THE POULTRY INDUSTRY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1336, 13 January 1912, Page 15

THE POULTRY INDUSTRY.

_> (By Chanteclcr.)

New Year Prospccts. Never liavo the prospects of the poultry industry scorned so bright in tho Dominion as they do for 101:!. Those who iu the cry of "over-produc-tion," and taken us to task for inducing peopb to take up poultry culture, will now obtain but poor response. In every department the industry promises a re- : cord year. It is true that the prico of I eggs waa somewhat low in tho spring, but the rapid rise for Christmas, aud the high priecs for the winter* are going to compensate us. Wo shall have a long spell of high prices, and, if the changeable weather continues, there will be a considerable shortage in eggs. The weather during the winter was" so mild that an early and long moult is likely, s ,° , T l ' f ggs will bo scarce. As little duck-hatchiug has been dono this season, duck eggs will not contribute in any great degree to the supply. Table Poultry Famine. This coming year we shall find that there will be a scarcity of table chickens, .thousands of chickens havo been killed as soon as their, sex was determined. The ,™ 's giving up breeding crossbred tablo birds, and we are going to have a shortage from this usual supply. No producer need sell his table chickens this : season at a sacrifice. One hears of a shortage in every direction. The same applies to ducklings. It will be quite common to see chickens and ducklings sell at from 7s. to Bs. per pair this season. This will mean a great profit to tho prodncersi and encourage the raisins of table poultry. We are entirely wrong in neglecting this phase of the industry, and it is to bo hoped that more breeders will go in for tho heavier breeds. There is nothing in the leghorn chicken, and few people will buy them for the table. Good table birds will bring their money this year, and higher prices will be tho rule moro than wo have seen.

The Vancouver Test. The Australian pons in the Vancouver laying competition made a good start, though the general returns were low, and 22 pons out of 39 did not lay in the first month. In the section for lifrht. breeds, llillcrest Poultry Farm, Berowra, was first with 32 eggs, and Mr. S. JJUis fourth with 15, while New Zealand pens occupied second -and third places; In the heavy breeds, a New Zealand pen of Silver Wyandottes was first with 35. The birds from this side had pretty severe climatic conditions to face, the managor reporting"Pen temperature, highest 52 deg., lowest 19 deg., average mean temperature 39.40 deg. Rain fell on 10 days. Six inches of- snow fell on one day, and 12 inches on another. The weignt of snow on tho wiro netting caused the supports to give way, and much damago was'done. There were no cases of frostbite." So the Australasian Leghorns did well to fill the first four places. The average price of eggs for tho month' was 3s. OJd. per doz. Bright Prospects. When we requested our breeders to compete at Vancouver, we felt sure that thero were great hopes for a win. Our carefully-bred . and well-selected birds > havo'every, chanco against breeders where the competitions havo 'just begun. That many of the competitors repeated the mistakes of our earlier competitions is evident by sending the birds in too young. We believe that tho prize for tho heavy varieties will fall to Mr. Nixon, whilo our four pens of White Leghorns ■should come home'with tho prizes in tho light variety section. Here's luck , to .them! Care of the Moulting Birds. The season is now approaching when the birds will be undergoing their annual moult. This is probably the greatest strain to which our domesticated pets are subjected, and should bo approached in good time, and in a ! sane and rational manner, since it must be evident that anything we can do to help the birds through this trying time of non-production must result in benefit to ourselves in the earlier return to productivity. In a state of nature the moult is not such a strain. The season is mild, and doubtless