THE POULTRY INDUSTRY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9622, 30 March 1917, Page 2

THE POULTRY INDUSTRY

NEW ZEALAND UTILITY CLUB TWELFTH EGG-LAYING COMPETITION FOR FOWLS. RESULT OF FIFTIETH WEEK. Special to tlio “Times.'* CHRISTCHURCH, March 29. The fiftieth week of the New Zealand Utility Poultry Club's twelfth egglaying competition closed on March 27th. Details are: — LIGHT BREEDS. Weekly Total. Total, to date. Brown Leghorns— Verrall Bros., Swannauoa... 12 1161 Braekenfiold Farm, Upper Riccarton 6 1056 White Leghorn*— W. Davey, Wellington 1 1307 J. B. Merrott, Christchurch 14 1197 li. G. Shearman, Ashburton 7 1109 Heretaunga Poultry Company, Silvorsteam 15 1119 H. BaR, Timaru 9 1325 M. A. Currin, Hawera 15 1328 Dalmuir Poultry Yards, Waltham 10 1205 Mrs 11. Graham, Hataitai ... 13 1088 J. Wordsworth. Geraldine... 0 10 or H. E. Ross, Ashburton 15 1243 R. H. James, Marshlands ... 11 1031 C. J. Norton, Ashburton ... ■ 1 1174 Aifrod Eaton, St. Albans ... 9 1160 M. H. Walker, Foxton 0 1063 Qrean Bros. (No. 2), Bt. Albans 3 1198 H. Leger, Levin 6 1189 J. Nancarrow, Burwood 18 1352 Calder Bros, Oamaru 12 1307 R. Pounsford, Addington ... 4 1156 A. W. Adams, Sheffield 10 1238 A. E; Phillips, St. Albans... 3 1157 T. Kennedy, Rangiora 0 1035 V'. J. Hill. Duusandel 9 1222 E. P. L. Masterton £0 1242 T. E. Conway, Kirwee 13 1183 Herotaunga Poultry Co. (No. 1), Silverstream 19 1220 Rangiuru Egg Ranch, Otaki 5 1236 S. Dick, Linwood o KSo G. Gee, Spreydon 4 10‘4 11. C. Yates, Woolston 10 1099 E. P. Amycs, Papanui 9 1222 A. E. Wilson. Shirloy 8 1101 Mrs J. Mills. Dunedin 17 1470 A. G. Brailey, Hiilmorten 0 964 Green Bros. (No. 1), St. Albans 12 115 ‘ Atkinson Bros., Christchurch ;• 5 1216 A. A. Hoare, Martinborough 0 1028 L T: Wright, Annat 7 1247 Te Anau Utility Stud. Ash. burton 14 1273 T. Mcllwraith. West Melton O 1095 R.. A. Lazarus, Hutt U 120 7 H. W. Bower, Levin 0 1164 H. S. Woodnorth. Winton ... 4 10a2 Hokowhitn Poultry Company. Upper Hutt .•■••• 3 1058 Calder 8r05... Oamaru ...... 12 1364 J. B. Merrett (No. 1), St. Albans — l3 1247 Master Jack Green, at. Albans ■••• 11 1311

•Totals 110 57,908 THIRD HEAVY BREED TEST White Wyandottes— T. Kennedy, Rangiora 10 866 Green Bros., St. Albans 14 104-. White. Plymouth Rocks— W. Knight, Lower Hubt ... 21 1129 Rhode Island Rods — A. S. Cooper, (Spreydon 4 990 Black Orpingtons— Miss E. Willis, Shirley ...... 9 U 23 C.-J. Norton, Ashburton ... 16 1120 T. E. Conway,' Kirwee 9 1268 J. Nancarrow, Burwood ... le Hi 7 Miss J. James, Sockburn ... 12 1106 Silver Wyandottes— T. Dowthwaite, Avondale ... 16 1104 A. W. Adams, Sheffield ...... 14 1032

Totals 140 11,957 PIRST SINGLE PEN TEST. Rhode Island Reds— „ A. S. Cooper, Spreydon 4. IoJ A. S. Cooper. Spreydon A -43 A’hits Leghorns— B. S. James, Marshlands ... J -«< T. L. Wright, Annat 0 196 Rangiuru Egg Ranch, Otaki ’ 15Green Bros.. St. Albans 6 25S Caldor Bros., Oamaru a Job W Davcy, Wellington 0 248 j. B. Merrett. Chnstchurch 0 100 A. E- Wilson. Shirley 0 41 Mrs J. Mills, Dunedin ...... 0 .46 . Atkinson Bros., Christ* church ••••• 0 B P. L- Clayson', Masterton 0 226 J. Wordsworth, Geraldine... 0 173

Totals 22 2878 SEVENTH DUCK TEST, Indian Runners- . . W. Knight, Lower Hutt ... 2 1056 Heretaanga Poultry Company, SUverstream IB K4o H. W. Bower, Levin 7 Totals 24 3636 DRY MASH. ... . The results of the Victorian Govern meat’s egg-laying competition where

