POULTRY INDUSTRY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIV, Issue LIV, 4 December 1920, Page 7

POULTRY INDUSTRY

UTILITY SUPREME (By Mr W. E. Boutcher, Australian Poultry Expert.) .'Some little time ago wo stated that Mr W. E. Boutcher, Australian poultry expert, who is spending a holiday in Nelson would be pleased to visit Nelson poultry plants, if desired. In response to the announcement only three re—quests were made and Ills opiu-* ions, together with other iijig iulonnauun are given below). j in dealing with the subject of utility poultry one is sure to bump' a rock or two, but i ask those interested in the important matter to understand that, the writer is acquainted in no way with anyone running a poultry farm in New Zealand, my only ouject being to give my own experience which may be'hdpful lo those beginning, or who may be struggling alone m a haphazard fashion. Utility-poultry-keeping has always been my theme, as after all, the i cai value of a hen lies in her productiveness, and is it not a fact, that, the greatest producer is the most, valuable specimen ! 1 recollect a breeder of Luff Orpingtons challenging advocates of the White Leghorns, but needless to say (he poor once-boomed Buffs received such a doing that, its name as a utility specimen of poultry has passed into the dark oblivion, and sank into the depths of insignificance for' all time. In dealing with this all absorb ing question the poultry keeper, or flic prospective one, take into consideration the class of bird suitable to his requirements and the. district where his feathered tribe js I <» be kept. ,1* <> i’ instance, to pla.ee the beautiful Leghorn iu a wet or damp situation would surely be fatal. J his varity of poultry is not adapted to unsuitable conditions. The utility Black Orpington may agree to being placed in such quarters, but the Mediterranean, merer. Here ! would impress-upon the would-be poultry man the desirability of selecting the best possible position for his feathered tribe. This detail is unfortunately too often overlooked, and results are otten discovered too, late.

THF CLASS OF POULTRY TO ADOPT In launching upon the sea of poultrydom the inexperienced is always confounded as to the variety likely to prove most profitable, and as each breed has always a following, the poor novice is in a quandry, consequently, the danger of taking the wrong road is apparent. 1 mentioned above that the real value of a hen is found in her productiveness, therefore the egg farmer should solely be interested in the class of bird that may give him the greatest return. How is the poor enquirer to obtain this information ! This being the starting point it means much to the enthusiast who anticipates much from his newly thought out enterprise. 1 Slave before me a_ small volume entitled The Dominion of New Zealand utility —-poultry standards". 1 have not gone entirely into this publication, but_ I thinx what 1 have read therein is of very little value to the utility poultry-farmer, as 1 consider the class of bird advocated is not quite a. show specimen, but is surely a good way off what :i first-class •egg-producer should he, and several varletms mentioned would be an utter encumbrance to any man laying himself out for profit, while one or two of our most prolific sorts are entirely omitted. For instance the Minorca, i.e., our present day variety lias been utterly ruined oy crossing for length of leg and back, and, as eggs are not disposed ot by weight 1 tail to see how the Minorca can be recommended to the modem egg-producer. Ihe egg of tins variety is large, and as the producer of large eggs is never so prolific as is she that lays a med-ium-sized shell her presence on the poultry farm is not advisable.. In all charity I ask any poultry man ii he is really in earnest advocating such a specimen of poultry as an egg-producer. I certainly do not. Years ago, when our best and most valuable specimens of poultry were untarnished and pure, the beautiful Minorca was a very useful breed, hut. also, to-day slut I s wanting as the contaminating hand of the feather producer amt long-legged advocate ruined this great .specimen of the gallinaceous tribe. The trend of things to-day is weight and it is weight that is going to nun the egg-producer, as in almost every instance the smaller specimens ax‘e the yield Cl'S, anti the sooner this fact is known the better it will be for the industry generally. The class of poultry to adopt is certainly the smaller .variety. Why, years ago we had two distinct types of Black Orpingtons - one originated Horn the Drain 01 the late Wm. Cook, whim the other was the creation ot Joseph Partington, and neither contained the component parts bf the othei. Cook's was an egg-producer, while Partington’s was what is now known as the show type- one good, one bad, and the sort advocated to-day by many here in a cross between the good and the bad mostly favouring the show standard. I am .astonished at not _ seeing the Langshan mentioned in this valuable publication. Here is a specimen of poultrydom lligt has won all before it at certain egg laying tests at the Hawkcslmry College, New South Wales. This most valuable stamp ot bird started off first, and after a lapse ol two years ended first, showing a remarkable record. This breed, I am sorry to say, has also been contaminated by the hidden hand. Foreign blood has been introduced into its veins, so to-day, while it is a great producer, it is not so prolific as when imported some 1 or 12 years ago from China by the late Mr Wakfe.r. Classes were made for the genuine Langshan, hut insisting on many characteristics peculiar t.q the Black Qiping!on, led somewhat to degeneracy in the smaß-bodied genuine specr men. This bre-d I have not yel s-mn in New Zealand. Bringing the useful breeds down to a few and culling them. T find two which J consider w r ould be most bcneii