th«?re were natural foods that helped the !i"Owtli of new feathers, but when tlie birds kept m captivity the natural conditions are altaTed, and so thiero is a double dutv placed upon us, first, to take care of the birds placed in ouj charge, and second to keep our eyes on the main chance. When, the birds have almost entire liberty, but little extra care need b®. bestowed upon them. Good' wholesome food and plenty of it are the main factors in helping a bird through the moult as long us the process is proceeding along natural lines. Greenstuff in abundanos is needed, aoid clean water. Then to their soft food add a tablospoonful to every threo birds of flour of sulphur in their mash every other day as long 'as tho weather is seasonable. Sulphur fed at unsuitable times will cause :£ cold,-. by opening the pores of the skin, but it is also one of the best cUTes foT a cold which has its origin from some other cause, so that breeders should not hesitata to use sulphur except in very inclement weather. In addition to the suluhur on alternate days tho birds should hane a teassoonful of carbonate of iron to every dozen birds. This is fed on the cays the sulphur is omitted. It mai be necessary to mention that iron is rich in the material that furnished the colour, pigment of tho feathers, and on this account it is advisable not to feed it to white fowls, though we iiave never really proven it to be harmful. If this treatment >s continued throughout the entiro moult it will bo greatly hastened, and there will be no loss o'f siKe, weightor health, and in many oasis the birds will keep laying throughout tho entire moult. The additions to the fed should not bo mads until the moult lias coiamcncsd, as evidenced by the leathers lying about, or the abutionoo oi pin-feathers iu the birdd themselves. Phe treatment should be continued until r.iie new plumage is wholiv ami satisfactorily Uirds Usat stick in Hie moult, or show no signs of mounting i;j good time may sometimes lie made to moult by every day pulling out a lew of tho oldest and" most iHuuer-beateii leathers, together with sjme ot the hull, pieiornble on tho breast, auu by removing tae d':ad leathers in tho tail and wing primaries, Pmou tiiem iu a UiU'tn p.aee, and feed liberally with meat; linseed is also another guuj food at luis niii-e, beir.g „t a laxative nature, unu inns lemeuyuiy oiw <n the tonuiiouesl ailments oi me summer months. II tlie ends are yivtn „ reasonable amount ot attention, auU fsa'iu'the m.uiH w 'caw!«. tuero win be no trouble in Liieiii I'lirouifh tho intuit without Uvuuw, and at a ceiisiutrauTe gain in iuoht w) the pouitryjusjfer lor his trouble. A Matter of Interest. Mr. Cooper Curtice, one of tho most prominent authorities in embryology in Am-enoa, mado the interesting statement sonic years ago that eggs are iorined in the chick in the shell. Writing to the American 'Poultry Journal," ho said: ' L'oitr Sir,—lour letter conluinin" tho inquiry regarding tho days required tor the lormation ol an egg irom its inception to maturity has been received. Tho ovary with the ovules can be determined in embryonic life. Tho growth of tho yolk portion of the egg seems to ■ be quite stawy until tlie day betore thev are laid. When tho fowl has matured and is ready to lay, these oggs are hatched, and take on tlie albumen, yolk membrane, and shell in a day's "time, and are laid. I cannot vouch for tho truth of tho statement that the ovaries eontain in the early chick life as many ovules as thero will bo eggs, but presume it is probable that tho majority of these laid in earlier years can bo counted. Tho time for the formation of the egg would therefore be from the early part of tho life of (ho ehick within the egg until the egg is laid. The two important times ill tho development of the egg are probably the earliest, iu which the germ spot grows, and (lie short period preceding its deposition in which tl is fertilise;!. The remaining time. Feenis to be a time of acquisition of food for forming tho yolk and albumen and "f tho protective membranes (as the shell

