POULTRY NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3247, 7 June 1916, Page 61

POULTRY NOTES.

By Terror

members of the Otago Egg Circle at the Empire Buildings on the Ist, Mr Merrett (editor of the New Zealand Poultry Journal) said that there are evident signs that the laws of commerce are to be one of the determining factors in establishing a nation's position, and to no nation does this apply with greater force than to those in the British Empire. To consolidate British trade, to produce and manufacture at lower cost, and to market in the most economical system are the potent factors that should engage the attention of us all. It is a long way back to the old system of barter. We have made considerable advance, but there is room for greater advancement, and the world's crisis at the present time will awaken thought and stimulate methods that will lead to consolidation. As British subjects, it is our duty to investigate our position, and assist the Empire by increased production and a better system of marketing. One of the ideal systems of marketing to-day is cooperation, but it is not always wise to adopt this in a new industry until producers have established a supply, created a demand, and proved their loyalty towards centralisation. The indiscriminate appointment of a multiplicity of agents to pell your goods creates competition that often leads to cutting prices, whereas centralisation enables an agent to equitably adjust prices, capture large orders, and establish a clientele for your products. When producers can have their marketing done by an estabbshed firm at a fair commission it is questionable whether co-operation would be an improved system. A matter about which all enthusiastic fanciers are much concerned just now is how to pen their birds to the best advantage at the show? I have heard owners of winning birds, when complimented upon the appearance of their exhibits, declare that they made no preparations. All they did was just catch the birds, shove them into a basket, and send them along to the show ! The novico who intends to act m such a manner is very unlikely to get a prize at any show. A bird which in the show pen is bright in eye, upstanding, alert, and clean in feather is naturally an active, vigorous bird, and you (the novice) may take it for granted that before such a bird will stand, as it should, for a judge to examine it it must have been carefully trained for two or three weeks in a small pen, so that it would be used_ to handling and the kind of poking about it gets from the judge and visitors. The best method of assisting development and improvement in cockerels which show signs of being exhibition birds is to pen them up separately and feed and care for them regularly. By penning a bird by itself you are able to give it more attention and better food than if it w T ere running with the general flock. It is also necessary to pen the show birds to ensure the plumage being kept in its natural colour, and it will also assist the growth and condition of the bird. By penning singly the birds should soon become qu'et and accustomed to be handled, which is one of the main points in showing. If a bird be handled regularly, it will stand up properly in the pen, and show itself to the adjudicator under the best advantages. But if a bird is wild and croiiehes nt the back of the pen when the judge looks at it, its chance of winnings very remote. Training a bird to show itself properly is comparatively easy; it only requires a little timo and patience. By using a stick on the bird in the came manner an a Judge would do, you will Eoon get it accustomed to this; and, with a few lessons, it will get to know what is required and como up to

