THE POULTRY INDUSTRY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10275, 9 May 1919, Page 7

THE POULTRY INDUSTRY

N.Z. UTILITY CLUB FIFTEENTH EGG-LAYING COMFETITXON. RESULT OF FOURTH WEEK. Special to the "Times.” CHEISTCIIUECH, May 8. The fourth week of the New Zealand Utility Poultry Club’s fifteenth prslaying competition ended May 4th. Results aro as follow: light breeds single birds CONTEST.

POULTRY KEEPING AS A SIDE LINE. Few people apparently realise the great value of poultry-keeping as a side lino to other smaller industries of tno m il. Where gardening operations are conducted, fruit-growing on a small scale (especially berry culture), bee-keeping, pig-keeping, etc., are conducted, and a few cows are kept, the business of egg production on a commercial scale can bo made highly profitable. For one thing, the properly saved poultry manure can, be utilised to the greatest advantage in producing fruit, vegetables, and fodder for the cows, etc., at an economical rate, while the skim-milk would prove an important adjunct to the fowl's ration, making for further economy. Combining these smaller industries enables some at least of the food for the fowls to bo grown, and abundance of green food should be' thereby assured. A small field of lucerne —which grows amazingly when top-dressed with poultry manure—would be invaluable for maintaining the milk of the cows, and would give abundance of green food for the poultry, also for building up the mash. The easiest way to obtain a winter supply of chatfed lucerne is to chafl it green, and lay it out on the floor of a shed or on a concrete yard to dry,* to be then stored till needed. Perhaps one of the most suitable things to combine -with poultrykeeping' is the cultivation of berries, tur-h as raspberries or logan berries. Of course location has much to do with the class of industry adopted. Much also' depends on the map himself., Thoi'.best,: measure of success.only coiries to'lubse.vvh'b(follow the line of work they favour, and into which they can put some enthusiasm. Whatever the form of production that may bo selected by the small far- ' mor the keeping of poultry of the right kind and in the right way is the most successful adjunct that can be adopted. THE SCRATCHING HOUSE. Almost every suburban poultry keeper knows how difficult it is to get eggs from the: hens in cold, wot weather, and most suburban men's wires know what an unpleasant thing it is to walk through a wet, slushy yard, to gather such eggs as are laid. Both the difficulty and the unpleasantness can be easily got over by the erection of a shed in which the hens may be confined all the winter. A shod 7 or Bft high, in front,' and sloping to 6 or 7ft at the back, is required, and it should face north or north-east,-ja order to allow the sun to drive in. Netting in front, with a door at one end, a windbreak 2ft high along the bottom, and plenty of straw and dry horse manure on tie floor wild finish a shed that will cause the hens to lay about 20 or 30 per cent, bettor than they would outside in the open yard, and allow of the gathering the eggs dryfooted. A watorpot raised oft the ground so that no Utter may be kiokeed into the water; a raised nestbox in a corn©!*; a perct at' on© ond, &Du fixed so that tho bens' backs are below the level of the windbreak, and a tin of shellgrit, stonegrit, and charcoal fixed so that tho hens can only got their heads into it, are the items that complete tho furnishing of the shed, and there is no doubt that tho hens will lay much better with tho aid of the warmer conditions. Why? Because they will eat as much food as they would outside, in tho open yard; but as they wont need so much food for the maintenance of the body needs) because of the warmer conditions), thoro will bo more surplus available for the making of ogs. A shed 10 x 6ft will accommodate half a dozen bens. Tho resuilts from public competitions, and from private places where it has been tried, prove beyond doubt that the closed place or house will cause more eggs to be laid In tho cold weather. BULLOCK'S BUYER. In a report on the Hawkosbury competition some time ago the poultry expert said:— "Cut up liver used to be fed at a diflerent time of the day, and l.y itself in the earlier competitions, tut it has been found that by mincing tho liver into a fine meal it can easily be mixed with the morning mash, and it adds a zest which the hens are not slow to appreciate." POULTRY HOUSE REPAIRS. It ' is well to see that tho poultry houses are made frost-proof, and wind and water tight, to protect tho birds in wintry weather, .Many houses are constructed of .too thin timber; others are bufc imperfectly nailed or bolted, or have chinks and warpings in tho boards. Look over the weather boarding and boo whether it needs a nail here or there. If the woodwork is too thin, it moy bo advisable to cover it with felt, welltarred; or thick grey paper may bo used instead of felt. Coarse calico, pack-sheet, sackcloth, jute bags, . etc., con also he used if obtainable at a moderate cost. Apply a coat of tar to the woodwork first, thou., while still wot, proceed to fix up tho covering fabric, paper, felt, calico, etc. Uso broad-head-ed nails or tacks to secure the seams and edges. It will usually be found to adhere to tho tarred surface until the tar becomes dry. when it may be-

