FANCIERS’ COLUMN.

Otago Witness, Issue 3782, 7 September 1926, Page 33

FANCIERS’ COLUMN.

The Otage Witness has been appointed the offl* eial organ (or the publication o( announcements •( the Dunedin Fanciers' Club.

THE KENNEL.

Br

Terror.

Fanciers and breeders of dogs are cordially invited to contribute to this column. “Terror" will endeavour to make this department as interesting and up-to-date us possible, but in order to do this he must hare the co-operation of his readers, hence he trusts this invitation will be cheerfully responded to. By Terror Mr M‘lntyre, of Timaru, ha 3 purchased the Pomeranian puppy Sorrento Pat, which was exhibited with some success at the recent toy parade in Wellington. Mr G. Macartney (Dunedin) has purchased lilawarra Bold, a well-bred bulldog, from a Brisbane fancier. The cocker spaniel dog Homespun of Ware, imported by Dr A. C. M*Killop, of Sunnyside, Christchurch, has been released from quarantine, and is now in his owner’s kennels. The Big Breeds.—No genuine lover of dogs can fail to admire the dignified, oldfashioned breeds in which great size is allied to all that is most docile and lovable in canine nature; nor can he close his eyes to the fact that many of these once familiar breeds are becoming more and more rare. Statistics are not necessary to prove that during the past dozen years they have diminished seriously in number. There happily is no danger of their extinction, but it is very obvious that the trend of fashion has been steadily in favour of the small companion dog, on the assumption that a big dog is an inconvenience in these times of town flats and limited aecora modation. It may be argued that, in addition to taking up a great deal of space in a house, the big dog has a corresi>ondingly big appetite, and is therefore more costly than a little dog, while at the same time he is not more useful as a companion and a watch. Much of the prevailing objection to big dogs may be due to the introduction of the motor car. A big, strong dog could follow a horsedrawn vehicle anywhere; the dog is faster and of greater endurance than the horse. But no dog can keep up with a motor car, and a big one cannot well have a seat inside. Furthermore, the increase in motor traffic presents a clanger to a big, heavy dog, which cannot get out of the way as quickly a 3 an alert little one.— llobelt Leighton. Don’t show favouritism in your kennel by caressing one dog and neglecting its companions. Give each one a fair share cf your favours. In Germany thertf is a society which trains Alsatians as guides for blind people, and it is no uncommon sight to see about 20 blind people led by representatives of the breed (says a contemporary) on the promenade at Steglitz, a suburb of Berlin. It is announced that these dogs have become so sure of themselves that they lead their masters through the heaviest traffic. There should not be the slightest sign of silkiness anyw'here in the coat of a wirehaired dog, either fox or Irish terrier. The coat should be hard and crisp, not too long, neither too short, but of a tough, coarse texture, finer underneath, all so close and dense that the skin cannot be seen or even felt, and, if possible, so weather and water resisting that the latter will stand on the sides like beads and run off the whole body, as it is' said to do, and does, off a duck’s back. A bitch in whelp and nearing her time should be accommodated away from other dogs, and in as quiet and cosy a place as possible. The more simple the bed is the less liability there is for anv accident to the puppies as they arrive. After the completion of the wheloing leave the dam and puppies alone. With her first litter or two the mother is very jealous of any interference with her family. Bitches, as a rule, have their puppies tn the sixty-second or sixty-third day, the day of service being included, but some will pup on the sixtieth day, or even a day or so earlier. The puppies may be fairly strong, but when born before the fiftyaeventh day seldom live. On the other hand, manv (especially those of the larger breeds) will go two or three days over the specified time without inconvenience, and it has been known for as long as 73 days to go, and then the puppies to he strong and healthy; but this does not often occur when there is a large litter. To prevent the coats of wire-haired varieties becoming thin, silky, and straggling, an occasional cross with a wellbred smooth-coated dog of the variety is recommended. ( )f

All small spaniels are styled “cockers to distinguish them from the heavier members of the race, which are known as “snringers.” In fact, the cocker (says Vero Shaw) may be regarded as a bantam field spaniel, but the colours most often met with are black and liver and white. They are engaging and useful little dogs, charming and affectionate companions, and equally serviceable for field work or as pets.

The disqualifying points in a wirehaired fox terrier are—(l) Nose white, cherry, or spotted to a considerable extent with either of these colours; (2) ears prick, tulip, or rose; (3) mouth much undershot. Points for the breed are allowed as follows: —Head and ears 15. neck 5, shoulders and chest 15. back and loin 10, hindquarters 5, stern 5, legs and feet 20, coat 10, symmetry and character 15; —total, 100. POULTRY NOTES. "Countryman” inquires: "What air space is required for fowls kept constantly in confinement?” King (formerly professor of agricultural physics, University of Wisconsin) states that 1.2 cubic feet of air must be breathed each hour by the hen. One hundred hens out of doors are therefore breathing 120 cubic feet of air every hour. When confined a home 20ft x 20ft x Oft is considered about the proper size for a 100-bird flock, since it affords four square feet of floor apace for each bird. Buch a house has 3600 cubic feet of air space. Of this air the hens, by their mechanism of breathing, are feeding oxygen to their body tissues and freeing them of carbon-