the front of the show pen. When a bird is penned in a small show coop it is advisable to place plenty of straw or clean litter on the bottom of the pen. This will help to keep the bird clean and in good condition, and also provide it with exercise in scratching for its food. The show pens should be made about 3ft square, and placed in a shed or other building, where plenty of shado is provided. Care should be taken, however, to give plenty of ventilation and light. _ If sufficient light be not provided, the birds ■will become pale in comb and wattles, spoiling its appearance as well as injuring its general health. Draughts of any kind should bo avoided. Overhead ventilation is the best method to ensure success. Plenty oi grit, shell, and charcoal should be placed m the pen, and if the bird can be allowed a dust bath occasionally it will be of much benefit. , „. . —The Milton Government Poultry fetation made its usual exhibit of ultility types of white and brown Leghorns, Orpingtons, white Plymouth Rocks, and Peking, Aylesbury, and runner ducks, and all were much admired as excellent specimens of the respective breeds. As a matter of fact, it would bo difficult for a fancier desirous of show points only to find fault with them in any respect, "for they were as near the standard as regards feather points, shape, etc., as will be seen at any fanciers' show. Such being the case, there is reason in Mr Brown's argument that the difference in the utility and fancy stock, if there is any, is merely in the point of view in which thi- standard is road, and, as he claims, he reads the standard in the light of the illustrations published with the standards to show the ideals of perfection. A large notice-board erected, over the pens gave' naviculars of the 12 months' trial recently made at the Milton Station as between the merits of wheat and non-wheat-fed birds, so that breeders could know whether wheat could be profitably dispensed with during times such as the present, when ib> price is abnormally high. In my judgment the trial has failed to add to our previous knowledge, because (1) where wheat was not given oats were, and thorn never has been a time when there wore not many fanciers who consistently preferred_ to food" oats in preference to any other kind of grain; and (2) because the pens fed on oats also got lucerne meal, which was notserved to the wheat-fed birds; and (3) because there was no saving in expense! It is difficult to imagine how birds fed on oats and lucerne could have been expected to fail in giving at least as good results as birds fed on wheat minus lucerne, for the lastmentioned is known by analysis and experiment to be in itself a good egg-making food. As it happens, however, the birds selected appear to have been of wonderful egg-laying power, for the average in the wheat-fed' were 239 per bird in the white Leghorns, and 243 by the browns, and those fed'on outs and lucerne produced aver ages of 23S and 241 respectively. The profit per bird averaged £1 2s 6d for wheat-fed whites and 129 for wheat-fed browns, and £1 Is 9d for the oat and lucerne-fed whites, and £1 2s 6d for the oat and lucerne-fed browns. The feeding for the two sets of birds was made up as follows:—Pens 1 and 2: Pollard, 2751 b; bran. 1031 b; maize, 931 b; meat meal, 861 b; wheat, 4261b;—total cost at wholesale rates. £4 7s 3d. Pens 3 and 4: Pollard, 2401 b; bran, 911 b; maize, 931 b; meat meal, 851 b; oats, 4061 b; lucerne, 1731 b; —total cost at wholesale rates, £4 lis Bd. The heavy laying credited to the two sets of birds', it is only fair to the breeders who make their records under competition (where strangers feed their birds and check the laying), to point out that the Government records are made subject, apparently, to no check of any kind. I mention this not that I doubt the genuinesa of the result.- announced, but because for years back I have consistently, in drawing attention to records which have reached me from private breeders, reminded my readers that th<; only fair way t 6 obtain credit for the laying of their birds was by submitting to competition terms; and in my opinion the competition winners deserve the same proteotion in the case under discussion as they do in respect to private records. Mr H. Leger, Weraroa, Levin, breeder of white Leghorns, and winner in a recent competition of the two years' total eggweight competition (six pullets having laid 3411 b weight of eggs in two years, and_ a world's record, averaging 246 i eggs per bird during the first 12 months), sends me his nicely-got-up business circular gives 10 reasons why the "Village Egg Farm" birds make the best foundation stock for a profitable farm, and I must admit that they all sound convincing enough. The circular also contains. _ of course, a price-list for eggs and brooding stock, and, Considering the reputation Mr Leger holds a.= a specialist in white Leghorns of utility type, his prices arc moderate. or hen-hatched, only the strong chickens should bo cared for. Unless a chick is strong and active wdien taken from the incubator it should bo killed. The elimination of the weaklings is one of the first stops in the proper management of chicks. the weak and puny chick is not worth saving ; the majoritv of chicks which are weak at the time of hatching die before reaching maturity, and of those which do live comparatively few become profitable fowls. The rule of 'good nractieo is to kill all weaklings at the time of hatching. There are few unfavourable conditions so disastrous to successful chick-rearing as overcrowding. As an individual, a. healthy chick may be quite robust, but when placed with 100 other chicks it may have a small chance to attain normal growth. The larger the num ber of chicks brooded together the smaller are the chances for any of them to grow properlv. and the greater are the risks in loss of lifo. There is. of course, little danger of overcrowding when chicks are being brooded with hens; but when chickens are being brooded artificially there is a tendonov to brood them in large numbers. Ordinarily the number of chicks, to be brooded together should not exceed 50; but there are som exceptions to this, for, -with very careful management, about 150 can be brooded together. Tho method of feeding chicks after they are taken from tho liens or brooders i 3 much the same as during the brooding period. The chicks may bo given plenty of good food, consisting of a variety of grains and other materials. _ Where 100 or more chickens are being raised, the time and' labour required for feeding can bo greatly reduced by placing a quantity of imash "food in self-feeding hoppers. Hopperfording of mashes gives good results where tho chicks have free rnngo over cultivated fields At least a food a day, however, should be fed by hand. Whole wheat and cracked corn are chiefly used, and feeding theso by hand once or twice daily will give hotter result!; than feeding them by hoppers. All chickens get a better chance when hand-fed. and sparrows are nrevented from eating largo quantities of the grain.

