POULTRY NOTES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 10, 10 December 1936, Page 28

POULTRY NOTES

(By “Brooder.”) The Manawatu Poultry, Pigeon, Canary and Foreign Bird Club held its annual meeting a few days ago. The president's report dealt largely with a financial summary of the two shows belli during the year. It stated that whilst the Young Bird (show realised a profit, largely due to the exhibitors sacrificing their prize money, the main fixture was run at a heavy loss. This was due to many contributing factors, Co which urgent attention would need to be given 'when budgeting for future fixtures. The year had been one of .treat difficulty, continued the report, iittle. if any, progress having been made. There was a definite need for mine progressive movement which would help the society regain the position it held some years ago. Unless such was forthcoming, the prospects for the future were not bright. After a brief discussion the report md financial statement were adopted, l’he following officers were elected: — Patron, Mr J. H. Kissling; president. Mr J. Smith; vice-presidents, Mr A. S. Mansford and Dr. Hunter Will; ■secretary-treasurer, Mr A. E. Burgess; •xecutive committee, Messrs G. Fairbrother, J. Bainbridge. D. Jack, P. Evans, R. Major, P. Wills, T. B. Hollaway, E. Saunders. G. R. Lepper, R. Wright and D. Kruse; show committee, Messrs G. Fairbrother, T. B. Holdawnv. J. Bainbridge, P. Evans, P. D. Wills, R-. Wright, and two re presentatives from the canary, pigeon ■md foreign bird sections. Mr J. T. Brice, jnnr., was elected a member ■>f the dub.

Following a discussion it was decided that the following committee devise ways and means of meeting current outstanding liabilities, so that the incoming committee may begin the New Year unhampered by debt: Messrs J. Smith, A. E. Burgess. J. H. Hancock, J. Bainbridge, P. I). Wills and G. Fairbrother.

The cold snap experienced a few days ago undoubtedly affected late-hatched chickens and in some cases there have been heavy losses. Late-hatched chicks are always more or less difficult to rear, and when there is an added handicap of unfavourable weather it is harder still to bring the young life through. Pneumonia has been the cause of the loss in many instances. Ci-iekens apparently well in the morning have been prostrated before nightfall, and , almost every morning other casualties show themselves, many fine chickens going down with the trouble. All this goes to show how careful one must I be with chick life. No risks can be taken during the first month at least; , after that attention may be relaxed somewhat, but even then care is necessary. CANARY AND CAGE BIRD NOTES. (By “Unflighted.”) RED MITE. Our old enemy red mite is now getting the days which he likes—warm to hot—and, if not kept well in hand, will soon get the upper hand. .Dust the nest well with superfine disinfectant powder, and grease the nest as already directed in a previous article; add I quassia to the bath water; these are I some of the details necessary to keep the pest out. Another idea I always follow is to keep an oil-can filled with turpentine or kerosene in the aviary, land applv to the ends of the perches I or any place where the mites are likely

to be. It not only shifts them, but kills as well. HENS NOT FEEDING. Bad-feeding hens seem to be giving more than their usual trouble this year. Use your own judgment as to die cause. It may be tnat you are worrying them too much; perhaps it is that they are sour on the stomach; or a dozen other reasons. Do not worry any more than necessary. Watch for a little time and, if the lien is listless, try a few drops of syrup of bockthorn in the water lor a day; this is a purgative which is very effective and helps considerably. Perhaps the diet is not to her liking, so add a little soaked hemp seed. Soak for 24 hours in two lots of water, and try this; it sometimes gets li'eus to feed that have refused to look at other food. Vary the green food and see if that has the desired effect. Generally, there is a cure for all these troubles, but it must lie found out by the breeder, and this is only possible by observation and the use of common sense The Palmerston North Canary and Budgerigar Club held a meeting on Tuesday night. A record of the proceedings will be published next week in these notes. It was the intention of the committee to stage a nest feather table show. The prizewinners of each section will be published also next week in this column. 1 QUERIES ANSWERED. After breeding.—You need not separate the sexes of your budgerigars after the breeding season; 1 never do so. All that is necessary is to remove tiic nest boxes after two rounds of young have left the nest.

Feather plucking.—The presence of blood on the birds’ wings and bareness on their backs is accounted for by the fact that when you had these birds ffymg together they plucked one another. Now that you have separated them you will find that their feathers will grow properly. Feather plucking is very common with young birds enclosed together, and the only remedy

is to separate the culprit or to keep each bird in a separate cage until the moult is over. Queries are answered each week free of charge. Address same to: —“Unfliglitod,’’ c/o “Standard” Office, Palmerston North.