POULTRY NOTES

Otago Witness, Issue 2630, 10 August 1904, Page 53

POULTRY NOTES

Bx Terbob. — The Dunedin Government Poultry Depot received for grading 13,563 birds during the four months April to July (inclusive). Of these 10,884- were packed for export, and 2679 were rejected. As showing the increased business done and tihe improvement in quality of the birds sent to the depot by farmers, it may be mentioned that during the corresponding months of last year "5427 were the total receipts, 3709 of which were packed and 1718 rejected. — The New Zealand Fruit Co-operative Association report guaranteed fresh eggs to-day at Is 2d, and predict Is Id to rule the rest of the week. Poultry: Keen demand for ducks and young cockerels ; hens in good demand ; pullets wanted ; turkeys scaree — gobblers 8d to 9d pe-r lb, 'hens 5d to sj,d. —Do not ,get tho idea into your head that after the chicks leave the hen or the brooder your work is over. It has only begun. Put them in bunches of 30 or less in small houses, and give them a large gross run or free range and feed them. well. Be sure to provide plenty of shade and also plenty of cool fresh water. Don't neglect them at any time. — Plenty of light litter of some kind should be provided for the little chicks.

±nio this tine seeds and grams should be thrown, even if food is kept by them in dishes. The scratching habit should be ■oncoiuaged ; it hcJps mightily to develop the oh.oks.

— If chicks a>'c brooded oy hens the hens should be cooped up, or they will run the chicks too much. When scratching chicks exercise naturally and voluntarily ; when chasing a hen all over creation, they worK too much and rest too httde.

— It is the opinion of several persons who are closely connected with the fancy that we have too many poultry shows during the year. This is, in my opinion, a mistake, for if these societies can be run so thac they will clear themselves, or show a margin of profit, I contend that every one of them t.hat does so must tend to improve and extend the fancy. Of oourpe, all of them canuot expect to reach total entries running into four figures, but all the same, they all do their part in keeping up the interest in poultry in the paitioular district they represent, besides encouraging support from a distance. The following figures will provide an object iesson as to the great growth the poultry fancy has made in Great Britain. There are 640 poultry shows held annually in the United Kingdom. Of these England heads the list with 480, Scotland has over 100, and the remainder is between Ireland and Wales. It can be seen by these figures that it is a comparatively easy task for a high-class bird in England to score at 20 or 30 shows during the season, and this, in a great measure, accounts ior the high figures gi\en there for extra good specimens.

The foregoing remarks, by "Utility," of the Melbourne Weekly Times, deserve consideration by Otago and Southland fanciers who arc sceptical as to the benefits likely to accrue by the' yearly increasing number of shows in the two provinces. In the fanciers' interests the more shows — within -reasonable bounds — the merrier.

— The Alexandra poultry show, held at Alexandra on the <^3rd July, briefly reported upon two weeks back in these columns, proved to be not oniy a most successful ventuie financially, and as reg"ards number and quality of exhibits, but in the eyes of the judge, Mr E. Reilly, was his stirprise of the season. As he expresses himself, "he never saw a finer or healthier lot of birds in his life." He considers that the condition of the birds of the district proves conclusively that Alexandra and neighbourhood are ideal breeding and rearing grounds for poultry.

— With vegard to the champipnship for modern game decided at the show, a pair of pile game (cockerel and pullet) shown by Mr Ferguson, vice-presidqent of the Dunedin Club, scored first prize, and the champioiibhips went to the cockerel. Summarising the breeds in which most interest centres: White Plymouth Rocks was a gcod class. The Alexandra Poultry Farm won pretty well all the prizes, including a special with a very nice cockerel. Minorcas, with the exception of cockerels, contained nothing special, but a couple of birds, the first and second, were very good indeed. White Leg-horns were a good class, one of the best cockerels suffering through showing white in the face. Pullets', of which nine were penned, brought forward a splendid specimen for first. Browns wero poor. Langshans were only fair. Houdans included a number of good birds, superior to any seen at Dunedin. White Wyandott'es were the feature of the show, but gcldens and silvers were onty fair. In whites there were 15 pullets and nine cockerels. Tho first, seeoiid, and third pullets were grand typical birds, but the first cockerel, belonging to Mr Angus Kennedy, was the best white Wyandotte shown iv a strong class. Black Orpingtons made another strong class. In tho cockerels the first was rather small, but otherwise good. Amongst 11 pullets shown the first and special stood out noticeably. In buff cocks there were six shown, the Alexandra Poultry Farm winning with a nice typical Orpington very fair in colour. Cockerels made a good class in number and quality. Pullets made tho strongest class in the show —viz., 21. The first, second, and third were noticeably gcod in top and under colour. The Alexandra Poultry Farm won for the best pair of turkeys, and Mr Noble for the heaviest turkey in the show, a bronze of Mr Hy. Buekland's strain. The selling classes brought forward a very fair competition. In ducks the Aylesbuvy proved the best quality, a drake winning for the best bird in the show. The Pekins were fair, but there was little competition. — The capsules for an incubator are made of what is known as ribbon brass, or copper; it is very thin and tough. Two inches square is sufficient, and the joints should be carefully tinned and then "sweated" together with a fairly hot iron. The thinner the joint the stronger and more flexible the capsule. Before soldering the two pieces of metal p-laoo a piece of blot-ting-paper an inch square between them. This will absorb the ether mixture. Then solder all except one corner, which should bo p<layed open a little so that the ether can bo poured in. Procui"e from a ohemiat, in a glass-stoppered bottle, a mixture of ten parts o£ pure sulphuric ether and one part absolute alcohol. Shake before using. Now carefully tin all rounU the hole in your capstue and attach a bead of solder. Have at hand a basin of cold water. Pour 10 or 12 drops of the ether mixture into the capsule and wipe the place dry. Choose a cool day a-nd away from a fire, as the ether vapounses at 90dcg. Hold the capsule edgeways in the water, with just the open corner clear. t/lose as quickly as possible, without heating the metal too much. You must do careful work in soldering or the capsule will not be gas-proof. This capsule will work at any temperature be-tween 80 and 110 degrees; 101 to 102 is the proper hatching heat.