POULTRY NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3772, 29 June 1926, Page 56

POULTRY NOTES.

By

Terror.

“Beginner.” —lndian runner duck eggs are not so strong as those of the larger breeds; but when they are allowed to run at large their eggs have a more or less strong flavour, according to the nature of the ground they run over. When kept as ordinary fowls are, and can only obtain the greater part of their food as supplied, their eggs should be as as those of hens. As to feeding, a New Zealand Government bulletin (Xo. 66) says: “In respect to the feeding of Indian runners better results are obtained by feeding mash entirely, no hard grain being required by ducks. For breeding birds feed two parts of pollard, one part bran, and a half-part of maize meal, with 5 per cent, of meat fheal or blood meal, to which 25 per cent., or a quarter of the bulk, of chaffed green food such as lucerne, clover, or lawn trimmings may be added. If difficulty is found in getting the birds to take to the green food it should be fed very sparingly at first, and the quantity gradually increased as the birds acquire the habit of eating it. For laying ducks, where high egg records are looked for and the birds are being kept on a limited range, the above ration will prove suitable; but the quantity of animal food should be increased up to 10 per cent. It should be understood that the animal food given in these quantities is designed for once a day, and that if it is included in both morning and evening feeds the percentage used should be only half of that stated above.. The quantity of animal food it is necessary to supply depends a great deal on the amount of range the birds have. Where they have unlimited range of grass paddocks or are allowed to run, say, in an orchard, they will pick up the greater part of the animal food they require in the form of insect life.” In trying to discover how old eggs meant for incubation may be. a writer says he watched a hen which had stolen a nest, and found that in 16 days she laid 16 eggs, and then sat upon them. She hatched out 16 chicks. This, as he points out, proves that an egg may be 16 days old and still useful for incubation. I can believe this, and yet recommend using the freshest eggs possible. A point to remember is that a hen on a stolen nest is not disturbed during the whole term of incubation by inquisitive breeders; also that from the day they are laid till the hen sits on them the eggs are not lifted or handled. Further, there may be an advantage in possessing a nest under a hedge on moist earth, instead of in a dry box in a shed, with food and water within reach. Perhaps the hen with the stolen nest has to leave her eggs for longer periods, seeing that she has to travel far and wide for food and water; and perhaps she prefers to do these things in the early morning, when the dew is heavy on the grass, and consequently returns to her eggs with wet feathers on her breast. Anyway, I have always maintained that well-aired eggs make strong chicks, and believe that in dry weather a sprinkling of luke-warm water on a sitting of eggs does a power of good. The regular changes from wet to ary and from warm to cold in course of time pulverises the hardest stone, so we may be sure that such changes also tend to make the shell and inner membranes of an egg brittle and easy for the chicken to break itself out. This seems, at any rate, to be Nature’s method. Eggs may be kept as long ns a month if they are to be incubated under a hen, but it is best not to put them into an incubator over a fortnight old. Those who have incubated artificially in a large way recommend using absolutely fresh eggs if possible, and advise not using them at all if more than 10 days old. However, though it is risky, good hatches have been obtained even in incubators from eggs up to a month old. But remember that in the so-called good hatches there is a percentage of loss. The breeder must use his own judgment.

