POULTRY NOTES

Otago Witness, Issue 2894, 25 August 1909, Page 35

POULTRY NOTES

Br Tzbbor.

— A friend of mme — one, I may add, wh« is well known to the New Zealand poultry, world — writes me a very nattering lettef anent remarks upon, the possibilities of th« poultry industry which have recently appeared under thie heading. Thie gentleman, it may be well to remark, on.cc told mo that flatter^ was never altogether wasted effort; his experience — and he had tried it often — being that "some was t>ure to stick." Inter alia, he says: "The absence from your remarks of all reference to patent) trap-nests, nutritious rations, secret systems and tests, dry and wet maeh, open and* closed houses, etc., was a relief from tho usual prattle of the theorists. I admire the advice to everyone who can to keep a. few fowls. No talk of incubator capacity for tHousaji<ls of inr-ds, -a-ncl \iaXi a. ctoz^n. £px--ing-carts constantly employed on the one farm gathering eggs. No. ialk of other marvellous things beyond the reach of the averag© man so often dished ifp by poultry scribes." Of course, that all sounds very nice in my (Terror's) ears, and I am proud aoaoidinzlj,

but my friend proceeds: "The only fly in the ointment appears to be in the critic's question, 'If there is wo much to be made out of poultry, why do people need so 1 much persuasion to got in for it?' I fancy your answer will be : 'Because individually there is very little profit, but collectively ,or from a national standpoint the industry can be made of vast importance.' Granted (proceeds my correspondent). You stand condemned 6n your own showing. As a- critic, I say tha to the individual "the loss of wealth to the country counts nothing. The gain of feeding a few fowls on scraps from the table also counts nothing. So where are you?" With a few more really complimentary remarks my correspondent doses hie letter. In reply all I can say is that I believe there is a good deal of truth in his contention, yet I hope that there are sufficient people in the Dominion who will' be pleased to find a way cf ifeuradng waste material to profitable account to have made it worth my while •to point the way, and I also believe that there are many people quite willing to help to extend bhe spending power of " v Gcd's own Country," so long as they can make a iittle for "themselves at the- 'sarae time ! — * Dear Terror, — I am pleased to note ' tha* farmers and housahoJdere generally are taking- a more lively interest in potW£rylaiaing .generally, end I think you. are to be . congratulated <*n 3 excellent article you ' gave your rea<fers a few weeks ago. A few" ' instances of successful poultry culture may be of interest to you. At present I fcnow of one householder who has half an acre of land, part of which is devoted to frudt trees aaid the usual kitchen garden. The houses to accommodate tho poultry is oi the simplest, but the 1 attention is of the very best. Eighty to 90 head are kept, and from these birds the average ths past two months has been 354" eggs per day at an price of la 6id per dozen, which, after deducting feed, leaves the average profit of* 19s Id per week, and this, remember, on half an acre of land 'with just one's o&re in spare time and the value of the manure for the . trouble of coll«cting. . . Now, as this amount can and w 'obtained fiom naif an acre, it is easy to see how prosperous a country would become if only 10 petr cent, of its population w«jre intefew-sd in poultry culture. Aigain. I know a farmer who purchased 14 good laying hens, paying 2s 6d each for them in June, and securin.gr a silver Wyandotte cockerel at the same time. He set the eggs from them ii> July and August. 