On the other hand, the dry mash should be fed in hoppers which aro placed near the houses and under cover. The following mash is good for growing stock: Wheat bran, 1001 b; ground oats or oatmeal, 501 b; cornmeal. 501 b; middlings (pollard), 501 b; beef scraps, 201 b. —ln the breeding of high-class fowls it is imperative that the male bird should be as perfect a specimen of his kind as possible. The bird which is ready to light at the drop of a hat, so to speak, which instantly notes the presence of an intruder in tho yard, or in the air, and sounds the alarm so that the hens may get under cover; the bird which is always on the move, and always crowing—the latter characteristic is a marked indication of vitality,—and, finally, the bird which tells you as plainly as he knows how that he is fit for the purposes of reproduction. So far as the hens aro concerned, they should be full-sized specimens of their breed, good feeders, out first thing in the morning, and last on to the perches at night, always on the move and always scratching. It will be noted that I am stressing tho matter of vigour, and_ it is right to do so, as it must be the foundation of all breeding operations where strong, healthy progeny is desired. Another point is this: The poorly-marked birds which have a good pedigree behind them are far more likely to produce high-class stock than are good-looking birds which have no pedigree back of them, and for this reason: the tendency is to throw back, and it is hero that blood will tell. This is an important point which, if grasped by tho breeders, would result in-the production of improved stock. I should be very pleased to publish the weekly results of the Southland egg-laying competition if tho secretary will oblige my readers by forwarding the particulars to me.— The New Zealand Utility Poultry Club's twelfth egg-laying competition for lightbreed fowls for the seventh week ended May 30 shows that the following are the loading pens: 1. Dalmuir Poultry Yards (Waltham) W.L 183 1. E. P. Aymer (Papanui), W.L 183 2. A. E. Phillips (St. Albans). W.L. .. 171 3. Verral Bros. (Swannanoa), B.L 170 There are 49 pens (294 birds) in this competition, and the total number of eggs laid to date is 6094. In the third heavy breed contest the leading pons arc: 1. Miss J. James (Sockburn), Blk.O. .. 170 2. J. Nancarrow (Burwood), Blk.O. .. 110 3. T. E. Conway (Kirwee), Blk.O 143 There are 11 pens (66 birds) in this conipetition, consisting of two pens of white Wyandottes, one pen Plymouth Rocks, on Rhode Island Reds, five black Orpingtons, and two silver Wyandottes. To date the total eggs laid is 921. .First single-pen contest: —■ 1. Mrs J. Mills (Dunedin), W.L 40 2. A. S. Cooper (Spreydon), R.I.E 3^ 3. R. H. James (Marshlands). W.L. .. 3S 4. Cakler Bros. (Oamaru), W.L 36 There are 14 birds entered —viz., two Rhode Island Reds and 12 white Leghorns. The 14 birds have laid 389 eggs to date. Seventh duck test: 1. Hcretaunga Poultry Co. (Silverstream) 181 2. 11. W. Bower (Levin) 170 3. W. Knight (Lower Hutt) 35 Indian runners only are competing, and there aro only three pens entered. The total laid to Sate is 395 eggs. Messrs Reilly, Gill, and Co. report: 'A small yarding of poultry reached us on Wednesday, and prices were on a par with those ruling the previous week. Poulterers, having secured their supplies the previous Wednesday, wore not very much in evidence. The prices given below were secured for our consignors. Eggs: These have been coming to hand freely, and owing to some of the merchants cutting prices, as low as Is lOd has been the ruling price since Wednesday, and even at this price sales are difficult to effect. We were fortunate in securing values for our consignors. Cockerels —l2 at Is 9d, 15 at Is lOd, 28 at 2s Id, 51 at 2s 3d, 18 at 2s 4d, 19 at 2s sd, 14 at 2s 6d, 30 at 2s 7d, 12 at 2s 9d, 36 at 3s; ducks—l 9 at 2s 4d, 20 at 2s 6d, 19 at 2s 7d, IS at 3s 9d; hens—2o at Is 7d, 22 at Is Bd, 63 at Is 9d, 16 at 2s, 14 at 2s 4d, 18 at 2s sd. 13 at 2s 9d; cocks—2l at Is 4d, 12 at Is 6d, 12 at Is 9d, 21 at 2s, 11 at 3s 3d; ducklings—26 at 2s lid; turkeys—ls at 7|d per lb; pullets—l2 at 3s 3d."

ADDRESS BY MR J. B. MERRETT. POULTRY' AND EGGS. There was a numerous attendance in Mr E. S. Wilson's board room on the Ist to hear an address by Mr J. B. Merrett (editor of tho New Zealand Poultry Journal, and secretary of the Poultry Association, Christchurch) concering the "egg and poultry industry. Mr W. J. Smart (president of the Otago Egg Circle) occupied tho chair, and briefly introduced the speaker, Mr Merrett, in the course of his remarks, said that poultry producers wanted to feel that they had now a grand chance of "making good," and that they had an opportunity of marketing their goods. The modern-day market demanded that they should search round for tho very best system of getting their goods placed upon tho market. Tho poultryman had boon about tho dullest among the lot in coming into lino as to marketing goods. That was one of the weakest links in the chain. He was glad to see that the people in Otago had a "circle." One had been running in Christchurch for the last five years, and there was now a membership of 172, and they wore all centring their products and getting them put through one channel. Ho went on to explain that in Christchurch a compromise as to price had been made, and the eggs had boon placed on the market at 2s 3d a dozen and that, as a result, tho demand had kept up. One of tho best methods of marketing products was by co-operation; but poultrymen were handicapped in that capital was required. There had been cases whore capital was raised, but it was difficult to raise it. But, if co-oporation was beyond their power, they must turn to some method that did not require capital, and the next best arrangement was to go to an agent or firm and ask them to market their goods on the best terms. Tho "circle" met tho need. Tho agent found the capital, and did their business on tho least possible commission. With a centralisation of tho products, tho figont was able to command tho trade and Obtain tho best results. That was the most commendable system in voguo, apajrt from co-operation. Concentrate tho supply, get tho services of a man in business who commanded their respect and confidence, and tako the benefit of his ability to market tho goods through him- Tho speaker wont, on to speak of tho need of loyalty and cohesion, and tho objection to peddling goods round

