POULTRY INDUSTRY

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2523, 31 July 1915, Page 15

POULTRY INDUSTRY

(By Chantecler.) ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. "C.A.L.," Patea, writes:—''l liave just been readius tm article in a Sydney paper on Indian Runner ducks, and if it is all true, and tliey do as veil in Now Zealand as in Australia, -why do we keep fowls? They lay double the number of eggs, are less, trouble, and have none of the disadvantages of fowls. At least so the newspaper tell us. Will you kindly tell me your opinion in your column, and also tell me if th?.y require water in,,the runs, and if they aro a success when shut up, or do they require to be at liberty. Aro they a success when bought as 'dayold ducklings,' or are they more difficult to rear than chickens? Ton will oblige Did greatly if you will answer my questions, and give me any information on the subject. I have kept fowls for 25 years, and they have never paid for tlio corn, let alone tho trouble. Thanking you in anticipation."

. DUCK CULTURE. Our .correspondent cannot haTo kept a very good ■ strain of birds if ho has not made them pay for their "corn." There may be soino excuse for not doing this now feed is so dear, and then only through tho winter months, but in previous years ono could ccrant on half tho takings from eggs as profit. Ducks aro profitable' if kept by tho right man, but the ono that fails to make nohltry pay should certainly not tako.on (hicks. They are niost suscoptiblo to ch&Dges, aro <liihcult to raise, and require special attention. to keep them laying. This week wo visited a plant to ascertain tho' eauso of a man's ducks dying off at the rate of mf fl; . c ' ay ' -® 0 %vas nearly distracted, llie birds had access to a jiond of slime and filth, they had contracted dysentery, alia vero dying wholesale. This is an instance nrhero ducks need care, and not neglect. Ducks are subject to moults, nnd will moult three times a year if not fed correctly. During'these periods tliey go oft egg-laying and lose valuable time. As to whether' it is more profitable to keep ducks than hens depends on tho knowledge of the man.. The fact that nearly everyone in New Zealand has gona out of <luck-farming proves that they are more difficult td keep as a paying pro. position than hens, though this'may ba irom want of knowledge. • It is a mis* taken idea that ducks are less trouble and have none of tho disadvantages of fowls. Regarding your-inquiries :-(l) Ducks do not require water except for drinking purposes long as they have sufficient to bury their heads under water they will always keep clean; For fattening, access to swimming water is a hindrance, as the constant exercise in the water keeps the birds tmn. For breeders, access to water 13 an advantage. (2) They should be closed up only for fattening. As layers and breeders they do better witli goodsized runs. (3) No; it is better to buy eggs and hatch the ducklings. Yes, they are more difficult to raise than chickens, and require more expert knowledge. Our correspondent, if lie lias any wish to- go in for ducks, should go steady, and get expericuce. Do not rush into tlie business jn preparation of plaint until he has proved what he can do on a Bninll scale,

GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE. During the past year the Government has Tendered valuable assistance. They havo appointed two additional poultry experts, publishedj valuable, information beginners, and ' in - many ways given assistance to help the industry along. One great t need, and ono Mr. Massey has promised to give it his consideration, is that imported eggs should - bo stamped. During the past winter thousands of ?ggs have been imported from America, and havo been sold through lopal shops as new laid eggs. This is most unfair to poultrymen, wlio cater for the winter trade. They hatch early and feed bountifully to pr'oduco new laid eggs, and then find tlio chilled eggs being sold in. competition against them. Tko 1 need, for protection is so apparent that it may bo safely left with the Government to pass a Bill this session that all imported.''eggs bo sold as such. The Americans havo passed a Bill demanding that all eggs >from NewZealand shall bo stamped "imported.'" All sellers of imported eggs must have placed iij. tlieir shop windows, "Imported Eggs Sold Here." All users of imported eggs, such as Testanrant-keopers and bakers must label their goods "Imported Eggs Used." Everj- precaution is taken to protect their poultryinen: • Surely poultrymen in New Zealand are entitled to protection in a similar way, and it is to be hoped the Government will protect poultrymen for nest winter's trade. N.Z. UTILITY POULTRY CLUB'S COMPETITIONS. The official results of tho sixteenth week of tho New Zealand Utility Poultry Club's eleventh egg-laying competition for fowls for the week ended Tuesday, July 27, are as folloffi:^ Total Total for to week. date. Verrall Bros., B.L' 28 3U H. Ledger, L.C.W.L 17 203 AVaikato Egg Farm, S.C.AV.L. IS 322 C-ildor Bros., S.C.W.L. ■ 23 306 Horetaunga P.C., No. 1, S.C, ' W.L 22 251 N. Solomon, S.C.W.L 23 230 J. Wordsworth, S.C.W.L. 21 274 Dominion P. Plant, S.C.W.L.- 22 < IGS M. P. Chapman, S.C.W.L. 25 223 Mrs. J. Mills, S.C.W.L. 12 2I A. R. Browne, S.C.W.L 21 ' 272 Herctaunga P.C., No. 2, S.C. W L .'. ! 21 270 T. M'llwraith, S.C.W.L 18 219 C. Warburton, S.C.W.L 13 171 A. ,G. Brailey, S.C.AV.L 11 31-i AVainorii P. Farm, S.C.W.L. ... 8 223 Glencoo P. Ranch, S.C.W.L. ... 13 337 A. W. Irvine, S.C.W.L 17 201 Ashburton P. Farm, S.C.W.L. 1!) 185 Georg-j Catteral, S.C.AV.L 17. 220 L. T. Wright, S.C.W.L -26 2b7 L.' Macdonald, S.C.AV.L. ..., 18 226 Atkinson Bros., S.C.AV.L. ...... 22 105 A. B. Phillips, S.C.AV.L ' 2-1 200 Dalmuir P. Yards, S.C.AV.L. ... 11) 304 B. P. L. Clayson, S.C.AV.L. ... 25 2GO Green Bros., S.C.W.L. .. 20 273 Jock Green, S.C.AV.L 29 355 A. E. AVilson, S.C.AV.L 12 277 AV. A. Nixon, S.C.AV.L 12 218 H. S. Woodnorth; S.C.AV.L. ... 20 317 R,. Roxburgh, S.C.AV.L 22 191 R. A. Lazarus, S.C.AV.L. w ' 205 A. W. Adams, S.C.W.L. ,18 213 T. Fazackerley. and Sons, ' ' S.C.AV.L 7 213 AV. Davey, .S.C.AV.L 5 241 AV. A. Nixon, S.C.AV.A 22 231 R. H. James, S.C.AV.L. 21 2G5 R. Mills, S.C.AV.L 5 289 S. L. Leggett, S.C.AV.L 21 1-15 R. AVillis and Son, 5.C.W.L.,... 23. 281 George Gee, S.C.AV.L 2,' i 101 Green Bros., S.C.AA'.L 15 20G Rangiuru Egg Ranch, S.C.W.L. 17 IGG Thomas Kennedy, S.C.W.L. ... 15 237 Calder Bros., No. 1, S.C.W.L. 11 - 301 R. AV, Hawke, S.C.W.L 20 241 Mrs. M'Kinnon, S.C.W.L l-l 221 Green Bios., R.C.AV.L, 22 213

. Totals SSG 12,015 HEAVY BREEDS. A'. W. Adams, S.W. .18 100 Green Bros., S.W. 20 20S E. Oakes, R.I.R. .' 20 201 Cooper and Wainscott, R.I.R, 19 313 W. A. Nixon, R.I.R 13 65 A. E. Wilson, W.W i IS 90 T. Kennedy, W.W 1U 251 W. A. Nixon, 8.0. SO 223 W. li. Walker, 8.0. ..., 22 2G3 B. Willis, 810 27 311 W, Bloomfiold, 8.0. IB 279 (Totals 219 2,331 j

FOR DUCKS. - , The New Zealand Utility Poultry Clnb'9 sistb egg-laying test for ducks. Returns for the sixteouth week are as follows:— J. B. Merrett 5 124 T. R, Hall 1 227 Gloucoo Poultry Ranch 1 321 W. Davidson ....; 5' 155 Thomas Dowthwaito 2. . 12;! W. 'Knight I) 3W W. Knight 0 253 Wainoni I'. Farm 4 94

Totals IS 1,053 Tho letters after each entry dunotn tha breed 13 under:—B.Tj., Brown Leghorn; S.C.W.L., Single Comb White Leghorn; R.C.AV.L., Rose Comb White Leghorns S.W., Silver Wyandotte; E.1.K., Rhode IchlKl AVWhit? WyanrlotUj; .OfJJtßgteil, JfijljAß