POULTRY NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3231, 16 February 1916, Page 61

POULTRY NOTES.

By Teekok.

In the course of conversation with a Palmerston North Standard representative, Mr A. E. Salisbury, Government poultry instructor, said ho considered that the paramount need of the poultry industry at the present time was co-operation amongst producers. It was absolutely- imperative, he said, if they were to get a fair return for their labour, that they should organise in marketing their produce, and they were up against organisation in both buying and selling. He referred to the good work which had been done by egg circles wherever they had been given fair support. He instanced certain districts which he had recently visited in which the old-time order of things still existed—i.e., the storekeepers buying up all the eggs at their own price, and bartering them for the poultry foods, which thoy also charged their own price for. In these places thousands of poultry had been sacrificed at ridiculously low prices, and tho industry was practically non-existent to-day. On tho other hand, he gave instances of places whore egg circles existed, where the produaers were obtaining remunerative prices for their eggs, and the industry was progressing satisfactorily. The egg circle movement was merely the initial step towards a sound organisation amongst poultrykeepers. The preliminary meeting of the poultry breeders to form an ogg circle, announced in tho last two issues of the Witness, was held on Friday last, and a report of the business done appears below. A question raised at the_ meeting suggests the remark that the d'sabilities under which country egg producers labour, even though they have an egg circle in their own par? ticular district, must continue until the town produceis also have circles. The idea of the promoters in wishing the egg circle now in course of establishment in Dunedin to bo known as the Otago egg circle is that it will suggest to egg circles already established or to be established in o>;ago that in due course all egg circles will ultimately work in unison. At present the Wairaate Egg Circle sends its eggs to one of the Dunedin produce merchants, the Oamaru Circle sends to another, and Timaru sends to still another; and the merchants who do not act for egg circles are not handicapped, simply because they get plenty of eggs from independent town and country producers. The result of all this competition is that the produceis, whether acting through circles or not, are competing one against the other. The ultimate aim of co-operation is to unite ail who are similarly interested so that - they can act as one'. One central agent can regulate prices, and thus act in the interests of all he represents; but whilst there are numerous agents they cannot help competing one gainst tho other, to the loss of the prouucers. One . man marketing for all producers could easily regulate sales. He would avoid glutting the market, he would export or store eggs so as to maintain prices, and he could imance so that producers would not have to wait for the whole of their money till sales were actually effected. It is to be hoped that when MrBrown lectures here in March, as promised, he will have a large audience, for tho more there are present when it is finally resolved (as it should be at the meeting) to form an egg circle, the more likelihood there will be of its succvgs. week of the New Zealand egg-laying competition shows that the leading pen of white Leghorns is now well ahead of the black Orpington leaders, and that, although tho runner ducks owned by Mr Knight, of the Hutt, are still ahead of all the fowls, both light and heavy breeds, the white Leghorns bid fair to pass them shortly. > It seems a pity that the entries for the v irious breeds could not be regulated so that a fair comparison could be made between them. At present no one is in a position to say what the results would be if, say, six pens of white Leghorns were competing with s : x pens of Orpingtons and six pens of Indian runners; and as Minorca and Langshans have both had a turn at winning, even when their representation was small, the same contention holds good ns regards them. fresh green food given now will not only hasten tho moult, but also help tho fowls to get through it easily. season's breeding pen, it is imperative, if egg yield is to be improved, that he should be the offspring of a good _ layer. Crack breeders appear to bo unanimously of the opinion that prolificacy is inherited through the male bird. By this is meant that in buying a pullet it is more important to know that her father belonged to a good laying strain than that her mother did. You cannot possibly improve on the laying of a particular hen if you mate her to a male of poor laying strain. There is nothing that militates against good results in poultry keeping, whether

it bo the aim to achieve show results or profitable egg yield, than overcrowding. It matters little that the birds' are all bred from champions, overcrowding will spoil all chance of either pleasure or j-'rofit. The New Zealand Utility Poultry Club's eleventh egg-laying competition — April, 1915. to May 31, lSlfr, six hens to a pen—completed its fourth-fourth week on February 8 as follows: Heavy breeds: 1. E. Willis, New Brighton (B.O.) .. .. 1114 2. W. L. Walker, Limvood (B.O.) ... .. 1032 3. W. A. Nixon, Burwocd (B.O.) .. .. 1025 4. Cooper & Wainscott, Spreydon (R.1.R.) 984 Light breeds: 1. Jack Green, St. Albans (W.L.) .. .. 1201 2. Dalmuir P. Yards, Waltham (W.L.).. 1175 3. Mrs J. Mills, Dunedin (W.L.) .. .. 1169 4. L. T. Wright, Annat (W.L.) 1151 5. Waikato Egg Farm (W.L.) 1126 6. Calder Bros., Oamaru 1122 7. R. Mills. Woodhaugh (W.L.) .. .. 1121 8. A. E. Wilson, Shirley 1115 9. Calder Bros., Oamaru, No. 1 pen .. 1114 Indian runner ducks: 1. W. Knight, Hutt 120-1 2. G. L. Hayne, Karori 1059 "The 49 pens in tho light breeds (204- birds) have laid a total of 49,606 eggs, the 11 | ns of heavy breeds (66 birds) have laid 9761 eg.gs; and the Indian runner ducks (eight pens, 48 birds) have laid 7303 eggs. A Mr George White has produced by selective breeding the shortest-legged chicken in existence, after 10 years of effort, during which he crossed and rcrossed breeds. The result is a big white fowl that continually seems to be sitting, the impression being due solely to the shortness of its legs. When it walks it waddles like a duck. Tho advantage, says White, is that tho newly "invented" type of chicken is not a roamer and not a scratcher. It cannot get very far, and has not enough of a reach to scratch. The result is that it lives a quiet, peaceful existence, never roosts on a neighbour's fence, and is a busy layer.— New York Herald. With all due respect to the other breeds, I'd like to ask tho observing poultryman of the Middle West if he has noticed how even the scrub Hocks on the farms and in the cities are commencing to turn red. It's very plain around my part of the country. Nearly every mixed flock of birds you see, where the owner hasn't been converted to raising nothing but thoroughbreds, shows a number of red hens and a larger proportion of red roosters. It's plain that the desire for some new blood last year or the year before expressed itself in an order for a sitting or two of red c-ggs, and that the male birds have been kept and are transforming the scrub flocks out here into red roosters and hens, just as the flocks in Rhode Island and along the coast were made over into reds a few decades ago. ' This is not a boost for a breed, but a plain statement of fact.—Ralph W. Cram, in Western Poultry Journal. Messrs Reilly, Gill, and Co. report:— Consignments of poultry were short of requirements, prices for all lines being fully maintained. Eggs came to hand more freely, Fortunately we were holding large export orders, and were able to clear the whole of our consignments at Is 5d per dozen, though earlier in the week we were securing Is 6d for stamped and guaranteed. We note some mention of a circle being formed in Dunedin, and provided that suitable agents are appointed, this should be a move in the right direction.