membrane aiul egg shell) which serve lo feed the embryo and protect it in its development." A Royal Agricultural leaflet, published in the United Kingdom, savs, inter alia— "As iu every dozen marketable eggs there is about one pint of water, it will be s»n that a hundred laying hens will require a largo amount of wutcr daily." Of course, moisture is derived froni tho food eaten, as well as from the drinking fountain, but in view of the fact that "biddy" wants a drink now and again for other than egg-making purposes, it will bo well for breeders to nolo Unit lack of water means loss of eggs. In relation to water supply, tho leaflet referred to also points out that impure water is liable to make eggs'taste strong, and may also contain the germs of disease. Sticli being the case, breeders will understand that even though fowls appear to relish drinking from impure puddles, etc., they should be prevented from doing so. as far as possible, by filling up tho holes or covering them over.

UTILITY POULTRY CLUB.

THE SEVENTH COMPETITION. Tho following are the results of the 41st weok of tho New Zealand Utility Poultry Club's seventh laying competition for liens:— Tl. m. for tho to Week. Date.

Competition for Ducks. Returns for the second egg-laying competition for ducks, under the auspices of the New Zealand Utility Poultry Club nre as follow. The competition " has now readied its forty-first week. Total Total for the to week. date.

A. H. Padman, Adolaide, White Leghorns 28 925 A. R. Browne, Groenmeadows, White Leghorns 36 1163 T. Collins, Waiwetu, White Leghorns 29 1009 C. 11. Peck, Avondale, Black Orpingtons 23 897 G. H. " Barnett, Leeston, Brown Leghorns 28 956 Heretaunga Poultry Co., Silverstream, W. Leghorns ... 35 1137 W. Ilalpin, Grcemaeadows, White Leghorns 28 1063 W. Knight, Hutt No. 1, White Legliorns 31 933 A. E. Wilson, Shirley, White Wyandottes 17 987 W. Knight, Hutt, 'Whit© Leghorns 26 931 Verrall Bros., Swannanoa, , White Leghorns 25 983 A. E. Wilson, Shirley, White Leghorns '. 25 965 Rangiuru Egg Ranch, Otaki, White Leghorns 29 1051 D. Stewart, Normandy, Taranaki, White Leghorns 2G 801 A. B. Menzies, Addington, W. Leghorns... 13 893 Edgar Hall, Lower Hutt, Black Orpingtons 10 882 C. Hammond, Rnakura, W. Plymouth Rocks 31 957 G. 1'inn, Wellington, Whito Leghorns 25 957 Dominion Poultry Plant, Coromandel, W. Leghorns... 26 962 A. R. Browne, Greenmeadows, White leghorns 26 1080 Mrs. 11. \V. Hawke, Papanui, White Leghorns 22 916 Mrs. J. Mills, Dunedin, White Leghorns 32 1059 R.'Willis and Sons, New Brighton, Blk. Orpingtons 21 831 H. Meadows, Spreydon, White • 'Leghorns 27 883 P. J. Keller, Rollestim, Campines 27 731 W. G. Goodwin, Thames, White Leghorns 31 1017 R. ; Willis and Sons, New' Brighton, \V. Leghorns 20 991 A. W. Irvine, Epsom, White Leghorns 28 1031 T. Kennedy, Rangiora, Silver Wyandottes ,. 22 1127 James Ashton, Haniner, Silver Wyandottes 18 '729 P. J. Keller, Rolleston, White Leghorns 26 961 G; H. Bradford, Cust, White White Leghorns ; 18 588 D. Y. Gibsonc Herbert, Whito Leghorns • ••;— 28 1044 W. Nixon, Burwood, White Leghorns 35 . 1130 H. M. Bannelir. Riccarton, W. Plymouth Rocks 21 739 Thomas Frethy, Martinborough, Buff iJeghorns 27 1018 C. L. Bridf.es, Wanganui, White Lesliorns 29 930 James Maxwell, Masterton, Black Orpingtons 28 724 G. H. Robinson, Christclrurch, White Leghorns 29 800 A. E. Kent, Shirley, White Leghorns 28 948 W. Balch, Belfast, Whito Leghorns 32 940 Heretaunga Poultry Co., Silstream, W. Leghorns 27 1114 N. Solomon, Westport, White Leghorns 21 955 A. W. Irvine, Epsom, White Leghorns 31 90S G. H. Robinson, Christchnjch, B. Orpingtons 22 . 1068 A. Stevenson, Wellington White Leghorns 32 967 H. I/eger, Wereroa, White . Leghorns 30 934 W. 0. Sail, Cust, White Leghorns ..../29 1013 Master Gordon Wilson, Shirley, White Leghorns' 9 930 A. E. Ivinne-ar, Adolaido, White Leghorns 30 982 T. Dowthwaite, Auckland, White Leghorns : 23 779 A. Tisch, Dallington, White Leghorns 30 1099 C. 11. I'eek, Avondale, White Leghorns 29 1015 A. F. Sutherland, Wellington, White Plymouth Rocks 22 734 T. Kennedy, Rangiora, Whito Wyandottes '. 29 1029 A. W. Aduns, Sheffield, Silver Wyandottes 24 853 W. Scull. Christchurch, Black Wyandottes 25 955 W. "Nixon, Burwood, White Leghorns 33 1115 Misses M. nnd II. Bradley, l'apanui, White Leghorns.'.. 27 1157 J. W. Grc-en, St. Albans, White Leghorns 25 1051 1509 57,58'i

Herctiiimpa Poultry Coy., Silvorstrcam, I. Itnnuors 27 1210 W. Knight, Hutt. Indian Runner? 31 1210 W. ICnijflit, llutt, Indian Iiunners 28 9G0 S. H. Scott, Onekunga, Indian Runners 9 C71 T. Stron?. Doylfston, Indian Rutmtrs 13 9-1-0 S. II. Scott, Orakunga, Indian Runners 9 809 C. Hammond, Ruakura, Indian lluniiors 23 981 A. K. Browne, Grwumcadows, Indian Runners •. 13 107G W. Hodgson, Cheviot, Indian Runners It 802 T. Dowtlnraito,-Avondalc, Indian Runners 11 8G2 T. 11. Hall, Woreroa, Indian I'liiiwiTs 18 1003 , B. A. O'Brien, Waihi, Indian Runners 16 904 P. .T. [Colter, Rolleston, Indian Runner; 20 10G3 F. Webb, Levin, Indian Runners ID G91 251 13.20C