Poultry Notes

Evening Star, Issue 21747, 15 June 1934, Page 2

Poultry Notes

Answers to Correspondents. “ Anxious ” writes to say that lie has a hen which persistently lays largesized eggs, but cannot pass them into the nest until she has visited it several times, and she gives every evidence of pain until the egg is laid. He asks if there is anything he can do to help the bird.—Seeing that the eggs are eventually laid and that there is no question of "a broken egg in the passage,'l advise giving the bird a dose of castor oil, which will help in the passing of the eggs. A few drops of tincture of iodine should also be added to boiling water and placed in a vessel which will permit of the vent being steamed. Applying sweet oil to the vent also helps. I have known several cases of birds having this trouble when first starting winter production after the moult, and as a rule the abnormal-sized eggs do not persist in coming. Moderation.

Exercise" is necessary for the wellbeing of the fowl, but do not force it to exercise for a starvation wage. When a fowl is working amongst the litter be sure that at short intervals it will find a reward in the form of something appetising. Exercise is of vital importance for the health of. the fowl as for other creatures, notwithstanding all that is being said in favour of rearing chicks and keeping laying bens in batteries. Exercise enables a fowl to use its food ot the best advantage. Without exercise food which under normal conditions should be burned as fuel, used; in the repair of tissue, or making eggs, wilt be diverted into forming additional flesh or fat. Keep the birds busy by feeding a portion of their hard grain food where they will have to scratch for it. The busy active hen that scratches; for a Jiving and is frequently seen tail deep in the litter, with the dust flying behind her, and that sings as she works, is usually the hen .that produces the strong-germed, fertile eggs that hatch well.

Separated and Whole Milk. The National Poultry Institute (England), in reporting the results of a number of experiments, says: “It was notable that of all the protein-rich foods used none was comparable with the whole milk, with the exception of separated milk. Further work showed that not only was the separated milk equally as good as the whole milk in its effects, but that the fat in the whole milk was not in any way beneficial to the chicks. Thus we find confirmation of the old-established farm practice of rearing with the aid of separated milk as the sole protein-rich supplement to the ration.” Terrible! Under the heading ‘ Antiquated Barter System,’ the ‘ Poultry World ’ (England) informs its readers that the Lancashire farmers wish ,to do away with the barter of eggs fpr. groceries, and remarks; “ It may come as news to many that this antiquated system still exists.” One would be excused for wondering why this antiquated system—this liberty of the small holders of poultry, who are the majority in every country to dispose of their property as they think proper. The ‘ Poultry World's ’ writer, who signs himself ‘‘Game Cock,”'says: “My objection to any such trading is that it brings yet another person into the egg business who can dictate prices and take advantage of the actual producer. Any surplus can be placed on the market, or sold cheaply, just as any old price can be offered. Another protest should go forth against the butcher who offers cheap eggs, even below purchase price, just to attract buyers of meat. An egg

I Contributions and questions for answering should be addressed , to “ Utility-Fancy,” Poultry Editor, ‘Star* Office, and re- ( I ceived not later than Tuesday of each week. '■ Utility-Fancy ” will only answer communications through this column.

is a valuable commodity worthy of giving its producer a fair return; it is wrong to regard it as a catspaw to other businesses, or just a makeweight.” As 1 have no doubt that the majority of the readers of these notes are small holders of poultry I take the liberty of warning them that the privilege they at present possess of disposing of surplus eggs as they think proper is in jeopardy even here in New Zealand. Sacred Fowls.

Thanks to an exchange the writer learns that some ancient races hold fowls as sacred. For instance Chanakya (Circa, 300 b.c.) says that four things may be learned from a cock—to fight, to get up early, to eat with your family, and to protect your spouse when she gets into trouble. An interesting fact is that a Homan writer describes the game fowl and the Dorking as he saw them in England in about the middle of the first century, a. n. A tip for the doctors and wives is contained in the one-time belief that bad habits would depart from a man who drank of a solution containing the dried comb of a white or of a red cock. Loss of memory was cured by taking in the morning, on a fasting stomach, a mixture of the gall of a cock and mutton broth. Pain was relieved immediately by taking pills made of pounded dried flesh of a cock with equal quantities of gall nuts and sumach.