gin to give way at the edges. Apply a coat of tar to the fabric after it has been affixed, and give it a further Tfreßsing in the course of a week or ten days. Dust it with slag, lime, or sand, to prevent the tar from running. Eoof and. walls may be treated alike in this fashion; but m the case of a rather thin wooden roof, it may be as well to apply two or three folds of paper, calico, or sacking, with a dressing of hot tar between each layer. In fact, the material may bo thoroughly saturated with tar by repeated dressings. A house or coop so treated will last a long time, and will nepd hanllv uTij repairs, but a periodical coat of tar. POINTERS. It takes all sorts to make a world, and every one doesn’t like the same breed of fowls. Decide which breed you will keep, and then procure the best strain of that Don’t forget it —strain is the vital thing. You will find a pen at the top of a competition list ,and another pen of the same breed at the bottom. Why the big difference, seeing it is,in® same breed? One word, "strain” is the explanation. The top hens were bred right, and have ability to lay, while the bottom hens don’t possess it. The difference in the laying ability is expressed by the word “strain,” so, when you have chosen your breed, see to it that you get the best strain of that breed if you want to do well.

It is but fair to the hen that is wanted to produce strong chicks to give her two or three days’ spell from laying in the week.

You can’t have it all. There is a limit, and when you go over the edge something must break. Suppose ypu force the breeders with stimulating foods. If you do the result will be infertility, dead in shell chicks, and cripples. Sunshine is one of the greatest gem destroyers. Let it into the poultry yard. In the poultry yard, as elsewhere, prevention is better than cure. Don’t overcrowd; give clean water every day. Hens should not bo crowded. You will cot a smaller number of eggs from thirty hens that aro confined to a. space large enough for twenty only', than you would from twenty' not so crowded. That many' fowls which axe allowed to perch do develop crooked breastbones is perfectly true. Yet it is equally .true that large numbers of fowls which'are never permitted, to , porch are. similarly affected. Keep the poultry houses open and cool. Bo sure that there is plenty of shade. Yarded fowls suffer severely from overheated quarters and from the hot sun. Sunstroke is not an uncommon cause of death in fat adult fowls. A constant supply, of. fresh cool drinking water is necessary at. this season. Do' net feed too heavily in hot weather. An abundance of fresh, succulent greens will help keep J .• birds in good condition, and will a:.. ..re.an early, quick and clean moult. EGG-LAYING COMPETITION. To the Editor, Poultry Notes, "N.Z. Times.” Sir,—l fully agree with your remarks in last Friday’s article regarding EggLaying "Competitions; ' They 'are'to; r -the point and should have been- made, and the suggestion instisted upon, years ago. All along officers in charge of egg-laying competitions, sometimes alto their children and relations, have been allowed to enter one, two, or three pens of birds, with the entire personal freedom, and sometimes, supervision of the plant. This is not ns it should be, and it is strange that this fact is not realised by those concerned. No one in any way connected with the management of such an institution shoqld t ho r allowed tpv<mmpeb^ { -.In, fact it is' a moot' point’ whether, any resident of the town in which the competition is being held ought to bo allowed to compete either. It is time that these institutions wero put on a sounder basis so as to inspire the fullest confidence. H. LEGEE, \ Woraroa.

