POULTRY NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 22453, 25 September 1936, Page 2

POULTRY NOTES

By “UTILITY-FANCY”

“Fancier” (North End). —Mr Cook’s own explanation of the making of the fluff Orpington is that he first selected Golden Spangled Hamburgh cocks, the largest he could find. These birds have a rich, bay-coloured plumage, spangled with black, and with a lustrous black tail. Then he mated with Dorking hens. He found the reddish-brown progeny of them the best layers, and with them he mated a fluff Cochin cock, and states that he found about two out of every three of them came with clean legs. He spent about two years in breeding out the feathered legs ami broodiness of the Cochin • before he introduced th6m. “At first they wore loudly decried as mongrel, and as nothing but Lincolnshire Buffs, and,” says the Rev. Sturgess in his book, ‘ The Poultry Manual,’ “ there is no doubt that many Lincolnshire Butt's were sold as Buff Orpingtons, and many of them laid the foundation of fresh strains of Orpingtons.” Nowadays the Dorkings fifth toe and the cochin feathered legs are apt to appear amongst the chickens of presentday Buff Orpingtons, but this throwbaok is gradually getting rarer and rarer. The Black Orpington was built in an entirely different manner to the Buff. It is made up of Minorca. Langshan, and Plymouth Rock, and was first introduced by Mr Cook, of Orpington (Kent), in 1886; the Huff was not introduced till eight years later. REGISTERED FLOCKS. Up to August 31 over 10,500 poultrykeepers have registered their flocks this year. The fees resulting, we are told, £2,000, whicli is just about the same as was collected last year. The Poultry Board has appointed inspectors to check up on poultrykeepers who have failed to register, and it is expected that a number of prosecutions will bo instituted at an early date. POPULARISING EGGS AS FOOD. That private enterprise can assist in popularising the consumption of eggs is demonstrated by the achievement of a firm in Texas which has built up a profitable business and an enviable reputation for themselves because they have popularised the simple dish—scrambled eggs. By judicious advertising, careful preparation of the ingredients—butter, eggs, and- cream—and laying particular stress on the quality of the products used, the firm’s shops have become known as “ the home of those famousscrambled eggs.” The firm has, further, specialised to the extent that they do not servo eggs in any other form, and this fact alone has caused considerable comment. So popular has the dish become (each serving contains two eggs.) thftt about one- out of every six people entering the restaurant orders scrambled eggs, the weekly requirements being some 35 cases. DRIED SKIM MILK FOR LAYERS. Experiments at the Government Experimental Farm, Agassiz, Canada, in feeding dried milk to layers for two seasons showed that the dried skim milk-fed pens returned nearly double the profit over feed cost to the pens receiving ordinary rations, but that the dried milk at 4id per lb was too dear to feed. ANOTHER VIRTUE FOR THE EGG. A diet of raw eggs as a cure for insomnia is, says an Australian poultry paper, advised by Dr I. Singh, of Cambridge. The value of this diet is stated to be notable in conditions of nervous debility and irritability commonly known as neurasthenia. In these cases, says Dr Singh, there is undue fatigue, emotional unbalance, and often symptoms referred to the heart and stomach. On an egg regime, he points out, a number of patients previously treated unsuccessfully reacted rapidly and recovered within a month from states bordering on invalidism. Among a series of cases cited is one of a man of 24 who was a mental and physical wreck through insomnia, in spite of every form of medical treatment. He was advised to begin with raw eggs, eight the first day, six the second, four the third, and two on each successive day. These were taken in the morning before or after treatment. The result, says Dr Singh, was dramatic. The man had good sleep for the first time for years, and his power of concentration was greatly improved. Two eggs, according to Dr Singh, produced the same amount of sleep as 40 grains of bromide. ! NEXT WORLD’S POULTRY CONGRESS. “The Major,” a regular contributor to ‘Poultry’ (England), says:—“At the luoment there is disagreement as to the location of the congress. New York is too noisy, Oshkosh is too quiet, Washington is too busy to be bothered, Chicago has its own troubles, and as for Hollywood, well, you know whyt Mae West said about Hollywood (Yes, exactly.—Editor.) So it looks like Petaluma to me. And Petaluma, you may remember, is the place whore they preserve the ruins of an ancient poultry industry which came to grief through trying to crowd 10,000 Leghorns to the acre.”

Contributions and questions for answering should he 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. (Advertisements for this column must be handed in to the office before 2 p.m. on Thursday.)