He can take more liberties with eggs from country-bred birds in good range than with the eggs from town backyard birds, and should take no risks at all with eggs from birds kept strictly in confinement. Thirty years ago Joseph M’Keen (U.S.A.), originator of the golden Wyandotte, crossed a silver Wyandotte male on red females, and all the chicks were silver coloured. When a red male was crossed on silver Wyandotte females the cockerels came silver and the pullets golden—in other w’ords, pullets took after their sire and cockerels took after their dam. The experience went unheeded, but the peculiar law that operates lias been unearthed by Professor Punnep, of England. He points out that if baby chick batchers would make first crosses of golden males on silver females they would be able to distinguish with great ease the silver cockerels from the golden pullets at hatching time. It lias been observed that in the majority of pure breeds the cockerels hatch lighter in colour of down than the pullets. There is no sure and simple method, however, by which sex in purebred (not crossbred) day-old chicks may be distinguished. It has been said that if an old cock is mated to strong, vigorous pullets the offspring will be largely cockerels, and if a strong, virile cockerel is mated to a limited number of two and three-year-old hens pullets will predominate. This is an old theory on the control of sex, the belief being that the male influences the get of pullets and the female influences the get of cockerels; and if the male is the stronger he will have the greater influence on the offspring, and pullets will predominate. In other words, the weaker sex seems to have the greater opportunity to reproduce itself. Export of Eggs.—Captain Alexandre, a representative of a London catering firm, has arrived in Melbourne with the object of purchasing and treating eggs in the Commonwealth on behalf of his principals. He has brought with him a machine for pasteurising the eggs before shipping them. This is a new process m Australia, but has been practised successfully in America. It is claimed to reduce the cost of shipping and handling and to be a reliable method of preservation. The machine is capable of pasteurising 10,000 dozen eggs in eight hours. Two men are required to work it. After pasteurisation, it is stated, the eggs may be kept from six to 12 months in cool storage without deterioration, and put on the market in a thoroughly fresh condition. The machine has been placed in the City Market Cool Stores, at the corner of King and Flinders streets, and is now in operation. Forcing the layers.—Harry H. Collier wrote as follows in Pacific Poultiyeraft for April, 1926, with regard to the matter of producing strong progeny from liens that have been forced for egg production :—-‘*We build them for egg type by following the standard, and then we burn them up with high protein feeds, using lights on them to lengthen the days, and hope to get youngsters from such hens that will be like their dams. This cannot be done successfully unless that hen has so much vigour that she can assimilate the high protein feeds without being hurt. If she has perfect digestive organs that come from a highly vigorous body, then she may transmute her great laying powers to her pullet, but chances are more than even that power will go mostly into her sons, as they get their vigour from some strong male that helps them to withstand the ravages placed on their mother by the high protein feeds.” Can a Cock Lay Eggs?—Yes; lie can in some circumstances. A correspondent in Poultry of May 15, this year, raised the question, and received the following reply. Those poultrymen who-have read about Dr Crew’s investigations and researches will remember the interesting remarks made by the doctor on this subject::—“ * C. C./ Penang, writes that an interesting topic of conversation among EuropeiVs in the Straits Settlements, which is viewed with much humour, is the insistence of a resident that he owns what, to all appearances, looks like a rooster, but which occasionally lias laid a small shelled egg, which, when broken, contained only albumen, with no volk. He asks, is this possible? It is not only possible, but occasionally happens. Dr Crew, of Edinburgh, an eminent scientist, whose experiences on the subject were published in Poultry (issue 20/10/23) owns a collection of what were once laying hens who have metamorpliised and become in appearance and actions the same as a male and the sire of chicks. For wliat was originally a male fowl to develop and function as a layer is more rare. Replying to the National Poultry Journal to an inquiry on the subject, Mr E. Evans says: ‘Mr J. Redma.vnc, Balderstone, England, possesses a so-called cock which has laid 30 eggs in 32 days. “He,” or “she,” has developed spurs, a cook’s comb, tail, and hackles; looks like a cock, but lays like a hen. The bird is nearly 12 months old. This hen-cock, like all hen-cocks, commenced life as a female, but will finish it (if allowed to live) as a pseudo-male. It has been ascertained that the change in the plumage, comb, and spurs is due to disease of the ovary, and if Mr Redmayne examines the ovary of his hencock after death he will find a portion of the ovary put out of action by a growth of some kind. The reason why this hen can still lay eggs is owing to a portion of the ovary being able to produce yolks, but in time it may be expected that egg production will cease. A hen may change her characters, and develop a teste, but I have never come in contact with a case of a cock developing an ovary/ ” Reilly’s report a much better yarding of poultry for their sale on Wednesday. There was a keen demand for all birds penned, and some nice breeding pens of poultry were sold during the week. Geese, Rhode Island Reds, Silver Wyandottes, White Leghorns, etc., realised from 7s 6d to 21s per bird. At our sale we sold:— Hens: 12 at 6s lOd, 22 at 6s, 40 at 5s lOd, 27 at 5s Bd, 34 at 5s 6d, 32 at 5s 4d, 17 at 58; cockerels: 14 at 12s 2d, 24 at 10s, 25 at 8s Od, 30 at Bs, 12 at 7s Bd, 12 at 7s 6d, 13 at 7s, 5 at 6s, 9 at 5s 4d, 12 at ss, 2 at 4s; pullets: 21 at 14s; ducks: 4 at 5s 6d, 3 At 255, 1 at 30a. All at per pair. Eggs: these have been coming forward in increased quantity, and the price was dropped to 2s 9d on Monday, and we are inclined to think that a further drop will have to take nlace before stocks are cleared. Preserved eggs are selling

freely at Is 9d to Is lOd. We have been fortunate with our consignments of fresh eggs, and we have been able to clear all our consignments up till Tuesday on a basis of 3s per dozen. Since Wednesday we have had to accept the price fixed by the circle, 2s 9d. On Thursday the circle price was 2s 6d. At the moment there is a particularly keen demand for good pens of young cockerels, good killing hens, ducks, etc., and high prices for all these lines are assured. 22nd PAPANUI EGG LAYING COMPETITION. heading Pens 10th Week ended June 12 (70 days). FLOCK TEAMS CONTEST (six birds). —Light and Heavy Breeds.— Week’s Weight White Leghorns— Eggs. oz. drs. Total

SINGLE HEN OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP. (For Light and Heavy Breeds.) Week’s Weight

WHITE LEGHORN SINGLE HEN CONTEST. (Owner enters three birds .) Week’s

SINGLE HEN CONTEST. (Owner enters three birds.)

