POULTRY NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3234, 8 March 1916, Page 61

POULTRY NOTES.

By Terbok.

—An attempt to get into correspondence with Mr Fred Brown, the Government chiof poultry expert, relative to his promised visit to bunedin to lecture on the benefits to be derived by poultry-breeders co-operating by means of egg-circles has so tar resulted in a letter from the Agricultural Department, saying that Mr F. Brown is at present away from Wellington, but that he will attend to the matter on his return to that city. —At the annual meeting of the Framlingham Agricultural Co-operative Society, which specialises in eggs, it was stated that in 1904, when operations were commenced, 453,079 eggs were collected and sold, but this year the number has grown to 6,696,012, while the total for the past 12 years is 37,186,658. The price paid for eggs this year was one-third higher than that given in 1914. The membership of the society is 900, and they will receive £785 this year as bonus. The society's capital is only £1609, and the year's turnover £46,000. Eggsellent! " « "Curious." —My opinion is that all the instruments or machines placed in the markets to date by means of which, it is alleged, sex can be detected in the egg, are all, without exception, quite useless. Before you buy one you will be wise to stipulate for a trial, and the trial should be made not upon an egg, but upon adult roosters and hens! If in your hands the machine moves pendulum fashion, or rotates according to the sex as you see it, you will be justified in beginning to imagine that it might act with similar accuracy over an egg. I say "beginning" and "might," because you will have no assurance even then, for science tells us that there is no sex in the egg until after incubation has progressed to a certain stage —i.e., the embryo chick is at first sexless. It has all_ the organs of sex, but in the course of incubation they develop the malcness or femaleness according to influences which are not understood.

The careless feeding of poultry causes much waste of food, particularly in the winter time, when it is trampled under foot. The proper way to feed fowls in wet weather is to throw it into litter which is dry because under cover. With regard to mash foods, they should be fed in troughs or on- to clean boards unless it can be thrown on to clean grass. _— A great deal of food is wasted, particularly at this season, by being fed to cockerels which have already acquired their maximum weight. These birds should be killed off and eaten or sold, because they are absorbing the profits which should now bo forthcoming from the pullets. The same remark applies to old hens which have passed beyond the age of profitable egg production.

Poultry-keepers will do well if they now inspect all poultry-houses and sheds for crevices in roofs and walls. Unless the roofs are rain-proof and the walls draughtproof fowls cannot be kept healthy. Birds can be successfully reared on the dry mash system or on wet mashes, but the general practice amongst experts seems to lean to the wet mash, alternated with dry grain. The dry mash is favoured, apparently, because it is easy; but, excepting in_ the matter of labour, it is not economical.

A lady poultry instructress, lecturing in Scotland, was asked: 'Could you tell mo, miss, from your experience, what breed of poultry pays best?" "Easily that, my friend," came the answer. "The breed that is best managed!"

The New Zealand Utility Poultry Club's eleventh egg-laying competitionApril. 1915, to May 31, 1916, six hens to a pen—completed its forty-seventh week on February 29, as follows: Heavy breeds: 1. E. Willis, New Brighton (B.O.) .. .. 1214 2. W. A. Nixon, Burwood (B.O.) .. .. 11]0 3. W. L. Walker, Linwood (B.O.) .. .. 1094

Light broods: 1. Jack Green, St. Albans (W.L.) .. .. 1283 2. Dalmuir P. Yards, Waltbam (W.L.) .. lofio 3. Mrs J. Mills, Dunedin (W.L.) .. .. 1254 4. L. T. Wright, Ann at (W.L.) 12-37 5. R. Mills. Woodhaugh (W.L.) 1208 fi Calder Bros., Oamarn .. .. .. .. 1194 6. Green Bros.. St. Albans (W.L.) .. .. 1194 7. A. E. Wilson, Shirley 1184 8. H. S. Woodnorth; Winton (W.L.) .. 1185 8. A. G. Brailey, Hillmorton (W.L.) .. 1185 8. Calder Bros., Oamaru, No. 1 pen .. 1185 Indian runner ducks: 1. W. Knisrht, Hutt .. ..1248 2 G. L. Havne. Karori 1110 ?,. T. R. Hall, Levin 1063 The 49 pons in the light broods (204 birds) have laid a tohil of 52.997 odtcs. tlio 11 pons of heavy broods (66 birds) have laid 10.404 eggs; and tho Indian runner ducks (eight pons, 48 birds) have laid 7603 eggs. Messrs Roilly. Gill, and Co. report:— On Wednesday last a nice consignment of poultry came forward, and all lines of birds experienced a better demand, hens ranging from Is 4d, Is sd, Is 6d. and Is 7d each, though some hens were sold as low as Is 7A. these being in poor condition. About 200 ducks came forward, and for good ducklings 2s. 2s 3d. and 2s 6d was realised, small and inferior ducklings Is 6d to 2s. (he ruling prices. Old ducks made from Is 6d to 2s for inferior birds, good specimens making 2s to 2s 6d each. Some nice cockerels . came to hand. tho Orpinsfton Wyandotte cross types roalisinar as high as 3s 4d each, tho majority of tho birds being sold at 2s 3d to 2k 9d each. Small, light, and inferior realised Is to Is 8d each.

