POULTRY NOTES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 276, 20 October 1938, Page 19

POULTRY NOTES.

THE BREEDING SEASON. (By ‘Brooder.’’) Another breeding season draws to a close, and soon breeder's will again shut down on the exacting task ol management of incubators, care of hatching eggs and the hundred and one details associated with such operations. None blit the breeder himself realises the relief afforded when such work is finished. There is always considerable anxiety, also, to say nothing of the extra work involved. Incubators are sometimes erratic, eggs are not always up to standard in hatching power, birds sometimes lose vitality, thus becoming questionable reproducers—all these things odd to the worry in a breeder’s routine. Ho is glad, therefore, when, with a fair amount of success assured; lie can leave it when the end of October arrives, and can concentrate oil the nurture of the young life the season’s activities have given to him. Then begins, though, a task just as important but less arduous: How best can lie promote the health of the young life produced so that they can lie brought to profit, quickly hut without uliduc haste?

I Outdoor life for all living things is (best. Let others say what they like, the concensus of opinion is now that though young birds can be reared successfully even though they ho cooped or housed • all-the time, the bird out of doors has tile best chance to become that hardy, healthy, untiring producer the commercial utility man deserves and seeks. Where such is possible, eyery freedom should be given for birds to got into the open. Says an old poultryman: “I send my cockerels to mature to a farmer friend who has almost unlimited space; they come back to me fully grown, full of vim and ready for the work for which they are intended.” Very well, if such treatment is good for the cockerel it is equally good for the sister. Granted it would he impossible to transport, say, hundreds of pullets to a health camp; hut the point is this, that birds are often kept strictly to their houses when • they should he outside enjoying the' sunshine, and Nature’s other life-giving things. All who can, therefore, are urged to get their birds outside. There is po doubt that most of our troubles in the poultry world can he traceable to the growing practice of intensive production. There would be less disease amongst poultry hut for this. ROOM FOR PULLETS. Now that pullets are growing, the question to ask is: Will there be enough accommodation available, say, in a few weeks’ time when those youngsters have filled out? That ample

room is essential goes without saying. If, therefore, no new buildings are being erected and last season there was barely room, it follows then that something must go. CULLING.

Culling of birds goes on all the time, for there is more or less a continuous cracking-up under the strain of heavy laying. There are other birds, the pactised eye. discerns, which are obviously not “pulling their weight.” Out these must go. It is not until about the beginning of December that the usual thinning out process begins. Then it becomes more or less a question of age, with, of course, the addition of those quite unsuited for a further season’s activities. Room for the young life coming on.must he found and, as further extension of plant is probably impossible, it > can only bo made by the selling of the hens two-year-old and over. When a poultry-keeper is uncertain of his knowledge to cull wisely he should seek help; any expense in this direction should be money well spent. There are, it is stated, here and there, a few poultrymen who discard all birds at the end of a season, keeping none beyond what is called the pullet stage. They dislike the idea of feeding a bird through the moult. It is insulting their intelligence to ask them to remember that a pullet has to be reared before it produces, they know it. They have, however, reasoned it out that the cost' of feed and attention during-the ; moulting season, with the lessened yield of the second season, offsets any • gain there is in not having to rear these birds again for the second season’s work. They prefer to sell them after the first season, putting the money towards rearing fresh pullets. It is unnecessary to say that there are few of this opinion. Most breeders keep their birds, if suitable, for two years or three, and more if required as breeders. The risk in rearing fresh pullets each year to fully replace others is too great and too expensive. However, our point is that as thought's turn from incubators, let us remember there is still very important work ahead. EGG-LAYING." MASSEY COLLEGE CONTESTThe following a.ro the 29ih week’s results for the eighth egg-laying contest conducted at Massey Agricultural College:

3 6 'BS ' T. E. Kcr, W.L. 1 5 581TEAMS RESULTS. . Section D. , \V. A. Larsen, A.O.— ' « 168 174 176 150 168 167 (30)—1001 G. A. Edge, R.I.R. — 171 115 d 164 187 137 156 d (25)—930 E. W. Stephenson, A.O. — 161 165 149 125 135 142 x (29)—877 L. G. Hooper, 8.0. — 118 130 x 130 156 169 131 (32)—834 Miai E. T. Sonicr, R.I.R. — 102 x 99 156147 142 x 120 (33)--766 Section C. J. Wilson, W.L.— 155 150 171 168 150 164 (35)—958 F. S'. Allen, W.L 162 154 x 165 174 x 154 143 (33)—952 Cotswold P.F. W.L.— 149 x 138 r 156 154 158 169 (38)—924 H. A. Lucas, W.L. — 179 151 159 140 r 140 145 (28)—914 J. Mold, W.L.— 136 159 151 x 152 154 143 (33)—895 F. Ecob, W.L.— 176 93r. 132 154 147 142 (37)—844 “r” —Replace- bird. “x”—Disqualified, egg weight clause, “d” Bird dead. TARANAKI CONTEST. The following is the official report of the 29th week’s test (ended Oct 12), of the Taranaki Egg-Laying Competition Society’s eleventh competition :

