The Poultry Yard

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 968, 10 May 1930, Page 32

The Poultry Yard

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GEO R. ARBLER.

THOUGHTS FOR MAY

THE present season has been most favourable for getting 1 pullets to start laying, so far as the weather is concerned, and there can be no excuse for those that are hanging fire’ when once they have attained the age and the development suitable for laying. At this time I may remind readers that in every flock of pullets of the same age some will be better layers than the others, and under equal conditions the best layers will be those which start first, while those which are slow to commence will be the slowest producers all through the season, so that if there is any weeding out to be done these backward birds are the sort to be got rid of.

The season has also helped the moulting hens, especially those which drop all their feathers at once, and look like porcupines for a few days until the new plumage develops. There are always more of these heavy moulters late in the season than in the earlier months, and we must be prepared to give them adequate protection whenever the nights are cold. It will be found that some of these 1 irds will take a fancy to sleep in the nest boxes, which may be because they are unable to fly up to the perch, or because they want a cosy sleepingplace. You will find it a good plan to put them together in a small house ith a low perch, and not too much ventilation until they are again well covered. Occasionally you will find birds which moult late in the season. As a general rule there are three classes which moult late—the very prolific hens that have been stimulated in order to keep them laying as long as possible; the late hatched hens of last season which have proved to be the best layers of their kind, and the early hatched pullets of this season that started laying in the summer. The last named will probably indulge in no more than a partial moult, whereas that of the hens will be in a more complete form. The worst of a late moult is that it is generally a severe one, and the weather conditions introduce complications that necessitate great care and generous treatment. Among the earlier moulters quite a large propor-

tion drop their feathers by degrees, but the average late moulting hen that has been laying all through the sum tiler and autumn takes it badly by dropping most of her feathers within a few days, and rendering herself susceptible to the chills and searching winds of autumn, so that a cosy house, a sheltered run, are absolutely essential to avoid a big drop in vitality. At this stage of the late moult, it is better to tempt the hen with dainties than to put a lot of food before her, while if a tonic is needed there is nothing better than the wellknown Douglas Mixture. SEPARATE YOUNG STOCK At this time of the year many poultry-keepers have, as a rule, a number of indiscriminate young halfgrown cockerels and pullets running about, without any attempt at keeping them separate. It is a great mistake to run a quantity of young stock all mixed up together, for the very simple reason that the larger ones grow at the expense of the smaller Of course, I am well aware that on large farms this is never allowed to occur, but on smaller ones, where space is valuable, this very common error is not so easy to remedy It is all a matter of method, and this is where so many small poultrykeepers fail. In rearing chickens, be they intended for exhibition, laying, table or stock birds, it only really pays to keep the best. Rigorously w-eed out the remainder, and in a good many cases I have known this has

meant, perhaps, a third of the entire stock, but the remaining two-thirds were kept on at a profit. I am a great believer in specialising. The ordinaiy poultry farmer does, not as a rule specialise, which is, perhaps, in some ways, a mistake. He does a little of everything as the season comes round from the sale of day-old chicks to . eggs for market; and thus, in order to meet the demands in each particular article, he is perforce obliged to keep everything and anything, hoping that it may come in useful, rather than weed out unsatisfactory specimens in the shape cf pullets, cockerels .or whatever they may be. There are some pullets that will never pay to keep, hOAvever well they are fed and housed. These are the ones that have been stunted in their early youth, and consequently at five and six months they are no bigger than some which are only half their age. Some may say, “Why not keep them for laying during the winter?” My experience of such is that their output of eggs during the winter never pays evmn for their food, let alone tbeir producing any profit. They are still and will be immature when their -ontemporaries are full grown, and laying well. On a small space, where every inch of ground is wanted and must be profitably employed, it will be seen how useless it is to keep birds of that description. The same remarks apply to latehatched birds of normal growth, only in this case they can be fattened and sold as table birds. No breeder should keep stock which is not useful. Those which are not wanted for adult cocks, an dall deformed ones should be cleared off without delay. Keep the stock within bounds —that is, only Avhat you can easily control. It is useless to keep more birds than you can manage. To crowd a yard or runs and leave the house dirty for a few days soon brings on disease. If the fokls are a hobby with you, and your only time is morning and night, with Saturday afternoon thrown in, it means that someone must feed while you are away all day, and this is quite as necessary when raining hard as if fine; therefore, keep tlje work within limits, otherwise your hobby will become too much of a labour, and then you may give it up. LITTER FOR WINTER This month tve must see about having sufficient litter for the winter. Although the birds can stand a good deal of cold outside, they certainly detest wet litter when they come indoors for a warm up. The litter which provides the maximum amount of exercise is undoubtedly long straw. To begin with, the house should be littered down t oa depth of eight to ten inches, and then every week a little fresh should be added, because by friction of the birds’ claws the straw is gradually reduced to powder. When, after a month or so, there is a slight ammoniacal smell arising from the ’hter, the whole of it shoul be taken out and fresh litter put down. One cun say without fear of contradiction that this broken strhw and poultry manure is very valuable to anyone engaged in

