POULTRY NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3524, 27 September 1921, Page 20

POULTRY NOTES.

By

Terror.

—“Kuikorai.” —Yes; dry bone meal is very useful. It tends to prevent leg weakness and diarrhoea, and adds greatly to the stamina of the bird. It may be fed separately in a hopper or other receptacle, or given with tire soft food in the proportion of one-eighth of bone meal. —D.W.M., Waikaka. —The best book for you is the New Zealand Department of Agriculture’s Bulletin No. 66 (new series) entitled ‘‘Utility Poultry Keeping.” I have not tried the food you mention, but judging by its fame in the Old Country consider it: must be good. Southland egg-laying test to September 8: Single birds—C'has. Thomson, W.L. ,121; Tracey King. S.W., 116; D. F. M’Dougall, W.ij., 114; P. Nelson, W.L., 113. Teams —Tracey King, W.L., 635; A. E. Morris, W.L.. 617; .1. K. Anderson. W.L., 551. Ducks (six birds) Alex. Peat, 1.R., 545; Alex. Peat (one dead), 1.R., 478. Papauui egg-laying competition. Twentysecond week, ended September 10: Single pen contest (heavy breeds)—J. P. Drewett, 8.0., 157. Single pen contest (light breeds)—C. Ridley, W.L., 115; W. E. W ard, h .1., 112. Three birds (same owner, light breeds)—Green Bros., W.L., 115 114 107, total 334; 11. \V. Criombes, Iv.L., 115—108 —106, total 329. Heavies—

Tracey King, S.W., 110—114—114, total 338; J. B. Merrett, 8.0., 117—116—81, total 314. Ducks—W. T. Green, 1.R., 109—110 —lO3, total 322. Flock teams six birds (light breeds) —Green Bros., W.L 571 • H W.L., 571. Returned soldiers’ competition, flock teams six birds (Tight breds)—J. C. Musgrove, W.L., 625- E L Rice, W.L., 615; A. 11. Adams, W.L., 61L ; Hardshell,” on Australian poultry i scribe, says that chicks are apt to die in ! tiie shell about (lie eighteenth or nineteenth “M ■ inis results from one or more causes. ’ Tae heat may go so high as to force heart j action and burst the blood-vessels, or for ! lack of moisture inside the shell the chick I may stick fast and not be able to push j through the air cell, or too much moisture ! may drown them within the shell. Much i trouble would be avoided bv keeping the ! heat a little below 103 deg. A° full j degree less will be better than half j a degree above 103. Regularity in ' cooling the eggs and turning them wifi help a lot When cooling the eggs let the bulb Inc < hermomoter rest against an egg i nat contains a live germ or embryo. As soon a- this thermometer shows 90deg or a little less the eggs are cool enough, and they should go back into the machine. , It is. little wonder that one hears of me scarcity of eggs from some large flocks when inquiry reveals the fact that “the hulk of the birds are groat, great grandmothers ' A few old hens in the breeding pen mnv not be out of place, bet few birds are profitable as layers after their second year. Keeping Food Before Fowls.- In' the early days of clrv mash feeding by means of hoppers the following argument against the system was submitted by ar. experienced breeder, . and. although the feeding by hopper is now approved by many, after prolonged testing*. I flunk it instructive generally, and therefore worth reproducing: It is a misi.tke not to compel the hens to exercise, which they will not do if they can help themselves to food at will. I hey will eat too much if permitted to do so, and, though even at liberty and foraging they can secure move than enough on a range when everything is growing, if. must lie remembered they also expend a great deal of energy in so doing. On the range the hens got: a. little at a time, but they are ever moving from place to place and an- as busy as possible. It is a different matter when they nr. hopper fed. for they can fill their crops at once, and, baling done so. they are satisfied and grow [at. There is a lesson to learn by tile ben- from tile i atural mode of feeding. When the _ crop i? _ overloaded the food is ps'-ed wilii di'Tbuhy into Ihe gizzard to ire t rit orated, and the digestive organs are overtaxed, but when file food is eaten gill, badly anti dowdy bige.-l ion is natural, and Ihe system is in v lie .rated by tile operation. When too much food at a time is consumed water to correspond must also ■ lie used, and as Hie grain .swells the crop through r: • -1 —ll y in order to accept tiie mod i lb red. ,\ a I uII v tie' I-vl-s drink but a little waier. .and but a small quantify at a time uule-.-3 deprived of it for quite a while or except \vlien laying. When the bv I be an. o -1 lii-at of the body . When (he ft, vl . a lines drv fo ,d. umUmusl seek ]a-t enters the crop, hence when if thinks 1 b i - re i- bail a noilton of the food moistened at,,] if,.. j- neve,- full. To give soft f..nd who,, jt is necessary | n do so is eo-.-re. i. but so h !' 1 should be given only in limited quantities. ,

