POULTRY NOTES. By Terror.

Otago Witness, Issue 2664, 5 April 1905, Page 31

POULTRY NOTES. By Terror.

— I have seen Mr Bullock's imported trio of partridge Wyandottes fro pulletbreeding since my last week's report upon his cockerel breeding pen, and find that the information I had received as to the high quality of the pullets was fully justified. These birds are really magnificently pencilled, shapely specimens of the fancier's art, one, however, in head points greatly excelling the other. In this trio the cockerel is not in the same class as the bird I saw last week, but his faults are, for the purpose for which h& is mated up, strong and -desira-bjfk points. — Mr Bullock's jflgEiltry house is capitally designed for a couple of breeding pens, each, consisting of roosting accommodation and scratching and dust shed. In the roosts the perches aa-e on the level, and are placed over a wide dropping board, "beneath which) are the nests, which are approached by the birds from one end, the whole front consisting of lifting doors, through which the attendant gathers the eggs. The roosts and accessory accommodation are built at the back of a building of from 36ft to 40ffc in length (I did not measure), and each roost has its own door, by which the birds can be closed in on cold nights. Between these doors and the front boards and netting of the whole building runs a 3fn passage way the whole length, and the birds are confined to the building as far as the front is concerned, including the passage, by small-meshed wire netting. The birds have access to grass plots by exits at the back of their scratching sheds. A house of this description, with nicely sanded floors, and painted to fiarmonise with the residence and other buildings, is, it may readily be imagined, an ornamentation rather than an eyesore to a gentleman's, establishment, parffcularly when accommodating handsome, well-bred birds, such as Mr Bullock favours. The design was. J" understand, taken from tho pages of the Reliable Poultry Journal.

— Oth&r birds kept by Mr Bullock are Langshans (of Mr Henderson's best strain) and black Orpingtons ; But whilst from the showman's point of view the first-mentioned are of most desirable quality — one or two of the pullets would be good for high place* at the forthcoming Dunedin show — the Orpington:; aie preferred by this fancier on account of their quicker growth for the table.

— There has been so muoh point made of black eye in black "birds of late years, originating. I believe, to a great oxtent, as far as this colony is concerned, m Mr Maude's insistence, that it may be -well just now when culling amongst forward chicles is taking place to point out that the- club standard for black Spaniah is eye black, for black Langshans eye daik h?zel to black, the blacker the bettor: black Minotcas. ey<-> dark; black Orpingtons, eye black, with daik lu.v,vn >n-; and for black Hamburg-., eye- reJ

—Mr Northup, of Wa-hin»toii Coumy, U.S.A., exported to B-e-iin (Geinia:iy] r

flock of 19 Minorcas — three cocks and 16 hens — for an aggregate of £680.

— Dried blood has been used successfully as a poultry food, both here and in America and Great Britain. It is a valuable addition to the poultry diet, and takes the place of meat to a great extent. It can be procured at a reasonable rate. — Green food is one of the best tonics that can be supplied to poultry. It is to be preferred to many admixtures of ch&mical food, and, except in extreme eases, it will supply the material required for restoring the bird to its usual health. — Cockerels growing too quickly will often develop weakness in the joints of their legs. The best remedy for this is to give bone meal regularly. About a teaspoonful to each bird may be given twice or three times a week, mixing it in their soft food. Rub the joints with Row's embrocation or other strengthening liniment, and keep the birds on straw until they show signs of recovery. " , — Vermin will often cause poultry and other birds to pick out their feathers. Ihe er dication of -vermin should be prosecuted risrorously, when the improvement made by lhe_?stoek will be surprising.. • — Always deal gently with your poultry. Do not frighten or scare them when, you enter thee yard. Kindly treatment will Boon'make poultry quite tame, and a contented bird thrives much better than one that is. restless and wild. . . --Wien a hen has a fiery red comb it is % sign- that she is engaged in regular egg production. A pale and shrivelled comb ttoe# not always^ denote disease ; . it is in many cases a sign that the hen is taking i rest from the production of eggs. —If fowls' are allowed to run in eh orchard, they will be found of great assistince in keeping down insect pests. Should in objection be" raised to their fondness for -fruit, ducks may be substituted for fowls. - the latter will prove themselves very useful in devouring slugs, worms, etc. — Fumigating with sulphur- is one of the best methods of cleasing a fcwlhouse from Impure odours or from vermin. Close up bvery crevice, then burn a pound of sulphur on a metal tray, placing it in the sentre of the fowlhouse. Allow the building to Temain closed for 10 or 12 hours. — Exhibition birds should be moulted under cover. Pens that will provide shade, md shelter from the sun and wind should be erected, but care must, b& taken to sco that plenty of light and ventilation is given, both being essential to the health of she -bird. — A spray pump, or large garden syringe is a very .useful article to the poultry keeper. 4n occasional spraying of the fowlhouse roosts with diluted phenyle or otheT disinfectant will kill vermin, and will thoroughly remove all bad odours from the building. In warm weather .the syringe may fee used with good effects at least once a week.

