POULTRY NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 20061, 29 December 1928, Page 4

POULTRY NOTES

[By UTILITY-FANCY.]

“Novice” (Iloslyn).—Your question . re housing will bo answered in next week’s notes. • Domesticated birds as described in 1836.’—The following article appeared in the • Saturday Magazine ’ (.England) on January 16, 1836, and is sufficiently interesting to be reproduced ninety-two years afterwards.— “The common fowl is indigenous in forests in India, both on the Continent and the adjacent islands; but it has been domesticated from a very early period of history. Our numerous varieties have been produced originally by a mixture of wild and of tame species, and latterly by crossing the tame breeds. The principal breeds now reared in Britain are the common Dunghill, the Dorking, which is the largest, and is much prized for the table, bub in this respect is surpassed by the Poland. Tho everyday hen ranks as one of the best laying hinds. The bantams arc also good in this respect, and will hatch the eggs of other birds, as pheasants ducks, etc. Tho chittagong or Malay fowl is a large variety, which lays freely, but its flesh is course. By removing tho eggs as soon as they are laid domestic fowls will continue, with good feeding and management, to produce them for tho greater part of the year. A good hen, well tended, will Jay upwards of 140 eggs per annum, and also rear one or two broods of chickens. The weight of an egg varies from two to three ounces, according to tho variety of the bird. Eggs may be kept sweet for three or four months, if the whole surface of the shell bo covered with grease, to exclude the air entirely from the interior; they must bo set on end, and packed in close chests and filled with straw, or bolter still, with sawdust. If tho bird be kept from getting at lime, the. eggs she lays will not have a hard Shell, but will bo otherwise perfect. The time of incubation is three weeks. Hatching of eggs by artificial Iteat is not practised in this country, the trouble and expense being greater than the price of tho birds will compensate for.” It is interesting to note that ninetytwo years ago:--“A large proportion of the eggs consumed in England is imported from foreign countries, i s Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, France (60,000,000 eggs per annum are furnished by France alone, the other countries supply about 4 000,000 more). This may give a vague idea of the number actually consumed, but we are not aware of any data existing for tho calculation.” ' “Next to the eggs, feathers are the most important produce obtained from fowls. These are taken from Pic bird as soon as it is killed, and while warm, in order to preserve tho elasticity of the quill, which would be lost if the plucking were delayed. The infamous practice of plucking the living bird is going out of use, along with other barbarous practices of times when oven civilised man was totally regardless of tho feelings of animals, if they came in competition with bis own selfish wants.

for cooking about ten or twelve pounds. The female lays from fifteen to thirty eggs, but usually batches but half; tho time of incubation is one month. Turkey feathers are used for similar purposes to those of the common fowl, etc. “The guinea lieu, as its name implies, is a native of Africa; but it has been introduced into every part of the globe. In habits, treatment, etc., it resembles the other gallinaceous birds. The flesh is said to unite the merits of the turkey and pheasant; but it does not often appear oven at the tables of the wealthy, and is rather kept as a curiosity than for an article of food. They are bold, restless, active birds; their cry being peculiar, and tolerable only by association, if even by that aid.” "Tn advertising what certain “ Home ” manufacturers allege to be a valuable food, it is declared that the “ Small poultry keepers—backyarders and tho like—often feel envious when reading of the wonderful and sustained flock averages of the big breeders, and wonder bow it is done.” Of course it is explained that the said big breeders feed their fowls upon the product of this particular firm of manufacturers and that therein lies the secret of their success. The particular food product in question is not advertised in New Zealand, but even if it were I would still imagine that it would he the big breeders who were envious of the wonderful average production of the backyarder’s birds, and not vice versa as the advertisers allege! The food in question may he everything that is claimed for it, and yet not be equal, as an egg-producer, to the cheap household scraps which the small holder feeds to his birds.

Fully 90 per cent, of my readers know whore the pelvic bones are, but th) other 10 per cent, don’t, and seldom care to ask. The pelvic, bones are situated on each side of the vent, and nearly in a line with it. When the bird is laying they may be the breadth of three to four human lingers apart. As a, rule, when there is only two fingers’ breadth between them or loss the bird is “ out of lay.” For this purpose two fingers placed on a foot rule should measure liin.

r ' A Good Whitewash. —Amateur poultry keepers who may be anxious to find a reliable and serviceable whitewash should give the following formula a trial. It will be found durable, and it has the advantage of being cheap ; It is made by slaking haL a bushel of lime in seven gallons of water, stirring it well to dissolve the lime. Then cover and let it stand for twenty-four hours. Strain through a sieve to remove all lime that has not been dissolved. To this add 81b of common salt, which has previously been dissolved in lint water, or 31b of rice Hour, boiled, to a thin paste. Stir in while hot. |lb of Spanish whiting, and lib »i clear glue thoroughly dissolved in boiling water. Mix well," and allow it to stand for a couple of days before using it. .It can be put on with a brush or spray. Have the mixture as near boiling point as possible. This wash is good for cither outside or interior work.