3art year, and marketed the cockerels— -43 in all — in the month of December. tb& birds realising at auction 3s Id to 3s M each. ITlie owiner assures me the cost of production •ms under Is 8d each, counting all costs, leaving a profit of clear money of £3 8s Id. I also know a,«entleman who ipurehaesd «igbt Indian runne* ducks las* April at "a co?t of 2s 4d each, the object, being to clear his garden and orchard from elugs. Since then he has marketed eggs from fclrcse fcrrds to the value of 48s 9d, and be has sold the binds at 6s each, making a total »urn of £4 16s 9d, htf only expense 1 J*?.ing £1 3s for food, etc., and the original. oost hf the ducks— 18s,— leaving a profit of £2 15s 9d, besides having his garden, and orchard in a muoh cleaner and batter con- ' dition than it was previous to the aro-ivaJ of the ducks. I have no doubt many of your readers could quota similar instamoes of success with poultry : as far my personal success you have a fair knowledge. I have now teen conneoted with the business for so-ne 16 years, and I have reared, fattened, and sold probably some thousands more than most poultry* men ; and, let me add. it was a good day's -work when I decided to take tip poultry culture. Continue in your good work giving your readers KDsiblie articles suoh as you have been giving us for the past 14 years to mv knowledge, and if you*» readers follow the same, using their own knowledge, of local conditions, tJi-sy need "dreadnought."— l am, etc., Dttxedin. —Mr S. H Scott, of Mount Smart Poultry Farm, Onehumga, has amongst his Indian Runners a dudk that established what is believed to be <the world's record by laying 320 eggs in one year, her total for 23 months being 510 eggs, and when we visited -the farm (6ays a. nothcrn weekly) she was still shelling out eggs, although iD a third moult. The performance is a wonderful one (says the same authority), the record being established in her second seaeon's laying.— [The record may be a genuine one, but as it- has not been established under competition conditions I think it only fair to. those who have co submitted their birds jo mention the fact.] — There is scarcely a country show, agricultural or otherwise (says the Sydney Mor.iing Herald;, but that some enthusiast sendr to some Sydney fancier one or more pounds for a bird of some particular breed fit bo win. On the northern rivers, where there is plenty of money, this has been goiig on for some year©. The result is thrit in many farmyards there is quality equal to anything to be had in Sydney. Notwithstanding this, there is still the ihanUering after Sydney quality. Prior to tb* late Lismore show a breeder anxious to -arm in his specialty sent three guineas foir a Sydney winner. On the first evening of *he show the owner visited it, expecting to I»e the blue card on his Sydney chantgxfcA* On the way be met a fellow fancier, •wh»> inquired of him how imich he was going to charge him for that setting of eggs h© had got from him last year- "Oh, nothing, Jack," was the reply "Did you get any chickens from them?" "Yes," was the retort; "and fair ones, too. I got first and third in a class of 11, beating your great Sydney champion, who looks lonely ■without a card." — The following are the results of the first four monbbs of the Roseworthy (S.A.) egglaying competition. The; competition is for 12 months. In white . Leghorns, six pullets from Sargenfri Farm head the list with 475 egg^. The' Carolina Farm's birds are second with 472, Mr F. E. Hannaford's third with 446, Messrs Metcheson and GreaTtes fourth with 433, Mr A. J. Cosh fifth with 429, and Mr T. L. Wright sixth with 247 eggs. In the. competition for other A breeds, six hl-ack Orpingtons from Carolina Fa-rm produced 477 eggs, and six otiher black orpington 9 from the same farm are second with 430. Messrs K&ppler Bros.' silver Wyandottes are third with 410 to credit, Mr W. Prvvis's silver Wyandottes fourth with 408, Mr B. P. Martin's black Orpingtons fifth with 401, and Mr J. W. Ross's black Orpingtons sixth with 400. eggs. Messrs T. H. Grant and Co.'s (Tic.) Plymouth Rocks hare laid 247 eggs, Mr W. H. SherwiU's (Vie.) white .Wjandotteß 227, Mr G. E. Brown's (Vie.)