The results of the Victorian Governtbl!eUais SI "In the tofand not improbably establish a worlds record, is bound to direct increased attention to this simple method of feeding poultry. It has to be remembered, however, that in the Victorian test meat ' is fed separately. just as in this country poultrymen in a large way of business have ted dry mash with success where they have fed fresh . meat . separately at m'dday. We would like to see the results of feeding meat mixed with the mash either in the form of bloodmeal or meat-scrap. Those who are antagonistic to dry mash say there is a needless waste m feeding fresh" meat, as there is no means ot making use of the valuable soup obtained by boiling the meat, but in the cases where New Zealand poultrymen have succeeded under the system referred to the soup was used to mis up the wet mash for ducks. Alter all, dry masn has its advantages under special conditions, and in other cases it is probably not so profitable, even if made as effective as the wet mash. Take the ease of the city man who, especially m winter. has hot the time to give to preparing wet mashes, the, dry mash has an enormous advantage, though where the business is on a small scale he thereby loses the advantage of making the best use of table scraps, waste vegetables. small potatoes, etc. If a man is in the business for keeps it has yet to be proved, even given equal laying results under dry mash, that this system is as economical as the wet system. Under the latter everything can be made use of, while it is possible to exercise the strictest economy by watching the feeding operations and thus giving only what the birds require, ai d thus obviating waste. A great advantage of the wet method is that sk’mmilk—which is not as well appreciated bv poultrymen as it should be—can be utilised to the best advantage. Still there are conditions where dry mash presents so many possibilities that its use or otherwise may be kept to the discretion of the ind : 'dual poultryman. The fact should be miu.aaaised, however, that however strong a, ease may be made out for wet mash the value of the dry method for egg produenon is so undoubted that poultrvnien who have a leaning towards it may adopt or continue it with confidence. No absolute hard and fast advice can be laid down for all poultrymen. ..The successful poultryman is he who stddics the business from his own viewpoint, and adopts

that method which suits his own particulur conditions best. THIS KEEPING OF EGGS.

Gather eggs early and often during hot weather. Do not keep eggs in a warm room. Eggs for table or lor hatching purposes should be kept in a cool room, where the air is sweet and there are no strong or bad odours. Temperature of egg room should not fall below 40 deg. F., or go above 6U. In keeping eggs, place in a box or basket in same position as they are usually found in the nest. Do not handle or turn more than is absolutely necessary. Remember that the fresher an egg is when set the better. Ten days to two weeks is long enough to keep hatching eggs, a shorter period is better, and three weeks should bo the limit. THE HOME INDUSTRY,

Never in the history of the poultry industry, says an English paper, has there been a greater necessity for every effort to be made to increase the production of eggs and table chickens in this country. The war has been the cause of practically all foreign supplies being out off, and we have to rely almost entirely on home production. Appeals have been made by the Board of Agriculture calling upon all and everyone, according to their opportunity, to assist. Better birds, and moro of them, has been urged continuous!/, and many of our leading families in the country have responded to the call. GREAT COOPERATIVE EXAMPLE. In Van Nuys, California, recently taken into the city limits of Los Angeles by annexation, there is a colony of some hundred and fifty fanciers who, through circumstances, were brought up co-operators, and have grown to their present stage without having had to fight single-handed the battles that are part of every poultryman's life. The birth of the colony came about under rather unusual circumstances some five years ago. At that Van Nuys was . mostly a new subdivision, with not much except future possibilities to attract. The soil, climate, and water supply were sufficiently promising to invite investment in small tracts, most of these being five acres. The allotments were sold on the payment plan, with the result that when the lean years arrived there were buyers who found themselves with incomes reduced or shut off, without positions, and facing the loss of what money tfi,cy already had invested. Practical business men got together and talked things over a bit. They figured if they would get some quickly produced crop from the lands to provide a living during the lean period, threatened disaster might be averted. A meeting was hold at which it was decided to investigate the conditions for poultry raising, and it finally was decided to make the venture. There were thirty-three agreed to begin with fifteen hundred baby chicks ec\ch, but. before a_ move was made every one of the novices took a trip of investigation to Petaluma, the largest poultry producing point in the State. The co-operative feature started with the bringing of the first chick into the brooders. It was realised that a saving could be made in contracting for the chicks in Targe quantities; in buying the grain feed and other needed supplies, The saving thus effected, however, did not equal the co-operative feature that was inaugurated later, which was in the marketing. One of the principal reasons now given for the' success of most of the members of the present association is in cheap marketing. “A man does not have to spend half his time trying to sell his eggs. He can put his wnole work on his flocks, is the way they explain. Some of the facts in connection with the colony as it is to-day must bo of interest to other poultrymen. From the 1500 baby chicks allotted to the S 3 pioneers something over four years ago, there are now about 100,000 laying hens and pullets. Only White Leghorns are raised, and the eggs are depended on for the- profits. The production averages about 25,000 eggs daily, indications that this will be doubled in another year. ' It is significant that all of the 83 original members of the cooperative association are still in the game, although some have been more successful than others. POINTERS.

Don’t overcrowd your ducklings. Don’t overfeed your, stock ducks. Don’t hurry ducks or drive them too fast- ' ,

Don’t let ducklings out when it is raining. Don’t coddle, pamper or keep ducklings in houses artificially heated. Don’t neglect to supply ducks with an abundance of material for shelling their eggsDon’t keep table fowls destined for market, a, day. longer, than, they should be kept, but let them go as soon as ever they are fit.