POULTRY NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2815, 26 February 1908, Page 35

POULTRY NOTES.

' Bt Terror.

— The dates for the Victorian Poultry and Kennel Club's next show are fixed for August 19, 20, 21, and 22. 1 —On April 1 a new departure at Bose-wort-hy, South Australia, when the Utility Club will start a competition with a separate class for white Leghorns (Class A), and Class B will consist of all other breeds. , Apparently the white Leghorn breeders | in South Australia are too strong to be I allowed to compete against owners of the I heavy varieties. I — The Sydney Mail egg-laying competition has completed the tenth month of^its term. The leading position is held by a pen of six white Leghorn pullets owned by Mr A. H. Padnian (S.A.), which have produced 1285 eggs for the 10 months, this being an average of 214 egge from each pullet. Mr A. Craig's white Leghorns are 6ocond, with 1141 eggs, and Mr R. Farrar's white Leghorns are third -with 1111 eggs. Mr S. P. Dart's white Leghorns come fourth, with 1105 e&gs, Mr G. Wright's black Orpingtons fifth with 1098 eggs, and ! Mrs Mackie's white Leghorns sixth with ! 1096 eggs. j —The egg-laying competition for the second year's laying at the H&wkesbury (N.S.W.) College has been advanced to the twenty-second month. Mr J. R. Wakfer'e pen of six Langshan hjpns are still well in front of all the other competitors. They have produced 2339 -eggs in the 22 months. Mr S. Gordon's *lack Orpingtons are second: with 2173 egcs, Mr R. Ellis's white Leghorns third with 2154 eggs, Mr G. ArkinetaU's white Leghorns fourth with { 2139 egge, and Mr J. Stewart's white Legj horns fifth Vith 2055 eggs. —In the 12 months' eggs-laying- com- , petition at Hawkesbury College the lead I ing position for the 10 months is held by j Mr P. Lowfe's pen of six white Leghorn , pullets. They have produced 1240 eggs for the 10 months, this being an average 1 of 208 eggs from each pullet. Mr W. E. Boutcher's white Leghorns are second with I 1179 eggs, Mrs Atkinson's white Leghorns third with 1145 eggs, Mr R. Boardman's wmte Leghorns fourth with 1125 eggs, Mr J. Jensen's -white Leghorns fifth with 1115 eggs, and Messrs Griffiths 8r0.3.' white Leghorns sixth with 1095 eggs. — Leg Weakness. — This disease chiefly occurs in young, heavy birds of the malesex, and is usually due to the superincumbent weight of the body, which causes , the limbs to yield and the fowl to continually sit down on the hecks; hence it is most prevalent in poultry when the "forcing system" is adopted, and a large size is attained early. Leg weakness is occasionally constitutional, and in such cases is manifested in very young chickens. It has also been observed in the latter when they have been kept on boarded floors for any length of time. Treatment: A careful attention to diet should be observed ; the food should be nutritious without being stimulating or fattening. If the bird treated has been forced, and is heavy in body, it is bettor to reduce the weight by allowing less food and the administration of an aperient. The salts of iron and phosphate of lime are useful medicinally, also bone meal. Friction to the legs, using a mild and stimulating liniment, as goose oil and whisky, is (says Mr J. Wocdroffe H^ll, F.R.C.V.S.) somestimes serviceable in promoting circulation, which becomes retarded, and relieving cramp owing to the want of exercise and Mntinued flexed position of the limbe. —By boiling or eteaming fjrain, and then allowing, it to cool, a considerable caving will be effected. The focd is easier digested, and much more nutriment will be derived from it. The vessel in which it is faoiled or steamed should be tightly covered so as to keep the properties intact. — The price of eggs for the next month or two, and, in fact, throughout the winter months, will be high, for thoie are not so many young birds in the yards this 6eason ac for some years back. Pullets consequently should be pushed forward as much as possible, as their produce will be more than ordinarily valuable. — It is stated that when the Romans first invaded Britain, under Julius Csesar, they found the game fowl in a state of domestication ; forbidden as food, but kept for diversion and uport. One of the fir-st notices of cock-fighting in England is mentioned by William Fitzstephen, in the time of Henry the Second. It was then alluded to as the sports of schoolboys on Shrove Tuesday. The schoolroom was the pit, and the master the director of the sport. At various times the sport of cock-fighting has come under the ban of the Legislature. But the sport, more or loss, flourished! under high patronage until during last century, when, as a legitimate sport, it received its quietus by pvrblic opinion. Nevertheless, the fightins? of game cocks still continues, and will, I suppose, always hi' followed by certain sections of the community. —It must not for a moment be supposed that the game fowl is -a mere fighting machine. He is a galan warrior, but is also one of the most useful of our domesticated breeds. The flesh of a game fowl is beyond compare for whiteneea, delicacy, and flavour. The chickens of ,the blackred variety, when but A fortnight old, are as like quail as possible, and in all varieties chickens of th*t age &r« plump, feel

