POULTRY NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 4030, 9 June 1931, Page 29

POULTRY NOTES.

By

Terror.

In November heavy supplies of Empire eggs had to be absorbed by the English market as well as 985,000 dozen from the United States, as against 48,000 dozen the preceding year. Prices eased, of course, as landings became larger. Judging by the export from U.S.A., it is evident that the enormous production there exceeds the local demand, and that to maintain remunerative returns outside markets are being sought. There is the consolation for

us that the consumption of eggs in Great Britain is increasing. Twenty-six and a-half million more dozens of eggs were consumed than in the preceding year. . Don’t forget to thoroughly overhaul the incubator and brooder before putting them to use this coming season—scrub thoroughly clean and disinfect, and look to the lamps, capsules, and thermometers.

It is considered probable that some of the poultry shows annually held in Victoria will not be held this year, as the economic conditions and the poultry plague must have an effect on entries. Breeding birds should not be penned up. They should be allowed all the outside range and conditions that it is possible to give them, otherwise unfertile eggs will prevail. Breeding birds must be healthy and hardy, for prolific laying is not so necessary from them as fertile and hatchable eggs. Prepotency.—The inherited power accumulated through years of breeding for an end —say for increased egg production—depends not merely on breeding by selection from, best laying stock, but to a great extent upon favourable environments and judicious feeding. The longer the favourable conditions have prevailed the greater the inheritance, and consequently the greater the probability that it will be expressed in ever-increased power in the progeny. It will not increase, however, but will run out far more speedily than it accumulated, should the

conditions which favoured it be discontinued. By way of illustration, many breeders are now attempting to reproduce stock of high-laying power under conditions quite different from those in which that power was accumulated—i.e., they are breeding on the intensive system from high-producing strains created on range more or less extensive. For a year or two this has been done with seeming success, for the evil results predicted by experts have not occurred; but now, in many cases, trouble is arising, and evidently because the accumulated power—i.e., the prepotency—has run out. In the coming season there will be, as in seasons past, many poor hatches and many chicks too feeble to rear, and the breeders will wonder why. Blame will be laid by some to the incubator, others to some mishap in the brooding, whilst the real reason will be that the breeding pen was composed of birds deprived of those natural conditions which alone produce hatchable eggs and rearable chicks.

Minorca eggs are the largest. They are the eggs which if sold by weight would fetch the highest price, and they are the eggs which do not disgrace you by rattling in the eggcup when supplied to a visitor. If “your” Minorcas do not lay large eggs Minorca fanciers will doubt whether they really are Minorcas. They will prefer to describe them as black fowls.

Cod Liver Oil for Poultry.—A contributor to the English periodical Eggs writes ; “ Fortunately, in addition to the life-giving rays of the sun, we have a further and most valuable aid to assimilation in tested cod liver oil. The novice need not worry about what tlrm word ‘tested’ means; all that is necessary is to buy from a firm of repute, with a guarantee of vitamin content. Cheap cattle oils are often valueless, so are expensive oils kept over for months and used for ‘economy.’ Fresh, new cod liver oil is required if the desired effect is to be attained, but it is not necessary

