POULTRY

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 4824, 29 November 1902, Page 7 (Supplement)

POULTRY

NOTES AND NOTIONS

(By “Cackler.”) A common mistake is to put chicken coops too oloaf to one another. Recently i have known valuable chickens, wmou would bs worth a guinea a head in six months hence, to be picked to death by lb* jealous rival of the mother. The opportunity is aireacy being seised by far-seeing poultry raisers to secure young pure-orecdiiig stock for nest season's breeding operations. An order nas already been placed with one breedc-r for eighty’pullets, principally Plymouth Hocks and Langehans. Black Orpingtons and While Leghorns are also being freely ordered. A young poultry enthusiast of Palmerston spent the savings of a year, JBO, in the purchase of a black-red game cockerel. With pride ho exhibited his treasure at the Manawat.u A. aud P. Association's show, but the joy of receiving a drat prise decoration was turned to sorrow when he discovered the bird dead on. going to take it home. It was healthy and vigorous when he put it in the exhibition pen, and the cause of its death remains a mystery.

In this issue a small up-to-date poultry plant is advertised for sale. It is situated in the Hawke's Bay district, in a locality said to be eminently suitable for egg and chicken production. The plant includes all the paraphernalia necessary to conduct the business on modern lines, permanent houses, incubator, brooders, colonv houses, fattening coops, bone cutter, grinder, ete. The stock consists of Black Orpingtons, White and Golden Wyandotte®, Houdans, and 200 young stock, including Plymouth Rocks, Langshans, and Buff Orpington. Something under .£IOO will secure the plant, and the opportunity is unique of securing an established business. A Cyphers outdoor brooder was shown by the U.F.C.A., at Wanganui, which had been greatly improved by Mr T. Carr, of Wcstmere. The great drawback to this brooder is that if the chickens require feeding the whole roqf has to bo lifted up, when the lively little youngsters trill take the opportunity to hop out, and cause no end of worry and vexation. Mr Carr hae obviated this fault by making a small oval trap door in the aide, just on a level with the floors© that tho food can be put in safely. The idea is to be further extended by making another little trapdoor, more narrow and longer, so that the water trough may be put in without inconvenience to the feeder and the chicks. Another drawback in the lifting of the whole roof is that if a rush of cold air gets in during bad weather u is certainly not’ desirable for the young birds. Mr Carr is to be congratulated on hie ideas. It is evident that considerable attention has been successfully given to pointy* raising during the past nine months, as large supplies of choice young stock/are arriving at the Palmerston U.F.O.A. Ducklings, in the pink of condition, from five to eight weeks old and weighing from 3J to Clb, are meeting with a ready sale. A reason for young ©Cock being put upon the market at this time of the year is te be found in the fact that peultry is becoming mere pepular and is alee being more largely coeeamed o» accennt ef the present high prica at meat. The go® cheques being returned te farmers in the southern districts of the island indicate that dairymen, with a late spring and consequently a poor return frem their staple business, hare been giving considerable attention to poultry-raising, Tho show of poultry at Wanganui was on the whole very good. In. a number of clashes there was practically no competition, bnt in several of the varieties there was excellent competition, and the quality of the birds exhibited was of a high standard. This was notably the case in Wyandottes, Minorcas, and Leghorns. Some particularly fin© light Brahmas were exhibited, and a cockerel owned by Mr J. T. Sinclair, a fancier and true sport of Wanganui, well deserved the special gold of the '•'New Zealand Times” Company for the best bird in the show. Special credit is duo to the owner for the splendid condition in which this bird was shown. It is a matter for regret that the majority of bird© seen in New Zealand show pens are not exhibited in good form, but ’tho defect was net so .noticeable at Wanganui. Gaines were a rather disappointing collection, both in number and quality. The light Brahmas were of exceptional quality, and better birds than those by Mr Sinclair have not been seen in the district and would lead a class in any part of the colony. Only five Langshaus were shown. A small exhibit of was made, a matter to be regretted considering the great value .of this fine utility breed. $ A weak display was also m*de in Plymouth Bocks, another fine general-purpose variety. Just four Houdans were exhibited; again a matter for rogret, for tho French Dorking is a hardy fowl and well suited te this colony. As before stated the Wyandottes made a great show, the Silvers mere than the Goldens. Several of the birds were exceptionally good* and a particularly good pullet of Mr J. H. Manttan's (Palmerston) easily secured a first priee in front of six ethers. Several good birds of the Whito variety were penned. Some excellent Minorcas were shewn, hens, ef which there were eight shown, being the strongest class. Leghorns were the most representative breed shown. J. Cunningham, the noted Palmerston breeder, scored tho principal prises with a fine string of birds. Seme excellent birds were also shown by N. and S. Hughes. One or two nice Andalusians wers exhibited, but the Hamburgs were a weak lot. Practically no competition took piaee in ducks, though several good birds were shown. The same remark applies to geese and turkeys. The meet satisfactory feature of the show was the excellent competition in table poultry, ereesbred cockerels and pullets, for a special prigs of three guineas given by the D.F.C.A.. Fifteen entries in all wera received. These included six Indian Game Dorking, three Indian Game Heudan, one Indian Game Golden Wyandette, One Minorca-Black Orpington, one Buff Orpington-Langshan, one Minorca-Plymouth EoeV, and one Minorea-Buff Oxpiagtoa. The Indian Gamo-Derking crot» carried everything before it, as .it shauld when quality as well as quantity is considered. That, there is money in duck raising has been well demonstrated by the few who are in the business, and remain in it from year te year. There are many who hare made a failure of it, as they would no doubt of anything else that they attempted. It is an eccupatien as wel Efuitsd fer womea as for man. A woman with perhaps the assistance ef a young boy oonld do all the work required on a small duck farm, but a woman alone could easily care for from 50 to 100 ducks without any assistance if she be comparativelv strong. I am a thorough believer in duck raising for either wemen or men, if they are so situated as to attend to it properly.—A woman of experience. An English journal states that tho "poussin” is becoming a popular dish in fashionable clubs. At all the swell restaurants and private dinner nqrties “pouesins” ar© a regular dish, and each guest is served with one of the tiny chickens whole. The obvious moral is. that poultry-keepers should look about them to see how they can make profit out of this fashionable taste. We believe the majority of tho at tho present titue com© from the Continent. and as wo as a nation take pride in our latter-day methods of poultrykeeping, we should be able to produce the chickens as well as the people abroad. Let us hope English poultry-keepers will make themselves hotter acquainted with this branch of the industry. It is one that appears particularly promising from the financial point of new. For tho English markofc fowls of about five pounds weight, dreeaed. are the best vies. They want • bird with a white finish and ski a instead of yailew. aad they object io black legs er feathers on the ]ape. While the Plymeuth Bock and Wyandotte havt yallcw flash and legs, the colour can be influenced considerably by the feed. Oats and skimmilk ham a tendency to make them light coloured.