POULTRY NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3764, 4 May 1926, Page 56

POULTRY NOTES.

By

TERROR.

"Learner.”—Yes, the fact that sex-linked birds are crossbreds makes it imperative that they should not be bred from, for if tins is done the offspring cannot so efficiently supply the demands of the market for which their parents were bred. The advantage of ..ex-linkage is that in the first generation, having bred from purebreds, you can pick the males from the females at hatching. lon cannot do this if you breed from sex-linked birds. Scientific (?) Testing for B.W.D.—In England samples of blood from birds suspected of B.W.D. (bacillary white diarrhoea) may be sent to -lie Minister of Agriculture's Laboratory Department to be tested, and a correspondent of the Feathered World says that 10 blood samples sent in by him were certified as “positive,” but on his sending in 10 more samples from the same birds the following week by different references no less than 75 per cent .of the previously condemned specimens were then certified as "normal.” As the paper referred to points out, this is hardly good enough to justify killing their best laying hens on such scientific (?) findings. He adds: "I might be able to follow a reverse case where so many ‘negatives’’ one week were certified as “carriers” the next* and to understand the argument that birds running in a flock may be normal to-day and condemned the next. When blood tests are taken the general recommendation is that each cird should be penned up individually while the blood sample is taken, and should remain isolated individually until the report comes to hand. All negatives to be then housed together and carriers destroyed. The wrong way is to leave all birds together after taking the blood samples and until the reports come to hand, because of the risk of a negative becoming a positive i'i the meanwhile. The case of which 1 am sent details, however, concerns carriers one week which turn out to be negatives the next L’crta’iiiy very odd, and a case not likely t( tempt breeders to kill valuable hens as a result of blood testing for B.W.D. When blood testing was in its young stages we often had cases of reversed decisions, but put the same down to lack of experience wPh the sample testing of bloods. Any breeders having like experiences to the case now quoted should give the same publicity equally with successful results, as we should not work in the dark on so serious a matter. To assist the poultry industry, the Government is establishing a poultry-breeding experimental and research station at the Agricultural Department’s laboratory at Wallaceville. Feeding and the cost of poultry food will be specially inquired into. Experimental work will be carried out in connection with the control of diseases, and jiarasites affecting poultry; the hatching and rearing of stock by artificial means on advanced lines; and the breeding of tested pedigree stock. The poultry station at Ruakura State Farm is to be remodelled on modern lines, the idea being to run the plant as a practical object lesson in commercial poultry keeping. The greatest asset in the poultry yard at this season of the year is the pullet provided she is starting out in good condition for wintei laying. The poultry man should see that winter, whether it be rigorous or otherwise, is for his laying pens made as summer-like as possible. Dry homes—including dry floors, ventilation, and meat food to make up for spring and summer insect food. Give their house and run a thorough overhaul, removing all moulted feathers and old litter, full as it is at the present time of body dust. A little iron tonic in the mash or water will do an immense amount of good just now. Provide a dust bath to enable the birds to keep free of body vermin. Don’t overcrowd, for overcrowding results in sickness and .oss of eggs* Allow at least five square feet of floor space, and remember that the more the space the better Don’t forget in striving to maintain summer conditions for your fowls that plenty of green food is an important item. Grit, of course, must be supplied at all tiroes A Canadian visitor to the Crvstal Palace Show (London) in the course of an article in the Canadian Poultry Review, writes: “Some may ask. what impression does it (the Crystal Palace Show) leave on the mind? I would say, pure wonder at the amount of breeding skill, perseverance and love for the work that must have been put into the production of these exhibits bv thousands of men. women and children. A glance at the index of the catalogue tells us * the exhibits came from all ports of the British Isles and from some of th° remote nlaces. exhibited by young and old, rich and poor. Possibly many were carried miles to railway station* in out-of-the-wav places, t’m owners possibly starting in the dark end in all sort 9 of weather to get their birds to ‘The Palace.’ Again, who save the snorting fancier snirit i« dead 9 VVe may say it is not dead, neither does it sleep, nor will it die for n long time to come, if this show is any sample of what it i« now. Tim fancier, lion and t»m u+-Uf«-lamb can lie down in ne*e P together if all show moderation H ell things, and respect others’ noint of view.” Mr Edward Broyn, F.L.S. (Englpml). commenting on the foregoing, sevs: "This is high praise. Tt what T have found in many countries In that however, is involved a responsih’litv upon breeders to maintain high ideals, and et the same time to use their influence and knowledge and experience for the advancement of the, noultrv industry, not alon« in their own field, but in all its aspects.” Do Von Relieve?—Tt is reno v ted that: "A golden Campine pullet, purchased as a

