POULTRY NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3488, 18 January 1921, Page 19

POULTRY NOTES.

By Terror. ■ —M. A. B.—The eggs which were quito clear after three weeks of incubation were infertiles. The addled eggs were fertilised egg 3 which had gono bad at the early stages _ of incubation. As to the chickens dead in shell, it is impossible for me to account for them. The possible causes are numerous, but I require more information than you give to even form a conjecture. ‘Farmyard.”—The difference between Pekin and Aylesbury ducks is striking once you get familiar with the breeds. It is

only to the novice they seem alike. I give in this week’s notes the points of both these breeds, and if you note carefully the body characteristics you will never be in doubt again. Note particularly what is said about “keel.” At a recent meeting of the N.Z. Utility Poultry Club the secretary was instructed to write a Melbourne paper denying the statement reported to have been made by Mr T. Rogon when in New Zealand that one of Mr R. R. Christie’s black Orpingtons had been broody for three weeks. Mr Christie has written the secretary (so it is reported) stating that he did not take any notice of the statement, and that he has every faith in the caretaker and will be sending the same entries for the club's forthcoming egg-laying tests. I have to acknowledge the receipt of “season’s greetings” from two sources. Mr Carrol Cousin, the Government Poultry Expert, sent a tastefully got up card, and Mr J. B. Merritt an illustrated souvenir of his trip abroad. The last-mentioned opens with a photo of a family group showing three generations of “Merritts,” the central figure being- “dad.’ Granddad appears holding the stick; “mum” is represented bearing a cookery book, or perhaps it is the family Bible; Claire (evidently granddad’s girl) holds the place of honour: and George, Gordon, and Jack reflect “dad’s” smile to the best of their ability; handicapped, evidently, by the fact that “dad” did not take them on his trip abroad. Reports from Ireland relative to the condition cf the egg industry there is to the effect that whilst the currencies for strictly fresh eggs are good stored eggs are difficult to cash, and the situation with regard to these latter seems to be getting worse. “By and by.” the reports say, “possibly nobody will accept deliveries from the country except under strict guarantee, so that country dealers are bringing all the trouble on themselves by their disreputable mode of business. The repacking and picking, at the town end, of ordinary arrivals entails a considerable outlay on the part of wholesalers.” I think country egg-pro-ducers even in New Zealand must realise that they suffer to a great extent because of their own methods, or lack of method, in collecting and packing their eggs and lose financially in consequence. The wholesalers cannot be expected to give the highest prices for eggs received by them when they can only realise upon a percentage. Dirty ogg-s, stale eggs, eggs advanced towards chickenhood, cracked eggs, etc., not only won’t sell, but, seeing that they have paid carriage just as the marketable eggs have done and are the cause of all the outlay in picking and sorting on the part cf the wholesalers, it should be patent that they reduce the profit on the good eggs. In Ireland they are beginning to realise that all eg-gs should be stamped so that they can be traced back to the owners, and here we are beginning to realise that until all come under egg circle regulations even stamped eggs have to bear part of the loss which the retailers, if not the wholesalers, make by the unstamped eggs which they handle. Ireland, it is claimed', is—now that Russia is out of the business —the biggest egg-producing country in the world. Such being the case, and there being insufficient control, it follows that Ireland must be suffering more by tbe marketing of eggs than any other country, but though New Zealand’s losses are comparatively slight in this respect there is a los's, here also, and it is _ serious enough to demand serious attention. Honest producers would welcome the most drastic regulations, and it is up to the N.Z. Poultry Association and the egg circles to insist upon legislation which

would strengthen their hands in the matter. A bird being trained for show should be placed in a coop similar to that in which it will be placed at the show. The coop can be ofc wood —back, sides, top, and bottom —but it must have a wire front. Tire size should be 2ft by 2ft 6in square. A fortnight is not too long a period to train a bird in the coop, but after the first week it may be allowed out during the day time. See that tile bird is well washed (if plumage is white) before sending to show. It is advisable (says a writer to the Feathered World) to place a wad of tissue paper under each wing, as it helps the bird to dry much sooner. The bird should be placed about 3ft or 4ft from a bright fire, and turned round every quarter of an hour in order that it dries evenly all over. The most difficult part to dry will be on the back towards the tail. See that no dust or dirt comes in contact with the drying bird ! I>o not place it too near the fire so as to scorch it, but aim for a gradual moist heat. It should take from 12 t.o 18 hours to dry thoroughly. Fowls look such dejected creatures just after washing that it is advisable to administer 10 drops of colchicum wine in a teaspoonful of water as a pick-me-up. But the sight of a freshly-washed and perfectly-dried fowl well repays the trouble of washing. Some exhibitors of white fowls sponge peroxide of hydrogen over the feathers to whiten them, and after this rub the feathers over with a little aqua ammonia. However, the writer has never tried these wrinkles, so they must be taken for what they are worth. When dry. the bird should be placed in a wellbedded training pen (clean straw for preference), and given an occasional grooming down with a clean silk handkerchief. Keep the bird out of draughts, and until despatching to the show give for morning* feed bread and milk. At noon give a little cooked, lean meat, hard-boiled egg, and breadcrumbs, and a little hempseed occasionally, which will all help the bird to secure the leading position at the show. For an evening feed give good sound wheat, peas, and oats alternately. When ready for despatching, treat leg 3, combs, lobes, etc. Give a good feed of bread and milk and a dose of colchicum wine, bee that the hamper has a good layer of clean straw, and that the lid and the label are securely fastened. On the return journey make sure the bird lias not contracted any cold. etc. In any case it is advisable to keep it in its exhibition house for a few days before placing it with its companions. Already I hear of this season’s pullets having started to lay. In previous seasons I have heard of pullets starting at four and a-half months. This is too early, and means stunted growth. Five even, is too early to make a boast of, for ft would lead to far better results if laying were delayed another fortnight or even a month. Six months, in fact., is early enough. One of the evils attendant on forcing to early laying (early laying is generally the outcome of injudicious feeding) is, says an Australian contemporary, the tendency to apoplexy or rupture of minute blood vessels in the brain ; or sometimes larger ones in the lungs or other organs. Many subjects sent with the statement that death was very sudden and that the bird was apparently in health at the

