POULTRY NOTES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 10713, 10 December 1912, Page 3

POULTRY NOTES.

(By '•Cti]itar;*i.'">

Mr F. Brown's lecture in Mtwtortyn, last Saturday afternoon, was brini t'ul of salid information. Mr Perry, President of tho Farmery' I'lsion, Kv.j,'; ilie chair, and about a couple of dozen persons were present. Doubtless the lino weather, coming alter .such a long spell of wet, was the cause of sparse numbers there, hut it was gratifying to know that a. series of poultry lectures are to be given sometime next autumn which should be a more suitable time.

j Mr Brown eon soiled prudence, and t said one- should not l>e too ambitious 11» keep n lot of fowls at first hut buTkl ! l\v dfgrees and expand the plant ay experience grew. Export should he j our aim, though he did not think much j would bo done for a time owing t'. the com para lively .high prices ruling hero ; but «till it wa.ci ;is well to experinvnt along this line and not leave it till a glut of eggs die l ! occur. He said ihe Government farms had disposed of 1000 H'ttings of eggs this year hoth of hoary nnd light breeds. 'He paid .: ,/ino irihnt-p to this district being the first to start egg circles, and. added that lie considered: they should, bo general throughout the country. Reference was al?r> made to the facility now o ered by the Postal department, wheieby consumers by paying in the necessary amount to the Post o;iice ' could arrange to have jxraltry brougl.'. to then) direct from the producer. With regard to fattening birds for the tabic, the speaker stated that to l reduce the frame of the bird was nu;r.i xporisive than the meat, and people I should fatten their birds before mar- j keting. • ! Not the least interesting portion of ! tho lecture consisted in the exhibiting of three birds to show the difference between a good layer and a poor r.r.e. Apropos of this, the Chairman subsequently remarked that he had not been particularly interested in fo.vls but this practical demonstration was highly useful and it is practical work of this nature that so many require. A liteiary description is not sufficient, otie must have these points »ho>v:i to be able to quite grasp them. Another iutore; ting exhibit was a tireless brooder as used at one of the State farms. 'J he construction is simple and partieuV.ily sanitary. i

Mr li-'omi (dated ho v.-as frequently ;!SM.'d 'which was the host breed and said that there was no best, it was <i matter of strain and that one shotild cultivate the faculty of observation. Tlie following points were given to indicate good layers—A long, tapering body, gradually thickening towards the tail, legs wide apart and well sol back, a short breast bone, hold prominent eye, and tight feathering. The latter, he contended, was a food-saver as the density of the feathers conserved ihc animal heat. With regard to feeding good layers could not he overfed ; if birds became too fat, it was a ; sure sign that they were indifferent layers and therefore should he marj keted even if the whole lot had to go. I Two parts of pollard and one of bran should constitute the morning feed and wheat in the evening, occasionally oats and maize ■I

Farmers were advised that if thoy preferred cross breds to slop at. tlio first cross.

In Louses he preferred those of the lean-to shape, open wire netting front, and plenty of depth, as this minimised the expenditure in building. Grit: Thus be considered a necessity both.oyster shell -and gravel, the latter about the size of a grain of wheat. Owing to shortness of time not, many question were put, but one very useful one, asked Mr O'Leary, viz, ho.v one could pick a layer out while young, that is at what age, could one determine her probable qualities. Mi Tirotvn replied that this could be done at about live months, and while a „Kyi or in full going: order had short iegs he had no objection to a. young pullet showing plenty of thigh development ,151 this gave the necessary room for expansion of 'the abdomen. Another questioner wished to know the value of barley. ff>r food. The reply was 'f cheap.' well, and good, as one must .study the cost, of production and produce as cbenpl'V as possible.

A hearts- vote of'thanks termtnatod tho proceedings.