POULTRY KEEPING

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20543, 11 May 1932, Page 5

POULTRY KEEPING

PIGEONS AND CAGE BIRDS.

(By Fancier.) NOTES. | The annual meeting of the New Zealand Utility Poultry Club will be held on May 24th. The veteran Sydenham fancier, Mr J. Cummings, has just landed another shipment consisting of a trio of Minorcaa, a trio of Black Pekin Bantams, and a Brown Leghorn cockerel. Many protests have been made to Mr Gullet, Commonwealth Minister for Customs, against the lifting of the ban on the importation of foreign eggs into Australia. Mr Gullet, in reply, stated that when the embargo was imposed it was made clear it was only an emergency measure of a temporary nature and was not to be regarded as a tariff protection. He added that he could not see anything to fear from oversea competition. The Buckingham Palace Gardens appear to be a bird sanctuary, for the Sydney "Sun" says: The King makes a daily tour of the grounds with grain and breadcrumbs for the pigeons and wild birds, many rare specimens nesting there each year. A special gardener protects them from marauding cats. Fowl flesh of all kinds has not been so cheap for many years, and even the farmer who has the ground to spare for poultry and more or less feed must feel discouraged at the present rates. , The "Feathered World" (London) tells of 13 two-day-old chicks that werer shipped from Australia in the JBallarat j to England. Four out of the 13 died, ; but the nine landed at Plymouth in ! good condition after their 12,000-milo trip. The chicks were descended from a 335-egg hen and were a new strain of Black Orpingtons to England. Sir Edward Brown stated recently that when a hen commences to lay "she has in her body 1800 to 2300 possible eggs. It will be a long time before we get them all, but it was a knowledgable fact." Quite so, but it is also a fact that even birds of one family reared, and kept under the same conditions vary much in their laying. Some are great layers, others only fair, and some "duds." The Christchurcli Show. The prize schedule for the 65th nlnnual show of the Christchurch Poultry, Pigeon, and Canary Club is to hand, and, as in past years, there is an immense classification, there being 1196 classes. There is a host of special prizes, ranging up to the value of £25. Sixteen special clubs or organisations hold shows in conjunction and offer prizes, so, in spite of the bad times, a great and varied entry may be expected. The show will be held on Juno 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, in the King Edward Barracks, and early entries close on Saturday, May 14th. The secretary is Mr H. W. Boyns, P.O. Box 159, Christchurch. The Sex of Geese. Take notice of the voice, says "Poultry" (England). That of the gander is a clear, thin, silvery—if 1 might say—murmur; that of the goose a deep bass. The beak is much thicker. The upper mandible of the pander is also more full than that of the goose, which appears to bo shrunk round the nostrils. I have been able to pick them out when they have been but a day or two old by noticing the heads, which are much larger, more full, and rounder than the geese, it will be advisable to notice the beak as well at this stage in the eander. I have bred the Toulouse variety two seasons, and.have noticed this in the gosling from tho first, and I was only once mistaken. Anttunn Hints. The long spell of dry weather means insect pests in plenty, but a run or cold nights will help greatly to reduce them. . Green feed will become scarcer ana scarcer. Sprouted grain makes one or the best green feeds, but a busy man had better prepare feed that takes less The dark variety of silver beet will stand the frost better than the light sort, and if the outer leaves of tho p&nt are cut carefully, the feed will be fresh and the plant will be fit to Cil l!u'ce ( ?n'e meal or finely chaffed lucerne hav will do for green teed. Both should be scalded at night, anfl a bao- put over the tub. to keep tho steam"; in. In the morning meal or hay will be ready to mix with the res* "'Els' need shelter, especially birds meant for show, for in summer the hot Bun will bleach the light coloured plumage and in' w£ter the wind and rain will spoil feathers, ana white ear lobes. Cold and wet will lower the egg yield. Whera there is an absence of .green feed a teaspoonful per bird daily oi diced onions will assist the supply o* green feed, and at the same time help to kreD roup and colds in check. TheTo is vet time to secure fallen leaves' for litter. The litter not only gives exercise, but P™™?*\ m n warmth. In warmth by any means, make sure the stock have mentv of fresh air. Houses full «* bird* or blocked up to prevent draughts are a danger unless air is diet suddenly is not recommended, but in the cold weather „.. ' aT a dd 10 per cent - barley or Wzf meal or both to the mash or Jo the grain diet. A little linseed or molassef in the mash will be found beneficial. A dusting of sacchorated carbonate of iron helps to.put a sheen on Sr feathers. An occasional dose of Epsom or Glauber salts is good at this season, and, indeed, at all seasons. The Show Season. I The show season is again with us, and exhibitors will do well to read the show rules, the railway or shipping regulations and carefully address and pack all exhibits. Powl Paralysis. Fowls are subject to several forms of naralysis, some of them being caused byStina'l parasites but Dr. Bayon, in his researches at the Molteno Institute Cambridge, finds that the parasites have no connexion with the tiue fori paralysis, which he considers is by a 5 food deficiency. He thinks wultrymen are in the presence now of T new food factor, which must exist fn creen feed or poultry farming woula have become impossible before nowGreen food is essential, and Dr. Bayon thinks lur*rne is a preventive, but not a cure. One of the symptons ot the acute disease is .complete loss of appetite. The cure is "mple .First, lettuce must be forced down the birds mouth and then the bird piven a ma.h made up of. a mixture of meal yeast and skim milk.