POULTRY NOTES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22098, 31 October 1933, Page 4

POULTRY NOTES

By Terrob. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS « Small Holder” asks,how to feed potatoes to fowls? This question has been often asked, and it has always to be explained that it depends upon the other constituents of the mash. An approved laying ration should balance —one part ot albuminoids to three parts carbohydrates. One cannot balance a ration exactly to any given ratio. Perhaps the following will «erve my correspondent:—

' The ratio is 1 to 4J and will answer well for egg production, provided a good quality grain is given for the evening meal. Melbourne Royal Show There were about 1400 birds at the Royal Show and it is reported that the quality was good. An interesting fact is that the standard (fancy section) had most exhibits though the utility section was well supported and included a greater variety of birds than usual. The Mainstays An \Australian poultry scribe In speaking of the Royal Show says:—“Although one hears so much about the * Utility * breeds it is the breeders of the ‘ standard 5 varieties who are the mainstay of these displays, ans if it were not for the many beautiful and useful birds provided by fanciers, shows of this description would indeed be very dull. Of the 1395 birds nearly 1000 were of standard breed and even in the utility section many also were standard breed specimens.” Would-be Poultry Keepers There are fours questions which should be asked every would-be poultryman—viz.: (1) Are you fond of live stock? (2) Are you fond of work? (3) Have you any experience? (4) Is your capitarsufficient to buy the necessary birds and homes and to meet all charges for feeding, rent, etc., and in addition all personal household expenses for at least one year without expecting to draw on any profit? If these questions cannot be answered in the affirmative, then the recommendation should be: “Go slowly, go cautiously, for the future is uncertain. If the inquirer were to start gaining experience with a few birds of good quality it is possible he might acquire a fondness for birds and like the work of looking after them, and, in the course of two or three years gradually, and almost imperceptibly, accumulate plant to warrant his keeping more birds. I do not think there i can be any doubt, but that many who are adding considerably to their incomes by keeping poultry, and many who have finally launched out into a large way, have started small and grown in the way I have indicated. Further, I have reasons for believing that the majority of the failures have been on the part of those who have started in a big way with capital to burn, but minus experience,

Always Something to Learn A well-known Home authority once said that “The most important resolution the poultry keeper can make —and keep—is to see that the mistakes made last year are not repeated this year.” “Poultry farming,” he added, “is like the study of the violin, is easily begun but never finished. There is always something to learn.” It is only the novice with three or four years’ experience who imagines he knows,all there is to know about poultry keeping. Perhaps the hardest man to teach, however, is one who wins a prize in his first year with a bought bira! I (“Terror”) have met such, and listened with all the respect I could muster to the valuable information imparted to me. Time—if they will only stick to the game—is a wonderful instructor to such people. The Ideal Sire

! When culling pedigree cockerels anticipate nothing and take each as it comes (says W. Poweil-Owen). By experience you will try to get into your mind’s eye the ideal stock sire and grade up to that. The ideal will be broad across the back, full fronted, wide in stance, roomy and heart-shaped in body, and nicely balanced when in hand. Having secured the desirable frame, next check up for texture or refinement of bone, feather, flesh, and skin. If interested in heavy egg, production you must not err in ‘this department, ks it all represents “ egg ” pedigree. Size or frame stands' for/stamina, vigour, breeding, and rearing power—reproduction; quality or texture represents productive power. Obviously the ideal is the combination, and that is easier of attainment after seasons of selective breeding. Nature is fairly definite in her own -rules of breeding; the bird with the greatest size has the least texture or refinement and the most refined specimen has the smallest bone "and frame, .For that reason there are several types in flocks of all breeds, and, therefore, in all strains. You may have bred for egg production over a number of years, yet still may obtain a few cockerels that lean towards the beef type, being over-large, excessive in tone, gawky and angular, reversions no doubt to some back relative or other.

In all breeding I suppose that members of any particular family line vary because each takes after a different ancestor. It is the same in humans, children from the same parents vary greatly in' disposition, temperament, ability, etc. Back-breeding is bound to have its say, and seeing that the choice of the sire is so vita! to success in breeding we should be most careful in our selections. i Treatment for Worms I There are various methods for the treatment of fowls suffering from worms in the intestines, Santonin and Areca Nut combined and separately were chiefly recommended some years back, and are still used by many with satisfactory results. Nowadays poultry people will notice other remedies are advertised, and generally in - capsule form. One of these which is highly recommended abroad and which on inquiry I learn can be obtained locally is said to be very effective in dispelling worms. It is a drug called tetrachlorethylene but will be known to poultrymen as Nema Worm Capsules. It is said that practical experience has proved that one dose will remove, in the majority of cases, all the round worms in a fowl, and does not produce any harmful effect on the bird. The beet time to treat the birds is at night, and prior to administering they should be starved for eight hours. Individual treatment is much more satisfactory than when the vermifuges are mixed in the mash. It is authoritatively stated that medicines given in the food are only 20 to 25 per cent, effective, whereas a correct dose of the remedy now recommended is, if given individually, claimed to be 80 to 100 per cent, effective. Charcoal for Poultry

The value and uses of charcoal in feeding are too often overlooked by poultrykee'pers generally, although for many years progressive breeders have realised its immense benefit as a preventive of ailments, especially digestive troubles. The special property of vegetable charcoal is to benefit the intestinal tract by absorption of gases injurious to the bird’s system. Acting as a cleanser of the food canal, it secures better assimilation of food consumed, whilst good samples of charcoal are rich in mineral matter such as phosphoric acid, lime, magnesia, and potash, which play an important part in the growth and development of young stock, and especially > benefit the blood stream,” on which vigorous health and prolific production so largely depend. Dominion Eggs The following comments appeared in a recent issue of the British Australian: — “ Eggs from Australia will be here (England! again within the next few days, and the prospects for them are good. English fowls are getting lazy. Germany is buying more Dutch and Belgian eggs, which' were crowding the market here, and it looks as thouah there would be a rise in price most gratifying to exporters from Australia, whence the first shipment is to be unloaded next week. “ There were fears of intensive competition from South Africa this year, since that country is now off the gold standard, and its money is on a par with sterling. But apparently South Africa will not export many more eggs than it did last

season —perhaps 15 per cent, more, which is a negligible increase. The dearness of South African money in terms of sterling last year, which made exportation to this market difficult, appears to have discouraged poultry farmers so much that a number of them went out of business.

“ New Zealand is sending more egg ß than last year, I believe, and her farmers are expecting to realise about 11s 6d a long hundred/ (120) for their first consignments, which arrive later than the Australian. That price, with 25 per cent, added to it by the exchange, as it will be both in Australia and New Zealand, should pay the poultry farmers of those countries quite well. “At present, barring accidents, such as the glutting of the market by rushing too maqy shipments upon it at once, prospects for Australian and New Zealand eggs appear rosy up to Christmas. There will, no doubt, be complaints from English egg-producers of Dominion competition —quite naturally. “ But if Australians and New Zealanders do not sell their produce here they cannot buy British goods, as they are asked to do, and therefore their farmers are right in straining every nerve to increase their output and export of everything for which this country offers a remunerative market.”

AlbuFat Carbominoids. (2J) hydrates. Salts. p.c. p.c. p.c. P- c - 11b potatoes 6.5 0.0 41.0 2.0 11b brail .. 15.5 9.0 44.0 6.0 • ... ■ ■■ —— . —— ■’ 22.0 9.0 85.0 8.0 plus 9.0 94.0