POULTRY NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3609, 15 May 1923, Page 42

POULTRY NOTES.

By

Terror.

—Mr E V. Reilly has been asked to judge the Dunedin Fanciers’ Club show next month. This is a good selection for Mr Reilly has judged many shows in years East, and has bred many winners in various reeds to boot. -—Entries for the Dunedin Fanciers’ Club show to be held next month close on the 19th inst Local fanciers will learn with regret that Mr J. B. White was one of the sufferers by the recent flood. Indirectly I understand* that Mr White has lost over ICO birds, every one of which was a pedigree bird of combined laying strain and fancy strain. There have been other heavy losers amongst the poultry fraternity through the flooding of their premises, but so far I have received no information regarding particular cases. —Mr Lewer, of the Feathered World, has been elected President of the British Section of the World’s Poultry Congress to bo held in Spain in May of next year. The Poultry World refers to this anpoincment as follows:—“The highest honour that the meeting had in its keeping, that of President of the British was, wo are proud to say, gn n to a of the Poultry Press —Mr Sidney 11. lewor, of the Feathered World. In congratulating our confrere on the honour paid him,_ we also pay a similar compliment to the British committee on its good judgment. Mr Lewer proved his worth in the work which he did in connection with the first World’s Poultry Congress, and we have no doubt that he will carry through the duties of his high office in a manner that will reflect the highest credit upon the English Poultry industry. ’ A beginner must get it out of his head that winter laying is a mere matter of luck. In one case out of a hundred luck may play a leading hand in the game, but in the other ninety-nine failc-e to lay is due to some faults for which the owner or his assistant is responsible. Where there is failure this season try and find out the cause, so that it will not exist next year. Early-hatched, well-reared fowls should lay in winter, and if of good strain they should lay well —Poultry farming is a business, and to bo successful in it. as in any other business, is to gain such satisfactory results as will ensure an income able to maintain a. decent state of existence. Anyone of average intelligence ma*' be successful who works continuously and conscientiously at a. congenial occupation, or even at an occupation which can be interesting and not monotonous. Poultry farming on a. large scale or poultry keeping in a small way is monotonous only to those who lose interest; and failure is not due to the industry, but mainly to inexperience, lack of capital, lack of energy, or carelessness. —The best type of bird to possess is the type that lays well and shows well. A good laying strain that can win on the exhibition benches sells best. The bird that is beautiful as well as useful will always be preferred by a buyer. Bet remember, correct type, on the show bench at any rate, most be accompanied bv lustrous plumage and sprightlyness which denotes sound health.

