THE POULTRY YARD

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 376, 9 June 1928, Page 28

THE POULTRY YARD

(By

GEO. H. AMBLER.)

Hints on Buying Stock

THIS is the season of the year when the beginner thinks of purchasing a few pullets for laying, a cockerel to bring fresh blood into his flock or a good bird or two for show purposes, and be cannot be too careful as to the way he goes to work.

First and foremost he should scan through the advertisements in The Sun and select the breeder most likely to supply his requirements. All the advertisers are reliable men, and by dealing with them it simply nullifies the chances of being done. I must say, too, that in buying pullets even solely for laying purposes, it pays to give a fair price and get the best. Supposing, for example, that you have to pay as much as 12s 6d for a laying pullet of really reliable laying strain; you can obtain a nondescript, probably pure, but that is about all, for 6s. Now, the former has to produce only 50 eggs more than the latter to have paid the difference. This, I would ,• ager, she would do in 19 cases out of - within the first six months. Granted that o;** r ■ a rccPy good har-

• heap-'< -prics<? biros, but, even so, results must ” v ; r less of a lottery. In addition to tUe practical advantage just pointed out, you have a better looking bird probably, one you can show to your neighbours with pride, and if you mate up later on there is the fact to be considered that you will be able to sell far more settings from a well-known strain. WHAT TO AVOID Half-grown or late-hatched birds should be avoided when possible, even though a shilling or two a head may be saved by their purchase. For one thing, a breeder is always shy of selling anything immature that could possibly turn out extra good; and for another, late-hatched birds are nearly always unsatisfactory winter layers, unless of a very precocious variety. Especially in the medium or heavy varieties is this the case, since a bird of this type hatched after October usually rakes nearly a twelve-month to become adult. Insist, thei'efore, on having well-grown pullets of the year, which should be reddening up nicely when they arrive. On seeing them, do not immediately pack them up in a fluster if they do not show themselves to best advantage. Remember they have just gone through a trying experience (for them) and fowls never look at their best amid surroundings entirely strange to them. Turn the birds out in a small grass pen if possible, feed and water them, and give them an hour or two in which to settle down; then view them again and make your decision.

Suppose you are after purebred birds for laying, and your purchases have been sold as such, you will be quite

in order in returning any that are obviously impure, deformed, damaged, toe old, or with the great clumsy head, dull eye and protruding gullet that mark the inveterate drone. You want sprightly, healthy birds in good condition, and as long as they are not really bad coloured and shaped, you will probably have no reason to grumble. EXERCISE ESSENTIAL Many years ago one of the greatest surgeons of his day, a man who had given special study to questions of digestion, said that the right method was to allow the cook to do as much of the digestion as possible. Such may be true for men and women whose livfis and work are sedentary—mental

rats-, limn physical. I fear it has I rn.sieu us in respect to poultry, more ' especially such fowls as are designed either as breeding stock or whose profitable'.- -.y -irvends upon the num,r, of -«•' produced by the" Widei. L shown heat, e- - - a external!., • means „r rm t o<*d, ■ mueu Influeju.,- tn*n i,< generally suppose,; ancj uvj; oou •, Reat, engesd&red stimulai<Ml b\ increased blocd eirc ;- tio.i fuller'.':- -■xc-reioe, combined ■*» *th an the lungs, me factors making f n : productivity. Air . ~v th „ * d as to close, super-heated houses has gone u, >oard Formerly the opinion was general that hens lay better in warmer than in cooler climates and districts. Such is absolutely erroneous A higher temperature, without excess, tends to increase flesh; a cooler atmosphere, again without excess, increases laying. The Leghorn is a much better egg-producer in Northern than in Southern Europe. Something is due to more careful selection, but no doubt the main reason is that the northern areas of Europe are cold and compel greater activity of body in order to keep it warm and comfortable; which in turn conduces to stimulation of the egg organs. Lethargy and reduced laying are conterminous. Exercise, therefore, is essential to health, and health to productivity. In this direction the farmer and larger operator have a distinct advantage, though that is often sacrificed to the practice of providing all too abundant supplies of food, so that the birds have no need to Lake exercise in finding nutrition. A further point is that the cost of feeding is thus enormously enhanced, although that is probably of secondary i

importance so far as the vigour and laying qualities are concerned. That the loss by these means must be considerable is unquestionable. Nor is that limited to the birds thus affected. Where birds are out on range, I am inclined to think that in the great majority of cases the food supplied might be reduced considerably in quantity and in cost, and that the birds would be as productive and more profitable than at present. RESTRICTED EXERCISE