-rrThe poultry tick (Argas Americanu«) appears to have- obtained a. strong hold in :West Australia. The Government poultry expert for that State, Mr F. -H. Robertson,, reports that in one portion- of Perth he discovered no less than .200 cases of tick. The position is serious for breeders, and if Immediate steps are not taken, the loss- of poultry will be very large. — The .goose and turkey trade between Norfolk and Suffolk and London was a great business 200 years ago. As many as 300 droves of .turkeys passed in a season over Stratford Bridge on their way to London, the droves averaging 500 each, some reaching 1000 birds. The geese were also made to travel on foot, feeding pn the stubbles as they went, from August to October. About the year 1720 the dealers invented a "new- method *of carriage, being carts formed on purpose with four storeys or stages to put the creatures in one above another, by which invention one cart will carry a very great number ;- and for the smoother going they drive with 'two horses abreast like a coach, so quartering the road for the ease of the gentry that thus ride. Dhanging horses, they travel night and day, so that they may bring their 'fowls 70, 80, or 100 miles in two hours and one night."

— Messrs Waters, Ritchie, and Co. (per E. Reilly) report : ■ — Poultry have been coming to hand in fair normbers, but having received fresh orders for local as well as export poultry, we could do with another 500 Wdds per week. Hons — Good 2s 9d to Ss; others, 2s to 2s 6d. Table roosters — Extra choice, 4s 6d tolfc- good, 3s 6d to *s ; light and poor, 2s*to. £s. DucksExtra choice, ss; good, 3s 6d to 4s; light and - inferior, 2s 6d to 3s. Turkeys — Good gobblers, 9d; -hens;-6|d per lb. Purebred poultry: We placed a line of -Wyandotte hens at 5s to 10s per pair; pullets, 10s to 12s. 6d; halfbred pullets. 4s to ss; purebred cockerels, from 3s 6d to 10s each, according to breed and quality. Eggs, Is 3d per jdozen. The demand is keen, and we exg^cn _a further rise. —Mr L. Jrvine, Bradshaw street, South Dunedin, is, so far as Minorca pullet* are concerned, quit© prepared to get a "leg in." " -Never before, to my knowledge, has h* < had euoh a good show of forward and likely pvuVte at this time of year. The trouble will be to select the best from the crowd of .good ones. In cockerels he is not so 6trong, but though none are good in eye, several are otherwise promising birds. —Mr House, of Musselburgh, has a very strong team of black Orpingtons rapidly coming into full feather. They are of North Island strain, and wonderfully sound at all essential points. Both cockerels and puilets are good in eye. of true Orpington shape, and the majority are likely to finish on the large side. This fancier has also pens of brown Leghorns and silver Wyandottes, both being reputed laying strains, and valued only as such. — I learn from Mr Grensjde, Wellington, that through the act of a 'fox terrier pup ho has lost three very valuable magpie pigeons, which had been nursed up for the coming shows. Included in the trio was a black hen, which had the following record:—At Christchurch, 1903, Ist; at Wellington, Ist and leg in for Bristow medal ; at New Plymouth, runner-up for championship. In 1904-^-at Wellington, Ist, Bristow medal outright,* and North Island championship; Ist Palmerston. She was in good nick for the coming shows. The others were two promising young blacks, one from the hen by an imported Sydney cock, the other from a Sydney imported hen, by a son of the rnsda] winner.

—An offer has been made by the proprietor of a dairy and egg shop to take at least 50 dozen eggs a week from the Lincoln College contest at an advance of Id a dozen on quotations in daily papers or ruling price by the leading grocers. — The loss sustained by Mr Grenside is a forious one to him, as it practically clears liim out of show birds ; but fellow fanciers in sympathising with. him. should see to it

that similar misfortune does not overtake them. Scarcely a poultry or pigeon fancier but has at one time in his experience suffered by the act of cats or dogs, and the reason they do not continue to do so is that, learning by experience, they have now provided against such contingencies. , — A Christchurch paper refers in humorous vein to the forthcoming egg-laying competition .at Lincoln College; Christchurch, failing, 'apparently, to see anything therein other than the spirit of sport. Fanciers who read the reports of the management as they are periodically published by the Otago Witness know better: they will know that there is "money in it" in the shape of large orders for sittings for the owners of winning pens. — Messrs ' Waters, Ritchie and Co. (per Mr E. Reilly) report poultry supplies coming forward are short of requirements and prices have advanced. We placed hens, extra good, at 3s 3d ; good, 3s ; others, from 12e 3d to 2s 9d. Young roosters, extra good, 4s;' good, 3s 6d ; others, 2s 6d to 3s Duck®, extra, good, 4s to 4 s 6d; good, 3s 6d; others, 2s 9d to 3s. Turkeys, gobblers, 7£d to 9d ; hens, 5d to 6d, per lb ; geese,_ ss£per pair. Export poultry: We hav<* received fresh orders for 5000 birds; A era.de hens. 2£lb to o^lb, 2s 3d ; A grade chickens, 2s 6d; B. grade hens. 3J,lb. 3s; B grade chickens. 3s 3d per pair. Purebred 1 poultry: We have placed white Leg- ' Horns at 8s to 15s per pair; Wyandottes, 10s to 20s per pair ; other breeds from 6a to 12s per pair. Eggs, in short suply. at Is 5d per dozen; every prospect of increased prices ruling.