time of feeding last show no bodily lesions whatever. They open well, and nothing can be seen beyond a full bloodlessness that is not desirable, but when the skull is carefully cut round and the cap lifted gently, to avoid tearing vessels asunder, a little clot of effusion of blood is found at the base or under the surface of the brain, which accounts for the sudden suppression of function and of life. It may result, a.nd, indeed, often does, from injudicious feeding ; too much maize, for instance, or too liberal allowance of fish or meat meal, or too little exercise. The maize habit is not so much the consequence of a fair portion of that sustaining grain, but the inclination on the part of fowls, and particularly those in confinement, to pick out the big yellow core and leave the smaller grain. Accumulations of abdominal fat, result, the birds become- lazy, and find no interest in anything but the next meal, after which they are disposed to stand in a lump and do nothing. Fatty hearts and livers result, and apoplexy or hemorrhage is a common sequel. - Papanui Egg-laving Competition, 35th week, ended January 2:— Single bird test: Heavy breeds—R. R. Christie (B.O.) 180, E. V. .Arthur (B.O.) 143; light breeds—S. B. Beer (W.L.) 213, A. C. Goodlet (W.L.) 201, W. E. Ward (W.L.) 199. Single bird test (three birds, same owner): Heavy breeds—T. E, Conway (B.O.) IS9 167 —165, -total 551 ; J. B. Merritt (B.O.) 157—146—165, total 463; R. K. Christie (B.O.) 122-137—156. total 415. Light breeds —G. IT. Bradford (W.L.) 195—147—187, total 530; John Webb (W.L.) 182—180.-167, total 529; Smart Bros. (W.L.) 180—170—17 S, total 529; A. E. Phillips (W.L.) 177—173—178, total 528. Team test (six birds to pen): Heavy breeds—J. Gunn (B.O.) 776, T. Dowthwaite (•i.W.) 735; light breeds—E. E. Marsden (W.L.) 1120. A, O. Goodlet (W.L.) 915, 11. Ball (W.L.) 808. Indian Runner ducks (three birds, same owner): Single bird test —R. W. Hawke (1.1 T.) 225 —187 —225, total 637 ; W. Knight (LR-) 188—246-194, total 628. Southland Egg-laying Competition, 38th week, ended January 7: — Single birds—D. F. M’Dougall (W.L.) 237. Mrs Gorinski (W.L.) 233, A. Provan (W.L.) 233. Tea,m test (six birds to pen) : Heavy breeds—Stevens and Hunter (S.W.) 882, Enterprise P.F. (P.R.) 791: light breeds— A. Love (W.L.) 1160, E. Williamson (W.L.) 1132, Wilson Bros. (W.L.) 1560, J. E. Anderson (W.L.) 1060. Ducks—J. C. Wilson (W.1.R.) 1051. R„ J. Clarke (1.R.) 936, W. T. Green (1.R.) 911. Reilly’s Central Produce Mart report : Wo held our weekly sale of poultry on Wednesday, 12th ; a very heavy yarding. Some choice heavy ducklings forward realised high prices. Anyone having choke ducklings to sell should consign straight away. Eggs.—Owing to large numbers of the public being out of town, eggs are in over supply -;r;d easier, but we expect prices to firm shortly. Hens realised 7s 8-d, ss, 4s Bd, 4s 6d, 4s 2d, 4s, 3s lOd, 3s Bd, 3s 6d, 3s; cockerels realised 8s 6d, Bs. 7s lOd. 7s 6d, 5s Bd. 4s Bd, 4s 4d, 4s. 3s 6d, 3s 4d. 3s 2d, 3s. 2s; ducks realised 15s. 14s, 13s 6d. ss; chickens realised Is, 8d; all at per pair. Fraser and Co., auctioneers, produce merchants, commission agents, and agents for the Otago Egg Circle, 146 Crawford street, Dunedin, report:—Eggs—market weak; supplies in excess of demand. The prices realised by us this week were —plain, Is 6d to Is 7d : Otago Egg Circle eggs, Is 7d to Is Bd. Poultry.—We held our weealy sale on Wednesday, when the following prices were realised: —Hens to ss; cockerels to 6s: roosters to ss; all at per pair; turkeys from Is 4d to Is 6d per ]b, iive weight.