POULTRY NOTES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 123, 24 April 1936, Page 4

POULTRY NOTES

(By “Brooder.”)

The experience of a "breeder who wrote that his three-months-old pullets were laying eggs with a very rough shell will be a surprise to Iriimy. He wrote asking an expert what to do and was told that ho should not lie concerned about it. Evidently the birds bad a superabundance of lime in the oviduct which, the expert said, would right itself as their laying progressed. The surprising tiling to all will lie that these pullets were laying at three months old —much too young, of course, for any pullet. Perhaps the cause of the imperfect shells was that the birds bad been bnrricd in bringing them to profit; indeed, it is more than probable that this was the cause of the abnormal eggs. There arc many egg producers lamenting that their pullets are not laying, and somo are inclined to try pushing them along with forcing foods. Such, no doubt, would be permissible were the pullets fully matured; but are they? In many cases v.'d find these are November chicks, the breeders forgetting that they disposed of earlier hatches and kept the late stock for theinselv.es, which, of course, is a mistake. Arsenic is certainly very good for killing weeds on paths, or just where they are not wanted. But he sure fowls, other stock and young children have no access to tlio parts treated. A journal states that podium chlorate can also be used in a like manner, but never forget that this is a very inflammable

agent. At a committee meeting the other evening the Manawatu Poultry, Pigeon, Canary and Foreign Bird Club liognn preparations for the main Show fixture in June. There was a good attendance. Selection of judges and drawing up of the schedule were the important matters under discussion, the secretary stating that lie was desirous that schedules should be ready for posting by the middle of next month. All sections are showing a keenness which promises well for the success of the coming Show. Many suggestions for brightening up the fixture were advanced and wore noted for future reference. It is proposed to hold fortnightly meetings from now oil, it being the desire to leave nothing undone which will help in making the next Show the host yet. It has been said that the foundation of a strong poultry association is the specialist clubs. These have been neglected in the past in the Manawatu, and with a view to promoting this kind of organisation there is a stir amongst White Leghorn breeders and others. If not before the June exhibition, at the latest during Show week some special effort will lie made to revive these now almost dead organisations. One hundred arid sixty live pounds for a cockerel! Such was the price paid for a partridge Wyandotte in England recently. There is a decided revival amongst breeders of this type of fowl overseas, more and more appearing in the exhibitions lists at tne leading Sliou s.

In July much preparation should have already been made for the August and September hatching. Why not make some of those preparations now when the birds are moulting and consequently not producing as at other times? All brooders should as soon as possible be subjected to a thorough overhaul. In many plants they were cleaned and disinfected immediately after the chicks they housed had been removed. If such was not the ease, then it should be done as soon as possible and the work not left to the last moment. Some brooders may require, repair. It is surprising how many little things were missed at the end of last rearing season. A good clean up, however, necessary, the wooden coops should be treated with strong disinfectant and other buildings well scrubbed out with a solution of one part of crude carbolic to lUb parts of water. Parasites must be destroyed before the quarters are fit for the reception of the young stock. It is surprising how, in homes which have been empty for six mouths, red mites may abound. Spray these houses with mixture of creosote and kerosene.

So far as Leghorns are concerned, these may be kept under intensive conditions, and prove profitable if the birds are killed off and not used for breeding, when the time of profit is ended, Also, when raising poultry for supply of table meat, the same is true. It is where the attempt is made to combine reproduction and production that the difficulties' arise. The laying pen and the breeding pen are two very different propositions. The latter should not be forced for eggs. They should lie fed well and housed comfortably, hut not coddled. They should be on range if possible, and if that is not possible then an outside run, however restricted in area it may be, should lie allowed them. The breeding- pen should consist of specially-selected birds sound in constitution, of good laying strain, and capable of maintaining health under conditions which the intensively-kept laying stock could not endure, and at the same time keep up profitable production.

EGG LAYING

MASSEY COLLEGE COMPETITION

The following are the fourth week's results of the sixth egg laying contest conducted at Massey Agricultural College, Palmerston North. SINGLE PENS. SECTION A.