as heavy as ptilleis, and will make an acceptable dish. The young birds arc also easily reared, and usually defy disease when other breeds of poultry are ailing or dying. The hens are splendid layers of fairly large, winte-shelled eggs. They are of splendid flavour, and to those unacquainted with them must be partaken of to be fully appreciated. Game hens. too. are perfect mothers, kindness itself to their chickens, but intruders must beware. In the country districts game hens should be fully appreciated, for no hawk or crow could take a chicken under the protection of such a mother. Regarding the craze for *>ize in Leghorns, the recent dairy show in England demonstrated that English fanciers are sacrificing other characteiistics of the breed in their desire to get eize. A correspondent in the Feathered World points out : —This variety has in the last few year* left the true Leghorn type, being too big, bad shape, too long in the leg, and some so pale in leg as to confuse one into mistaking them for white Minorcas. The craze for size has a lot to answer for in destroying the beautiful characteristics of the Leghorn. This going in for size, we contend, gives the professional a big advantage over the amateurs, as these who can denote theif whole time to it can grow bigger birds than the ordinary fancier. This, of course, applies to Jots of breeds. Tne brown, and black Leghorns have kept to the type; why have* the whites left it? Should not we \>e surprised to see, say, at the Palace, a great big black Leghorn shaped like a, Plymouth Rock get first in a class containing the best of this season's winners? We hope the true fanciers and judges of this variety (whites) will help to bring them back to their old position as one of the best and most popular breeds going. — Central Produce Mart (Ltd.).— Reilly, Scott, and Gill, proprietors, rcpoit for the week ending Saturday, the 22nd ii.st. The poultry market is fairly well supplied with good hens, which sell at 2s 6d to 3s 6d : young rooeters. 3s 6tl to 4s 8d ; ducks, 3s to 4s 6d ; ducklings, 3s to 4s lOd ; pullets. 4s to 8s ; geese, 4s to 5s 6d per j pair. Eggs have been in excess of requirej ments, some agents having cut the price to lft Id per dozen. We received six cases. and sold ease eggs at Is 2d to Is 3d and stamped and guaranteed Is 3d to Is 4d ! per dozen. Butter is in frocd demand. j farmers' pats making 8d to lid, and bulk IBd to 9d per Ib. Fat aleo is in good I demand, prime rendered making 18s to | 245, and rough 16s to 225. Honey is in I fair demand at 6s for sections, and bulk 4d to 4£<l. Pigs are wanted, s£d to 6d being paid for prime baconers. Beeswax wanted, Is 4d. Horsehair, Is 6d per lb. We specially advise consignors to send only well-conditioned poultry to .his market. BREEDING FROM DISEASED FOWLS. The best course' to take with a .seriously diseased fowl is to kill it. An epidemio will thus probably be prevented, and great , danger of breeding diseased offspring will Ibe averted. A prise bird is often in its owner's opinion far too valuable to be thus peremptorily disposed of just because it happens to have contracted roup or developed symptoms of liver dieeaee or tuberculosis, or .any of the many other hereditary diseases to which poultry flesh is heir. He coddles it up, doctors it with various nostrums, sometimes suitable, oftentimes quite the re%erfe, until in the end, after a vast amount of trouble, he is perhaps successful in so far patching up the patient that the outward and visible signs of the inward disease are dispelled, and the bird once again presents the appearance of a hcalthv specimen. Such appearances are, however, in the majority of cases deliMive. A fowl that has once been seriously affected is rarely, if ever, , thoroughly and safely cured. Under no circumstances should such a bird be bred from. The disease is not only liable to again crop up at all times and seasons when least expected, and thus upset breeding arrangements, but it will also most surely bring trouble a hundedfold in the ' succeeding generations, whilst if eggs for hatching are sold from such specimens, they may pro\e the means of spreading tho disease all over the country. Cures like that above referred to are usually superficial ; the taints of the disease in the majority of cases remains in the blood — lurking within, ready to break out again on slight provocation, or to be transmitted to the offspring. The breeder of fowls who desires to produce strong, healthy, vigorous stock shoulcl exercise the greatest possible oa-re in excluding from his breeding pen every bird that has at any *ime shown the slightest sign ;f disease. It may se?m hard at the time to kill or ostracise otherwise valuable specimens, but it will pay many times over in the end. It is the delicate, unhealthy specimen that causes so much care and trouble,-, and in the end picks the pockei\ of its breeder. ;