POULTRY NOTES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LI, Issue 181, 3 July 1931, Page 5

POULTRY NOTES

(By “Brooder”) ■ i yjlißf lere ls Probably more importance jUßjgtciiablo io tightness of feather Hw there is to any other characterof a good healthy bird. One has stated: “when choosing |g|»|jjialo bird, look carefully at the Adhering, see that it is lying tight to -Sp llwjj body, each feather in its i>rop>er tulpe, so that when the sun shines on bird, you see something that -'#s»ppears like big scales of a fish.” ijiSaSH, indeed, a well and tightly feathv.j|a *pl bird is beautiful to look upon, no pj|s||jgj||iter what its colour is. “Brooder” '■ aHpßwuders how many noticed the really Ujjnagnificent feathering in some of |SljlljEand otte and Orpington classes at Show. One did not get so enthus--#i»atic when viewing the .Leghorns and Jgljibthers of the lighter breed. Here of feather seemed a second:V|»ry consideration. But, is it? Does MUB& breeder who knows the value of |||i|j|jjlitness of feather ever use in his ;S|Bj»eeding pens anything else but birds ffinwtfng this most desirable character■•MSitlc. Certainly it may be difficult to IjSaTe all the females up to the point of he would like, but if he is .‘MJreen, and will not be put off, the male must of necessity be the best he get. Why? Just because he .[knows that like begets like; if his plnlade birds are of a type featuring j»| looseness of feather, then of a certainty the progeny from such matings be loose feathered also. It is to say that the birds in any which have the greatest average . for:’this, the coldest winter we have ~'Kad for many years, will be those «Mijifcinguishable because of their tiglitSpitteisiß of feather. Loose feathered pullets never make record layers; loose male birds sire, nine times of ten, loose feathered progeny. ' Bearing this in mind, those anxious to '?||ayoid such results will avoid such mat■,|fingß, particularly remembering that |;®the male bird is the chief offender. :.(®|sjjj&gain, if healthy chickens are chickens with a strong robust then reject all birds ,'jWhicli do not come up to the standard •‘s®Feqtiired for a breeding pen. Granted ■wQSit to get within a certain period a fjgiyen number of eggs for incubation it yfytlSfenecessarv to have a certain number / but it is better to sacrifice l&iinnbers if quality is at stake. Better J&.x have two good pens only, if to have fyiMfour means the inclusion of birds not i; : M»iiited for breeding purposes. Many •have pinned their faith to numbers ag; before now, much to their sorrow. Ifgeoond-elass birds cost just as much to rear as their more efficient fellows. IpjjiHave the best, it pays. jfPpjJuiy is looked upon as the month |HRfag breeding, cockerels for use in the Wy-breeding season following. Of course, fjpvjjijnllets are welcome also, but the main of very early hatching is to W> secure male chickens in time for them ■fidvmature into male breeders for the sue •oeeding season. Noting what has s|i|USeady been said regarding featherchlfjcpi we must also remember that male | ‘fcpMffds can only pass on to others en■Jflgjbwments which have been transmitted t(j|,them. To give egg producing proof the highest type, it is eijential that cockerels be bred from tjSKnaavy laying hens. True, the laying ,fj||jiD]gbacity is not the one and only conYis|wjileration, but it certainly is one of most important. Choose from the vWjkMOwn progeny, so far as egsr prodiic’Wviion is concerned, big but not coarse, swylqijig backed birds. Keep an eye open M.'S'fof alertness and spirit; avoid the ’l.ybifds with wry tail, crooked breast, “*i|g2 l Sd undersized birds. Choosing on ‘i vtheso lines will show you are impressed f |j;)with the importance of having male

birds worth possessing and realise the necessity for breeding with suitable male birds only. Beply to “L.T.,” Palmerston North--—The weight for White Leghorns for show purposes, according to what one sees, appears to be anything from four to seven pounds for pullets or liens and considerably more for cockerels. There was a little dissatisfaction on this account at the last show. But according to the present utility poultry standard, to which judges are supposed to look for guidance, pullets should weigh 4 to 4jibs., cockerels 5 to sflbs.; hens, of course, are allowed one half to one pound more than pullets. Regarding the disease prevalent amongst your chicks during the last two seasons, it is difficult to 6ay what was the 'cause without seeing them. If I am right in assuming that your losses out of 200 chicks were 27 and four for the two years respectively, then surely it was nothing very serious. The conditions under which you are working appear alright except that the sacks are just inclined to start sweating. The symptoms seem to point to rheumatism and probably the scabs may be caused by pecking of other chicks. The water under wing is only, I think, a sign of debility or weakness. I think I would use chaffed straw in place of shavings. However, if the proportion of loss is as you say, I would reply that there is nothing much to worry about; the troubles are only minor weaknesses common to all young life. To reduce your loss from 27 to four is a good sign. MASSEY AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE EGG LAYING CONTEST. The following are the results of the 13th week of the Massey College egg laying contest: Light Breeds. —F. Ecob, £B, 47, 59, 59, 68, 70, (26), 361; S. G. Batten, 28, 34, 25, 20, 30, 70, (19), 207; M. L. Boyce, 25, 48, 22 31, 25, 56, (29), 207; L. B. Maunsell, 45 40 29 36, 21, 28, (20), 199; A. Norman, 50, 29, 30, 25, 15, 38, (23), 187; K. Brazendale, 67, 9, 13, 37, 40, 17, (22), 183; Mrs D. A Stewart, 17, 33, 22, 22, 53, 32, (22), 179; j. N. McLean, 11, 7, 14, 17. 2, 20, (15), 71. Heavy Breeds: Mrs J. A. B. Ilellaby, 44 51, 8, 64, 50, 32, (31), 249; J. N. McLean, 31, 39, 7, 17, 5, 23, (26), 122; 11. Rushton, 23, 6, 13, 27, 17, 9, (27), 95; K. Mouldey, 18, 27, 0, 28, 9,2, (18), 84.