TEAMS RESULTS. Section C'. (All W.L.) F. Ecob, No. 2—19 16 8 20 16 21 (28;—-100 S. D. Morris—l 913 15 15 13 21 (20)—96 S. 0. Batten—9 15 13 13 18 20 (181—93 A. E. Knowles—l 3181118 17 16 '27)— 93 E. B. Wainscctt—l6 10 12 821 14 (16) —81 J. Graham —1 19 15 15 15 }1 (25)—76 Cotswold Poultry Farm — 12 12 16 19 0 16 (22)—75 F. Ecob, No. I—l 7 8 g2 0 11 16 (18)—74 C. L. W. Urqubart—7 17 7 18 7 15 (24)—72 J. T. Hazelwood—ls 14 3 13 11 10 (13)—66 E. W. Thompson — 4 19 18 7 7 5 (17)—60 Miss H. Kcddell—l3 13 2014 12 (12)—54 Penrose Poultry, Ltd.— ‘ 18 1 2 10 15 7 (201—55 D. M. Peek—3 9 18 1 4 16 (11) 51 Mrs G. E. Sewell—9 15 12 6 8 0 (22)—50 M. Stephenson—2 15 7 0 9 2 (14) —35 A. E. Salisbury—4 13 10 0 0 5 (17)—32 Mrs 13. B. Andrews—4 8 10 1 1 5 (3)—29 R. Forloug—s 0 5 5 4 5 (23)—24 J. J. Faulkner—l 11 0 0 0 6 (4)—13 11. Poison—6 C 0 6 6 0 (9)—18 J. Wilson—o 0 6 1 2 6 (10) —15 A. J. Dudson—l 0 0 0 0 0 (1)—1 SECTION D. Cotswold Poultry Farm, A.O. 20' 21 22 2 20 14 (28)—99 A.- E. Salisbury A.O. 21 19 24 5 5 22 (23)—96 J. B. Duihie. No. 1. 8.0. 6 15 19 24 0 15 (191—79 Luke Fletcher, 8.0. 10 23 1 0 21 19 (23)—74 J. B. Duthic, No. 2, 8.0. 17 17 8 0 25 0 (20)—67 A. Thomson, A.O. 21 14 2 0 23 7 (17)—67 J. B. Duthic, R.I.R. 5 15 10 9 0 21, (17)—60 Mrs D. M. Waddell, 8.0.

11 23 0 0 18 0 (18)—52 Mrs R. Wiliers, 8.0. 15 0 22 0 15 0 (18)—52 Bliss Bros., R.I.R. 12 0 14 6 0 14 (221—46 W. A. Larsen, A.O. 8 17 0 0 10 0 (2)—35 F. A. Dewhursf, R I.R. 0 13 4 12 0 0 (12)—34

W. Fletcher, A.O. .. 1 5 10 0 10 4 (4)—30 T. J. Grese, 8.0. 0 0 0 0 4 2 (2)—6 G. A. Edge, R.I.R. 0 0 0 0 0 0 (0)— 0

G. E. Mooilv, W.L 5 22 Miss il. Keililcll. W.L 2 5 21 A. G. Mumby, W.L 1 5 21 A. G. Mumby, W.L 2 4 21 R. M. SmitJi W.L 1 5 20 Mrs C. A. Stratford, W.L. . 5 20 F. Ecob, W.L 4 19

Rangiiji’u Kg" Ranch, W.L. 3 5 19 Miss Jl. Keddoll, W.L 1 b 18 J. Reilly, W.L 2 4 18 A. A. iloarc, W.L 1 5 16 A. G. Mumby, W.L. 3 4 16 4 4 15 E. B. Wainscott, W.L 3 15 J. A. Annan, W.L 4 14 Mrs B. B. Andrews, W.L. ... 3 13 A. E. Salisbury, W.L 2 0 13 Miss E. Ladd, W.L 2 12 A. K. Salisbury, W.L 3 4 11 A.' A. Iloarc, W.L 2 3 10 Rangiijm Kir or Ranch, W.L. 1 0 in J Reilly W.L 1 0 .10 J Mold'. W.L 0 9 M. Stephenson, W.L 29 Ranguiru EKg Ranch, W.L2 5 8 H. Poison, W.L 0 C. II. Barber, W.L 1 0 0 •s^ 2 0 0 Morr|and Bros., W.L. 0 0 F. II Pnddv, Min 0 0 R. M. Smith, W.L fc. 2 0 0 A. E. Salisbury, W.L. 1 0 0 C. L. W. Urqiiljart, W.L, ••• 0 0 SECTION B. T. Dowtliwaitc, B.O 2 6 23 3 5 23 F. Seymour, 13,0 6 22 ,L H. Sutton, A.O 6 22 A. E. Sali.sbiii'y, A.O 3 V 21 Norman Ross, J3.0 6 30 John Walker, A.O 3 19 R. Foist, R.i.R 2 b IV T. Dowthwaite, 13.(3 1 4 16 A. 10. Salisbury, A.O 1 6 12 R, M. Smith, B.O 0 7 F. Feist, R.I.R I 0 5 A. E. Salisbury, A.O 2 U 3 W. A. Larson, A.O 1 1 G. A. Edge, R.I.R 0 0 J. D. Rowlands, R.I.R 0 0 Mrs Norman .Ross, A.O. 0 0