USE POULTRY INDUSTRY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 9902, 22 February 1918, Page 7

USE POULTRY INDUSTRY

MEW ZEALAND LTSLSTY CLUE

THIRTEENTH EGG-LAYING COMPETITION FOE FOWLS. RESULT OF FORTY-FIFTH WEEK. Special to tho "Times." CHRISTCHURCH, February 21. The forty-fifth week of tho New Zealand Utility Poultry Club’s thirteenth egg-laying competition closed on February 19th. Details are : LIGHT BREEDS.

A BREEDING PROBLEM,

A writer has been criticised for stating that it is impossible to combine the winter laver.witjh the spring breeder, inferring that jlf a bird laps heavily ilhrbugtoout itho winter it is not a‘ one to breed from. • Like many another statement the writer spoils his argument >jv putting the extreme case... If a man wants to breed winter layers ho must lisa winter layers for breeding stock, but the wise ipoultrymain wc-uid never t/hljnk of putting a bird which had just concluded an exhausting laying season into a breeding 'pen. Obviously they are not in a lit condition for the purpose. The -right 'procedure is to take out the Selected breeders several months before they are required, give tlhe-in hs much range Bis (possible combined with comfortable quarters. and feed them on an abscSutely ’non-foTc.vij.g diet, supplying if the range does not provide it. good -reem stuff in abundance. In other wogds, the very best natural conditions imuut be provided , to insure that the birds (will commence • the. breeding season vii kt and las vigorous condition as possible.- In this country far too little al Mention ’ is paid to the condition of the brooding birds. Obviously, if maximum fertility is to be obtained and if a high, percentage of the chickens are to be reared into profitable stock ■ the parent bti'da must bo in the 'best of nick at mating time. The writer has heard a great authority declare, that he would never breed ironi birds which had won' an egg-laying competition. There* is much in bis argument. On- the other hand, unless we breed from the bird of maximum production how aroawe to improve laying -power or even maintain it? The bird that is stimulated to great laving cap.-.ciitv will probably transmit her artificially improved -producing quality. It mrev be argued that if she retires from her laying work to recuperate for the breeding season her capacity cannot tie tested This trouble ma<- be overcome, however, bv testing the breeder's as pullets and retiring the selected one.j in their second season in preparation for the breeding .pen. A great deal of

writing and. talk is wasted cm - extrernathem'eracUl ideas in oonneoliion (with ■poultry. We want more common tense applied ito the problems affecting the industry. Poultrymen would be wise m reason Lnrr tlunrs out for 'themtelvcs, siftinp- itho grain from the great mass of cihnfi that is presented to them in poultry literaituro of the present day, Many 0 failure haw been cn-U'sed *bv ponltrymen eg£lcia!vouring to .follow all the. advice that hpß been offered them. Far better if a man feels rthnt he cannot trust to his own judgment to select a man in whom, ihe Jius confidence, .and follctv his a/lvico implicitly. In dhe_ multiplicity of wisdom there is too often, confusion, and in many cafsfy disaster. The successful poultrvman is the ; level-headed, man who thinks things out for Ihimself, t(nd docs not alter his methods unless he is confident in his own mind that the now idep, presented to Brim is sound in practice as well as in theory. . . MUSTY FOODS. With the inferior foodstuffs so often sold at the present time pool try men should be careful to see that they ore at least clean and free from mustine-s. An English writer observes:— During the summer months numerous com-

plaints, of intestinal troubles ■ are .made, due to polluted water and, stale,’ foods, which set up fermentation. The" daily addition of powdered charcoal in the soft-stood is advised. It is a wonderful preventive of diseasa and a good cleanser of the young birds’ system, also a reliable disinfectant. An turkey , rearing* granulated bone or wood charcoal is most lU'ceysary., coddling weakly chickens is unwise, the .addition of a email crystal of permanganate of potash to all drinking water -will ensure ai clean bill of health. , . POINTERS. -• The’effect of sunflower seeds in* glossing the plumage of fowls whicn eat them is verv soon noticeable. ■ Eggs should he gathered every-day, and then given the best of, oare...-Few people realise how porous tne s A > and to what extent it will absorb the fowl odours around it. In this way,the delicate flavour of an egg is often* demake your chicks stand --and welter in the hot. rays of .summer jnm. Provide for their comfort in summer os well as in winter. Give them, .some kind of shade, and next year plant plenty of sunflower seed if you are* not provided with- trees. -*