THE FULL EGG-BASKET. (By T. Uttley.) During the winter months we have to be careful to keep our poultry in a "fit" condition. This is only done by giving proper feed ag and providing plenty of exercise and healthy surroundings. One of the surest signs of bad poultry management is to be seen in a flock of poultry that are not provided with plenty of shelters during the rainy months of the year. No amount of good feeding will compensate for lack of shelter. A bird that is subjected to all kinds of weather right in. the open will soon become a useless article for six or seven months out of the 12. —The Scratching-shed.— It must be remembered that few birds will shelter in their sleeping quarters during the day-time; only when they become wet to the skin will they enter the henhouse for shelter. A light and airy open scratching-shed well bedded down with scratching material and small grain scattered therein is .absolutely a necessity. Great care should be exercised in feeding, for once a bird gets into a "soft" condition or loaded with fat she becomes a drone amongst the workers. Some strains and breeds will often become over-fat. whilst the rest of the pen will be in good hard condition. These birds should be weeded out and formed into a pen by themselves; they can then be brought into condition by lessening the food. A bird in laying condition should be -well fed. The dairyman feeds for milk, for no cow will produce a good return unless she is well fed. To under-feed poultry during their laying period is folly. Once a bird commences laying she will rarely become too fat unless grossly over-fed on starchy food. For heavv egg-production I believe in giving the first morning feed slightly warm. It may consist of biscuit meal or thirds, bran and pea meal mixed into a crumbly state. This meal must-be strictly limited; never allow more than 2oz to each bird. In an hour or so you can then feed wheat and oats. —Local Conditions. — Give chopped-up cooked meat and plenty of cabbage leaves, swede turnips (raw) at noon. Here it rests on local conditions whether more grain or soft food is again required at noon. If you keep a bird in a backyard run every scrap of food it eats must be provided; therefore a noon feed is essential under such conditions. The night feed may consist of oats, wheat, and maize given alternately on separate days. I hold no hard-and-fast ideas on feeding; every man knows (or should know) the condition of his flock of poultry. When birdshave reddened-up and yet "hang fire" for a few weeks they can be -brought forward rapidly by mixing Parrish's chemical food with their soft food. Allow one teaspoonful to every four birds; mix this with water then mix with their soft food. This should be used once a day for at least 10 days. The result will be very gratifying. Mustard may also be used, bu + whereas the chemical food builds up the Wi ds' system and makes blood rapidly mustard seems to act more as a stimulant, possibly to the digestive apparatus as well as the ovaries. Yet it must be admitted that mustard does help fill the egg-basket and appears to do the birds no harm.

PROPOSED OTAGO EGG-CIRCLE. At a preliminary meeting held at the offices of Messrs Bray Bros. (Ltd.), of Dunedin, on Friday last Mr Pattle and Mr Williamson, representing Messrs Bray Bros., explained the object of the meeting and pointed out that although their firm had called the meeting they wished it to be distinctly understood that when the circle was formed it would rest entirely with the executive as to who should be their agent: as a matter of fact the firm now came in ae helpers only so far as their ability extended. There was_ a good attendance of producers at the meeting-, and the subject was thoroughly discussed in all its bearings; many questions were asked and in a manner apparently satisfactory to some of the audienco who were previously nos as fully persuaded as to the advantages of co-operation as they might have been. It was finally decided by those present to do all in their power to ensure a largo audience for Mr Brown, the Chief Government Poultry Expert, in Marcii (next month), arid it is hoped that at that meeting the necessary resolutions will be carried, and with sufficient voices to ensure the Otaga Egg-circle having a good start off. Mr H. P. Harvey, of the Otago Witness office, was persuaded to accept the position of chairman pro tern, in order that there might be a centre from which to carry on preliminary arrangements and from which inquiries may bo answered. It was decided that every member present should forward lists of growers to Mr Harvey, so that a complete list might be available in the event of circulars being sent out.