horticultural pursuit. It is not so strong as the pure poultry manure, and the addition of straw makes it more desirable in many cases, as the fibrous matter retains moisture and prevents the good effects from being washed through the soil too quickly. It ought to be sold for more than the straw which was originally put in, BUY EARLY To get in early is a very desirable point in buying stock, for should you leave yor purchasing until late, you have but little chance of securing the best on the sale list. Do not expect a very large percentage of real high-class birds, even from the best of stock, and do not find fault Avith the seller of the foAvls until you are sure you have done your part well. Size, vigour and constitutional vitality will neA'-er be achieved by poor and improper feeding. GENERAL NOTES The Cayuga duck does not come from any remote Western settlement as its Red Indian name leads one to imagine. It is a native of New York State, where, as in many parts of New England, many old Red Indian names have been preserved. This duck is attracting a great deal of attention in England and Australia, and recently several specimens of the breed have been imported into New Zealand, but it is still someAvliat of a rarity among farmers. It is a large bird with deep metallic black feathers, and as it lays Avell, much has to be said for keeping it. The flesh is said to be inferior to that of the Aylesbury or Pekin, but this is by' no means established, and it is doubtful if any gourmand would know one from the other if the birds Avere of equal age and had been fed on the same food. The Taumarunui Poultry Club will hold its annual shOAA- in conjunction with the Taumarunui A. and P. Association’s shoAv to be held on Thursday and Friday, June 5 and 6. In addition to half a dozen valuable cups a long list of special prizes has been allocated to the respectiA'e classes. Practically all breeds are catered for and, as the management is in the hands of a number of enthusiastic fanciers, exhibitors can rest assured their birds Avill be well looked after. A popular judge has been appointed and it needs only the co-operation of fanciers to make Taumarunui one of the most popular events in the North Island. Three years ago the entries numbered 52, whereas last year they were approximately 350. The executive are hoping this will be increased this year to 500. Fanciers from a distance need have no hesitation in sending birds to this shotv as they will be met at the station and afterward penned by well-known fanciers. Entries close on May IS, and schedules can be obtained from the secretary, or from Mr. J. Patterson, publicity official. Mr. J. R. Griffin, who has exported several trios of Light Sussex to Aus-1

tralia, has just shipped two pullets to a well-known breeder in Victoria. From reports to hand, there is likely to be a boom in Light Sussex during the next breeding season. At the last meeting of the Lyttelton Poultry Club the following judges were appointed for the annual show to be held next month:—Game, and game bantams, Mr. G. McLeod; open or fancy classes of poultry, bantams, other than game, and ducks, Mr. J. D. Gobbe; utility light breeds, Mr. W. Chambers; heavy breeds, utility, Mr. T. Loveday; canaries and cage birds, Messrs. T. Wilkinson and R. Thompson; fancy pigeons, Mr. C. P. Bradford; flying homers, Dr. McKillop; cats, Mr. T. Wilkinson. Auckland fanciers will be pleased to hear that Mrs. S. Manson, who has been seriously ill for some time with pleurisy, is now considerably improved and hopes to return to Auckland in the near future. The Whangarei Poultry Show will be held in conjunction with the Whangarei A. and P. Association’s Winter Show on May 14 and 15. Unlike the majority of shows, the Whangarei Club does not pay prizemoney on the sliding scale, but has a fixed amount of 7s 6d first prize and 2s 6d second prize, for each class, irrespective of the number of entries. Classes are provided for practically every breed and, in addition to a number of special prizes, a long list of trophies will be awarded, the chief among which are: —The Alex Hoey Memorial Trophy for best bird in show; club shield for best bird in show, of opposite sex to winner- of Hoey Memorial Trophy; five-guinea trophy for best young bird in show; shield presented by Mr. D. H. Rumble for best young bird in utility section: trophy for best duck or drake in show; trophy for best fowl in show; women’s trophy, value 21s. Mr. W. A. Hanson, Auckland, will make the awards. The following are the results of the Taranaki egg-laying competition to and including the fourth week: In the White Leghorn section Gibbons Bros’. No. 1 hen laid 7 eggs, bringing her total to 26, followed by A. Millar’s hen with 23 and M. Scanlon’s and G. L. Gaylard’s hens with 22 eggs each. Anconas, White Rocks and Rhode Island Reds have not settled down yet. Gibbons Bros’. White Wyandotte hen has 23 eggs to her credit. V. L. Gane’s hen is leading in the Black Orpington section, followed by S. Paterson’s hen. A. J. Davey’s hen has laid 20 eggs in the Light Sussex section. With the exception of J. W. Carrick’s Khaki Campbell, the ducks are slow to commence laying. Gibbons Bros.’ White Leghorns are leading in the three-birds team test, light breeds, S. Paterson’s Black Orpingtons leading in the heavy breed team test.