—Thrive on Clay Soil.—As with all vel-low-fieshed birds, Plymouth Rocks are able to thrive upon clay soils equally as well as upon the lighter, and thus anyone living upon heavy land should select a breed with legs of this colour. They thrive well in cc.d, exposed positions equally (or nearly so) as well as in the more sheltered situations. The chickens are hardy, and it will bo found that during seasons when chickens of some of the other breeds are dying or not doing well those belonging to this breed are thriving excellently. x'lymouth Rocks are able to stand confinement well, and can be kept under cover or in small yards successfully. Wire netting four feet high is ample to keep them in. as, being heavy birds, they do not fly high. —Scratching exercise means health and eggs. It ensures proper circulation of the blood and keens the layer in condition. —lt takes about a handful of whole grain to fill the crop of a lien. In giving grain at night it is, therefore, a good rule to allow a handful for each fowl in the pen, and an extra handful for the crowd if it is willing. Lucerne is a most suitable food for poultry; it is a builder of tissue, muscle, bone, nerve, and brain, and is rich in nitrogen. Rake the grain well into the litter, or the object of inducing exercise is defeated. Fowls scratch as deeply as the grain sinks. Fork up the litter now and again if it becomes clogged and matted, otherwise it is not litter in the proper sense of the term. The Embden goose is a tight-feathered and graceful bird with orange-coloured bill and legs, and pure white plumage. its chief use for otility purposes is its rapid growth to table size. llow would you select utility birds for show purposes? The following reply to this question gained first prize fro-m Poultry: “In selecting utility birds lor show I should choose them out of flecks with good egg averages, or birds trap-nested with the best records, then apply the following tests: Birds must be vigorous, bold, and active, with a good length and breadth of body, bright and prominent eyes standing well out of the head, fine texture of comb and wattles, smooth skin and medium length of feathers. The pelvic bones should be fine, pointed, and well apart with a capacity of two or three fingers, also a four or five finger capacity from the breast bone to the pelvic bones/ The breast bone should be of moderate length and straight, the abdomen soft and pliable, with absence cf fat, ear-lobes, beak, and legs correct colour, according to the characteristic of the breed being shown. Birds must have a clean bill of health, be free from disease, parasites, and scaly leg. Many utility judges award points for loss of pigment matter in the vent. legs, and comb, which very often moves the bird has been in lay some considerable time.” The duck us an Egg-producer.—Duck-keeping, from the point of view of eggproduction, is yearly being more widely recognised as a not unimportant factor in connection with the nation’s food supplies, since it has been proved to demonstration that the egg-laying duck is a very economic and paying proposition, in suitable circumstances. Requiring inexpensixe houses, being a wonderful forager on free range, necessitating little time being spent on its general management, and producing great numbers of sizeable eggs, the laying duck presents many qualities which recommend it to all who are in a position to raise free-range poultry. Other advantages which this kind of duck possesses axe that it does not require swimming water, it will lay well for three or four seasons, and it is so hardy as to enjoy almost an immunity from disease. As with the hen, there are various systems in vogue of feeding the laying duck, all more or less satisfactory. But, broadly sneaking, it may be stated that those foods which have been found beneficial to give the hen for egg-produc-tion are equally so for the duck, and will result in a mild-flavoured egg. To give the best results tne laving duck must have free range; not only because foraging is its natural bent, but because, being a voracious eater, it could not be kept so economical if all its food bed to be supplied by the duck-rearer; although, in certain circumstances, it can he kept successfully in limited areas. Reared o n free range, however, one feed a day, except in dry and cold weather, is sufficient upon which the duck can maintain a continuous supply of not less than 2oz shapely eggs. curator of the fowls, whose descent is traced direct from the cock that crowned when Peter made the great betrayal, by asking, in the most matter-of-fact tone: ‘Now just tell me one thing—do those hens lay?’ ” —Reilly’s Central Produce Mart., Ltd., report:—At the moment there is a keen demand for stamped and guaranteed eggs, all consignments being placed on a basis of 2s 9d since Wednesday. Stamped and guaranteed are short of requirements. Poultry.—Large supplies cf ducks were forwarded, and the result was that though really choice Quality ducks realised high prices, thin and inferior sold fairly cheap. We catalogued and sold the following birds at the prices below: —Ducks.—47 at 10s, 31 at 7s 6d, 16 at 6s 6d. 127 at 6s, 121 at 5s od, 82 at ss. 175 at 4s 6d. 138 at 4s. Mens.— 10 at ss, 29 at 4s 6d, 28 at 4s 2d. 22 at 3s 6d, 28 at 3s 4d, 79 at 3s, 16 at 2s lOd, two at 2s. Pullets. —10 at 9s, 30 at Bs, 16 at 7s 6d, seven at 6s 6d, six at 6s. Cockerels. —34 at 9s, 26 at 7s 6d, 14 at 7s, two at 6s 6d, 20 at 6s. three at 5s 6d, 29 at 5s 2d, 43 at ss, nine at 4s 6d, fixe at 3s 2d, three at 3s. Geese.— Two at 7s 6d, two at 6s 6d ; all at “ner pair.” Turkeys.— 16 birds realised 19gd per lb, 18 birds realised 9jd per lb, two birds realised Sd per lb.