cial to the. poultryTarmer. These are the White Leghorn and utility Black Orpington. In advocating these 1 am doing so solely in the interest, of the poultry farmer, as there are no other two breeds of pouitrv likely to do so well, and turn out so profitably as they. The idea of tacking White Orpingtons on to the farm is a monstrous fallacy. Where ever have they succeeded as egg-producers? They have been tried in many places and found wanting. They have failed all along the line, and those anticipating successful poultryfarming will do well, should they be fortunate enough in avoiding the breed known as White Orpingtons, Should two breeds be desired, my advice is stick to the fairly long-legged and somewhat closed feathered Black Orpington, and never mind should the sheen be* green or otherwise, but above nil avoid those possessing short legs and fluffy covering. ' I am astonished to find the standard for shanks given as from medium to short. Here and now I may state that to adopt short-legged Black Orpingtons you are courting failure, and once you are disappointed in poultry-keeping a second start is very unlikely. The Black Onmigton ben portrayed in the publication mentioned is more of a fancy specimen than a layer. THE LATEST IMPORTATION 1 think one of the latest importations is the breed known as “Rhode Island Reds.” Now, this breed, like the once popular Buff Orpington, was boomed, it pays to do so. The Buff Orpington was boomed out of sight, but when it was in tho height of its glory, the results achieved b\ the bleed brought it down to its natur; position, and the ‘•Lincolnshire Huffs’’ as some called them, fell from their high estate, until now they are pract really occupying a most, unenviable position. Ihe KeiL are walking the same path as there good qualities are few in excess of those enforced by their confreres, the Buffs. NO AXE TO GRIND

In speaking as I do concerning the various breeds 1 do so from honest conviction. 1 have no axe to grind, hut- 1 know what are the virtues and vices of many varieties of poultry. Why,- the now discarded Uochme China used to be “an egg a day" bird, but when the “fancy" got it into its clutches it transformed what was “a thing oi beauty" into a none-dc-script for evermore. Those who have studied poultry know only too well what 1 say is true in detail and fact, hut, very often those who know the least are fou ml taking up the cudgels on behall of something they possess- a mere smattering of. RKGIN IN A SMALL WAY In adopting the poultry industry as a means by which you may obtain a living, and have something over and above, it is well to make a humble start. A too big a tiling at first is not desirnine, and will probably terminate in disaster. I have witnessed many start very austeulaciously, but thc\ do not proceed very far before- rocks are encountered. Hasten slowly. Don’t stock hundreds when you should posses dozens and above all, begin right. The right sort, right way, the right place. The right r sort is the kind that turns in profit at once and continuously. The right way means proper accommodation, feeding, and general detail. The right place is not on stony ground, but if possible on a grass run, as there much feed is found, to say nothing of tiie sunshine and evironment. Here I may state, that the right man will always do his business in the' right way. Poultry-keeping is more of a knack than anything else, and this knack is easily acquired by the right individual. : LAYING LEGHORNS i In going about visiting various poultry plants I was agreeably surprised to lind such a tine lot of laying Leghorns, or may 1 say, Leghorns of the laying type. Mi Hay, of .Nelson, is the proud possessor of marvellous stuff. He has his own standard and a good one it is. He rightly discards the show mans theory and doe.s not throw out specimens nut conforming to trie freaks and fancies of the show pen. For instance, should lie possess a cock bird somewhat squirrel-tailed, but otherwise showing good qualities he would not introduce the axe to its .neck, -.sot quite, Mr Flay is nothing if not practical, and I must congratulate him on the hue stuff 1 had the pleasure to see.. The egg-producing qualities of his fine laying Leghorns arc due to his non-adherance to fancy freaks and humbug. Mr Lucas of Stoke has_ running on his premises a very fine flock of this laying type, and no doubtin a year or two, and with care ful breeding, Mr Lucas will he iu possession of a wonderful flock of Leghorns of the right stamp. My most recent place of call was the Mental Hospital. There 1 was met by Mr Jones, Farm Manager, and the Hospital poultry man. This farm is surely good as it is interesting. Here, too, I had the pleasure of seeing many fine Leghorns, and I must congratulate those responsible for the fine display shown me. From the system adopted one would natural! v con chute that Mr Jones and his lieutenant wer© # real live experts, but like sensible men they were not above asking questions and personally, I gained something from thorn as regards housing and feeding. POULTRY AS A HOBBY The busy man who has a few head of poultry as a hobby, is surely a happy being. The business establishments of Nelson do not appear to be. over taxed with birdcns. as I find pretty well all places closed at 5.30 p.ra. Surely this is civilization as it enables the man to cease the hmidrum of trade to attend something different to the ordinary business occupation. What better can man be ’ employed at than attending a few head of poultry, cleaning and feeding them in the' morning, collecting the shells at evening. Is it not a happy and profitable pas-

