THE POULTRY WORLD

Hawera Star, Volume L, 29 November 1930, Page 11

THE POULTRY WORLD

(By “Tight Feather.”)

At the fourth "World’s Poultry Congress ,opened by the Duke of York in London on July 22, nearly 3009 birds were penned, representing 23 nations. This exhibition is held every three years. One of the prize-winners which attracted a lot of notice was a. white crested black Poland lien, of which “Tight .Feather” lias the picture at the moment of writing. With its enormous white crest it makes a striking contrast in black and white. Some 35 yeans ago there were a number of white crested Polish on this coast. One well-known breeder of the Polish, as well as of the Andalusians, was Mr W. Davis, of Waverlev,' who specialised in the latter breed. It was his ambition to fix a uniform colour for the breed, hut though lie persevered for many years he never solved the problem. Though he was most successful in the shows he confessed to the writer that he thought himself fortunate if in a flock of 50 pullets hatched in any one season he could rear more than one complying to standard requirements of colour. Mr Davis was not alone in this experience ; most breeders of Andalusians experienced the same difficulty. Only for this weakness, the Andalusian would probably be' to-day among the egg-laying records, for these fowls used to lie the equal of the II bite Leghorn in egg production.

Among the crested variety was another excellent layer in the Houdan. The Government State poultry farms at one time used to breed and supply the Houdan to farmers and others, ultimately cutting them out of their breeding operations for the reason that such fowls as Houdans and the Crested Polish were at the mercy of hawks owing to the top hamper of the head obscuring the vision. As the Agricultural Department were aiming to encourage farmers to raise purebreds in place of the nondescript barn door type, they wished to prevent the depredations l caused by the hawks. The Government experimental farms used further to breed such fowls as the Brown Leghorn and Silver Wyandottes, but, good layers as these birds were, experience proved they were difficult to breed to colour. Hence the reason the department confined itself to two single colour breeds only in order that the noultryman would have to watch two things only, type and constitution —apart from the question of eggs. Much of the success of the poultry industrv is due to. the Department of Agriculture and its instructors'. Mr Fred Brown and his assistants.

THE VALUE OF SHADE. The hot weather will soon he here, when the hens which latterly have been seeking the sun will he searching

for shade to get away from its rays. Shade of some kind should be provided wliere the birds' sire not confined to the house. Where shade is not provided by trees or shrubs, a good plan is to make a fence in the shape of a cross. Five posts may he used, four placed, say, 12 feet apart, thus forming a square, with one in the centre. Stretch wires top and bottom from post to post,- past the centre. On tho wires with a needle and twine sew on sacks. This cross will provide four spaces in which the fowls may at some part of the day alvvay seek shelter from the sun. 'Shade from the intense iheat of the sun is just as necessary for the poultry as for humans. USES FOR POULTRY MANURE.

One of the most valuable fertilisers for the garden, or small fruits, is the poultry litter, particularly straw filled with droppings. It is particularly valuable where clay soil is to lie worked, because in a few -seasons the addition of this litter will completely change the character of the soil and give one a rich, pliable and easily worked loam, capable of producing almost any garden crop, whether vegetables or flowers.

Straw litter comes from the poultry house in much better condition for application to cultivated ground, because its use for litter has caused it to he broken into short lengths and fine particles, making it easier to handle in forking under and more readily susceptible to decomposition and assimilation by the soil. Poultry manure itself is one of the most valuable fertilisers for gardens and flowers that we have. It is rich in nitrogen, is easily handled and quickly assimilated by the soil. There is no more valuable or desirable fertiliser for use about the place than poultry manure, and the use of litter'with‘it only increases its value. There should he no more wasting of -poultry house litter. It can he taken at once to the garden, even during the growing season, and used as a mulch until such time as it can lie forked under. SEASONABLE HINTS.

Keep a sharp eye on vermin and see that the flock is not irritated hv them. Once they gain the upper hand they are difficult to eradicate. As prevention is better than cure, make a tempting dust hath and nut a good insecticide into it. The fowls will doth© rest. Watch the ends- and bottom sides of perches and cracks in walls, and keep them clear of red mite. Keep drinking fountains, or tins, clean and filled with fresh and cold water. I-lARD TO BEAT.

A news item says: “A White Indian Runner duck owned by Mr B. R. Arnott, of Point Chevalier. distinguished herself by laying a huge egg weighing 11 ounces, about- four times the weight \of some eggs s-old from grocers’ shops.” Next, please!