An Egg Within An Egg. Mi J. W. Hill, writing to the ‘ Poultry AVorld.' explains ns follows: —• “The reversed action of the. muscles of the oviduct can be responsible for sending back an egg from one section to a provious'ooe, instead of passing it on for expulsion. Accordingly, . a shelled egg can go back and receive another supply of albumen, return for further membranes and shelling, and be laid complete with another egg surrounding it. It is by no means a rare occurrence to break open ah egg and find another shelled egg in the middle. “ Membranes surrounding an egg often get multiplied by reason of the egg passing back through the section that attends to this part of tho business; thus, one may find a normally shelled egg below one or even a set of membranes. “ Normally, one yolk only should be in the oviduct, and it should be shelled and passed out before another yolk drops. In abnormal cases two or more can,get into tho oviduct together and be shelled as one. If they do not assemble together in the shelling, department for one complete shell, then they may be laid within a short time of each other, which explains why a hen lays more than one egg on the same day. Usually the first is hard-shelled, and the others soft or thin-shelled, depending upon the number of hotirs between the laying of each.”

Colour of Game Varieties. Mill Hooley, F.Z.S., F.8.5.A., a recognised authority at Homo in answering a correspondent who asks what is the true colour of a black-red game cook and hen, also of a brown-red cock, explains as follows: —“A black-breasted-red game cock should have hackle and saddle feathers orange-red, shoulders a deep crimson, scarlet, wing bar a steel blue, wing end (tho triangular patch that shows when the wing is closed) bay; the rest of the plumage, breast, tail, etc., a glossy black, the tail showing some green sheen. The legs may be willow, or yellow, white carp, or olive; white legs are mostly seen. The hen to match should have a golden hackle striped with black, a robin-coloured breast, ash colour belly; back, shoulders, ahd wings partridge colour" wing feathers ami tail very dark; leg colour as in the male. The brown-red cock (Old English) : Breast, thighs, and closed wing mahogany 1 brown ; shoulders crimson; primary wing feathers and tail black or bronze-brown; dark eyes and legs.”

Feeding Bantams. A formula for rearing Game bantams runs;— “ Feed little and often; never let the chickens eat their fill. You cannot beat chopped boiled eggs mixed with breadcrumbs and oatmeal, with a little soaked bread at times, if milk is given, take away any not consumed or trouble is' sure to follow. If you use meat, use white mutton.” Canaries and Pigeons, The Dunedin canary and pigeon fanciers are evidently keen sportsmen, always ready to compete where there is likely to be strong classes, and it is pleasing to learn of the success of three of them at the Christchurch show. Mr G. Thomson, the secretary of the Dunedin Fanciers’ Club, was successful in winning the championship for the Norwich cropper pigeons at the Christchurch Poultry and Pigeon Show. Mr T. Morris was successful in winning several prizes, gaining five firsts, two seconds, and one third with Yorkshire canaries; and Mr Waugh gained five firsts and four seconds. Dunedin Fanciers’ Club Show. This show, now in full swing, is evidently one which will be looked back upon as one of the most successful ever held by Dunedin fanciers. All classes are well patronised, and the endeavours of the organisers deserve the utmost encouragement of the public.

[By UTILITY. FANCY.]

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Canaries at Christchurch Show. In reference to Mr J. A. Morris's wins with his Yorkshires at Christchurch, I learn that in addition to the wins already reported he got first and second in the breeders' challenge stakes. The Challenge Cup now becomes Mr Morris’s property, having been won outright. Mr Morris lias been appointed judge of the Yorkshire canaries and budgerigars at the Dunedin show, and the club deserves to be congratulated in obtaining the services of such a successful exhibitor.