Whenever there is an unexpected and un- j i reasonable drop in the egg .yield, notwirh- j standing that tiie birds are eating well, the t first tiling that should be dom- is inspei ; i the nesting material for vermin, and if | < found infected or smelling stale it should i bo burnt at once and new material supplied, i The birds should then be examined, and if : l necessary well powdered with insect powder. : And the perches and all ere vices in and i t about them— i.e., the slots in which they l are upheld, should be painted with kerosene. (Jure clean the birds will speedily ; come to lay again. When bird- are in- 1 fected and tormented with vermin they ! cannot lay well for one reason tS-aiii-c the vermin are consuming the blood of the 1 fowls with the result that it is all the birds can do to maintain themselves by the food they eat, and there is nothing left for j egg production. Troubles of this kind, however, are prevented to a great extent by ' the provision of a good dry dust bath in a sunny position, and it is a good plan to have this convenience large enough for two j or three birds to luxurate in at the same time. —Old English game, so long and justly j esteemed by the fancy, differs from the modern game in that it is shorter and more compact, retaining ihe grace of build , peculiar to the breed, unspoiled by the 1 excessive stilly development, which mars the modern exmbirion game fowl. It: differs from the latter breed in the neck hackle being long and full flowing over the : shoulders. The saddle hackles are also full, and the back is broader and shorter. \ The tail, a good flowing one. with broad quill feathers, is carried high ; the wings long and strong; the thighs stout and i short ; the legs of moderate length. The j hen is of smaller build. The usual exhibition colours prevail, but there are other '• kinds of reds, mangles, or mottles. The colour of the legs is while, willow, or yellow, and jn some breeds blue-slate or black. ! Old English game are excellent table birds, ! the quality of the flesh being very good, j A cross with the Dorking is held to he the ' finest table fowl (hat is produced. They are very fair layers, hardy, and though they i can be kept in confinement do best at : liberty. The hens are good mothers. ! —\\ bite Indian runner ducks were, first : of all, introduced by Mir Look, of Orping- j ton fame. I hey were produced from the fawns by careful selection and mating in : order to satisfy the fancier’s demand for a self-coloured duck. Unless colour, or lack of colour, has anything to do with the laving power there is no reason whv the whites j should lay better than the fawns. No ! doubt the.ro will he good laying strains of both kinds, and at competitions they will take .turns at winning the trophies. Fraser and co., auctioneers, produce 1 merchants, commission agents and agents for the Otago Egg Circle, 146 Crawford street, Dunedin, reports: Eggs Market steady. Wo quote Egg Circle Vggs Is 6d ; | plain Is sd. Poultry—Quantity 5 coming j forward has cased off very considerably-, : and prices are nominal. lteris to 10s 6d ; ; cockerels to 8s fid; pullets to 15s ; ducks to ! 9s; all at per pair. Turkeys, Is per lb I live weight. —Reilly’s Central Produce Mart, Ltcl, | report;—A very small yarding forward for I Wednesday’s sale. All lines met with the i keen demand usually experienced at this j season. We recommend consignments of ! all classes: of pedigree and table poultry, i Good prices are assured. Eggs—Market ! steady at Is 5d to Is 6d per dozen. On Wednesday liens realised from 5s 4d to 8s; cockerels 3s to 12s; ducks 6s; all at per pair. Turkeys realised Is 4d Is 3d Is 2d , and Is Id per lb.