COOPS.

Ever since the wild fowl has been do- | mesticated the question of furnishing homes i for the young and rising generation has I been an important one. In this article an effort will be made to avoid either the extreme of the tumbledown .coop or the ! coop thai costs so much as to take it beyond I the reach of the great mass of poultry | I raisers. I Yesterday^ we stepped over to the home of a. neighbour to see the little brood of 30 ohicks that were hatched from 30 eggs—- | set under hens, the chicks being given to ' one hen and the other hen was reset. . Their coop i 3 simply a goods box with 1 one side sloped so a roof could b& put on. It is about 3ft high >at the. front and 20in high "at the rear, and is covered with old boards. A hole is cut in. one corner to let the birds in and out, and a board is propped up against it for a door. There is no floor to the coop except the earth. We asked her how she liked the coop. "Oh, just fine. I raised hundreds of dollars' worth of turkeys in that when I lived on the farm." There is no telling how many ' more dollars' worth she could have raised if she had placed- the coop on the floor sb the water could not run through it after a heavy rain, or the rats, and minks, and wease-ls* burrow under it after night. Another coop whose style - and arrange-" ment' are -seen quite often if the investigator will keep i»is eyes open is a cut from a hollow log. It -has no floor, and the common fault found with all coops that have

no floors may be here observed when it is

noted how easily Mr Rat enters at any time. This coop has served as a nest while the he-n was hatching her eggs, and, being of a kindly disposition, her owners permit her to rear the family in the bedroom. A style of coop found quite often is made of any old kind of boards that can be scraped up and nailed together. It is set flat on the ground, often on the 6ide of a hill. Rats and weasels burrow under it easily. At night the good wife goes out and props a board up against the rough stakes that are driven into the ground in : front of it. Oftentimes nothing is placed in front of it. This is better for all such coops, for, when a varmint goes into the coop the chicks have- some little chance to escape. But coops that sit flatly uponthe ground, without a floor, and which are fastened up in front, are- simply slaughterhouses, for the varmint can get in easily under the sides, but the imprisoned chicks \ cannot get out.

A square box with a hole cut in one side and slats nailed across it is another common form of coop. It has the advantage- of having 1 a floor, though this will become damp unless raised above the ground. Dashing rains will also cause water to rise in it* and to leak through it from above. Then we sometimes find a barrel sawed in two and placed on the larger end. A coop I saw in a yard a few days ago is simply a barrel ulajed on the side, and with slats nailed across the end. It is perhaps better than none, but .offers no protection against

midnight prowlers. A good summer coop that is found in use among some poultry-raisers is made any size, and of smooth or rough lumber, and hag a swinging door in the rear through which the hen may pass out. It also has a drop door in the front, which is left down during the day and closed up at night The slats in front are arranged so as to keep the hen in when it is desired that the chicks be permitted to run at large. Wire netting of very fine mesh is placed on the sides. The roof should extend over far enough to keep the rain from beating in. I have often used this coop, and always made it of some cheap lumber that could be picked up about any mill yard. It can also be made of boxes.

The coop we* 'like best can be made any size, but we like it to be four feet square-, with slats arranged through the middle, so that a loos© board partition may be slipped between these slats. When the partition is in place there are two compartments, each 2ft by 4ft in size. Into tiiese two hens with chicks can be placed until the. little ones are large enough to wean, when the hens can be taken away, the partition removed, and the entire, house may be given to all the chicks. Other advantages will suggest themselves. We like this coop to he about 3£ft high at the front and 2ft at the rear, with doors at the sides or ends to permit ingress and egress of the occupants. Slat doors may be arranged to slip down on the inside over the opening where the solid door is, if it is desirable to confine the hen while the chicks run at large. This coop is made in sections, and can be taken entirely apart if necessary, the roof and sides being held in place by flat iron clamps, such as are found in bedsteads, or by hooks and screw eyes arranged so as to fasten readily. There is a floor upon which the coop rests. It is 6olid, and the bottom is fastened to two by four crosspieces levelled on the lower side and at the end with an axe. This arrangement permits the coop to be moved from place to place on a farm by hitching a horse to it and pulling it along. A heavy nail may b§ driven uito tUa cuuUdde qi

each crosspiece, over which a link of a chain may bo slipped. It will be seen that this floor has a greater area than the bottom of the coops. About four to six inches around the entire coop is proper. This is whero you set the steel trap at night, and the chances are that you will soon rid the place of nocturnal visitors if you will follow up the habit of setting the traps at night after the chicks arc shut up. This coop has wire screens for ventilation also. It costs a little more time- to construct this ooup, but the average poultryman can find plenty of time during the long winter months.— O. A. Robinson, in Inland Poultry Journal.