POULTRY NOTES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23205, 1 June 1937, Page 3

POULTRY NOTES

By Terror

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS “F.” (Mosgiel).—l do not know of any cure for a bird that has suffered as you say, “for some weeks,” from the trouble you mention. I have met with sevei’al cases of the kind and all have died. The kindest thing to do is kill, for even if it got well it could never be a profitable producer and lit to breed from. Over-feeding and sunstroke produce similar symptoms, and if the trouble is due to either of these causes pen the bird, fast it for 24 hours, and then give a dose of Epsom salts in the mash. For a few days feed sparingly. Fecundity The question has been asked, “Is fecundity a character which can be passed on to progeny? ” As a matter of fact, fecundity cannot be regarded as a “ character ” —i.e., something characteristic of a bird or species. It is fundamental and essential to the continuance of the species, as essential as heart and lungs are to the individual birds. If the question had been, “Is high fecundity a hereditary character? ” it would be a simple matter to answer “Yes.” for the existing strain of high producers, all created by careful selection for the breeding pens of birds of over average layers, and of good constitutions, is proof sufficient.

Fertility The words fecundity and fertility are often used as though they were synonymous. The dictionary explanation of the word fecundity is: Productive, fruitful, fertile.” In ordinary conversation, one may say that a man is productive, fruitful, or fertile in ideas, but the poultry keeper should recognise that the fowl is fecund—i.e., productive or fruitful —and that it is the egg. and egg only, which may or may not be fertile. Dunedin Fanciers’ Club Show The schedules for the thirty-eighth annual show of the local club are now available. The show will be held on June 24 and 25 and entries close on June 5. Extra classes this year are for finches and foreign birds, and there are selling classes for all exhibits. Judges are appointed as follows: Dogs: Terriers and non-sporting, Mr A. G. Betts. Nelson; sporting and toys, Mr J. Robson. Wellington. Poultry: Game, fanev. utility, Mr R. C. Wilson, Invercargill. Bantams; Mr W. K. Been, Dunedin. Pigeons: Fancy. Mr R. W. Brown. Dunedin; homers, Mr J. Scoullar, Dunedin. Canaries: Yorkshire and Norwich. Mr C. E. Burley, Invercargill: rollers. Mrs F. A. King, Dunedm. Budgerigars, finches, and foreign birds, Mr J. A. Morris, Dunedin. Cats:, Mr T. S. Money and Mr A. Lawrenson. Dunedin. Children’s pets, Mrs A. Lawrenson, Dunedin. Assume Hatchability is Inherited The Poultry World (England) says:— “ The heritability of fertility is in dispute, but until the question is settled it would be wise to assume that both male and female parents are bred from families whose records of fertility and hatchability are above suspicion. One feature of management may be emphasised; the addition of a small quantity of cod-liver oil to the mash will often aid the production of hatchable eggs. The mechanical conditions of ventilation, temperature, and humidity within the incubator are dependent upon the skill of the maker of the machine and its operator. The developing embryo is unable to correct mistakes, although it has certain powers of adaptability, powers that make it possible to hatch with crasiderable success under the varying conditions advocated by different operators.” Influence of Heredity