SINGLE PENS. . Section B. Mrs 11. Willcrs, B.O 7 182x L. Mason, Il.I.R. 2 T 174 W. A. Larsen, A.O. 6 169 L. Mason, Il.I.R 1 7 165 S. Wilkinson, Il.I.R 4 164 K. Mullins, R.I.R. ., 7 150 S. T. Bason, Lang. S. T. Bason, Lang 1 2 148 3 4 138 Mrs M. M. Chapman,..W.W. 4 132 J. B. Rowlandts, R.I.R 5 109 T. Dowthwaito, B.O 6 93 Section A. F. S. Allen, W.L 4 7 186x J. A. Annan, W.L. ............. 6 174 F. S. Allen, W:L 3 6 170 Ancona Stud P.F., W.L. ... 5 165 Mrs M. M. Chapman, W.L. 1 5 162 A. G. Mumby, W.L 2 5 159 1 5 158 3 4 155 F. S. Allen, W.L 1 5 144x T. E. Ker, W.L 2 6 140 Mrs M. M. Chapman, W.L. 2 5 139 P. Mummery, Min 6 139 F. S. Allen, W.L 2 6 138 W. F. Stent, W.L 2 6 137 A. G. Mumby, .W.L 4 4 132 F. Ecob, W.L. 1 6 125 4 6 123 II. Poison, W.L 3.122 A. A.' Hoate, W.L 2 6 119 F. Ecob, W.L 2 3 113 A. A. Hoare, W.L.. 1 6 109 F. Ecob, W.L 3 5 105 W. F. Stent, W.L 1 4 99

White Leghorns— Cotswold X’;])’ i 5 57 2 4 49 4 5 87 Mrs J. Tippett 1 5 137 2 6 153 4 6 141 Mrs Ai W. Hevell 1 5 136 2 .0 130 4 5 83 C. Hansen 1 5 111 2 4 151 4 4 152 Sunnv Kivcr 1\B. 1 5 116 2 5 85 4 6 81 A. A. Hoare 1 6 154 2 5 81 * 3 3 86 J. T. Hazelwood ... 1 3 79 2 5 111 4 6 161 4 6 134 dead 5 0 . 51 6 6 187 . F. S. Alien 1 5 88 2 6 135 3 6 161 Mrs D. Gotten 1 5 63 2 5 118 3 5 58 Russel! Harrison ... 1 2 117 2 5 125 S. R. J. Moore .. 1 5 136 2 6 140 R. M. Smith 1 5 143 2 5 116 Mrs J. Philip 6 116 Whcnuapai 1\F. .. 5 163 Miss .10. Ladd 4 101 J. Hurley 5 70 Mrs R. R. Cannon 3 130 Millar Bros 4 129 (i. Clark 5 137 H. M. Peck 5 123 Brown Leghorns—• W. 10. Bublitz 1 6 79 2 6 118 3 6 84 Black Minoveas — Miss 1). Swadling 4 104 Aneonas — Mrs J. McNeil — 5 109 Langshans— S. T. I3ason 1 7 175 2 2 145 3 6 130 Black Orpingtons— Norman Ross 1 6 134 2 5 129 dead 3 0 23 Thos. Dowthwaite 5 106 Stan Clokc 4 96 Mrs A. Patterson ... 6 136 C. Cousens 5 140 Australorps— Mrs H. Moreland 1 5 173 2 2 143 3 5 90 W. A. Larseh 1 7 110 2 6 117 3 5 102 J. II. Hurdle 1 7 169 2 7 138

3 5 138 ~ S. K. J. Moore ' 5 121 Rhode Island Reds — J. H. Sutton 1 5 151 2 6 98 3 4 127 Mrs B. Hickman 1 6 169 2 4 134 3 6 94 Geo. A. Edge 1 5 147 2 5 47 3 5 93 J. Rusdcn Salt 2 120 Light Sussex — H. Kirkwood 1 5 152 2 5 68 3 5 119 DUCKS Khaki Campbell— " C. Couscns 1 7 142 2 7 144 3 6 147 White Campbell— Mrs E. Kelly 1 7 175 2 6 108 3 6 182 Fawn and Wkito Indian Runner — Mrs A. W. Rovell 1 7 135 2 7 135 3 0 56 Airs E. Kellv 4 134 THREE-BIRD TEAMS: Light Breeds. Cotswold P.l<\, W.L 5 4 5—14—235 Mrs J. Tippett, W.L. ... 5 6 6—17—431 Mrs A. W. Revolt, W.L. 5 0 5—10—349 5 4 4—13—414 Sunny River P.F., W.L. 5 5 6—16—282 A. A. Hoarc, W.L 6 5 3-14-321 J. T. Hazelwood — No. 1, W.L. 3 5 6—14—351 No. 2, W.L. 6 0 6-12—372 F. S. Allen, W.L 5 6 6—17—384 Mrs D. Cottoll, W.L. ... fa 5 5—15—239 W. E. J3u blitz, B.L' 6 6 6—18—281 Heavy Breeds. S. T. Bason, Lang 7 2 6—15—450 Normnn Ross, B.O 6 5 0—11—236 Mrs II. Moreland, Aus. 5 2 5—12—406 W. A. Larsen, Aus 7 fa 5—18—309 J. II. Hurdle, Aus 7 7 5—19—445 J. II. Sutton, R.T.R. ... 5 ,6 4—15—376 Airs 13. Hickman. R.T.R. 6 4 6—16—397 Goo. A. Edge, R.I.R. ... 5 5 5—15—287 II. Kirkwood, L.S 5 5 5—15—319 DUCKS. 0. Consents, K.O. 7 7 6-20-433 Airs E. Kelly, W.U 7 6 6—19-466 Airs A. W. Revell, I.R. 7 7 0—14—376