to buy the highly refined oil sold human use. Here, again, the of the value of cod liver oil as a stitute for sunlight has been the undoß® of many, owing to the belief that a percentage of anything called ‘cod oil’ constitutes a complete and substitute for the sun’s direct light have so far failed to discover a cod liver oil that will keep chickens their feet behind glass in dull and February weather; yet many try do so, with disastrous results. cod liver oil alone will not rickets, it is beyond dispute that addition to the ration does overcome ray deficiency of the atmosphere, wise rearer will fail to use it the dull months. After that it is ful, except for battery brooder and it does no good. On the other light is always of vital importance. is no more possible to rear the MaiHH or April chick behind glass than it is rear the earlier broods. Whatever rearing month, direct light must be To-day not more than three men actively’ engaged in the settlements at Avonhead, HornbyWooldridge’s road, which the established after the war for returned® soldiers (declares the Christchurch The majority of the settlers have to “ make good,” for various inexperience, lack of interest, the IoM prices realised by eggs and poultry, rates, poor land, and unsuitable Some of the farms are fully to nor -'westers, and one man, who vc:® making a fair living, gave up, heartened, when an “ old man ” norM wester flattened his fowlhouses on ground. In fact, one of the farmers that part described the settlement aH “ one of the Government’s worst blurß ders.” Reilly’s Report.—A fairly heavy ing of poultry came forward for ouiH sale on Tuesday, and prices, especially® for turkeys, were distinctly in advanci® of prices ruling the previous week. W® sold:—Hens—lB at 6s, 14 5s 6d, 13 5s 4d® 12 ss, 10 4s Bd, 12 4s Id, 28 3s 6d, 1® 3s, 13 2s lOd, 8 '2s 4d. 6 2s 2d, 29 2s® cockerels —15 10s, 12 9s Bd, 15 9s 6d® 14 8s 6d, 15 Bs, 14 6s 4d, 8 5s 6d, I.® 5s 2d, 12 ss, 12 4s, 2 3s 6d, 3 3s 44® 2 3s 2d; ducks—l2 6s 4d, 5 5s lOd, 1® os 2d, 16 ss, 3 4s lOd, 7 4s Bd, 11 3s Bd® pullets—7 12s 6d, 17 10s 6d, 10 10s, 13 9s| 12 8s 6d, 15 Bs, 7 7s; geese—2 12s, 2 Ss® 2 6s Bd, 7 6s, all at “per pair”; turkey® gobblers—ls lid lb. 15 IOJd lb, 13 lOd lb® turkey hens—ls 81<l lb, 15 Bjd lb, 18 8d lb® Eggs.—These are still slow of sale, am® prices have now been cut to 2s per dozen® though we secured 2s Id to 2s 2d for ov® consignors. B PROFITS FROM LEGHORNS. I Recently the South Australian Govern® ment poultry expert was faced with th® question, “ What early profit could b® expected from a flock of 200 white Leg® horns .’ ” In his reply the expert said ® “ The approximate profit would depen® upon numerous factors, including th® period of hatching, the method of feed® ing. and the laying capabilities of th® stock. ■ Continuing, he remarked : I “ In dealing with the period of hatch® ing. it is necessary for profitable egg pro® auction that a percentage of winter eggß production should be obtained when prices are at their highest, and in order® to do this I recommend white Leghorn® hatched during August and September. ■ “The method of feeding should be.® In the morning give wet mash com® posed of one part of bran, two parts o® pollard, lib meat meal per 100 birds® and 60 per cent, green feed in summe® months and 40 per cent, in winter months® Crushed wheat can be substituted for the pollard. The average quantities to be fed per bird daily is loz of bran and loz of pollard or crushed wheat. Give wheat at midday and at night at the rate of 2oz a bird a day. “ The class of stock is also an important factor. Some classes of stock will produce only seven or eight dozen eggs a year, while others will produce 15 or 16 dozen. The size of the egg must also be considered. Some strains of poultry lay’ a large percentage of sinall eggs. The aim should lye to select a strain that will average on the farm from 12 to 13 dozen eggs a year of an average weight of 2oz an egg.

“Assuming that the above essentials have been closely followed, a flock of 200 white Leghorn hens, laying an average of 121 dozen eggs a year, would produce 2500 dozen eggs a year. Basing the average net return to the producer of guaranteed new-laid infertile eggs at lOd a dozen, the return for the 2500 dozen would be £lO4 3s 4d. Each bird would consume a bushel and a-half of wheat a year, and, basing wheat at 2s a bushel On the farm, the feeding cost would be 3s. Add another Is a bird for cost of green feed, meat meal, shell grit, etc., and you have a total of 4s a bird, or £4O a year for 200 birds. The value of eggs produced by the 200 hens would be £lO4 3s 4d, less £4O as cost of feeding, leaving a net return of £64 3s 4d to the producer.’’

A striking compliment was paid to the Christchurch Parliamentary Union on Wednesday evening by Mr John Rigg, who has been acting as its speaker (states the Christchurch ’Times). “I wish to compliment the union on its success,” he said. “The meetings have shown that the standard of education among members is higher than that in the House of Representatives. There is also an air of dignity about the proceedings that might well be copied in Wellington.”