POULTRY INDUSTRY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10559, 9 April 1920, Page 7

POULTRY INDUSTRY

N.Z. UTILITY CLUB FIFTEENTH EGG-LAYING TITIONRESULT OF FIFTY-SECOND WEEK. (Special to the "Times.’'’) CHRISTCHURCH. April 6. The fifty-second week of the New Zealand Utility Poultry Club’s fifteenth egg-laying competition ended on April 3rd. Results are as follow: LIGHT BREEDS SINGLE BIRDS CONTEST.

DUCK CONTEST. Indian Runners— R. M. Copland 14 1263 G. Bonnott 3 1249 T. Dowthwaite 11 1241 \V. T. Green, No. 1 12 M4O Mrs C. H. McDougall 11 1020 J. Donald 6 1323 Heretannga Poultry Farm 7 951 W. T. Green, No. 2 9 1251 Mrs E. D. Hunter 2 1912 Totals 75 10,789 TWO YEARS' DUCK CONTEST. Indian Runners— W. T. Green 11 2163 SINGLE DUCK CONTEST. Indian Runners H. Meadows 0 202 W. T. Green 0 234 L. Wadliam . 3 218 T. Meadows 0 162 J. Donald. 3 . 192 Totals .... , 5 1038 *One bird dead. tTwd birds dead. ♦Three birds dead. FIGHTING DISEASE AND VERMIN. It hao always seemed an extraordinary thing to the writer that, poultry writers, and even authorities, still persist in recommending whitewash as the best means of keeping tho interior of fowl houses and fixings free of vermin and disease germs. It is a common mistake to think that because a thing looki clean it is clean. Yet how often a clean exterior merely hides a dirty interior. It is much the same ■with the whitewashed interior! The places that require to bo cleansed — even sterilised (the interiors - of cracks and crevices!—are never touched. Ver. min and disease germs do not live and breed in the liglu and the exposed places. They seek the dark and out of the way corners and crevices, places the limewash seldom or never reaches. Sunlight is their greatest enemy; the dark their best friend. The only way to • fight those fatal enemies of poultry is to prevent them living and breeding—to block up every crack and crevice with tax. Then, and only then, will they bo entirely suppressed. If it is desired to have the interior of the house white and clean-looking, spray with whitewash by all means, but not till the tar has eliminated every hiding spot for the microscopic enemies. In these days of high cost of production, it is especially desirable that the big leak in the business, due to red mite and vermin, to say nothing of disease, should b© stopped in a thorough manner, and there is only one way of doing this, and that is by smothering the interior of the houses in tai. MILK FOE( FOWLS. Throughout the world the value ol milk as an . addition to the food fot fowls is recognised, and where it is plentiful and cheap good results ar* associated with its supply to fowls; but is must bo properly fed. In feeding sour milk or buttermilk care must be exercised not to give too- much, or bowel troubles will probably be noted. The right amount to use can only be determined by experience. Slum milk is an economical food, and good- also for -, the reason that _valuable food substances are left in it, and in addition those food substance* are easily digested. In my own experience I have found it best to mix the milk iu th© bran and pollard mash and in that way it is a fairly good, although not thoroughly effective, substitute for animal food (meal). Other writers say that the milk—fresh milk, sour milk, or buttermilk—may be given to the .fowls to drink, in addition to water. Speaking for myself, I don't like that way, as the fowls’ feathers become dirty and sticky, and flies are attracted, and unless the vessels in which tho milk is put are kept very clean and tho milk constantly changed, there is the v ever-present danger that injurious germs will be developed to the detriment, and the possible death, -of the birds which consume tho infected milk. POINTERS.

As a general thing, the more vigorous the stock the more ■"'ill there bo a tendency to throw cockerels. Cockere's mated with early pullets are likely to give more male birds than pullets in the chickens hatched. Probably the best mating for allround results is that of a cockerel with two-year-old hens. If oilcake is used m the mash instead of bran, the moulting birds will get through quicker and better. Pour hot water on the oilcake, and it -will quickly dissolve. Have the perches the same size, it one is higher than the others, the birds will all make for it, aa the natural instinct is to roost high.

