POULTRY NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3673, 5 August 1924, Page 29

POULTRY NOTES.

By

Terror.

Oturehua. ” —Your birds are evidently properly fed and have otherwise ideal conditions excepting only that they are not housed at night. Ducks are hardv creatures hut when owners look for eggs, and feed tnem accordingly, they must remember that their birds are not like wild ducks, which have to hunt for all their food. This constant search for food, and getting only a little at a time, gives vigour. It makes them hardy. But when regularlv fed to secure eggs, they must be regarded as domesticated, and consequently less endurmg. Your birds should be housed at night ■ otherwise they squat in the damp, lose the USe ?-o • elr ,,® S ! an d, unless cured, die. Brian. —The ordinary way to deal uith the next fowl you find crop-bound is to pour a little warm water down the throat Don t give oil, and don’t waste time lor the bird is being starved to death. You would not have lost the bird bad you acted at once. After pouring the water down the throat, knead the hard mass in the crop, and, holding the bird with the head downward, see if you can work the contents of the crop out through the throat and mouth. If this does not take effect, then without delay open up the crop. Don’t be afraid of hurting the iowl, as fowls have very little sense of ieeimg*, and, anyway, you are trying to save its life. When you get the crop open, take out the contents and wash it out with a little weak solution of baking soda and water. I hen take the crop proper and insert about three stitches—ordinary white cotton will do. You can then give the fowl ordinary food to eat, but not too much. According to Mr D. F. Laurie, an Australian Government poultry expert it is not necessary to stitch up the outer skin, as this will close up of itself; but in my own practice I have always given a few stitches to this also

Mr J. B. Merritt, who represented this Dominion at the second World’s Poultry Congiess, says: There is no other country that can compare with Great Britain when it comes to the production of high-class, typical stock. That was shown in manner most emphatic at the World’s Poultry Congress, held at The Hague in 1921, and equally, if not more so, in the display made at Barcelona-. Good as were some of the other sections, the palm for quality was generally accorded to Great Britain. If we take the value head for head of the poultry shown at Barcelona, or tile aggregate value irrespective of number, the birds of Great Britain stand clear away from those of any other country, even as they did in general breed characteristics, and the manner in which they were show*. Proud indeed may we be of the lead we have given the world in the exhibitions held in connection with the first two World’s Poultry Congresses.” Differences in Standard.—We have in New Zealand for Leghorns the English and American standards, and in Europe the Danish Leghorns are judged by still another standard. In Plymouth Rocks we have birds according to the British and American standards respectively. This is quite irrespective of the differences between utility and fancy types. The question was raised at Barcelona at the second World’s Poultry Conference as to whether there should be an international standard fixed for each bird, but, a-a Mr Edward Brown, E.L.S., who presided, points out, there are difficulties in the way. For Instance, in natural conditions variations take place as a result of changed environment and it is impossible, even with domesticated birds, to maintain the original type—and standard-—when . this takes place. If not impossible, it is certainly undesirable to attempt to do so, for it would mean a continuous fight against Nature. Under domestication we are, of course, always fighting Nature, but not in impossible or

useless directions. One suggestion at the congress was that the place of origin should fix the international standard for all countries to adhere to, but this was promptly negatived. With regard to this point, Mr Brown says: “I cannot imagine English, American, or Danish breeders being willing to permit our Italian friends to lay down standards for Leghorns to be binding upon every nation. To do this would be setting back the clock with a vengeance.” —Directly you notice a sick fowl you should remove it from the others, and ihe water-pet should be cleansed with boiling hot water. You should scour out the water-pot for this reason. The sick fowl is usually feverish, which means that it will drink frequently. In drinking it is likely to drop some mucus into the water to breed germs that will infect the other birds. If you study the habits of animals you will notice that they all eat a lot of food first thing in the morning, and a lot before turning in at night. This is the way in which the fowls should be fed —a good meal in the morning and late in the afternoon, with a bit of greenstuff at midday. The hen’s most profitable year is her first; therefore weed out the old ones and keep renewing the stock with young birds. Score, that is to say laying performance, should always be secondary—in makup a breeding pen —to constitution. Mating specimens which lack stamina is distinctly faulty, and a predisposing cause of many of the ailments to which poultry are subject. Reilly’s Central Produce Mart report: A fair yarding, good prices being in demand. The following prices were realised : Hens —4s, 4s lOd, ss, 5s 2d, 5s Bd, 5s ,10d, 7s, 7s 2d, 7s 6d. Cocekrels — 5s 6d, 5s Bd, 6s, 6s Bd, 6s lOd, 7s 4d, Bs, 8s 4d, 9s, 9s 6d, 11s Bd. Geese—Bs. Ducks—6s, 8s 6d, 9s 6d (all at per pair). Turkeys—ls lid, Is 2£d, Is 3d (per lb). Eggs—Prices show a further drop, and are now at Is 8d for stamped, Is 7d for pl-a-in, though supplies are still short of requirements.

PAPANUI ECC-LAYINC COMPETITION.

LEADING PENS—(Fifteenth week (105 days) ended July 1&.) FLOCK TEAMS CONTEST. (Six birds.)

SINGLE HEN OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP. (For light and heavy breeds.)

LIGHT BREED SINGLE HEN CONTEST (Three birds, same owner.) White Leghorns— Eggs. H. Williams, No. 2 91 W. Barrie No. 1 ~ 86 W. E. Ward, No. 1 84 G. E. Moody, No. 1 84 Green Bros., No. 1 81 H. C. West, No. 1 SO Rodgers and Thomson, No. 1 80 "Hrown Leghor.ns— Smart Bros., No. 1, 77 Smart Bros., No. 2 74 HEAVY BREED SINGLE HEN CONTEST. (Three birds, same owner.) Black Orpingtons— Eggs. G. A. Grainger, No. 3 88 F. Hendron, No. 2 85 J. P. Drewitt, No. 2 76 G. A. Graingen, No. 2 75 C. E. Graham, No. 1 72 White Wyandottes— O. Bennett, No. 1 85 C. Bennett, No. 3 73 SINGLE DUCK CONTEST. (Three birds, same owner). Indian Runners— Eggs. W. Nimmo, No. 2 99 H. P. Slater, No. 2 .. .. .. 92 H. A. Dawber, No. 2 92 H. P. Slater, No. 3 91

White Leghorna— Week’s eggs. Weight, oz. drs. Total H. Williams .. .. 31 60.13 440 J. Biggins .. 28 66. 4 437 C. V. M’Beath .. 28 55. 3 434 J. I). M'Kechnio .. 29 59. 8 425 W. E. Ward .. .. 26 56. 4 422 G. H. Bradford .. 34 65. 0 415

° Week’s Weight. White Leghorns— eggs. oz.drs. Total Mrs F. Gorinski 4 8. 2 83 W. Spence 5 10.12 81 J. C. Musgrave 6 12. 2 80 S. Loader .. 5 10. 0 75 H. W. Beck Black Orpingtons— 4 8. 4 71 J. P. Dr.ewitt 4 8. 1 83 G. Grainger .. 5 10. 0 82 E. E. Graham 4 7. 9 79 L. A. Wadham .. 2 3.11 70 G. J. Wilkins 4 8.13 69