Weekly Total. Total, to data. Brown Leghorns— Verall Bros 27 1139 White Leghorns— H. F. Boss 30 1188 George Gee 29 1190 Calder Bros., No. 1 27 1269 W. Stephenson 960 A. E. Phillips *27 1171 .1. Mclnnes 21 975 L. T. Wright 28 1225 U. W. Bower 32 1134 Green Bros 29 1087 Te Arum Utility Stud . 25 1133 Atkinson Bros 31 1024 Hokdwhitu Poultry Co. , 22 1028 S. Pick 20 1172 Ualmuir Poultry Yards . 25 1204 J. M. Alley 13 1032 J. liobinson 23 1031 Itangiuru Kgg llauch .... 25 939 Omco Poultry Farm ... , 31 1128 iieretaunga Poultry Co. No. 1 . 23 1001 Master Jack Green ..— . 20 1003 Smart Bros. . 26 1193 W. Davey , 28 1177 T. E. Conway . 20 1072 Mrs J. Mills 32 1040 T. W. Wilson s S6b ' E. Mills . 24 914 A. W. Adams- . 25 1159 Reliable Poultry Farm . 14 1031 A. G. Brailty 1057 John Stevens • 2t 1021 Pazaekerlev and Son .... . 29 1047 E. W. Hawke j—.- . 21 90V J. Nanoarrow, senr. .... . 24 1128 Calder Bros., No. 2 33. X2bU T. Kennedy . 30 . 914 Herotaunga Poultry Co. 1095 . 27 M. A. Currin . 24 1011 H. Ball . 21 1202 W. II West . 21 1258 A. E. Wilson , 26 1134 II. Williams , '29 1210 Totals ... 1048 45.735 HEAVY BREEDS, Silver Wyandotte's— Green Bros 5 888 A. W. Adams ?o 861 W. W. Hewinson 1/ 9S5 Mrs F. Howell 12 957 T. Kennedy 30 1013 T. Dowthwaite . , 20 850 White Wyandottes— , G. E. Benjes Black Orpingtons— . 32 yyt> Mrs Claridge r 17' - 718 T. B. Conway, No. 1 .... 8&5 .A. S. Cooper 20 926 J. Nanoarrow, senr..., .... . 13 1077 T. E. Conway, No. 2 .... 32 1058 Victor Geo 10 965 E. E. Marsden , 23 941 , 26 1174 Hokowhitu Poultry I/O. . 19 937 Miss J. James White Hocks— . 13 876 H. J. Gopperth ............ , ’33 921 .Rhode .Island Eeds — , * -A. S. Cooper 10 ■ -745 E. F. Oakes , 12 715 Totals 396 18,306 BUCK CONTEST. Indian Runners — W. Knight 21 1312 Iieretaunga Poultry Go. 15 1429 Mrs Gee ....... 7 1300 W. T, Green 10 .1427 , H. W. Bower 14 1507. - ' Total h... 67 6975 SINGLE BIRD COMPETITION, LIGHT BREEDS. White Leghorns— Green Bros. - 6 279 T r ’ G 203 5 226 J. Nancarrow 3 221 Atkinson Bros. ............. 6 - 248 E. Mills 0 97 H. Williams .6 ■ 218 E. H. Taylor • • 2' 230 Te Anau Utility Stud . 0 177 Mrs Mills (5 265 R. H. James 0. 14-1 A. E.' Wilson 0 121 6 E. W. Hawke 0 Minorcas— 5 ’ ’148 Totals 51 3091 HEAVY BREEDS. Black Orpingtons— T. E. Conway Silver Wyandottes— 0 Thos. AVilson 5 244 55, Green Bros E. J. Xtoss Rhode Island Reds— 5 . 159 J. Nancarrow, senr 7 17 787