brown Leghorns 180, and Mrs J. O'Connor's Buff Leghorns 124. A pen of brown Leghorns stand lowest on the list with 25 eggs -for the four months. — Further progress rejSorfe in connection with the Hawkesbury College (N.S.W.) laying competitions are to hand. In the two \ years' test '16 months have expired. Mr F. Hirp's black Orpingtons are in the lead with 1616 eggs.- Then follow Messrs Bright and Thompson's white Leghorns with 1494 eggs, Forest Home's white Leghorns with 1476, and M.r>-J.. Kelly's Mack Orpingtons with 1471 eggs. In the 12 months' test, of which four months have expired, Mr R. Maxwell's silver Wyandottes are first with 472 eggs, Mr A. R. Browne's white Leghorns are second with 416 eggs, Range Poultry Farm's white Leghorns are third with 413, and Mr B. Reynolds's black Orpingtons are fourth with 408 eggs. In the duck test, Mr J". DunJop's six Indian Runners are leading with 447 egg« for the four months, Mr D. Fraser's Indian Runners are second with 434, and Messrs Hughes Bros.' buff Orpingtons are third with 428 eggs. — Don't count your advertisinig chickens before they are hatched, and. don't expect a ibdg 1 brood of 'return* from' one. little bantam eg& of an advertisement, '.placed with some obscure old clucking hen of « publication whose circulation » so -defective that it obills and addles every cd. egg it sets an. Get-'* good bunch of "pure strwin" advertisements . together, the Plymouth Rock kind 1 , and place them in publ.icafriona that are regular incubators ; then when the chicks begin to come in the shape of inquiries, see that bhey have plenty of "follow up" meal, and it won't be long before they are ."layers," ' and if you keep charging the best advertising incubators with fhe right kind of ad. ■eggs, the rate at which your first "setting" will multiply itself will delight aund astonish you. — Mahin's Magazine. — The sort of fowl to be selected will, o£ course, depend upon the 'object sought to be obtained and the natural taste of the fancier, as the most popular fowl in existence would not be tpopular nor of profit to tho person who did not like it, whereas another variety to whioh the fancier feels attracted, though .perhaps not ipopular to others, would give him 'both pleasure and profit. — American Poultry Journial. —It is the poultryman who learned the business in t»n we§ks — if not in ten lessons — that doesn't detect the odour of roup jntil it "sme.ll? to heaven," that doesn't suspect lice tmtil the pests have v killed a few chickens and sapped the vitality of most of the resfc < of the lot, who always begins to think his feeding must be wong when he ie not* getting eg-gs, though there may ba several other visible causes for no eggs, and who, to cut a long- story short, struggles along for years, ertfhen- barely making a living, or gradually sinking deeper and deepen- into debt ; when by virtue of his •location and the opportunities the business afford? be oughi fo be making a good living easily. — Farm Poultry. — Single matins: is a. method of penning birds of gcod quality together with the idea of getting exhibition specimens of both sexes from the one pen. In all eelf-coloured breeds this is un<k/übtsdly .tfce simplest and best practice. Double matin? consists of talcing 1 birds which, in themselves, a-ra not perhaps of shove quality (though bhey may bs), but _in which certain chttractierastics are prominent, and mating two pens with the object of getting good exhibition males 'from ow9 pen and pood exhbrtion females from the other. In such matingß, the chicks of the opposite sex to that specially desired ire usually of no vss for exhibition purposes, nor are they R-en«ra.lly typical specimens of their breed : their only use is for double matins: mirposes later on, or to sell as cull*. f'-"- practice is la.r,ge-ly adopted by breeder.* o -,jarti-coloured fowls, and with a reasonable amount of success, • hut is in no way practicable for the amateur, because to carry ir on successfully. one has to rear a trroc! number of birds, for there have to I--" 1 i>r-?~-\nf- Thre*» distinct types of birds of fo:b s-> — mal.es for breeding exhibition pullefc and coekorels respectively, female* for the came purpose, and exhibition birds o£ both sexes. THE ATTKXTTON TH VT CHICKEVS RKOrujK. Few things are moir beneficial to chicken; than a plentiful supply of 'green food. When the little birds are not old enough to pluck the grass themselves, a liberal supply, cut up, should:' regularly be provided for them each day, and it is surprising to "many what a l?rge quantity they consume when once they become accustomed to eating it, which they quickly do. Another form of ffreen food which should never be- neglected, even when chicks have free range and are able to pluck grass, is dandelion leaves. Some of these ehould be «iven, cut up fine, at least three times a week, as they act as a purifying tonic, and if a plentiful supply is " not easily obtainable a patch of ground should be devoted' to theii cultivation. Lettuce is a valuable food much appreciated by chickens- Same green food, however, must alway* be provided until the binds are a.t least a mooth old, when, if they have free range on grass land, they will find sufficient for themselves. One of the greatest promoters of size and stamina is bone meal. This is made by grinding up whole bones into a fine powder. The effects derived from a liberal use 1 of this ingredient are