town. He also emphasised the necessity foi quality, and then dot-ailed the work of thu "circle." and, in concluding, mentioned that his remarks applied equally to poultry. At the conclusion of the lecture a vote of thanks was passed to Mr Merrett for his able address. Mr F. 0. Brown, Chief Government Poultry Expert, made a few remarks, in the course of which he said that Mr Oussens, Assistant Poultry Instructor, would be in Dunedin in the course of a week or two, when his services could bo availed of by the poultry producers. Mr C, E. Cummings, of Auckland, editoi of the New Zealand Farmer, also made a few remarks. _Ho advised producers to give greater attention to grading, and quoted the words of Mr Clifton, who had been to San Francisco, and who said New Zealandcrs could show America how to produce eggs and fruit, but America could show New Zealand how to grade and market. DUNEDIN FANCIERS' CLUB. A meeting of the above club was held in Mr E. S. Wilson's board room on the ■c. There was a good attendance, and Mr W. Esquilant presided, Mr P. Caiolin was appointed to fill a vacancy on the committee. The Art Union Committee reported that all the art union books had been issued. Mr W. D. Blair wrote stating that he would be pleased to examine all dogs before they were benched. —Received with thanks. Mr A. C. Stewart forwarded a donation of one guinea to the prize fund. —Received with thanks. A letter was received from the South Island Bulldog Club stating that a meeting of the South Island Kennel Club fanciers would be held on -Inly 13, and asking the club to appoint delegates to represent the club. —Messrs L. S. Gibson, S. Devereux, C. A. Hutton, L. 11. G uines.s, and B. Ellis were appointed representatives. It was decided that each section would undertake the fitting up of its portion of the show, and also arrange for the feeding of the exhibits. The following were appointed supervisors of the various sections:—Poultry-Messrs W. C Hendry, T. Brown, and J. Munro; dogs, Mr S. Devoreux; pigeons—Messrs W. Esquilant and K. S. Ramsay; canariesMessrs W. MTvnight. D. Auld. G. Gourlay, and T. Grainger; pets and eats, Mr H. Brownlee. The following were appointed judges' stewards:—Bogs. Mr T. Loedham; poultry—Messrs T. Grainger and G. Gourlay; canaries. Mr J. Munro. SOLDIERS' GRIEVANCES. Major Norton Francis has, by a personal chat, again settled several knotty questions to the satisfaction of returned soldiers, whom ho met at the Anzao Club on Monday. Private W. Clark (president of the Returned Soldiers' Association) invited men to speak plainly, and they would find Major Francis would meet them fairly. Major Francis said he wanted them to bring forward any grievance they had, and they could fight it out as man to man. If any matter was outside of his own par-. ticular branch of the department, but h« thought it was something the Defence Department was likely to grant he would_ recommend it. But, on the other hand, if it was in his opinion an unreasonable request ho would say so straight out. Major Francis promised to make inquirie regarding undrawn pay due to a soldiet which the next-of-kin could not obtain. Ht also strongly advised the men to make 4, will, which could be done with the Publia Trustee for nothing. " A man cannot accept employment while on sick leave unless he gets special pernr?sion, and that special permission will l (said the major) be given in the ordinary way. There are men who while waiting for their discharge have gone back to theit jobs or taken jobs m order to let other men away. In such a case their final th • weeks' leave and railway ticket would '.-<-. granted them later on, when_ they would have an opportunity of using _ it. Although you get your discharge," said the major, 'That does not mean that the Government has done with you —kicked you out. _ You can still get medical attention by going to the health officer, and you get it aijsolut-ely free. Certainly within 12 months you can get it as of right." The question whether, under a system of compulsion, the Government had the right to call up a man who had received his final discharge was a new point, which Major Francis promised to look up, but he declined to touch the political question of whether a conscript would receive the eamo pay as a volunteer. A hearty vote of thanks was passed to Major Francis for his visit, which tended to remove misapprehensions and smooth away difficulties.