THE POULTRY INDUSTRY

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8739, 22 May 1914, Page 8

THE POULTRY INDUSTRY

N.Z. UTILITY CLUB TENTH EGG-LAYING COMPETITION TOR FOWLS. RESULTS OF SIXTH WEEK. Special to tho “Times.’CHRISTCHURCH. May 20. The sixth week of the New Zealand Utility Poultry Club’s tenth egg-layiug competitions closed on May 19th. Details LIGHT BREEDS.

THE NEED OF THE DAY.

Much has been said and written of the need for advanced knowledge of poultry-keeping, but the dominant requirement is a bettor understanding of the first principles, the simple rules in regard to the feeding and management of fowls which all who keep poultry must possess if they are to make fowls pay. It may be the suburban resident who keeps poultry more as a hobby or a means of keeping down the cost of living, the farmer who regards his poultry as a mere side line (and these are the men who produce the great bulk of the poultry products of the Dominion), or 1 the specialist who makes an independent living from egg production. It is the same with all these men. Only those who have a sound knowledge of first essentials will succeed. The day has come when haphazard methods are doomed to disaster in any phase of primary production. All industries of the soil must now be regarded from a strictly business point of view. For instance, it is imperative that fowls must be fed to the very best advantage. but the cost of good, and at certain seasons high, feeding would be an economic mistake if the stock so fed be of low productive capacity. The common mistake is to secure good, utility stock from the many suppliers of these, and treat them as though they were just ordinary barn-door fowls. The only really profitable fowl is the one of specialised laying powei. bred from birds of proved egg-laying performance, but it is essential to good results that they be fed and managed to the best advantage. They must bo housed and be protected from adverse weather conditions so that the demand on the food supply for the bodily requirements of the fowl may be as small as possible in order that the maximum proportion may be available for the production of eggs. It will enable poultry men to appreciate this essential truth if it be remembered that there is no animal which for its size produces such a high volume of a valuable food commodity. It is realised that many poultrymen complain that they have not the means of securing the necessary information in regard to one of the first requirements —the construction of the winter-egg poultry house. There is really little need for this complaint. All that is required is an open-front and deep house, so that the birds may have an ample scratching place in front of their roosting quarters. The situation of the house will depend on the locality and the direction of the prevailing winds. If the winds are very strong from the north —and it is necessary that the houses face the north that thev may secure all the suu that is possible—it may bo necessary to

lioard up a third of the front. The main essential is that the fowls should bo fed under shelter in the morning, instead of being allowed to hang about a wot yard, may bo for hours, hungry for food. With good scratching accommodation, a layer of clean litter in a roomy house, and the feeding of the evening grain ration in this, the birds will have every opportunity for warming themselves up on a cold morning in scratching for loose grains left over from the evening meal. As to the best food for the laying hen the rations at the laying competition should be a good enough guide for any intelligent poultryman. Equal in importance to good housing and sane feeding is the question of cleanliness, the only means of chocking vermin, and the best way of warding off disease. Then comes ample supplies of green food, grit and clean water. Not until these fundamental requirements are mastered will it be nose to burden oneself with breeding A final word. The personal equation enters largely into successful poultry operations. A man must have some enthusiasm for the business and have an appreciation for details, combined with which ho must adopt business methods, for purchasing foodstuffs in tho cheapest markets and at the best season is just as important as selling his products to tho host advantage. The business of poultry-keeping is not for the failures in life, but for keen intelligent men. CLEANLINESS.

A bettor appreciation of cleanliness is one of the greatest needs of the age we live in, but there is nothing where tiiis vital essential to health and well-being is more important than in poultry-keeping. At tho recent poultry conference, the manager of the poultry department of tho Ruakura Experimental Farm, Mr Cussins, in order to stress the importance of constitution in poultry stock, suggcsted_ as a, good idea that a ‘ ‘Constitution Farm” would ho a good title for a poultryman’s plant. This suggestion of the Ruakura expert is good, but important as constitution is, tho writer believes that cleanliness is even more so. Evidently tho Chief Poultry Expert attaches great importance to cleanliness, as ho says this of it in the last issue of the Journal of Agriculture; —‘‘The hen, and even in greater degree tho pullet, cannot bo expected to lay to the best advantage if its only opportunity to exercise is on a stalo aud filthy run. Where the alternate run (a most important provision) is not available, it is necessary, especially where the soil is of a retentive nature, that it be turned over at frequent intervals. Poultry-sick soil is obviously not conducive to the maintenance of the birds iu the best health, which is imperative if they are to lay to the best advantage. It is sound economy to put a netting partition down the middle of a run, and keep the birds off one half in order to give the grass on the other portion a chance to come away. Thero is nothing more conducive to heavy laying than a fresh grass run. The clean run (and there is no better means of making a run clean than by the production of new grass) is just as necessary an the clean house. The best way of ensuring the winter egg is by the use of the deep open-fronted house, in which the birds can be fed inside and confined in comfort in unfavourable weather. In some districts the money saved by thus protecting the grain from sparrows would in one season more than compensate for the cost of making houses of sufficient depth to confine birds and feed them under cover. There is everything in favour of feeding in the house. Certainly the best results from grainfeeding are obtained when the birds are given their ration in litter and, having to scratch for it, are forced to take their share in a gradual manner. This keeping of tho birds under shelter all the time during wet weather has another compensation—it enables the eggs to be secured in a clean condition. There is mope in this than is generally supposed. Tho washed egg never presents the attractive appearance of the egg taken from tho nest in an absolutely clean state. And is there nothing iu the saving of labour in. washing eggs—One of tho most disagreeable things associated with tho ordinary methods of egg-production ? I have known many a promising youth lost to tho business by reason of having to wash practically every egg produced. Clean nests are, of course, essential. If any difficulty is experienced in securing a sufficient supply of good nesting material, clean gritty sand will bo found excellent for the purpose, as, if a little of this does adhere, it can bo easily brushed oil without affecting the desired bloom of the egg.” ENGLISH LEGHORNS LEADING. In view of the fact that the White Leghorn has been taking a back seat in. England as a layer,,it is interesting to record that an English breeder who has sent out two pens to compete in the South Australian competition at Parafield, was leading at the end of tho first three weeks. There are ten birds to a pen in this test, and one of the English pens laid 134 eggs in the three weeks. It says a lot for tho birds that they should put up such good work after the long sea voyage from England. There are 51 pens competing. Tho owner of tho Home pen, Tom Barron, recently won a competition in America, At the Parafield competition a test is being conducted of single birds, there being five competitors in the • light sections and four in the heavy.