time? In every home there is always much household scraps. These may be profitably used by keeping a few head of _ poultry. The household rubbish is transformed into eggs, or may be, a Sunday's dinner. HOW TO FEED The feeding of poultry is often a conundrum to many. I have witnessed many peculiar methods of feeding. I once knew of a lady who threw enough maize into the pen to last a week. Water when she thought of it. Others feed iu a hopper enough dry feed sufficient to last a week. This is a very simple and easy method of feeding, but 1 do not think it is conductive to best returns. I have always been a keen advocate of the mash—pollard, bran, and meat. I think we will find that a belter egg yield is obtained by adopting the morning mash. Some may say, why a morning mash ! Well, the reason for a morning mash is not difficult to hud. Poultry are all nigiit and when they t'ojne from the perch iu the morning their crops are empty, so the masly is easily assimilated, hence feeding it as first meal. The mash I like is a good stiff substance composed of pollard, 2 parts, bran, 1 part, with a fair quantity of animal feed, if not the last mentioned, skim milk is a good But meat in some form is desirable. Should the birds be framed away from green stuff, they should, have it whenever possible, too much they cannot have, _ but, should a grass run be available they can obtain all they require. OKIT, DISEASE, CLEANLINESS Those who go in for poultry should know that they have no natural teeth, therefore an artificial set si necessary. This may he supplied in the shape ol broken crdckeiry, glass, or sea shell. Indeed shell should be supplied always asi b contains lime lo form the shell. Shell producing material is supplied in a lesser degree in the feed. Bran for instance, also wheat, contain certain quantities of lime, but the is not sufficient to form a thick covering for the egg. So far as 1 have seen disease among poultry in Nelson is very infmitisimal, having witnessed only one case of contagious disease. Roup is the poultryman’s dread. Where this is discovered among the flock the best cure is the axe. lb is said “Cleanliness is next to Godliness”. • Cleanliness and egg-production go together. Ln|ciean poultry surroundings are the source of much trouble, to say ur of the loss entailed. 1 recollect once seeing a poultry house with the droppings eight inches high. This is lazy man s poultry-keeping which cannot be profitable. The. foregoing is an outline, oi

poultry-keeping generally, and I may state that the possibilities •of th© industry are large, and there is no reason why the industry in Mew Zealand should not flourish and prove satisfactory to those who adopt the profession. Yoiv possess in this hind every facility necessary to .successful poultry raising. The one point I noticed ifi the absence of poultry as a food. Poultry is a better and more nourishing food than beef or mutton. ! A WORD ABOUT NELSON f When I first visiter Nelson, I think it was about 1G years ago, I found the poultry industry in a pretty low state. Then, five years later, or about 11 years ago, 1 was here. You were then the j. ossessors of an egg-laying test. _ This was surely the starting point of better things, and during my stay • here I had the pleasure of addressing your poultry club members. i To-day I find Nelson on the threshhold of a foremost- poultry, centre. The foundations are laid, ' so that- all now to be accomplisheci, is the building up. The class of bird I find here is remarkably good, and long may it remain so. and it will remain so if you choose, it lies absolutely in your own .hands. The district is well .adapted to successful poultry raising so long as the freaks and fancies adopted by fanciers are discarded. You cannot have fancy birds and eggs too. One must go. Which is it to be? Surely not the beautiful! egg producer, cackling and scratching all day from (lawn, to ‘.-unset. The layer Is always off the roost first, on the ' roost last. Thi* specimen . I given fair treatment is sure to turn the food she eats in the ; icofit able egg. In leaving you. as I will in a few days. I offer mv sincere thanks to manv who held out the hand of friendship to a visitor who had much pleasure in visiting you and your beautiful district.