Turkey gobblers realised Hid and hens 9£d per lb. Very heavy consignments of eggs came on to the market, and owing to the large supply of imported eggs, sales have been diliicult to effect, and we have had to accept Is 4d for our consignments, though to-day (Saturday) the market is bare, and Is 5d to Is 6d can be secured.

WORST ENEMIES OF YOUNG TURKEYS.

The three worst enemies of little turkeys are lice, over-feeding, and dampness (explains a writer in an exchange). Successfully combat these, and a fine flock is almost suro to result. If the brooding turkey and nest can be kept free from lice before hatching time, the battle is half won. Dust the nest material well when eggs are put in, and dust the turkey each week, sifting the powder well through the feathers. The third day after taking the babv poults from the nest, dust them in the following manner: Prepare a box large enough to hold a brood of 20 to 25, with a cover not entirely tight. Sit on the ground m front of the coop, spread an old cloth over your lap, and oatch the poults, one at a time.' Grasp him firmly by the legs, lay him on the cloth, and straighten out the wings. Dust thoroughly all over, especially the underside of wings and body and on the head. The dust will not hurt the eyes, except to make them blink for a while. Put poult in the box and close the cover. The first thing he does is to shake himself, thus sifting the powder again all through the down. Each one as you put him in will do the same. The box will be full of fine dust all the time you are working, and few lice will survive such treatment. When all have been treated, turn over the box and let them out. Repeat every week, or, better yet, every three days if poults show signs of being lousy, until too large to catch easily. Always dust the mother, taking the hands to sift the powder through her feathers. The lice will be found on the underside of legs, wings, and at tho base of quills. Many turkey raisers ask the question. 'Why do my young turkeys die when about the size of pigeons ? They grow and seem fine until then, but I lose sometimes half my flock at that time." In some cases it maybe blackhead, and that is a bad disease to combat. But there are other enemies to the young turkeys, and many are sacrificed to causes less hard to fight. Over-feeding is one, bringing on indigestion, diarrhoea, liver trouble, etc. Exercise is very essential, and they will not exercise if overfed and pampered. They need plenty of sharp grit, and plenty of fresh water in clean dishes. A disinfectant may be added; carbolic acid is good for the bowels, and is used in the proportion of one teaspoonful of carbolic acid to one gallon of water.

The first food must be something easily digested, and a hard-boiled egg is not. A raw egg is food for an invalid. Wheat bran is light and will not pack the bowels. Sour milk is excellent for all fowls, the acid acting on the digestive organs. Mix the bran rather dry with what they will clean up quickly. Continue this food for a month, giving only a little grain, such as oatflako or fine chick feed. Change very gradually to a grain diet; first cracked wheat and a little corn, and later whole wheat, oats, and wheat. Rye and millet seed can also be given, or a mixture of good grains. When the turkeys are in range, they must bo fed but once a day. Keep poults out of green grain. If allowed the run of a field of unripe grain, they will gorge themselves and die. All grain fed to young turkeys should be a year old. Bo sure they are well supplied with sharp grit and fine oyster shells. Keep sour miik before them if possible, but never cook it. Green food must be supplied to young turkeys; they will not at first pick it themselves. Cut fine with an old pair of shears kept for the purpose, and mix it with bran, sour milk, and raw egg. Green dandelions, narrow dock, onion tops, and mustard are all relished by turkeys. After a little while it will become quite a task to cut enough for a flock of 50 or more. They are very fond of it.