“ Feathers are used for stuffing beds, pillows, etc., and for forming sundry ornaments'of dress and furniture; but those for the latter purposes, especially, are obtained from a variety of other birds, as the ostrich, heron, swan, peacock, bird of paradise, etc. Three thousand one hundred and three hundredweight of feathers for beds, etc., were imported into Britain in the year 1829. “ The turkey is now well known to be indigenous in North America, where they are black, but domestication has produced a change in the tints of tho plumage. There are but few varieties in this country, tho black Norfolk breed being that most esteemed. The bird requires more care in rearing than the common fowl, but there is nothing particular in the management that need bo dwelt on. They are usually fattened to he eaten at Christmas. The Norfolk turkey has been known to weigh twenty-five or even thirty pounds, but fifteen may bo the average of Ihc living bird, and when ; repared

Contributions and questions for answering should be addressed to " Utility-Fancy," Poultry Editor, ‘ Star ’ Office, and received not later than Tuesday of each week. “ Utility-Fancy ” will only answer communications through this column. Advert isomanta for this column most be handed in to the office before 2 p.m. on Friday.

TWENTY-FOURTH PAPANUI EGGLAYING COMPETITION. Lending Pens, Thirty-seventh Week, Ended December 15 (259 days). Test I.—J. H. Slum Memorial Challenge. Light and Heavy Breeds. Black Orpingtons.

Week’s Weight. Eggs. oi drs Tl. T. I). Dalai el ... 0 13 9 180 White Leghorns. L. J. Knowles ... 7 14 0 220 Green Bros., No. 12 4 7 219 Master R. Logins 4 8 3 213 E. V. Grouch ... 3 13 5 205 K. J. Ross (i 13 I 203 W. J?. Ward ... 3 4 6 , 202 Test 11.—White Leghorn Single Hen. Owner Enters 3 Birds. Week’s Eggs. Total. T, W. Kolteridge, No. 1 ... 7 270 A. Williams, No. I 5 A. Williams, No.-2 (j 217 210 J. W. Thomson, Np. 2 ... .0 210 M. C. Craig, No. 1 3 214 Tracy King, No. ■'5 212 Green Bros., No. 1 6 2)1 —Single Hen Test.— Owner Enters 3 Birds. Test III.—A.O.V. Light Breeds, Except White Leghorns. Anconas. Week’s Eggs. Total. S. H. Mitchell, No. 2 ... 1 140 R. Pearce, No. 3 ! 141 S. H. Mitchell, No. 1 ... i 138 Test LV.—Black Orpingtons Only. J. M. Campbell, No. 3 ... 7 210 J. M. Campbell, No. 2'... 0 208 A, M. Espie, No. 2 4 191 A. R. Leckie, No. 3 ... 0 179 Test V.—A.O.V. Heavy Breeds Other Than Black Orpingtons. J. R. Griffon (L.S.), No. 1 3 199 U. G. Corlett (W.R.), No. 2 4 180 J. C. Wilson (L.S.), No 1 0 172 J. Kingsland (H.I.H.), No. 1 ... 0 109 Test VJ.—Flock Teams (6 Birds). While Leghorns. Week’s Weight. Eggs. or,, drs. Total, .1F. Harrison ... 33 06 8 1,113 H, W. Beck, No. 1< 30 02 ' 8 1,113 K. Hawes ... ... 34 68 13 1,074 J. Bobbitt 32 08 14 1.042 H. W. Beck. No. 2 25 53 4 1,034 G. •(. Verrall ... 30 04 5 l',020 G. 11, Bradford ... 28 59 7 1,017 Test V11.—Single Duck Test. Owner Enters 3 Birds. Pekins. Week’s Eggs. Total, J. W. Thomson, No. 2 ... 3 213 IT. A. Dawber, No. 2 ... 5 171 W. Little, No. 2 7 159 Indian Runners. (4. K. Barnett, No. 1 ... 0 244 H. A. Dawbei', No. 2 ... 4 237 J. W. Thomson, No. 3 ... 7 230 J. AV. Thomson, No, 2 ... 5 228 Cl. K. Barnett, No. 3 ... 2 210 A. G. F. Ross, No. 3 ... 5 209