POULTRY NOTES. By Terror.

Otago Witness, Issue 2674, 14 June 1905, Page 31

POULTRY N OTES. By Terror.

— Mi" E. Aslin, of Mus^lbuvprh. known as a showman of black and buff Orpingtons at the Dunedin shows of the- past three years, has some magnificent specimens in blacks to show this year. These birds (three eodkereLs and &ix pullets of Woods' s Hobarfc strain) are> of handsome, true Orpington type— i.e., low-set, fme in bone, splendid colour (not a trace of purple mi them), broad, and, as a rule, good in eye. Two of the cockerels and a couple at leastf of the pullets should, after due preparation, take a lot of beating at our nextf show.

• — Mr Howe's cockerels, of which I spoke a. couple of months back, though of a differ rent type to those mentioned in the foregoing paragraph, are also progressing \iponi lmes which will well bear the "keenest, criticism, and thoroughly deserve showing. — Apparently black Orpingtons are to bo the leading fancy at this season's shows./

for not only is the breed in high favour ! with beginners, but one-time oreeders of other tancy stock are taking them in band. Messrs Kesteven and Butcher, well known for many years as JDorkmg tanciers, and Messrs Hampton and Tindal, celebrated, as successful Minorca men, all of Canterbury, have imported new strains of black Orpingtons, and many others similarly attracted might be mentioned. — The Tapanui district Poultry Association's prize schedule, for the show to be held on. July 22, consists of a neatly-got-up pamphlet in lieu of the usual large pester «rf former years. The special prize list is of the attractive- order peculiar to this oldestablished club, and, no doubt, will draw the large entries it deserves. Judge Reilly |s to officiate, and Mr A. Munyard acts As secretary,, reoeiving entries, till Saturday, the 15th July. — Messrs Pryor & Co. (per Mr E. Reilly) report : — Largo consignments of poultry havo come forward tine past week, and fortunately for our consignors (anticipating' a large quantity of poultry coming- forward for. the show week) wo bcokedi forward orders and sold) onr consignments befoie arrival, and at very good prices—viz., 63 liens at 3s 3d, 100 at 3s- 6d, 230 young hens at 45, 27 young roosters at 3a 6d, 63 at 3s 9d, 72 at 4s, and 10 extra prime at ss, 18 ducks at 3s 9d, "82 at 4s, 26 at 4s 3d, 12' at 4s 6ct ; -7 gee&e at 65,. all at per pai» ; 17. gobbler turkeys at 9d, and 31 hen turkeys at Sad; per- &. Eggs in been demand. We soJd 263 dozen at Is. lOd and 75- dozen at Is Hd per dozen; and 7 cases preserved -eggs at 1* 3d per dozen* We expect prices t<> conies back any diay.. -Advantages! in Free Kange.— Few people seem to realise the almost absolute necessity of large range for chickens if they •re to get the best results in fertility and Tigour, or, if they do realise this importance they, certainly d- not give them the freedom which, is necessary in order to produce; the best breeding stock. Thousands upon thousands of good chickens ara annually spoiled by too close confinement. They are hived up in some email- coop or yard whore little- 'or no exercise- can be, Jiad, "and in which' the, soil" soon becomes fouL and tainted, making it much harder 'to keep the- chokens in- good health, and consequently harder to get a suitable growth. Ifc not, only tells upon their growth, but the plumage is- also affected" by the lack of exercise and health which go with larger, freer rangje. One of the disturbing lights which the travelling pouitryman often . jees is a large flock of chickens confined within narrow limits with the ground bare of grass or any living vegetation. The birds are dull in plumage, pale in comb, with colourless legs" and a generally dejected and ill-conditioned appearance. This may not be so perceptible to the person /who has never seen a flock of birds kept - under. • suitable- conditions with abundant •green food or- range,- large yards or enclosums; and suitable coop room. There is"~air much difference in the appearance of - -the birds under these- differing conditions as tnere is between the skinny, bony animals- of 'th hucksters and the well-kept, perfectlygroomed horses of the racecourse. The only comparison is really in the fact that bath, are animals of. the same species. They differ widely in almost every other r-espeefc. There is little- doubt that a« many eggs can lit got from hens kept in olose confinement and fed on. stimulating, forcing food - as can b& had from fowls having large* range. This> is; on very 'much the same .principle that a herd of cows iept. closely with only yard room; enough for occasional exercise and fed the proper foods may be made, to- produce more largely than «he same herd given a free range over gpoc pastures. There is, however, something further than. th e mere point of. egg production to the average pouitryman. This is the reproduction of the flock, and it is impossible with any animal living to- get the same strength and vigour and the same proportion ©£. desirable reproduction where the parent, stock have not suitable exercise, . .ftbundanfe fresh air, and proper food. Thus while satisfactory egg-production may be bad from, the- closely-confined birds, every fact goes; to prove that a very few generations of this method of keeping will undermine and ruin, the constitution of the birds, there will be a falling off in reproductive vigour, the eggs will be more infertile, germs will be more and more lacking in ■tamina, a larger percentage will fail to reach the pipping stage, and greafer proportion of those' which pip wilL fail to jjet out and be strong, lively chickens. Of . those, that do hatch a larger pere&ntage will die. even where the parent stock ar.ekept under the proper conditions. To get good market results free range is not absolutely necessary; but' there is little question ' that: free, green range is the ideal' condition for breeding birds, though fowls kept under moderate confinement with an abundance of green' food or a goodi grass run will' produce better Hatching eggs than those deprived altogether of these conditions. — Fresn-laid Eggs in. Winter.— The consideration of having- a profit from the keeping of poultry has largely settled the claimed fact ,tnat more "money can be made from selling fresh-laid eggs in. winter than, can be- had £rom any other branch of the poultry interest. Fresh-laid eggs are a. product that cannot have competition. Nothing but Fresh-laid eggs can compete, and. the production of these during the cold winter months ia obtained only throupn. the proper selecting, housing, and caring for the> poultry that has been reared along the lines of a profitable egg'-yrel*' during the winter months. Six eggs are said to be equal in value as a food product to lib of meat, jays- the Feather. So long, therefore, aa cix eggs do not cost more than lib of meat the people will continue to use them nil along the line, and people able to have that which best pleases them will continue Jo h^ve the eggs for their Er-eakfast, no matter what they may cost. This continued increased demand for eggs as- a breakfast food will consume- the produot so fast as to prevent the cold-storage eggs ever coming into competition with fresh-laid eggs during fch-e. winter months. All' other kinds and grades of eggs will be sold in the market at their value, which will be governed by the suptily and the cJemand, but the fresh-laid eggs that are produced and offered honestly and fairly on the market for just what they are will 1 always bring an exorbitant price during the winter months, and" there is scarcely any danger of there ever being- an over-supply. For this reason, the one dozen of fresh-laid eggs Jjhat may be produced in the winter months' will ofttimes accredit from 40 cents to 60 cents, to the profit side for the hen that produces them. Three months of such will produce valuable profit, even ihough the hen may not lay another eE3 during tbd tatira yea?*

but we know full well that the largest number of eggs will be. produced by all poultry during the early spring and summer months. If they are guided or fed into this profitable egg-yield during the winter months, those who keep them will have full assurance of gaining profitable returns from them during the balance of the year. — American paper.