Rambler’s Notes. A five weeks’ tour of the main centres between here and North Auckland recently gave me to see some of the things that are being done in poultry yards. This does not protend to be a systematic survey. One general contrast between North and South we could not avoid. The northern utility breeder is candidly breeding for utility without any frills. He rarely shows his birds, those we encountered thinking it not worth while. Around Dunedin our utility men usually keep a pen or two of “show variety” to please some judge|s eye, and, although these are shown in “ utility ” classes, their owners would not think of breeding their stock from them or of trying them in a laying contest, it is probably a matter merely of preference, but "difference there certainly is. The same general attitude is noticeable in the north in another way. The men who are breeding layers go for production, not type. I saw a trio of recent importations from America of the wellknown Tailored White Leghorns at one of the largest farms in the dominion. They seemed like enlarged bantams compared with the stock that most breeders prefer here; but they were remarkably alert, fine-headed, with “ production ’’ written all over them. When the diminutive size was commented on the manager replied: “Neither we nor our customers are working for oppearance; what we want is eggs.” To say that this view was shared by all would, of course, be absurd; but it was common enough to attract attention. Some northern breeders set themselves the commendable aim of building up a high average of flock production rather than outstanding individual lajv ing records. One Who is having considerable success is Mr F. Allen, of Levin, whose team won the latest Massey College contest after one bird had died. The other five averaged 203 eggs each. A team from the same farm won tlsu Auckland contest. There is nothing special about Mr Allen’s plant. He hatches with numerous largo lampheated incubators, which most of. the large farms visited have discarded in favour of electric machines. A coke stove is used to. provide hot-water heating through pipes, running along a line of rearing pens. Breeding stock lias considerable range, but .layers are kept intensively. 'The. special feature of the work is the trap-nesting of all birds. The trap nest.used is the simplest we saw. The front is of wood. When the nest is open the door rests on a swinging wooden catch, the weight of the door holding the catch. When. the lien lifts the door, tlie catch swings away and the door falls. Nests are visited every hour. In each house is a simple chart showing the number of each bird, with a square opposite for each day m the month. When the hen layi the square is marked, and the monthly sheets are filed as records. The ability of every bird is known, and the laying of the whole flock is gradually improved. At Papakura we inspected Mr Sulley's “ Whitewings,” which he claims is the largest and most modern electric hatchery in the dominion. Anyone wishing to dispute the claim will have the following facts to consider. . Two 3,0()0egg Petersime electric machines did the hatching last season,, and another of 6,000-egg capacity is in readiness for the present season. Thirty thousand day-old chicks were sold last year, besides pullets, and many orders had to be declined. This tremendous output call be handled with economy of labour with the plant provided. Three thousand eggs are turned electrically in the Petersime in a few seconds, and are cooled in the machine by. a fan. They are handled only twice in the hatch. The chicks are kept for. the first week in a battery brooder, which holds 2,600, and- are then transferred to weaning compartments with outdoor runs. Coke stoves are used to heat the brooder and the 160 ft of weaning pens. Adult stock, about 1,000 of which are kept for breeders, are housed in sheds 110 ft long and lßft deep, of unusual design for New Zealand. The.houses have gable roofs with ventilation at the ridge. The three-feet opening along the front is protected by a sloping glass verandah, through which the only sunshine enters. Good-sized runs are provided. The perches, with dropping boards and nests beneath, are in the centre of the house. With scratching room on ail sides. The drinking water is outside in the yards. The drinking vessel is an inverted cone of galvanised iron connected by about three feet of pipe, which runs underground to a ballcock cistern supplied from the town water mains, Every yard is thus supplied, shade being provided Where necessary. Mr Sulley works on very wellinformed lines, even preparing his own poultry remedies (which have been advertised periodically oil this page). Anyone whose faith in the future of tho industry is insecure might well be advised to pay a visit to “ Whitewings.”