Many changes are induced by what is a necessity in these days, namely, keeping fowls within enclosed areas, for there the opportunities of physical exercise are severely restricted unless special steps are taken in that direction. Under such conditions the tendencies to increase of body weight are greater than when birds are at liberty and are altogether abnormal, while absence of a natural environment makes for degeneracy. Yet it is a remarkable fact that pullets, especially, so kept are frequently more productive than on range, the cause of which is not easily explained. It may be that this increase of laying is the chief reason why there is a greater exhaustion of constitutional vigour, in that the reserves which would otherwise go to sustain and build up the system are exhausted, and that the breeding and rearing for high fecundity bring into play forces prior to the time when these can operate without strain upon the system.

Select your breeding birds and place them in a pen by themselves a month or six weeks before you wish to use the eggs. In this way they can be kept under close observation and actually studied. Observe closely how the male bird •cm his legs as he walks about. If lifts them high and pushes them * vard before putting them to the

ound. the joints are affected, and he is apt to be troubled with rheumatism. Such specimens, in time, become unable to fertilise the eggs, and owners wonder why their fertility is so low.

PERSONAL NOTES

Broken straw or straw chaff forms the best scratching litter. Do not use cinder ash for this purpose; it becomes very offensive in smell and its dusty nature,, is an objection. The dust flies and is inhaled by the birds, whereas with straw the dust silts through to the floor or earth and the litter can be raked aside, shaken, and the dust swept up. Cleanliness is the essence of good management. Your fowls will respond to clean, healthy conditions, and food with increased production, whether this is growth of body, an increase of flesh or the production of eggs, at one or other of which you aim. Fresh green food of all kinds contains water in large quantity, and is rich in ash; therefore feed plenty of it if you wish a goodly supply of eggs.

Mr. J. Nixon. Auckland, will judge all classes of poultry and ducks. Fancy pigeons, Mr. W. B. McKenzie, Wellington; canaries, Mr. James J. Johnson, Gisborne. Entries close June 23.

Dr. A. C. MclCillop, Christchurch, informs us that he is shortly expecting a trio of Black Indian Runner ducks from a well-known Scottish breeder. Like all other varieties of runners, the blacks are wonderful layers. The new importation will be the first of this variety to come Into New Zealand and we congratulate Dr. McKillop on his introduction of this new variety into the Dominion.

Mr. Vic. Hanson, Mount Albert, was a successful exhibitor in the duck classes at the Waikato Winter Show, winning two firsts, one second and one third in Indian Runners; also the North Island Association's championship for best duck or drake in fancy section; also first in Pekin drake. Mr. F. Skinner, Onehunga, was also a successful exhibitor in Silver Wyandottes, winning special for best Wyandotte.

Mr. F. Bust, Christchurch, brother of Mr. Bust, secretary of Auckland Game Club, has been appointed judge of the New Zealand Old English Game Club Show.

Mr. H. C. West, Richmond, Christchurch, whose White Leghorns, for some seasons now, have been in e front rank in the laying competitions, has received an inquiry from the Argentine for a pen of his White Leghorns.

We regret to have to report that Mr. Lyall, Glen Eden, a well-known Leghorn and Black Orpington fancier, is seriously ill. All fanciers will wish Mr. Lyall a speedy recovery to health.

Mr. H. Hearfield, Palmerston North, the well-known White Leghorn fancier, left during the week on a trip to England.

Hastings Poultry Club has fixed its show dates for July 6 and 7, and the following judges have been elected; Fancy Poultry; Mr. T. Doig, Wellington. Utility Poultry and Ducks: Mr. shows this year a number of championships allotted to them will, therefore, lapse for this season. This is rather unfortunate, as it will cause great disappointment among the breeders of the varieties to which the championships were allocated.

ANSWER TO CORRESPONDENT

F.S.T., Oargaville.—Faulty Egg: In our opinion the “green spot” in the yolk was due to some ovarian trouble. It will be hardly possible, of course, to detect the bird which produced the faulty egg, but I think it would not be amiss to give the whole flock an iron tonic every third day for the next week or so. Use one drachm of tincture of iron to each quart of drinking water and dissolve a little sugar in it to disguise its bitter flavour. Fresh water should be given daily. ’