W. E. Ward M 81 60.6 313 M. C. Craig „ -«* 25 49.11 299 F. Hawes 26 50.15 296 H. C. West M 25 61.0 287 H. Williams •• M 25 50.8 280 Heavy Breeds— P. Bailey, R.I.R. .. S3 61.0 284 C. Bennett, W.W. 17 32.7 226

White Leghorns— Eggs. oz.drs. Total. Miss M. White .. 5 10.12 60 Green Bros. .. .. 6 13.1 60 N. Harrison .. .. 6 12.13 67 A. G. F. Ross .. 5 9.13 54 F. Ilawes 6 10.9 63 Shelly and M'Elwain 5 9.11 63 Heavy Breeds— J. Kingsland .. .. 7 13.13 53

EfcgsTotal W. J. Richards, No. 1 .. 6 60 E. Crouch, No. 3 .... 5 57 Miss M. White, No. 3 .. 6 57 A. Patterson, No. 3 .. .. G 57 Cr H. Mitchell, No. 2 6 57 G. and F. E. Biltcliff, No. 2 6 57 G. and F. E. Biltclili, No. 3 6 57 H. C. West, No. 1 .. .. G 67

Week’s Eggs. Black Orpingtons— Total. H. Harris, No. 2 5 54 G. Blair, No. 2 G 63 J. W Thomson, No. 3 ..5 50 A. R. Lcckie, No. 1 .. .. 5 Any other variety. Heavy Breeds— Cuthbertson and Mitchell, 49 W.R.. No. 2 6 Cuthbertson and Mitchell, 62 W.K., No. 3 6 Cuthbertson and Mitchell, 55 W.R., No. 1 6 Any other variety. Light Breeds— 52 H. W. Beck, B.M., No 2 .. 4 48 H. Williams, No. 2 .. .. 5 SINGLE DUCK CONTEST. (Owner enters three birds). Week’s 44 Indian Runners— Eggs. Total. J. W. Thomson, No. 2k.. 7 70 R. W. Hawke, No. 1 .. 6 68 H. A. Dawber, No. 3 .. 7 66 H. A. Dawber, No. 1 .. 7 65 J. W. Thohison, No. 1 7 64 R. W. Hawke, No. 3 .. 6 64 MASTERTON ECC-LAYI COMPETITION. NC The following are the results of the 11th week to June 19: Total Total for to week. White Leghorns— date.

F. Shearman .. ... .. 5 GO S. A. Butterfield .. .. 5 G. Masters, No. 2 5 58 E. J. Wing 6 58 R. K. M'Donell .. .. 5 J. Bradbury, No 1 5 54 J. Bradbury, No. 2 6 51 C. H. Robbins .. .. 5 A. A Hoare 3 53 L. B. Maunsell (M) 49 G. W. Sellar, No. 2 .. 5 40 H. Leger 4 38 G. Masters, No. 1 .. .. 5 37 A. G. Mumby 3 35 G. Sellar, No. 1 (M) .. 19 W. Spence (M) ., .. — 24 Heavy Breeds— L. A. Wadhara, No. 1 .. 7 70 Mrs Eoss, B.O 6 0. Nation 4 56 P. Bailey, No. 3 .. .. 5 56 P. Bailey, No. 2 .. 6 R. and j. Whiteman .. 5 63 F Bailey, No. 1 6 E. S. Seddon .. .. 5 51 L. A. Wadham, No. 2 .. — 7 TEAMS. No. 1 No. 2 No. 3 Total bird. bird. Light Breeds— E. W. Toolev 5.59 5.56 4.48 163 L. B. Maunsell 5.57 5.59 4.36 152 W. Spence .. 2.39 5.50 5.52 141 A. A. Hoare .. 0.37 2.52 2.37 126 T. S. Allen .. 4.47 4.42 4.43 132 E. A Tozer .. 6.20 0.3 6.50 73 Mrs Payne .. 0.27 3.26 4.17 70 Heavy Breeds— F. Taylor, B.O. 6.42 6.61 5.63 166 P. Bailey, R.I.R. 5.59 6.51 5.64 164 J. Kessling, R.I.R. 4.46 5.46 2.46 138