THE POULTRY YARD

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 329, 14 April 1928, Page 26

THE POULTRY YARD

(By

GEO. H. AMBLER.)

ADVICE TO YOUNG EXHIBITORS THOSE who intend to exhibit should have sorted their stock and decided which birds to show. Where only one bird is required, it is best to have, say, three in preparation, for often they rest more contentedly and feed better when together, particularly the pullets. The time will come when you must separate them and pen up singly, but for the early start ttiev can be kept in a small flock. Cockerels will occasionally settle down like this, but, should they fight, separate them at once, or you will soon find them useless for show.

QNE often sees birds in the pens with a comb or wattles torn, done, the owner when fighting, or caught in the wire of the run, and all good judges accept this version cn the face of it, though what they think one cannot say. I w'ould far rather suggest that all such accidents should be avoided, if possible, so as to leave no room for doubt in the mind of anyone. Where the birds have all been running together you can easily pick out those which show most promise. Every novice should form some idea in his mind as to what are the chief points needed, so that he may make a selection which will do him credit on the show bench. Some years ago two young men were walking along the front of the pens at one of the big English shows. One, a young fancier, turned to his friend and, referring to the birds, s?.id: “Why, I have some a lot better at home.” An old hand, overhearing the remark, merely said: “Young man, that is a bad place to keep them!” Nothing more was said, but I happen to know that it set the young man thinking, and he never made any more remarks of this kind. Of course, to the grower, his birds are often ideal, and only an : outsider can give him a clear opinion as to their quality. This is where so ! many novices fail. They cannot | weigh up the value of birds in their I own mind, and then when they do not make headway soon become disappointed. If success comes very early they lose their heads and want to teach the older men a few lessons, with the result they soon find their mistake and then go out of the fancy. Knowledge of Birds But no novice should go into any breed without first finding out some of the chief points of that breed. It may take years to master all the features of the variety, but enough knowledge should be gained to pick out the few best from his own steel:, which he will then run on till ready for showing. Every man should have ; some special show in his mind for which lie is to prepare. The big man has, perhaps, his first run at Christchurch. New Plymouth or Auckland, and concentrates his efforts on one of these events, but the man j with a few birds in the back garden . has greater ideas for his own local show, because then his friends will be watching his labours. One great advantage in following a certain event is that the beginner can see how long it takes to get a bird ready. Much depends upon the breed and the age, for I have seen some i taken off the run and shown within a

week, while others may take five or six weeks to get ready. Some birds develop more quickly than others, and to get a few ready for show is an experience no novice should miss, because of the education and the pleasure which it gives. Then, again, the novice should have an idea as to how far a bird should be grown before being shown, and know by the time of the year what he will have to meet when showing in chicken classes. In March or April it can be seen that no birds will be in adult plumage, if hatched in, say, October, but when you get to June nearly all the birds seen in the showpen will have adult feathers. # Have you ever thought who it is that keeps the shows going? Not the man who wins, but the “also rans”— those who pay entry-fees without any chance of success. Every judge appreciates a good entry, but what I want to say is, the man who makes entries and shows stock which is immature is ill-advised, because when he sees the result in the pen it often leads to disgust, and then the man never shows again. The small local shows held for members oniy, or confined to a radius, have done much good for the fancy, and though the big men despise them, it is the fanciers who run these smaller shows which keep the fancy going. Learning the Art of Showing It is a school for the beginner, where he not only sees what other birds are like, but finds a practiceground for him to learn the art of showing. A plumage free from dust and dirt, a face and comb w r ashed bright and fresh, with clean legs and feet, are not faking, but merely making a bird look its best, which is legitimate. I would advise all novices to attend as many shows as possible, particularly shows like Christchurch, Palmerston North or Auckland. At these shows one sees the pick of cur New Zealand birds. I remember an iustance where a man was sent to the Crystal Palace Show, London, thinking |it would be interesting and that he might learn something. But he returned home to Yorkshire lull of the sights, the people, London and the Palace, but the birds had taken a back seat, for he never went through them with the fancier’s keenness and i desire to pick up wrinkles. One big New' Zealand show is too large for anyone to do properly in a , day and see all the breeds repre--1 sented, so that the young fancier | should make for his favourites and look through these, and weigh up in i his own mind where his own fail and why others are so much better. I have known men go from the North oi England each year to the Palace show and see nothing but just the breeds i they are interested in. These men had been working with one variety for

