POULTRY NOTES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 10713, 30 November 1912, Page 7

POULTRY NOTES.

(By "Utilita.-lai .") It is rumoured that Mr F. Brown, Govern in on t Poultry Instructor, is to lecture, under the auspices of tho Farmers' Union, at an early date, in Masterton. Everyone interested in (poultry culture should make a specI ial point in hearing him. His nieth'ods of address are plain and simple I I and wo have never known him fly up into the heights of oratory, which can be sometimes overdone and lcavo ' tho audience not much wiser for- their i attendance, Asducklings require a most ample allowanco of .shade, provision should { bo made for this at tho earliest opportunity. By no means leavo such im- ' portant business till the hot weather ' does set in. There is never a snm--1 mer goes by without some hot days and we shall get a share of them yet. Forewarned should be forearmed. Where they have the run of an orchard, nothing could be better for them, but, on the other hand, if the pen in ( which they are running is quite devoid 'of natural shelter, a few sacks or ■ branches can he suspended to form a ' covering from the sun. | It has boon contended that Indian Runner Ducks will lay as well with--1 out water to swim in as those who 1 have all they desire. Tliero is no doubt they will lay well without water , as we can witness by the laying comj petitions but the writer finds now, at any rate judging by last season's re- ; suits that the swimmers, gav.& the | best returns, certainly, not a great j deal of difference, but serious enough to anyone keeping a large flock of them. Though dry feeding for chickens is good all round, nevertheless, -cockrels which are to bo sent to market , will top off quicker by the addition of a couple of meals daily, with the food mixed in a moist condition .It is not advisable to commence this until they are from two to three months old and then endeavour to have them ' ready from four and a half months or five at the most. They should be ' kept entirely separate from other 1 birds and kept, in a small run. If ' used to confinement they , can be . kept under cover with a lesser area ;of space. It is a mistake, however, to , shut up cockrels, to fatten, which have had unlimited liberty. They will only probably lose weight instead of i putting it on and will spend the greatler part of the day walking up and down the yard with the possible hope of finding an exit. In this case, be ; satisfied to have them in a medium sized yard; with plenty of shade, water and grit. I When picking over the cockrels and are in doubt, sometimes, whether to keep certain ones or not for possible , breeders, play trumps, let the doubtful ones go to" market. There are plenty of top-notcliers available without saturating the market with inferior specimens. j Cockrels kept for breeders must, beyond everything have undeniable vigour and constitution. Tho prominent, bold eye, erect carriago, co«K-of-the-walk kind of strut, ready to fly at I strangers, and standing' with plenty { of daylight between its legs, that is j the bird to look for <ind when found ' stick tight to. I No matter how well marked, or however well bred the bird is, do not i j venture to keep him unless Jio con- j forms to all the above points. Pretty feathers will neither help to produce meat or assist in developing a laying strain. At the same time, the characteristic points of the breed kept ! must not be lost sight of, but- vigour should take first place.

It is said that F, E. A. Gordon, the one-time Poultry Expert has left the Dominion and is by this time over in Australia. Plenty condemn him for his persistency in extolling his systems of picking the layers, over and abovo other systems, but we feel a. tinge of pity for he was, without doubt, a clever man and with wise guidance might have left a name for himself, a name to he proud of. It is not, perhaps, generally known that it was Gordon who was the mover of the resolution, passed at the first Poultry Conference, that a N. Z. Poultry Association bo formed.

Since writing the foregoing, word is to hand that Mr Brown will speak at the A. and P. rooms on Saturday Dec. 7th at 2 p.m. in Perry Street. Ladies are also invited. • Admission, we understand quite free to all.