baby chick, began laying at five months old, and produced in the 12 months ensuing the total of 362 eggs, thus missing only three days in the year. She was exhibited at a show during this period and won first prize.” I fancy that this yarn, although it cOmcs from America, would have gained credence at this side of the world, notwithstanding that the record apparently’ was not made at an egg-Jaying competition, had the story-teller added lor effect the fact that attending a show and winning a prize produced an upsetting influence. A correspondent to a Home paper, in referring to the colour required in Golden Buttercups—the cockerels, he says, should be orange-red—declares that it is a wellknown fact that 50 per cent, of the people in England are colour-blind! If such is the case in the Old Country, presumably there are a good few colour-blind folk e f’ e P in" God's Own Country,” judges included, and the question is, should judges be tested in this respect before being allowed to judge? A judge that has stood the test would be in a strong position when questioned as to his awards. A disappointed buff Orpington exhibitor might be told that his exhibit was not the correct shade of buff and that, if lie disagreed, then undoubtedly he was colourblind! Rhode Island Red men disagree a great deal about colour, and beetle-green sheen in black birds may possibly look like blue to an untested judge. Of course the judge-testing committee would, in its turn, require testing for colour-blindnces before being appointed judges of judges. There if little leg weakness among deeplittered chicks. The exercise which deep litter makes compulsory strengthens the legs. I roni the baby chicks to the fattening pens semi-solid buttermilk has an important place in the poultry ratjpn. The lactic acid makes it especially valuable for baby chicks, as it is a great preventive of that great scourge, white diarrhoea. The lime is very beneficial for laying stock, while the vitannues of the buttermilk proctuce tlie quick growth and easy fattening qualities for the market fowl. Dirty’ nests result in dirty eggs, therefore it is essential that when birds come mto a house from a muddy run the floor should be well littered. entries in the bantam classes at the English Olympia Show numbered 1272, in 128 classes. Should any birds after being mated up in the breeding pen show signs of sickness or any physical defect he sure to remove them, and do not breed any stock from them. If a lien is always ill she will never be a paying investment. v lf a fowl is suffering from wornjs give a capsule of turpentine, followed in three hours by a dose of castor oil. Indian Runner and other lightbreed ducks are not dependent on swimming water for their welfare. Late hatched pullets cannot be expected to produce winter eggs like those hate-lied in September and October. Infertile eggs are responsible*for much of the losses at the time of incubation. Here are some of the causes. Study them carefully and avoid them if you wish better hatches: Breeders were too fat, due among other things to lack of exercise; breeding stock was of low vitality; insufficient green food, extremely old or decrepit breeding stock; breeding from fowls that are young and immature; excess of females to one male, lack of proper feed; unsanitary quarters; use of poorly constructed and poorly ventilated houses. The death of chicks in the shell may be caused by keeping eggs at too high temperature before incubation, great variations in temperature, low vitality in the breeding stock, keeping eggs too long before incubation, and improper methods of incubation. Reillys report a splendid yarding of poultry’ for their sale on Wednesday. In all they penned—Hens: 41 at 5s Bd, 28 at 5s 6d, 61 at ss, 61 at 4s lOd, 55 at 4s Bd. 128 at 4s 6d, 25 at 4s 4d, 41 at 4s. 36 at 3s Bd, 47 at 3s 6d, 19 at 3s 4d, 132 at 3s, 2at Is 6d. Cockerels: 14 at 12s, 22 at 10s Bd, 11 at 9s 2d, 22 at 9s, 14 at 8s Bd, 22 at Bs, 24 at 7s, 13 at 6s Bd, 11 at 6s 4d, 12 at 6s 2d, 14 at 5s lOd, 16 at 5s 4d, 17 at 4s 2d, 25 at 2s 2d, 2 at Is 6d, 3 at Is 4d. Ducks: 22 at 6s Bd, 22 at 5s Bd, 18 at 5s 6d, 40 at 5s 4d, 40 at os. 13 at 4s 6d, 5 at 3s lOd. 2 at 2s. Cocks: 12 at 4s, 12 at 3s lOd. 2 at 3s 6d. Geese: 44 at 6s. Stud Poultry: White Leghorn pullets, 15s, 18s, 20s; Black Orpington pullets, 12s, 168, 18s; Buff Orpington pullets, 12s, 16s, 20s; Minorca cockerels, Bs, 10s, 20s; Black Orpington "ockerels. 20s, 30s (all at per pair). Turkeys: 12 at Is 4sd per lb. 4 at Is 2|d, 12 at Is 2d, 17 at Is lid. 12 at Is Id, 1 at Is. Young cockerels are in very keen demand. In purebred poultry we placed some nice stud cockerels, some good pullets, and at the moment have a keen demand for Rhode Island Reds, White Leghorns. Black Orpington pullets, etc. Eggs have been in short supply’, and we have been able to secure as high as 3s 3d per dozen for our consignors.