EGG SUPPLIES IN 1935. According to 1 Dairy Produce Supplies in 1935,’ a survey just published bv the Imperial Economic Committee, tho quantity of eggs entering international trade has decreased by one-third in the past five years. But imports into the United Kingdom in 1935 wore 6 per cent, greater than in 1934, and totalled 198 million dozens. Denmark accounted for one-third of the total, and all Empire supplies for only 24 per cent., compared with 31 per cent, in tho previous year. Production in the United Kingdom itself also declined, although accounting for two-thirds of total supplies, and consumption is estimated to have declined from 150 eggs a head in 1934 to 147 in IJJ3S. AN EGG-LAYING EXPERIMENT. In an experiment carried out at the Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station, U.S.A., hens confined in houses with ordinary glass windows laid an average of 39.28 eggs each during the winter months, those in houses m which the windows had been replaced with highgrade glass substitute laid 78.28 eggs each, and those supplied with 2 per cent, of cod liver oil in their feed laid 86.79 eggs per fowl. The fertility of the eggs was 31.5 per cent, in the window glass group, 65.8 per cent, for the glass substitute group, and 67 per cent, for the cod liver oil group. The climate and the severity of winter weather in Texas no doubt makes closed houses with windows for lighting absolutely necessary. Here in New Zealand openfront houses are the rule, with the result that there is no obstruction to the rays of the sun entering. Consequently the use of glass substitutes is only advisable in rare circumtances. In Central Otago when the ground _is snow laden for any considerable time and closed houses are necessary the use of substitute glass which permits the entrance of the ultra-red ray of tho sun is advisable. A CHICKEN JONAH! A day-old chicken survived a remarkable experience at Liverpool, New South Wales, recently. It was swallowed by a kookaburra and later disgorged—and survived the adventure. A broody hen was mothering 12 day-old chicks under a coop from which the chicks had exit on to the lawn of a garden, in which there were also two pet kookaburras. The latters’ attention was attracted by the chicks, and one of them suddenly swooped on a chick which it took in its beak and dashed against a log of wood and then swallowed. A fox terrier witnessed the occurrence, and attacked the kookaburra, shaking the latter in its mouth and causing the bird to disgorge the chick. The chick was placed in a warm oven, and, showing signs of life, was placed on the verandah in the sunlight. A few minutes later the chick recovered and was placed back under the hen, tho only sign of its adventure being that it is lame in one leg. SPROUTED GRAIN. Sprouted grain is appreciated by fowls; even when they are “ off their food ” they will eagerly devour sprouted grain. It is a simple matter to sprout grain, and many experienced fanciers, in the old days, took care to always have a supply. They spread a layer of grain—usually oats—on the floor of a wooden tray, and soaked them with moisture for a few days. When sprouted sections of the tray load were cut out and thrown to the fowls. SCHOOL POULTRY FARMS. Enterprising head masters of village schools are rapidly taking up the new idea of teaching poultry-keeping in a practical manner. This interesting dcveloipment of vocational education has everything to commend it, and there seems to bo little doubt that before long it will be the rule rather than the exception in country schools. These are tho children who will be the cottage and farm poultry-keepers themselves in a few years’ time. Training in the most up-to-date and economical methods of production and management, of keeping records and accounts, is bound to have a most beneficial effect on the poultry stocks of the district. Tho novelty of it in tho curriculum, when the children actually run a working poultry plant, is far enough removed from the drudgery of “ lessons ” to make it especially attractive to the “ young idea.”— ‘ Feathered World.’ 32nd ANNUAL PAPANUI EGG-LAY- ' ING COMPETITION. Loading Pens, Twenty-fourth Week, Ended September 18 (167 da3 - s). Test I.—J. H. Shaw Memorial Challenge. Light and Heavy Breeds.

Tost 2.—White Leghorns. Single Hens. (Owner enters three birds.) Grand Totals. L. Brumby 39-1 S. F. Marshall ..i 391 A. C. Goodlet 370 F. C. Inues 354 W. M. Evans 353 A. D. L. M'Clintock 341 Test 3.—Black Orpingtons and , Australorps. (Owner enters three birds.) G rand Totals. Mrs G. D. Hollyman (A. 0.) ... 356 J. M. Davidson (A. 0.) 313 Mrs W. A. Coombes (A. 0.) ... 307 Miss F. Kerr (8.0.)Q 305 W. Meggett (A. 0.) 301 G. D. Hollyman (A. 0.) 300 Test 4.—Any Variety Light or Heavy Breeds, other than White Leghorns or Black Orpingtons. Week’s Grand

Test s.—Single Hens, Light or Heavy Breeds. (Owner enters six birds.) Grand Totals. L. G. Ancall .'. 633 J. H. Jones 632 G. I). Hollyman (A. 0.) 600 T. S. Dove 597 A. D. Russell 594 Miss H Keddell 573 G. Miller “69 Test 6.—Single Duck Test. (Owner enters three birds.) Week’s Grand

Test 7.—Flock Teams (six birds). Light or Heavy Breeds, Week’s Weights. Tl. to Totals, oz. drs. Date.

Week’s Weights. Totals o/.. drs. Tl. T. R. Robertson ... G 10 4 102 I 1 ’. A. Hall ■1 10 2 i;n J. Campbell (A.O.) ... 5 W. A. Coombos 12' 8 120 (A.O.) ... 5 12 4 120 W. K. Ward ... 7 14 5 128 C. Hartley ... G 10 8 127 A. C. Goodlct ... ... 6 HI 9 12.-) Miss M. Brumby ... G 12 10 124

Totals. Totals. A. D. Fabian 5 0 2 243 A. S. Cooper (L.S.) T. B. Grant 4 5 5 237 (R.I.R.) E. R. Buckley 5 4 5 216 (R.I.R.) 5 5 5 197

Totals. Totals. J. W. Thomson (K.C 3 7 7 468 G. Wright (K.C.) 7 7 7 454 F. Ashworth (K.C.) 7 6 7 399 Miss N. Dale (I.R.) 7 6 7 396 F. W. Thomson (I.R.) ... 7 6 G 377 Mrs C. G. Collmgs (K.C.) 7 5 7 376 A. Cossens (K.C.) 7 7 5 373

G. H. Bradford , (No. 2) ... ... 28 CO 4 C13 VV Turner (No. 1) 31 67 6 604 VV Turner (No. 2) 32 C8 4 603 G. H. Bradford (No. 1) 30 61 8 535 J. Liggins ... ... 32 71 1 503 VV. E. Ward (two dead) 22 45 11 500