Heredity is the influence of the ancestors on the offspring. How far back and to what degree this influence is carried is impossible to estimate, but we do know that we can follow the influence back several generations. A good male and female often produce chicks of very inferior quality, the reason for this being that the chicks inherit the preponderance of their qualities from their ancestors further back than their sire and dam. They always do this to an extent, and it was to protect themselves against this uncertainty of heredity influence that line-breed-ing was introduced. Victorian Producers Representatives of the Metropolitan Egg Producers’ Association and the National Utility Poultry Breeders’ Association met recently to discuss the formation of an organisation which, it is proposed, shall include representatives of all Victorian poultry producers’ organisations. The two associations mentioned decided to form the Victorian Poultry Associations’ Council and to invite representatives of all other bona fide associations to join the council. The Battery System “Replacements always on top.” Under this heading Mr A. C. Atkins, a regular contributor to Poultry (England) writes:“My friend, who is in his third season as a user of the laying battery (on a commercial scale), is convinced that the secret of success lies in having ample young stock.with which to replace birds removed from the cages. “He pooh-hoohs the idea that birds lay through the moult, or moult easily, in the battery. His experience is that they fall into the moult with great suddenness, when they seem to lose interest in life and tend quickly to go to pieces. “He therefore finds it profitable to remove them at the first sign of the moult, and while their condition is still good enough to make them fairly saleable. Unhealthy-looking droppings, which frequently accompany the moult, are also a signal for the immediate disposal of a bird. “For the future his aim is to replace all birds the instant the moult commences. This will mean rather heavy replacement costs, but it will also make for a very high egg-average and also a very even one throughout the year. “As now seems general on most such plants, the birds are fed under lights at night, the houses being lighted as darkness descends and the lamps kept burning till about 8.30 p.m. At present the feeding consists entirely of Relicts which are found to be less wasteful. and also do not cause the water vessels to become nearly so soiled as does a mash. “One problem that still remains to be overcome is the production of paleyolked eggs, and we discussed the possibility of using sprouted grain to remedy that defect. I fancy it would be beneficial, not only for that purpose but in a more general way as well. . “His now battery house equipped with an all-metal, self-cleaning battery looks to be a great advance on the original plant which, though it has given excellent results, has required a lot of looking after. "A particularly pleasing feature ot the now battery is that there is an entire absence of lodging places for red mite, or other vermin.- There arc no cracks and corners to furnish a hiding place, all joints being separated by means of rubber studs. It is quite the best thought-out plant I have yet seen and very substantially built. Coal-burning Brooders Coal-burning brooders have been used with great success for many years, but these brood large numbers ot chickens, anywhere from 250 to 300 in a batch, and are of use more for the large poultry keeper or for the poultry keeper who” buys all his chickens m large numbers as day-olds. The brooders arc generally of the canopy type and allow the chickens facilities for withdrawing or approaching the centre of heat as they feel inclined As a rule one of these brooders is placed in a poultry house, probably the house in which they will learn to roost and be ultimately kept as layers. This saves a good deal of expense in brooder houses and only means resting the ground around the house between each successive lot of birds kept in it. Of course, great care needs to bo taken to see that all Ihe conditions for the good of the health of the chickens are excellent, and cleanliness, particularly after adult birds have occupied the house, is of great if not of first importance.

