consequence of a famine. A few years after this time I heard of the breed, and that it was to be had at Bordeaux. I went specially for it, but was informed that there, as well as at Paris, the breed had been, but was not then to be met with. From time to time 1 picked up birds from which I thought to have recovered the breed. The hist of those I had, a hen, is now in the museum of the Dublin Natural History Society. Her crest is black, and a few of the hackle feathers black. The parties who last had the blackcrested white in Ireland were the descendants of the French Huguenots at Portarlington and Maryborough, which would lead mo to expect the breed came from France, if not from Holland.’ ” A second extract is as follows:—“Mr B. P. Brent also states, respecting Biack-crcsted White Polish : ‘ The last good specimen J saw was in the year 1854, at St. Omer, in France. It was a hen, and belonged to a boatbuilder, who lived by the canal. She was of large size; her color was white, with a large black top-knot, some few of which were, however, tipped with white; her bill and feet were dark slate color; shape, very plump and round.’ ”

INCUBATION TABLE. Here arc tho number of days required for eggs of the different species to hatch : Pigeon 17 Hen 21 Pheasant 24 Duck 23 Peafowl 23 Guinea 28 Turkey 23 Goose 31) Muscovy duck 35 Swan 35 TWENTY-THIRD PAPANUI EGGLAYING COMPETITION. Leading Pens, 42nd Week, ended January 21,(294 clays). FLOCK TEAMS CONTEST (Six birds). Light and Heavy Breeds. —White Leghorns.— .Week’s Weight, Eggs. oz. dr. T 1 A. Woolley ... 32 70 13 1,299 J. Liggins ... ... 24 57 6 1,291 T. H. Wilce ... 34 77 0 1,267, F. Hawes 29 63 5 1,258 J. G- Verrall ... 22 45 9 1,244 H. C. West ... 26 61 14 1,230 SINGLE HEN OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP. Light and'Heavy Breeds. —Black Orpingtons.— Week’s Weight, Eggs. oz. dr. T 1 H. W. Beck ... 3 7 5 233 Kirs Hellabv ... 1 2 3 216 A. M. Espie, ... 3 6 8 209 J. MMntosh ... 6 12 12 184 —White Leghorns.— H. C. West ... 6 14 3 235 S. E. Davey ... 5 11 .14. 234 J. MUntosh ... 5 11 9 222 W. Spence ... 5 .11 S 221 J. Rattignn ... 5 12 1 214 W. E. Ward ... 3 6 11. 214 SINGLE DUCK CONTEST. Owner Enters Three Birds. ■—lndian Runners.— Week’s Eggs. Tl. A. G. F. Russ, No. 2 ... 7 282 G Voice, No. 3 6 280 F. R. Cotton, No. 1 ... 7 279 Mrs Gee, No. 3 6 277 A. Adsett, No. 1 6 27u Mrs Gee, No. i 6 ' 267 A. Adsett, No. 3 5 26S SINGLE HEN CONTEST. Owner Enters Three Birds. —A.O.V. Heavy Breeds.— Week’s Eggs. Tl. P. Bailey, R.1.R., No. 1 4 229 P. A. Cornish, L.S., No. 2 6 222 P. A. Cornish, L.S., No. 1 6 198 —Black Orpingtons.— T. D. Dalziel, No. 1 ... 6 236 G. A. Grainger, No. 1 ... 5 233 T. D. Dalziel, No. 2 ... 3 232 G. A. Grainger, No. 2 ... 0 227 R. M. Cookson, No. 3 ... 0 222 WHITE LEGHORN SINGLE HEN CONTEST. Owner Enters Three Birds. Week’s Eggs. Tl. H. Williams. No. 3 6 254 A. G. Goodlet, No. 3 ... 7 252 A. M. Espie, No. 3 6 251 J. Maxwell, No. 3 6 250 G. H. Mitchell, No. 2 ... 7 250 H. Harris, No. 2 6 248 W. H; West, No. 2 ... 6 247 H. Williams, No. 2 6 243