POULTRY NOTES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 10713, 24 December 1912, Page 7

POULTRY NOTES.

' (By "Utilitarian.") Fresh enquiries a«» to hand foi J joining t'he .UtiJity Egg Circle, from persons not far from Masterton. Tht | honorary secretary will probably inter | view those interested early in JauI nary.

A prolific layer wilt often be fount'. to have a prodigious appetite. She should be given enough to satisfy hor, there is no fear of getting too fat, she will convert the food into eggs, if it is her nature to <Jo so. One method of telling when a nock of ducks is likely to increase their «Kg yield is to ivutcll tho s-lieJl g. box.' If -it is found to become empty quicker than usual, an increase in the egg yield may be expected in a few days. In this event be extra careful to keep a plentiful .supply of shell on hand. A box with river sand also is necessary for thein. A number of chickens have died on one poultry plant in the. district' and the owner concludes tb ( .> reason to be a too liberal application of ashes in the breeders. Lime will kill chickens, if used too freely, which is a. similar substance. However shiee dispensing with the ashes and substituted sand, the mortality has ceased and the. chickens are now coming on iiryf rate. An occasional light dressing of ashes would be a chock to vermin, say once a, week.

As milk quickly thickens this warm weather, it" is not advisable to give it in proper water cans as it will not flow easily hut put in a shallow vessel so that the chickens will not get drowned in it.

Mr James Hunter, of Short Street, is the latest acquisition to the Utility Egg Circle. Mr J. Hesp has been appointed to act as delegate at the. H.utt Conference, to beheld on the 27th inst. The Agent in Welington reports last week eggs are fetching Is 2d. There are a number of useless incubators to be scattered throughout the country. They can, in many .instances be' converted into' useful purposes, 'by utilising them as writing ■or office det-ks, good eiio-'gb for rough work. The trays, if desired, may lie divided into partitions, and act like drawers in a cabinet.

The next payment for the Utility Circle 7 members will be one shilling, less one penny working expenses. This is due now. Amongst old customs and ideas which, like many others, are giving wav to modern conditions is that still somewhat prevalent one of good prices for noultry at Chviftmas. The maiHtr "*t;ill'hold on .to their, birds, till Wive ?ea-ori when, in most crises, tliev would do better hx quitting ni'-liof. Anther cusp is the oliomro in jriw fiw ( '^ y :lt tllis *nason. Not so many years agh fIpKS .feMip-d as muHi as 2s 6d per dozen, and wheat 2s Gel pw ihishel at Clirif.;tmas.

Milk for chickens should he given, either always sour, or always sweet, and not ohnn r red from one to the other.

Til© correct colon')- fn-.an Indian Runner is fawn, find the egg produccd>, white. The majority of Runner? are more of a brown shade, and the ocsjs are frequently green. Owners are apt to lio satisfied whatever.the colon»• of the egg is. hut care .should l; n taken to set onlv white ones. Any other colour is a sign of ativism and ''"•n l '! he guarded Against. A white 07'". is also more attractive to the consumer and it is to attract the consnmf- ay. much as possible that the poultryman should look t-o. A bird, no matter how well bred, no matter how far back its ancestry can be traced, is apt to run off the b"ntcn track, by not breeding true to t— ->". and every pmiltrykeeper should w?k» 'i *tudy, and a deep one,- of the exact types of whatever breeds he kco.if.