POULTRY IN OTAGO AND SOUTHLAND

Otago Witness, Issue 2511, 30 April 1902, Page 49

POULTRY IN OTAGO AND SOUTHLAND

IV.— ABBOTSFORD. Inadvertently I overlooked mention of Abboteford, where, of course, I visited prior to going to Mosgiel Mr Roberts, the only fancier iii this .district, sending me >an invitation, w,as the only one visited, and as usual I iound his " park," the Fern Glen Poultry Faon, in Al condition, Mr Rx>-ber-ts lias now — .what with .double and single buildings— 27 fowl .houses, each of ample dimensions to accommodate comfortably about 20 fowls, and the run .attached to each is large enough to ensure gross being J always underfoot. All the new building* are oonstruoted upou much the same plan as the -original ones to often reported upon, are soundly roofed with now iron roofing, ond all woodwork is black painted and pointed in white. Mr Roberts still adheres to his system of providing covered reeepTacle3 lor drinking vessels .and draw-oat fUsies for soft food, grit, etc., so that the. -owls can be fed without enteriug the runs; ->.n wheat is. always scattered broadcast iv -lip gra^s. so as to compel work, this fancier "being a great believer in making hk fowls industrious. To this end he has, in the case of small enclosure.' for odd birds for show preparation, etc., provided scratching rooms, containing deep, loose litter, into which the grain is thrown. " Mr Roberts emertains the idea just now that he has built to the capacity of his ground, and consequently may tlevote his time exclusively to hatching, rearing, and -feeding, to keeping things v order and clean, to his marketing, and astly (though not the least important) his incubator-conoEructioii Jiusjiness. Certainly Porn Glen has 'now' the appearance of a fully-equipped establishment, and 1 should fancy that next season's chickens, even if twice as numerous as last year's, will be handled -with far less trouble and risk than ever before. So far as I can recollect it, the entire equipment consists of a proverly constructed incubator room, two large brooder houses, with heating apparatus, half' a dozen, or so after-brooders -for hardening off, these opening into large grogs runs, the 21 bouses before mentioned, 'houses and runs ior spare "cockerels, and others for show preparation. An extra house contains accessaries, -such as jnachinery lor closer, bone, and grit cutting. As xegards the birds, Mr; Roberts has Btill a large number of pullets in brown, buff, and white Leghorn, black . Minorcas, liangßhans, ako Pefcm ducks, and ell are high quality birds, fhe last-mentioned ■being -indeed a "treat to look at for size and colour. Amongst the browns the importedLeghorns — cock and iens — from Terry and t Hurst, of England, are still in evidence, and looking "handsome as ever, and a eon of the mating compares well wath ±he "father. Mr Jtoberts thrnki? these are a little too light in liackle for Mr Maud«'s taste, but I should imagine that stock from them is just what is required in the majority of pens, where, at a rule, dork birds want toning down ; and I anm.v mention that Mr Roberts lias still »■

largo number of cockerels of this quality to dispose of. In conclusion, and briefly put, I would say that this establishment represents my idea. 1 of what a fancier's premises run on a large scale, should be. On a smaller =cale, but equally spick, span, and proper, are the poultry quarters of the next fancier of whom I speak — viz.. .Mr D. Paton, of TtfILTON. That Mr David Paton, of brown Leghorn and silver "Wyandotte fame, is a trus sport no one who knows him will gainsay. As sufficient evidence of the fact I have only to say — -in addition to the little story given below — that though "rousted" from his bed at 6 o'clock one Sunday morning, he came out smiling, and cheerfully showed me his feathered stock. Amongst the browns I saw some very nice birds, the merit being pretty equally divided between the pullets and cockerels. Better colour I never wish to see. and I think I f.ay a great deal when I declare that Mr Paton is well sati/sfied with them. The sire of most of them is, I understand, a son of the bird imported by Mr Roberts from Mr Verry, of England. The pullets have the ran of fully an acre of orchard ground, thick-ly grown in clover, and at the time of my visit had plenty of pickings, if they so desired, from faUen fruit. The cockerels, 36 in number, have a large grassed paddock to themselves, and when gathered together for the morning feed the flock made a most -handsome picture. Indeed, I dou't think there is a prettier eiglit on -a bright, -sunny morning, before the dew hac quite left the grass, than a mob of Leghorns. Certainly their yellow legs, bright red combs and faces, and resplendent plumage -are -then seen to the best advantage. In silvers Mr Paton. aud. I may Ji3 -well ,ray so at once, Mr Double, of Tnvercargill, are the only ones I know of in this district who >will have a sa}"- with Mr Peter Sinclair at ■the show pens. Each of these fanciers is -very strong in this class, and each, I believe, is satisfied be has the hest ! I-sup-pose Mr Maude will be the most competent to decide. JMr David Paton's houses are fcept scrupulously, and always, clean ; they are well built, have cement floore, are comi modious. aud more comfortable from some ! points of -view than many a human habitation. Each house has a -scratching .shed annexed, into which the grain feed is thrown, and to -provide against the -depredations of sparrows — which, by the bye. every fancier should understand it does 'not pay to feed — very fine-meshed wire covers the front. ■ One of Mt Paton's chief amusements among his birds appears to be the training of one precocious young blood of the Verry strain to play Eqer and at the same time respect a flag uf truce. For my edification "Little Bobs" (strange name for a Boer oharaoter) ioug-ht the hand of hib trainer to good purpose, and with absolute fairness, -never failing to halt and -strike an attitude of attention whenever thp ioreiinger of the -fighting hand (representing ,the flag of -truce) was .hjeld up. It appears, however — and I regret ■ to say it — that Lirtle 'Bobs is not invariably fair-minded. It depends, apparently, upon whether a third party is present — a reporter, Eay — to see fair play, for to my -visit I learnt that, taking advantage of Mr Paton's attention being drown elsewhere. . •Lictle Bobs deliberately 'damaged the flag of truce, and so seriously that it hae now to be : carried in a riling! Of "the Government Poultry Yard 3it is i needless for nre to tay -much now, as I \ am -constantly reporting- as to -their progress-: i but I may say that one .can nowadays only I speati of them in the mest -favourable "terms. Considering the short time since the place was established, a .wonderful amount of ' work has been done, and from a building poiivt of view, what with .houses large and small and out-idoor brooders, quite a village has sprung up. The stock compriaeall the breeds now to the fore, and in aome cases they are of the very finest quality, but the palm goes to the Pekin and Aylesbuvy ducks, of which finer specimens are- not to be eeen in Otago. I understand that 550 cliickens and 211 youug ducks have been reared this season, and all were in a -forward state at the time of my visit. Mr J. H. Stewart, the manager in charge, is mo3t -enthusiastic in his work), and, fortunately for the welfare of the farm, has the true fancier instinct, aud knows a good bird when he sees it.