POULTRY NOTES. Br Terror.

Otago Witness, Issue 2660, 8 March 1905, Page 35

POULTRY NOTES. Br Terror.

—My first duty, having returned from mj trip south, is to- miniinke as far as possible the bad impression which I fear has been fostered by the paragraph published last week relathe to the alleged gloomy pro-pect of the poultry industry owing to competition by America in the South African market. 'J?he. prevailing impression created by the report referred to appears to be that a consignment of New Zealand poultry had armed on the top cf American produce selling at a price which would leave no margin of- profit for the New Zealand importation ; whereas the information published was merely a reply to an inquiry as to prices present and prospective. There has been no consignment to South Africa from this colony for a long time now, and the February shipment just sent will in all probability meet with a good reception. r or th© iery good reason that sufficient stuff was not sent by it tc fill orders ; and, owing to the slow way in which birds are coming in to the depots, it is very unlikely that orders for March shipment will be filled either.

— The statement that the Department of Agriculture is getting- sample cases from Canada and elsewhere in order to ascertain the best methods of preparing and packing poultry is also misleading, by reason that it appeared in tho paragraph above referred to, for this face is in no way connected -w ; th the present condition of the South African

market. These sample cases were sent "or months ago, and if past reports, invariably favourable to New Zealand produce, may be relied upon, they (rhe cases) should not be required to show us how to pack, or as a. guide as to- quality — for over and ever again high compliments have been received from England and South Africa in these respects as compared with exports from other countries — but merely to indicate me+heds of classification in the matter of weights an 6 descriptions.

In speaking of the slow way in which bird-s are coining in to the depot. f or export, it should . be noted that I had in mind the large orders to be filled. As a matter of fact things are not, comparatively speaking, slow at the depot, for 1640 more birds were packed la.«t month than February. 1904. To show the sxe.ady -tdvancement made I may mention that fo»' the four years. 1902 to date, the February business totalled 1130 birds in 1902. 1003 m 1903, 1260 in 190*, and 2900 m 1905. February is of course merely tl'-p opening of tho season.

— I commence my report upon my tri 4 i next week, and can promise encouragement therein to would-be utility men who are anxious to know whether poultry-farming can be made to pay, as well as plenty of information of interest to fanciers. I am sorry that owing to rain setting in and making the roads impassable, it was impossible to extend my iourn&y — travelling as I was by bicycle — to the goldfields district, as intended.

— Meters Waters, Ritchie, and Co. (per Mr E. Tteillv), Crawford street, leport : — Poultry has been coming forward freely, and prices are well maintained. Young roosters are in gocd demand. We sold all our consignments at the following priess : — Roosters, 3s lOd to 4s 3d; hens, 2» 9d to 3s; ducks, 3s 9d to 51b birds, 3s 9d : 4ilb, 3s 6d per pair, turkey gobblers, Sd per lb. Export poultry — Hens, first grade,* 2s 9d ; second grade, 2s 3d ; chickens, first grade, 3* 3d ; second grade, 2s 3d ; ducks, 51b birds, 3s 9d; 441b, 3s 6d per pair. Purebred poultry — Cockerels, 2s 6d to 5s each : pullets. 3s tQ 4s each, according to quality and breed. We have also placed breeding pens* from noted breeds up to 50a, per trio. We hold orders for 1000 pair 61 laying pullets- oir one-year hens* either Wyandotte or Minorca, and will bo pleased to hear from those having any for sale. Eggs are coming to hand freely, and we expect prices to rule at Is Id per doz the coming week.

— Mrs M'Lay. who-e turkeys during her lengthy residence in Middlemarch Have never failed to secure a profitable market, is about to move to "Clifton. ' Totara Valley. Pleasant Point. South Canterbury, Mr M'Lay ha\ ing purchased the property named. Mrs M'Lay sold all her fowls in preference to taking them with her, but she retains he v stock of turkeys, and will continue to breed on her nre&ent lines in her new home m South Uantprbuiy.

— Poultcy kcopcra" still continue 'o '"toddle" up the chickens, notwith-tanding t!'c many warnings they rem-ivo to beware and leave alone that which will brine them trouble. Chiek^ns kept thus which

aye not allowed to run in the open air, are almost auvo to have cramp in the-ii lfj^. and frequently all thi-ouqli the body. Wlieu tluv cuddled up the ehulc- leave th?ii owner-, when veiy young, and tl'e few that are .~-a\fd sip -.tuntfd in rlieir growth.

■ — Rixls with white plumage must b" nioulfFd under coicr if they are lequired foi cv.b'l.it.on nurpo->"». Tho d'-l cjio wh.tr feather" 1 * will I" 1 tingftl wirh straw-oolcmr if tho bird- aio rxposrd to tt o .-un and wind while the f<>athrr< avo ovnwiuo. spoiling their appe.ira.nt c f>)i the t>how rfn.*

— The ad\rmt2s rs: ''• u«'m° nonltry manure for tho enriching of land, eithi r a> a- top-iiw^-iiip, c 1 a.ixed with tho Miil. <-av!*";ir. If o-. er estimated. When used a> lop-dresaiu^, it should be mixed with equ.il nails of fine

loam. Poultrj k-oyrr-> in maiiv c.-se=. •].-» iv>t attach aiiv iiYmortanr? to lh-" -o'lltrv

ilvo ">ing : , and oven if ilnv

a; ■■■ u-ed. tiiev

ar." 1 pkuo -el i"> the sun an 1 a!r. n id t'lni lo?c mmv of their valuable properties. Tho

dronpinos should b<i coHcri- d evev fey •'la.va > and s.hii- e d in a, receptacle wnich. will re-