Total Total for to Week. Date. Brown. Leghorns— Vorrall Bros., Swannanoa. ... 1" 93 White Leghorns— VV. Mercer < Ho wick ? 1® VerraJI Bios., Swannanoa ... lo <« Dominion P. Plant, Coromandcl i 8 82 Hoietauuga P.C., Silverstream, No. 2 13 88 Glencoe Poultry Rauch, Ka24 W. U. Sail. Cust 0 rt \ A. E. Browne, Potane, H.B. U oJ Mrs J. Mills. Dunedin -J v ~v G. Clarke, Christchurch, iSB. Eangiuru Egg Ranch, Otakx G. Bonuett. Spreydon - 13 72 16 1.15 D. Y. Gibson, Herbert 25 1130 Reliable P. Farm, Sandi21 no Wainoiu P. Farm, Auckland 21 1(16 J. Wordsworth, Geraldine ... 2i 111 H. S. Wooduorth, Wmton — 5 8 H. F. Herbert, Linwood 6 32 H. Leger, Levin 10 41 T. Mcllwraith, West Melton 16 49 T. White West Shore, Nopier . .............. 12 24 T. V’o*.e. Carterton 2i H. P. L. Clayson. Lketahuna 20 47 R. James, Marshlands 14 43 N. Solomon, Westport 26 124 B. A. Lazarus. Hutt —• 142 Heretaunffa P.C.. Silverstream. No. 1 - 27 142 Wainoni P. Farm, Auckland 23 91 J. W. Green, St. Albans ... 25 78 Willis and. Son. New Bngh25 105 G. Clark©, Christchurch ... 26 47 J. Corrie. Beckenham . 0 0 M. Stewart. Christchurch ... 3 3 A. G. Brailey, Hillraorten — • 4 4 A. W. Adams, Sheffield 26 117 Calder Bros., Oamaru 21 71 L. T. Wright, Anoat ... 10 58 W. E. Green, St. Albans — 13 38 W. Davey, Wellington 5 7 B. W. Hawke, Papanui 24 153 B.C. White Leghorns— J. W. Green, St. Albans ... 5 10 Black Minorcao — T. Krarup. Palmerston N, 20 68 Totals - 673 2921 • HEAVY BREEDS. White Wyandottes— T. Kennedy. Eangiora 10 58 White Bocks— J. B. Merrett, St. Albans _. 3 16 Bail Orpingtons— T. Fazackerley, Woolston ... 23 158 Black Wyandottes— Mrs J. W. Green, St. Albans 11 55 W. Scull, St. Albans 13 65 Black Orpingtons— B. Munger, Hutt 22 84 Miss Eita Nixon 31 152 Miss B. E. Laiug, Papanui 7 ■ 45 A. B. Browne, Petane, HJ3. 6 38 E. Willis, Shirley 20 70 J. B. Merrett, St. Albans ... 14 72 Silver Wyandottes— J. B. Merrett, St. Albans 6 ' 13 A. W. Adkins, Sheffield 0 2 J. Ashton, Hanmer Springs 18 ' 62 T. Kennedy, Eangiora — 13 60 T. Wilson, Marshlands 13 60 W. E. Green, St. Aibans ... 15 37 K. Roxburgh, Belfast 6 13 Totals - — — 233 . 1060 DECKS. Indian Runners — T. Dowthwaite, Avondale ... 0 0 Heretaunga P.C., Silverstream 21 78 Wainoni P. Farm Grecnithe, A 0 0 Glencoe Ranch, Karori 15 64 Evans and Johnstone 7 21 P. B. HalJ, Levin 0 0 Totals 43 163