that the frame of the chicken is increased, for in this mrrarial there is a laa^e quantity of the elements jiecess »ry for the formation of bcn2s. Diarrhoea is checked and leg- weakness is uncommon where bone meal forms a part of the regular diet. Its U6e is of special importance when chickens are raised on wet lands. It should be mixed with the other food in proportion of about one/eighth, and fed in this way chickens will derive great benefit from its regular use. Four a day is tho number of meals that ohicks require until they are two months old, when three will be sufficient, and these should be continued till they can be classed as adult stock. Cooked meat should be given each day, and should be cut very small, for if there ehould by any chance be a piece too large for one of the little birds to swailow, it may happen that while the one whioh secures ttrfer large piece is trying to choke himself, the rest of the ohicks rapidly eat up all the remainder of the food. They will then attack the bird which has secured the largest morsed, and as they probably succeed in taking it away from him, he get 3 none of the*"meat. Although it is true that meat is liable to increase the size ot the comb of some breeds, such as Brabmas and Cochins, it will not do this if j'ts use ta discontinued as soon as the combs begin to "shoot,"

[arid prior to this time the chicks have un1 doubtedly obtained stamina and gaiced considerable 6ize by its employments Too much ■meat, however, must not 6e fed, otherwise the biids will become dainty ajid are likely to refu«e other wholesome" food. One ounce i of cooked meat is ample for a brood of 10. It is almost unnecessary to say that ' gocd meat must be used, and not meat that is in the slightest degree tainted I Almost everybody .has iieard the oftI repeated story that chicks always thrive well on fresh grounc-, but that after a few years' breeding on the same spot they never . eecim to thrive as well as formerly. This may often be accounted for by the soil becoming more or less polluted from the so-called " droppings " (manure) of the { birds. But in many oases it is, really due to the insufficiency of. the grit. There is , no doubt whatever <ixat gilt^of some sort is absolutely necessary for the well-being ] of poultry, and the only important point i connected with it is in what form it should* ' be given. It has been urged by those in- I terested in .the sale of some composition which somewhat resembles prepared ashes that very . hard substances are injurious. .But in order to show tEait they are not, it is merely- essential to remember the purpose for- which' grit is requrred by fowls— namely, 'to aid the 'gizzard in grinding up ' ■ the hard «raan It is, therefore, obvious j that the harder the substance of the grit j .the better, and the longer will it perform j its duties, and for tnat reason it is desirable '• to use flint grit. ¥br very young chicks 1 a large number of quite small particles are required, aftd the litwe chicks enjoy scratch- j ing for them. As they become older, larger \ • pieces- must be provided, either by break- I ing up stones or by buying flint ready . broken. Some writers say that chickens do quite ' as well when reared without water as they do when it is provided. For this doctrine there is no scientific basis, as experience - has proved that dry feeding produces delicate birds that grow very, very slowly. If water is not sumeiently oared for to pre- , ; vent its becoming foul, then no doubt the chicks would be better off without it. But in order to obtain the best results, liquid | in some form must always be provided, i The .greatest advaiint-a.jfes accrue from halt I - milk and haJf waiter, used regularly, and in^ cold weather this combination should be given warm. Care should be taken when the chicks are young that the milk does not become- eour, as it is tihen likely to cause diarrhoea in mature birds. It is wise always to place whatever liquid may be given out of the reach oE the sun's rays, , for the warmth of the sun does -not improve | water, and it injures milk and water. Rice is an excellent chick food if given ; once or twice a week, not more frequently, lor there is little flesh-forming or bonejnakur.'g material in it. Nevertheless, it contains a large quantity of starch, which is warmth-giving. On this account it should be employed ' more for the raising ot early broods than for the later hatched ones. R is of great service also when chicks have ' diarrhoe: In that emengency the rice should i be well sprinkled" with powdered chalk, and two feeds given in this way will usually produce a cure. If not, medicine is necessary. Bice should always be fed to chickens: boiled dry, co thai each grain is separate, and not all sticking' together in a mass. t It should be washed, then thrown into a "pan ; containing boiling waiter, iand strained off ' as soon as cooked. •< It is always wise to raise chickens apart from the general stock, for if this is not > done a considerable waste of food is sure to occur, or a great amount of lime is lost in . having to watch the broods while they eat. and keep this- stock birds from gobbling the greater part of the food. If, however, it is • impossible to accommodate the chickens in a separate place, a chicken feeding coop ehould be provided. This consists of a framework covered all round wifch wire netting and raised sufficiently above theground to