POULTRY NOTES

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10710, 30 September 1912, Page 3

POULTRY NOTES

(By "Utilitarian.")

j Thes-o who look to tho exporting 0 f J egg?; -Ac, n medium for relieving our congested iwmnier supplies of that commodity will bo pleased to know thai there is more; than one firm in New Zealand now engaged in tho busiillCS;l. Tho spirit of amalgamation was soon j last month at Christclnirch, when the j Nov. - Zealand Poultry Association, the New Zealand Utility Club, and tho Ego; Farmers' Association met in the Club's -rooms an overwhelming numbers for the purposo of receiving tho delegates' report of the deputation which waited on the Prime Minister concerning exporting. In further connection this, we are pleased to record that our local member (Mr G. Sykos, M.P.) personally conveyed the resolution passed hero in Masterton to Mr Massoy, and received an encouraging reply. Those who rear their chickens or ducklings under hens should be careful in cleaning tho coops thoroughly and regularly. A good large handful of ashes and sand should be scattered on tho floor of tho coop after each cleaning. This helps to keep the lice in check and makes each subsequent ■ cleaning much easier. Mrs Truscott's maternity home for . chicken-raising is now in full- sAving, I and. it is avoll Avorth inspection by onj f.husiasts. Tho liens are set in coops, ' in a roAV. under cover, and in a. roomy pen Avhero they can bo attended to 'with easo and comfort whatever the weather tuny he. Tho organiser cf tho New Zealand Poultry Association, Mr T. H. Ruthlerford, ha,s been invited to give an address on egg circles at the Lower TTiitt at an early date. 1 Practically all the large egg producers confine their attention to the raising of White Leghorns. Other breeds, generally speaking, do not give such good percentages of hatches, and are more trouble on account of their moro or less propensity to go brocdy. Shades of Gilbert and Sullivan! What they -have missed in their extensive repertoire. Tho recent libel case heard in Napier must have been a veritable feast of amusement, especially to those who were conversant with tho details of the Hogan and Gordon systems of detecting the laying hen. After nearly tAvo days'hearing the jury were unable to agree and avo aAvait with some impatience for the sequel. At any rate, avo cannot but help thinking that the f.vo above . • Ttems -have seen their day'no-: f'y;

"ommorc'al purposes. For our paT ■ we would rather not bind ourselves to state anything, either for or against the systems, except that we'advise poultrvmen who are not able to piok iheir birds by observation to call in the services of Mr BroAvn. Government Poultry Instructor. He has no -secret tests, but will make clearly to any ordinary intelligent person the points to be learnt to achieve the art of "knowing" the layer at sight. To bo able to do this is an immense, savin.": of time as one can discard the indifferent ones without handling each individually.

Mr Nixon, of Canterbury, is holding premier position iioav for some Aveeks past in the Esrg-laving Competition, while ¥r Hall, nf Weraron., loads -it!' the ducks. Mr Nixon lias made a practice for years of entering several pens in each competition, and has shown good results. To dry feed chickens running with hens a useful and handy receptacle for holding the food can ho quickly made by cutting a benzino or kerosene tin in half and turnincr i» the rov"-b I edges. For the first week the tin would be too high and the food can. bo placed on a flat hoard or very sha-1-to- by.' <-v-iir>;h

Wo are in receipt from the. British Consul at Copenhagen, Denmark, of full details concerning the working of egg circles in that country. ■Amongst other matters wo note that any surplus funds derived from the sale of exported eggs is divided by the Egg Farmers' Co-operative, Company retaining half as a reserve fund and tho other half paid to suppliers pro rata, much on the same principle adopted hero by the dairy factories. The consul states 'that there is very keen competition in the egg trade, and members of circles are tempted lit times to sell their produce to outsiders.