Weekly Total total, to dato. White Leghorns— 0 W. A. Gee and Son 18 Green Bros. No. 1 4 6 10 5 20 6 20 Bock and Oakley No. 1 ... 6 21 1 5 19 0 0 Colder Bros. No. 2 f> 20 Beck and Oakley No. 2 ... 4 19 Green Bros. No. 2 o 21 H. Williams No. 1 5 21 i\ lO Waitoitoi Stud Farm ....... i K? 19 H. Hunter 0 0 Calder Bros. No. 1 6 19 0 '>[) G, 1 (.Bradford G 20 Mrs E. B. Hunter 4 16 Black Minorcaa— 1 16 H. Williams ' 0 S 97 381 TWO TEARS' TEST. Tracey Kins 0 291 W. A. Gee and Con 0 Vfl E. B. Marsden 0 191 T^fnlc 0 7(6 HEAVY BREEDS SINGLE BIRDS CONTEST. American Barred Rook — 3 20 Black Orpington—^ J .McDonald 7 22 Rhode Island Red— H. Hunter ... 0 i 12 43 EXPERIMENTAL TEST FOR LIGHT AND HEAVY BREEDS. C. Renn (Black Orpington) 6 19 H. Meadows and H. Rose (White Rook) 6 22 C. H. Bull (Rhode Island Red) 0 0 Beck and Oakley (Silver Wyandotte): , 0 1 Progress Poultry Farm 0 (American Barr. Rook) 0 E. R. Vercoe (White Orp0 0 Totals 12 43 WJhile Leghorns— T. J. Richards - 6 22 Calder Bros. No. 1 — 5 10 Goo. Gee i 10 Mrs S. Dick 6 21 6 17 Calder Bros. No. 2 3 6 E. Marsden A....... 7 24 Beck and Oakley No. 1 ... 15 Waitoitoi Stud harm 5 8 Tracey King 5 B T. Fazackerly 0 18 18 W. and Sons 5 35 24 0 0 T. E. Conway 7 31 Green Bros. No. 1 5 19 Calder Bros. No. 3 5 17 Green Bros. No. 2 5 18 Waitoitoi Stud Farm ... 4 5 Progress Poultry Farm ... ’J. j. Rowberry 5 IS 0 1 Progress Poultry Farm ... 5 16 Webb Bros 5 IS Totals '. 110 349‘ LIGHT BREEDS CONTEST. Black Minorcas— H. Williams 18 41 White Leghorns— Green Bros. No. 2 11 22 U Tracey King Beck and Oakley 21 26 58 89 M. F. Blackman 5 21 B. Campbell 15 30 J. Liggins 32 109 N. Stark and -Son 16 64 C. J. Norton 13 16 G. H. Bradford 6 23 TT ■RaTI 19 70 Ueretaunga Ponltry Barm 26 68 .1. 3. Stevens 1444 G. Bonnett —■ 8 8 B. G. Terry 25 88 F. L. Ozanne ..... 15 33 C. H. Izard 21 57 J. T. McHarg .......... W. J. Chambers ....... 21 25 62 85 E. E. Marsden 27 82 C. Benn 26 90 Mrs E. D. Hunter .... 21 ,87 A. Clegg 28 83 J, Nancarrow, senr 5 B. W. Hawke ai 56 Dalmuir Ponltry Yards... 31 90 Calder Bros. 23 50 23 63 \V. J. Richards 14 15 26 89 Master A. Haley 10 23 W. A- Gee and Son ...... 15 49 I). F. jtfoDaugall +Beck and Oakley 21 28 15 68 L. T. Wright 0 0 13 31 Mrs Gorinski 30 90 Waitoitoi Stud Farm 25 50 W. Davey 17 28 B. B. Tbmkies 10 18 Oxford Poultry Farm 26 73 B. W. Coombes — 30 106 Verrall Bros 16 45 Eangiu.ru Egg Banoh 0 2 G. Gee 24 44 Inder and Phillips 19 73

A. H. Skilton 8 29 ,r. Robertson — GS A. At. Love 4-8 23 63 30 109 •T. Webb — 10 2a Brown Leglborna— II. Hunter 1 1 a 16 Totals 9SS 289-1 LIGHT BREEDS (TWO TEARS’ TEST). White Leghorns— H. W. Hock < 1639 - 1502 2 1450 Black _\I inorcas— H. Williams 13 1414 23 6005 HEAVY BREEDS CONTEST. Silver Wvandottes— 0 0 A. W. Adams 0 0 T. Dowthwaito 7 22 White Rocks — h: D. Adams 0 0 American Barred Rooks— D. Allingham ’ 0 0 Black Orpingtons— C. H. Izard No. 2 15 43 T. E. Conway 19 57 W. Bloomfield 10 13 C. .1. Norton 10 25 C H. Izard No. 1 u 23 J. Nancarrow, sen 6 23 Rhode Island Reds— P. E. Knyvett 0 Totals 81 DUCK CONTEST. 206 Indian Runners— K. M. Copland 19 50 G. Bonnett 3-i 115 T. DowUiwaite 30 67 12 32 Mrs C. H. McDougall ... 0 1 33 91 Her etaunga Poultry Farm 1 1 W T. Green No. 3 5-1, ilrs E. D- Hunter ......... 0 Totals 148 411 TWO TEARS’ DECK CONTEST. IV. T. Green (Indian Runners) 31 1406 SINGLE DUCK CONTEST Indian* Runners— H. ileadows * W. T. Green " L. Wadham !J J: 0 0 J. Donald .•••••• Totals 19 60 *1 Bird Dead. f3 Birds Dead.