/am the moisture. An old iron tank sunk -into the- ground will answer the purpose. The dronpings ma be put in as collected, into the" ground, a large barrel, or even a §it in the ground, will answer the purpose. 'he droppings may be put in as collected, jind then sprinkled with a thin layer of ashes or loam," a mixture of both being preferable. Plenty of waste water,*, such as soapsuds, etc., is generally available, and - a few buckets of this thrown on top of Bach layer as put in will keep the heap moist and tend to set up the decomposition of the mass. If the heap can be kept closely covered, it will be much better, a3 Ih© ammonia generated will be retained. By a. system of this kind the poultry yards and houses are kept thoroughly clean, and the manure is put to good use. — There are- always soire hens, sometimes a large proportion of a flock, that cannot bs kept laying .through the summer when handled" in- the*usual way ; these it is not profitable to keep in idleness. Too many poultry keepers do keep them until the autumn-. They should be culled out of the general flock, separated, and fed differently, the object being to put them in market condition. They should -be fed a heavy laying ration, with 'little exercise. On this treatment many begin laying again. Those which do' not~ should be marketed * Ss- soon ; as fit,., and those which: lay for only a few weeks' should' also- go to market as they stop laying again. Those *which show a - disposition to keep right ■ on laying should be "given exercise- tc> keep them in condrtion. ~~7An egg farmer should never sell a hying beii unless" "c has more eggs than lie needs, or has another to take her place ; as long as -the hen lays it pays to keep her. The first choice of hens to bs kept, over should b& irbm those which began laying, earliest and were kept, in laying., condition with least trouble^-and for the longest time. If there are not as jnany. of'thfese as are -needed,' some of the- hens that under special treatment laid through the summer should be- reserved."— Poultry Craft. — The selling; of, poultry by; weight has been the subject of discussion in New South Wales recently (says "Utility," in the Mel-bourne-Weekly Times). Opinions have differed considerably, and, whilst some experts have advocated it as the only satisfactory system, others. have^adv*need several very feasible ' objections against it. "There .is no doubt that the producer would, as .a general rule, obtain a. better average value for his stock-if sold- by weight, but trouble would ~be experienced in grading the birds as to -quality, and condition, and 'the .price would -have to vary considerably so as to. b»- fair alike to the purchaser and the vendor." targe-framed and bony chickens in low condition may weigh- fairly well, -but they would not be worth nearly as much,- per lb -as* plump and meaty .birds. Another point' against, selling -by weight is" that birds sent in .from- places in close proximity- to the ~maTket,may-be sold with full crops, and this "would, in. some cases, be carried to excess, causing" an inorease'-in •weight,«-and-benefit-ing .the vendor only. My own opinion isthat until =we; become- more- advanced in .th&. process -of -fattening, poultry for market the-j>researt:system.is--the most 'satisfactory. As* 'the. supply of poultry- increases in quality, condition',- and - evenness, selling by- -weigh* may become' the rule. The remedy rests with- -the "breeders -themselves, and ihey should all unite in' the improving of the size; quality, and. condition of their poultry, so a& fexproduce birds of a . good and uniform

standard^ " >v — Poultry keepers are in the habit of • giving their poultry a little spice . at this^ time of the year, when moulting is going on, and when the egg basket is never so • full as it is during the earlier season. Thereis no doubt that the giving of spices- topoultry is a- system largely abused in many quarters, particularly as it concerns poultry kept' in confinement' in. town .gardens, but. like most other things, it has it& uses, and a little suitable spice- given occasionally is of material advantage, both in getting old birds , through their moult more rapidly (for old poultry always are liable to "hang" inthe moult if the -weather be" cold), and also in bringing on birds-of all ages- to- lay in the autumn, sooner than they would do if leftwithout any special attention of that kind. Where poultry keepers make' a mistake is in giving the wrong sort of spice; they" seem to think that cayenne pepper is the right thing to give, whereas it should never be „used, for it does not produce any warming" effect. What it does is to irritate the organ's internally; subsequently setting- up inflammation of the .liver, and, far from warm-sing-the bird, it really prevents that perfectcirculation of the blood which is dependent on a heal thy, state of the* liver, arid so it" may -be- said that cayenne pepper, instead of warming-- poultry,, tends to make them cold. >Wh»t poultry need in the way of spices is something- of at tonic and at the same time of^ an , appetising nature; and-.tbis "can be made up without cayenne pepraer or any other dangerous ingredient. The following is a very good formula for making poultry spice which is both stimulating and appetising : — Take of- dried sulphate of iron loz, powdered' fcenugreelfi 2oz, powdered aniseed 2oz ; mix these three ingredients, and- sprinkle a little 1 - of the mixture over the soft food — 51 teaspoonful for a dozen birds. This , has the advantage of being- comparatively cheap, for a shiilingsworth will last the poultry keeper quite a considerable time. It may be mentioned that iron in any form is good -for '-^poultry, as it, so to speak,_ nourishes the .blood, and by improving the circulation in that wa.y tends to keep the' bird warm by natural processes, which is "■batter than attempting to do so by irritating the lininar of the bird's gullet and crop by the administration of pungent peppers.