Weekly Tl. to total, date White Leghorns— W. A. Gee and Son .... 0 214 Green Bros., No. 1 ... tl 252 E>. E. Marsden .... o 202 .... 2 243 216 Beck and Oakley, No. 1 ... 0 193 W. Newell O 180 .... 2 256 W. 0. Sail Colder Bros., No. 2 9 278 Beck and Oakley. No. 2 ... i 230 Green Bros.. No. 3 .... !1 281 H. Williams, No. 1 .... 2 270 263 Waitoitoi Stud Farm . .... 1 241 Calder Bros., No. 3 .... 1 255 H. Hunter 220 Calder Bros., No. 1 252 S. L. Beer 249 J. Biggins .... 0 235 G. H, Bradford .... 0 2C0 Mrs JK D. Hunter 225 Black Minorcas— Mrs Roach .... 1 204 H. Williams 159 Totals 5587 TWO TEARS- TEST. Tracey Fang 515 W. A. Gee and Son .... 448 B. E. Marsden 332 Totals .... 3 1295 *TEAVT BREEDS SINGLE BIRDS CONTEST. American Barred Kook— Black Orpington— Green Bros. 234 Black Orpington— J. McDonald .... 0 261 Rhode Island Red — .... 0 42 Totals .... 0 337 EXPERIMENTAL TEST. 'for Light and Heavy Breed*. to be housed continuously. A uhgle pen contest in pens each 5ft 9m * 3ft. Black Orpingtons— C. Benn ■ .... 1 1S6 White Books— H. Meadows and H. Bose... 0 50 Rhode Island Rede— C. H. Bull 67 Silver Wyandottee— Beck and Ohkley 39 American Barred Bocks — Progress Poultry Farm ... 0 116 White Orpingtons— E. B. Vercoe 209 White Leghorns— .... 0 339 Calder Bros,, No. 1 .... 0 185 Geo. Gee 180 Mrs S. Dick 254 S. Dick 245 Colder Bros-, No. 2 594 . E. Marsden 211 Bock and Oakley, No. 1 ... 0 232 Waitotoi Stud Farm .... .... 2 266 Tracey King T. Fazackefly 198 210 J. Biggins 260 W. A. Goo and Son .’ 211 T. Wilkinson 267 Atkinson Bros T. E. Conway 200 273 Green Bros., No. 1 ....... .... 0 245 Calder Bros., No. 3 .... 0 210 Green Bros., No. 2 .... 0 229 Waitoitoi Stud Farm .'. 2 249 Progress Poultry Farm , .... 0 167 J. J. Bowberry 121 Progress Poultry Farm .. .... 0 194 Webb Bros 197 Total 5985 LIGHT BREEDS CONTEST. Black Mmorcas— H. Williams .... 10 1356 White Leghorns— •Green Bros., No. 2 .... 1085 S. L. Beer 7 1324 “"Tracey King 1307 Beck and Oakley 1306 M. F. Blackman 1030 B: Campbell 1047 J. Liggins 1338 N. Stark and Son .... 4 1253 C. J. Norton .... 2 1059 G. H; Bradford 1294 H. Ball .... 7 1372 •Heretaunga Poultry Farm A 1288 J. S. Stevens 1041 G. Bonnett 1292 E. G. Terry 1559 F. L. Ozanne 1200 C. H. Izard nta J. T. MoHarg 1223 *W. J. Chambers 1175 E. E. Marsden ...„ 1575 C. Benn .... 4 1822 •Mrs B. D. Hunter 1203 A, Clegg 1326 J. Nancarrow, senior .... .... 7 1283 •Re W. Hawke 1214 Dalmuir Poultry Yards ... 2 1280 Calder Bros 1333 Green Bros, No. 1 1358 •W. J. Bionards 1050 L. Couch 1360 Master A. Haley .... 4 1222 W. A. Gee and Son .... 1024 D. F. McDougall .... 5 1312 tBeck and Oakley .... 0 854 L. T. Wright 1229 P. Freeman 1295 Mrs Gorinski 1359, •Waitoitoi Stud Farm . .... 1 1089 W. Dnvey ;.. .... 0 1192 B. B. Tomkies 1165 Oxford Poultry Farm .. ... 3 1354 B. W. Combes 1435 .... 1 1077 1303 Banguiru Egg Ranch .... 8 G. Geo 1434 Inder and Phillips ■ 1247 A. II. Skiltou 1290 J. Robertson .. 1491 A. M. Love 1311 D. Graham 1425 C. Thomson 1494 ,T. Wobb 1179 T. Richards 1201 Brown Leghorns— H. Hnuter .... 1 655 Vorrall Bros 542 Totals m 69,231 LIGHT BREEDS- (TWO YEARS’ TEST). White Leghorns— H. W. Beck 254S Mrs Gorinski ..; 2614 J. Liggins .... 2285 Black Minorcas—• H. Williams 2497 Totals 8944 HEAVY BREEDS CONTEST. Silver Wyandottes— T. Kennedy 940 A. W. Adams 962 T. Dowthwaite .' 1160 White Rocks— L. D. Adams 983 American Barred Bocks— D. AlUngham 862 Black Orpingtons— C. H. Izard, No. 2 1117 T. E. Conway 1274 W. Blomfield 945 C. J. Norton 1115 . C. H. Izard, No. 1 5 1113 J. Nahcarrow. sen 1053 Rhode Island Reds — P. K. Knyvctt 811 Totals 12,135