Boneless Chicken from Russia All sorts of ways of dodging the tariff on poultry are being exploited by foreign producers (says Feathered World). The latest is boneless chicken, a large consignment of which reached Glasgow recently from Soviet Russia. A smaller parcel is expected in London. And now Poland is to send us this summer canned chicken, partridges, pheasants, and turkeys—some of which are boneless-—at prices at which* the English producer cannot compete. There is likely to be a big market for them owing to the camping and holiday seasons. The boneless chicken are packed in 101 b boxes, each of which contains from 10 to 18 birds, all perfectly graded for size. Because a chicken loses at least half its original weight when drawn and boned, an actual saving of Ud per lb is made on the present tariff of 3d per lb to which all foreign chicken is subject. Described as “ fatted frozen chicken,” the wholesale price is Is 5d per lb, and the birds are guaranteed “ complete and good quality.” The average price or Russian loose chicken, with bone, during the last two weeks, was lOd per lb. The Polish effort is at the moment shrouded in secrecy and no information is available from the distributing house concerned. It is understood, however, that the price is low enough to undersell any English or Irish canned chicken and compete on favourable terms with good grade fresh English and Irish chicken. Also it is understood that an extensive trade advertising campaign will, herald canned poultry and game for all occasions. Foreign poultry producers cannot receive a greater return than 4d per lb for the boned or canned chicken, while English producers of birds of these weights must make Is to Is 2d per lb to show a slight return for the labour involved and production costs. Final Results from Papanui The following are the results of the New Zealand Utility Poultry Club’s egg-laying competition, which lasted 51 weeks, and ended on March 27: — Test I.—Shaw Memorial Cup, single birds: Leading pens—L. Paton, A. 0., 273; Mrs J. Steel, W.L., 270; A. C. Goodlet, W.L., 267. Test 2.—White Leghorn test, three birds entered by competitor: A. C. Goodlet 754, C. Bartley 746, F. C. Innes 745. Test 2.—White Leghorns, single birds score: H. Williams 279, F. C. Innes 277, S. F. Marshall 276. Tost 3.—Black Orpingtons or Australorps, competitor enters three birds: Miss F. Kerr, A. 0., 756; J, Gunn, 705; Mrs Hollyman, 701. Test 3 Single bird scores: G. D. Hollyman 300, J. M. Davidson 283, Mrs G. D. Hollyman 275. Test 4.—Three-bird test, any variety other than White Leghorns, Australorps, or Black Orpington: A. C. Cooper 487. Test 4.—Single bird scores: E. R. Buckley, R.1.R., 227; E. R. Buckley, R.1.R., 226. Test s.—Six-bird lest (single penned): J. H. Jones. W.L., 1500; G. H. Mitchell, 1276; A. D. Russell, W.L., 1227. Test s.—Single-bird scores: H. Williams 307, J. H. Jones 277, T. S. Dove 272. Test 6—Six birds penned as a flock: G. H. Bradford 1387, J. Brennan 1298, W. Turner 1211. Test 7.—Ducks. Each competitor to enter three ducks, single penned:—G. Wright. K.C., 935; F. Ashworth, 899: J. W. Thomson, 891. , Test 7 Single Bird Scores.—J. W. Thomson 343, J. W. Thomson 339, G. Wright 332. Canterbury Co-op. Poultry Producers’ Shield. —Winner: Miss F. Kerr, whose three Australorps laid 756 standard weight eggs. The Picot Challenge Cu".—Winner; Mr H. Williams, whose White Leghorn produced 307 standard weight eggs. The Evans Cup.—Winner: Mr G. D. Hollyman, whose Australorp laid 300 standard weight eggs. The Red Comb Cup—Winner: Mr G. D. Hollyman, whose Australorp produced 300 eggs weighing 6130 z 3dr. The Perfect Cup.—Winner: Mr J. H. Jones, whose six White Leghorns produced 1500 eggs. The Dove Cup.—Winner: Mr J. N. Davidson, whose Australorp laid 283 GggS. Kapai Cup.—Winner: _Mr H. Williams. whose eight highest scoring White Leghorns averaged 246.6 eggs per bird. New Zealand Duck Club’s Silver Cup.—Winner: Mr George Wright, whose three Khaki Campbell ducks produced 935 eggs. STUDHOLME CONTEST Gold Medal and Certificate. —J. Gunn, whose three Australorps produced 705 eggs and gained the Highest points as exhibition specimens and the highest points for quality of eggs. LIGGINS SHIELD For the flock team laying the greatest number of standard weight eggs, and scoring the greatest aggregate number of points as exhibition specimens and for quality of eggs.—Winner: G. H. Bradford, 1387 eggs. THE ORPINGTON SHIELD For the team of Orpingtons or Australorps gaining the highest aggregate points as exhibition specimens and quality of eggs. Winner; J. Gunn. Reilly’s report a heavy penning of birds for our weekly sale, values for all lines being very satisfactory. Hens —3 at 11s 6d, 4 9s lOd, 8 8s 4d, 1 7s 2d, 17 7s. 4 6s Bd, 18 6s 6d, 5 6s 2d. 17 5s lOd, 77 5s 2d, 2 ss, 4 4s lOd, 138 4s Bd. 8 4s 6d, 73 4s 4d, 4 4s. 51 4s 2d, 21 3s lOd, 12 3s 6d, 4 3s 2d; cockerels—l at 10s 6d, 13 9s 6d, 6 9s 2d. 23 9s. 3 8s 6d, 3 Bs. 10 7s. 12 6s. 1 5s Bd, 11 ss. 1 4s 4d. 5 3s Bd, 4 3s 4d, 8 3s 2d; drakes—B at 6s 6d, 8 6s 2d. 3 5s lOd, 5 5s Bd, 4 5s 6d: geese—4 at 9s. 6 8s 6d; pullets—B at 14s, 5 9s. 14 8s 6d, 7 5s 6d. 2 5s (all at per pair); 14 turkey gobblers at 9d to 10id per lb. 12 turkey hens at 8d to 9d per lb.