years, probably; they had watched z the changes in type and colour, and 1 at a show like the Palace there are so 1 many birds, and no two alike, that to look through them properly may mean < hours. Exchanging Ideas Another important feature is the exchange of ideas. Remember, the man who has nothing to learn has no j right to be a fancier, and certainly not at our big shows, for there old and young men air their views. A novice . with good ears and a still tongue can mix with the debaters, and learn much which will prove useful, without his even asking a question. The open mind will always find willing friends to instruct and impart news, but the “know-all” who pretends to teach his compeers will soon find those who would be useful shut up like oysters. The poultry yard is the training ground, but the show' is like the college, where the student finds out what is and what is not. There is a gieat deal too much theory to-day among a certain class of the fancy. They take the standard and recite it oil by heart, but the practical man knows that perfection is impossible, and yet is always working with the correct idea in his mind. GENERAL NOTES A NOVEL EGG-LAYING “TEST” An interesting test was related re- j cently at Matlock Police Court, when . a miner was charged with stealing j fowls. In order to prove ownership, the birds were taken to the prosecutor’s \ poultry yard, where they immediately ] showed they were at home. One bird j at once went to a nest and la.id an i egg. The defendant was fined. The Wellington Poultry, Pigeon and j Canary Club is having difficulty in ob- i taining a suitable hall for the holding of its 1928 show, and at present ar- ! rangements for the show are at somewhat of a deadlock: The following competitors in the Papanui laying test won the respec- i tive shields for most points in breed i type as follow:—Wyandotte Challenge Shield: Mr. F. G. Herridge (Silver Wyandottes). Leghorn Challenge Shield 1 Mr. J. Liggins (White Leghorns). Orpington Challenge Shield: Mr. T. D. Dalziel (Black Orpingtons). Competitors in the duck section of the above test have evidently not yet j realised that ducks conforming to true breed type can lay eggs, as no team of ducks qualified in breed points for the duck challenge shield. Auckland breeders, such as Mr. A. Wood and r - '*'■ Dowthwaite, recognised long ago that the true runner can lay as w ell, if not better, than those of the "waddler” type. The world’s record for three ducks ! a£ L pu i U P ' ll Auckland bv a team of Runners which could have won in i the snow pen. CANARY NOTES Dame Rumour says that there are several local converts to the charm ot the Norwich Plainhead. Most pro™!Reß,t of these is Mr. L. Belcher, who Las started with one or two pairs* from a well-known Southern strain New members continue to come along and three more were elected 1 1 the last meeting of the -Auckland Canary and Cage Bird Club. ] Ji le r . blrdE imported for the Auck M? d pH^ a n and Ca Se Bird Club bv i ' r l ’? 1 D avis were halloaed for at ‘ TtfU 1 meet,n s of the club. Mr. C cluh 1 ’ taii popu J ar secretary of the I club, taking the nair nf v.vr. .

nd Mr. R. Kneebone the Crest bred. Vith ordinary luck Mr. Hart shoold enefit greatly, as, in our opinion, tie rorkshire cock <a clear yellow) is asily the best bird in these parts, tnd probably the best that has ever >een imported into the Dominion. Schedules are out for both the Auckland Yorkshire Canary C!ab's md the Auckland Canary and Cage 3ird Club’s young bird shows. Bod ixtures are to be held in the Hall of Psychology in Queen Street (near rown Hall). The former club’s show >n Saturday, April 21, and that of ibe atter club on Saturday, May 5. The next meeting of the A.Y.C.C will be held in the •dub-room. Y.M.C.A. on Wednesday. April 1?when entries for the young bird sho» will be received. OBITUARY It is with considerable regret tint are have to chronicle the death of that well-known canary fancier, Mr. Chts. Elobinson (Auckland). Until a week before his death Mr. Robinson was in bis usur.l z r health, when he was it* tacked with pneumonia. By his death the fancy loses one of its keenest supporters, and one who was always ready to assist the fancier. Although 68 years of age, no one worked harder for the fancy, and in this respect he set an example which might well be followed by the youngs mem’: trs. His know!: !~e cl canaries was exceptional, and many are the birds, especially imported ones, thlt have been saved from death by hi* untiring attention. Mr. Robinson was in business as a dealer in canary and cage birds, *■* won practically every trophy he competed for, many of them teW won outright. As a showman, we question if he had an equal in the Dominion, and «e was always ready to place his cxp€ ** ence at the services of the amateur, and his genial disposition endearec him to all those who came in with him. lH# He was buried on Sunday m t Waikumete Cemetery*, officials ot Auckland Canary and Cage Bin! the Auckland Yorkshire Canary ‘ w being pall-bearers. All fanciers will join us in tender ing our heartfelt sympathy to wife and family.