admit the young birds, but to exclude ♦ho adults. The most satisfactory kinds ; have four compartments with "shutters" attached to the sides of each compartment, ■ which can be regulated co as to admit any sized chick >t>hat may be necessary into a given part. It is most desirable that a roof ot some kind should cover the whole coop, in order that the ground may not become wet and muddy. This coop should be moved 'at least once a week, and ofirener if • convenient. There ha,s been considerable discussion concerning- the- wisdom of allowing young birds to roost before the breastbone has properly "set,'' and most authorities seem to hold that chicks should never be allowed to roost tilt four months old, because if they are permitted to do so prior <to that age the breastbone is liable to bacome crooked, and no matter whether a chicken is destined for the show pen or the fattening coop, every 'poultryman realises that he should endeavour to keep its breastbone straight. The usual point upon which authorities disagree, however, ie as to whether broad or' narrow perches are most satisfactory for preserving the breastbones in natural form.^ In attempting to remove any evil, it is always necessary to ascertain the cause of that evil. In this particular instance the trouble is due to the bird on each night, and for many consecutive nights, roosting in exactly the same position, so that the pressure of 'the body is always on a given spot. In the ordinary chicken house it is customary to have ail the perches of the same eize, consequently the place at which iihc bird roosts, whether end or middle, is of no importance, for the pressure continued every night upon exactly the same part of the bird eventually produces a curved breastbone. But if chicks roost on a. three-inch perch one night, the next on a two, and the next on a one-inch perch, crooked breasts are likely to be hard to find. As every poultrykeeper has not the time to cha-nge the perches for chicks every nig-bt, the best plan is not to allow the little birds to roost at all till they arc four months old. Let them have a good dry house and floor, the laitt»r] littered w-ell with some suitable material. But it must not be supposed that, in preventing the ohicks from roosting too Poon, every precaution to guard against crook, but two or three So that to ensure bi'easts are as common among bird 6 which have never roosted as among those that have always roosted on the same perch. If the floor is very hard and smooth, the pressure of the bird's- body may throw the wtiolc breastbone on one 6ide, and if tho floor is hard and uneven, and the bird continually sleeps in a certain spot, or comer — as most chicks usually try to do — the breastbone may contain not simply one crook, but <wo or three. So that to insure 1 immunity from this e\il the youngsters require plenty of soi r material to sleep on. j

' The dust "and chaff wihich come mixed together from the threshing machine make gocd litter for the floor if spread to the d«pth of not loss than six inches. A time always arrives when the hen, instead of calling .fo?r chicks to pick up the food, will peck at them every time she gets the chance. The htitle ones should then be removed from he charge and placed in a ) small house by themselves. If this cannot i be done, the hen must be taken out of the coop and put back in fche poultry house, while the chicks are allowed the use of the ■ coop for a few weeks longer, when they will be grown sufficiently to_ take care of themselves among a mimher-of other chicks. In every place where fowls are raised at least one or two houses devoted to the use of the chickens should be provided, for it is quite i certain that young , birds do far better in I this way than when compelled to take their i chance among the adult stock. I* some- ; times happens that the ben will discard her young before they can possibly care' for thera- ' selves, and in -that case either a heated artificial rearer must be provided or a cold brooder must be made or bought. Four weeks' old chickens have been placed at j night under a hen that has been sitting for some time, her eggs being removed to an- , other hen-. As a ruje, -»iy quiet. hen can be . utilised in this manner, provided- great care 1 is exercised in removing the eggs and sub- ' j stitutdng the chicks, but a docile bird must j be chosen that has been sitting for »n» I time. — Poultry Husbandry. CENTRAL PRODUCE MART (LTD.). Messrs Reilly, Scott, andt Gill, proprietors, report f or-the week ending Saturday, ' 21st inst. : —Poultry : Only light ' supplies came forward Cor our sale on Wednesday. Prices ruling were very high for prime cockerels, whioh realised from 2s 9d to 3s 3d each ; hens, 2s to 3s Id ; dticks, 3s 6d to 3s lOd ; pultets, 3s to 4s 5d each. Turkey gobblers made 8d to BJd, and hens ssd to . 7d per Ib. Eggs have been in good demand. \ We cleared our consignments at Hid to Is Id for stamped, in patent crates. Pigs have a splendid demand. We received some I nice lines, which sold at 4id to 4|d Butter I is still sfow of sale, farmers^ pa4s making 6£d i fo Bid, and separator from Bid to lid per Ib. Cheese^ is in good demand, making from 6d to 6Jd for choice- loaf. RabbitI skins and horsehair still continue in good demand. Honey is slow of sale at 4-Jd to 4Jd. Beeswax: Fair inquiry at Is 4d per lb. Incubators, brooders, chicicen foods, and poultry accessories have a good demand.