POULTRY NOTES

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 138, 10 May 1930, Page 11

POULTRY NOTES

(By “Brooder.”) Not everybody knows the reasons why charcoal is so beneficial to fowls. With chickens it is stated to be useful in correcting bowel trouble and will aid in stopping diarrohea. Then again wo are told that thero is a mineral content, a help to toning up the system. It has now being found that by far the best use of charcoal is for digestive disorders. Charcoal, we are told, .absorbs the gas in the system, thereby materially helping digestion and assisting tho bowels in their work. Some mashes are made up with a goodly proportion of charcoal in them. If it is not in all, those without it, may be said to be deficient to the extent that they are minus a very necessary ingredient. Illustrating tho large surplus of eggs in Australia after the flush season last year, the latest returns show that there were 1,309,154 dozen eggs, and when pulp was added there was an equivalent of over two million dozens of eggs in cool storage. These are alarming figures and they illustrate the sorry plight Australian poultrymen would be in were it not for cool storage. We have heard quite a lot about cool stored eggs being placed on the market and sold as fresh eggs. This, if the eggs are stale, is a harmful practice and deserves condemnation. But Australian poultrymen claim that it is not cool storing which makes the egg stale or unpalatable. If an egg is fresh when placed in a properly managed cool store, it will come out as fresh almost as it went in, they say, but it is tho stalo egg on entry,of which they aro afraid. A bad egg, placed in cool storage, is worse than a bad egg when it comes out, and it is these which give tho trouble. Anyhow, Australian poultrymen are looking to cool storage as one of the means of stabilising markets and thus preventing the periodic gluts which so often mean great financial loss to them and their calling. To an extent wo in New Zealand use cool storage, but not sufficiently so. It seems there is no other way out of it, and close cooperation by poultrymen in this respect is becoming more and more necessary if they w'ish to pursue their labours with any degree of certainty. Tho marking and grading of such eggs may be necessary, but such need not make us afraid. Tho cool stored egg will find a ready market onoe it is proved that its goodness is not impaired. ’ In London, some of the imported eggs from tho Colonies were recently subjected to a close examination. It was found impossible almost to detect any difference between them and the English egg a week old. A writer, an authority, on exhibition birds, says that White and Brown Leghorns should be kept in a cool place away from the sun, which has a tendency to spoil the feathers and lobes of the birds.

An American, it is stated, has almost perfected an X-ray device for treating eggs so that whatever is desired on hatching may bo had. That is to Bay, if pullets are desired certain applications of the apparatus will unerringly lead to only pullets being hatched; roosters can bo hatched also without exception by a slight variation of tho treatment. Wlrat is still more wonderful, it is stated, is the fact that chickens produced after tho application of the X-rays to the eggs are said to be immune from the hundred and one diseases to which young life is subject. More than that, such birds mature in almost half the time taken by stock produced from eggs not previously subjected to the treatment in question. If this bo true, and the report as stated in an Australian journal vouches for it, and is backed by many influential doctors, professors and scientists in America’, the discovery is going to revolutionise tho poultry industry and is pregnant with many far reaching possibilities. Says tho journal: “The result of tho discovery was that when the eggs were exposed to the X-ray it was possible by proper timing and voltage to kill all tho male chromosomes in tho egg, because tho male chromosomes in the egg are weaker. Then by another exposure, stimulate the female chromosomes to an extent, which rapid growth and maturity would allow. At the same time every disease germ in the egg was killed so that the chick stepping from the egg came into the world, with every organ healthy, rich blood and equipped to defy sickness of any kind, even if placed in pens with diseased chicks.” Certainly, the story is from America, but who knows the discovery may oe genuine. What a boon to breeders such a find would be. Pullets when you want them 1 Chicks to grow twice as rapidly INo disease I It sounds almost too good to be true. We must await further details with tho hope that it may he true. Mr C. F. Purton has kindly supplied information which should bo a guide to exhibitors in tho classes which he will judge at the Manawatu Poultry Association’s show next month. Ho will adjudicate in three classes —utility Brown Leghorns, Black Minorcas, and utility Black Orpingtons. Mr Purton says he has no other option but to judge fairly and squarely by tiro published utility poultry standards. Though these are at present under revision, the new books not being to hand, judging must go in accordance with the scale of points us at present drawn up. Mr Purton, though, knows the dissatisfaction with the present plates and agrees with the criticisms, but apart from this he maintains that he must bo guided by the book of standards as at present constituted. Every exhibitor therefore should make him or herself familiar with the book which will guide the judge in making his awards. Mr Purton says lie will insist upon Brown Leghorns being true to type; moderation in comb must be evident; the lobes and wattles must be fine in texture and what is most essential, tho brids must have the large full prominent eye. Mr Purton uas a keen eye for correct colour in both male and female. In Black Minoroia, Mr Purton is not fond of the extra largo comb or excessive lobes a nd wattles, and moderation here again will more than likely please him. A wrinkled lobe loses points, he says. Of the Black Orpington he says: The comb must be erect and evenly serrated, face bright red, free from feathers and smooth in texture. Mr Purton objects to looseness of feathers or thigh “fluff ” Birds must have an alert, active carriage, must be true to type, and of standard weight. Mr Purton made it clear to “Brooder” that he is judging utility birds, and any birds not conforming to the typo which he considers not conducive to good laying will suffer in the total of points awarded. The aforegoing should bo helpful to intending exhibitors, and thanks are due to Mr Purton for supplying the matter.