dioxide waste, and by so doing utilise 120 cubic feet an hour. This means that each hour 3.3 per cent, of all the air in the house is being breathed —exhaled by the lungs and diffused throughout the house. That the air in the poultry-house may not become more heavily laden with used air than the 3.3 per cent, mentioned, the entire air content of the house must be changed every hour—i.e., 3600 cubic feet of fresh air must enter hourly. This provides 36 cubic feet per hour to each hen, and when she lias breathed her 1.2 cubic feet the air in the house contains just 3.3 per cent, of air once breathed. ‘‘Amateur.”—l think you should try the treacle remedy, which has been frequently recommended as a cure for eggbinding. A tablespoonful in the mash for every six birds every morning is said to not only cure egg-binding, but also to give tone and vim to the svstem. “A. E. C.”—Swollen behind: As there is a continual discharge, especially of the obnoxious nature you describe, 1 should say your lien is suffering from vent gleet, and as this complaint is spread by copulation you should remove the male bird from the pen. You should give the sufferer twice a week half a teaspoonful of confection of senna, and syringe the vent with some antiseptic lotion, and if there are any sores dress them with carbolised vaseline and black sulphur mixed in equal parts. The cause probably arose from a broken egg, this causing septic inflammation. Mr F. C. Brown, Government Chief Poulty Instructor, says that the best months of the year for the hatching of late autumn and winter layers are August and September. When fowls become gradually bald on the top of their heads and appear denuded of feathers on the wing joints and near the tail, it is generally a sure sign that they are infested with vermin. To those poultry-keepers who are particular to see that the birds’ houses are kept clean this may appear hardly possible, nevertheless it is a fact that even under the best conditions of housing fowls sometimes become infected with vermin. I consider in such circumstances that it is the results of an overheating diet, and one of the best methods of effecting a cure is to give the birds cooling food. Of course, vermin are not "generated” by an overheating diet. They come from somewhere, and flourish on a suitable "soil”—i.e., on birds fed as described. One of the best methods of effecting a cure is to give the birds a cooling food. They should have plenty of fresh vegetables, and some Epsom salts should be added to the water with which their soft food is prepared. In addition, the vermin on the birds have to be destroyed. If you examine the fowls you will probably find whitish scales on the feathers bordering the denuded places. As a remedy apply either of the following ointments:—(a) Kerosene one part, water two parts, and a sixth of the quantity of lard oil. The water should be boiled first, and the other ingredients added, well stirring all the time, and carefully boiling altogether for three or four minutes, (b) Flowers of sulphur two parts, carbonate of potassa one part, vaseline eight parts; thoroughly mixed. Apply the ointment in a cold state by the most available means (either by the fingers or in some such manner) to the affected parts of the birds, taking care that the fluff and skin are well saturated with the mixture. Repeat the operation in about a week or ten days. As the trouble may be communicated to other fowls, all fallen feathers should be burned. Where a good dust batli is provided the fowls are generally able to keep themselves clean of vermin, but when improperly or overfed they are apt to become too lazy to avail themselves of such a luxury. Beginners and those breeding on a limited scale will find it more satisfactory to close house in all stages and dispense with runs. Sometimes there may be ideal conditions where free range can be made satisfactory, but in most cases one loses many birds and eggs. Wellbuilt, well-lighted houses and concrete floors, with plenty of scratching litter and adequate feeding, will give much more satisfactory results than with attempted free range under suburban conditions. The single-penned birds putting up records at the Papanui laying competition have no outside runs. Runs become contaminated, and sooner or later the soil is impregnated with disease germs, round worm eggs, and so on. Runs can be cleansed at great expense only. On the other hand, concrete floors can be rendered germ and parasite-free at a nominal cost. This is a point worth careful study; of the greatest importance is hygiene carried out on modern lines. The history of many failures could have been traced to disease-contaminated runs. The Buff Orpington: How It Was produced.—The following is Mr Crook’s (the originator of the breed) own account of how he produced the Buff Orpington:— “First I mated golden spangled Hamburg cocks with coloured Dorking hens, of good size and from the best laying strains obtainable. These produced many pullets of a reddish-brown colour, which I mated with a Buff Cochin cock. The Hamburgs are extraordinary layers, but are rather delicate to rear as chickens. The Dorking is a splendid table bird, with a very long breast, and when crossed with the Hamburg will produce wonderful layers. Buff Cochins become very broody, and have a great detal of leg-feathering. When bred from a good laying strain, however, they make extraordinary winter layers, often producing 28 eggs each per month during winter. When mated with the Hamburg and Dorking cross they produce quick-grow-ing birds, with splendid laying and table qualities. The chickens are so hardy they can be reared in the cold, frosty weather.”

Fourteen Points for Smallholders.— Everything is apparently being reduced to the basis of the well-known "Fourteen Points.” At the risk of being called a copyist, I will take 14 essential points that the smallholders and the intensive or semi-intensive poultry keeper must keep always in mind. (1) Numbers: Nothing is worse than overcrowding. Far better averages are got from small pens than from large. Three square feet of floor space per bird is the absolute minimum for intensive work, and even this is little enough unless the house is fairly high and has plenty of cubic air space. (2) Animal food: Meat meal in the soft food on alternate days in the Sroportion of 10 to 15 per cent. (3) reen food: In winter, during the absence

of other green food, swedes or turnips every day must be the small holders’ standby. (4) Fresh water: This must always be in good supply. When given indoors the water vessels must be raised from the ground to avoid the litter being scratched into it. (5) Cleanliness: propping hoards should be cleaned in the winter twice a week at least. A little dry sand or earth sprinkled on them after cleaning will make the next cleaning much easier. (0) Exercise: This is vital. Rake the grain feed well into the litter, as this, during wet weather, is the only exercise the birds get. (7) Dust bath: The birds must clean themselves. Dry sand, dry, clean ashes, or dry soil are excellent materials. They should be placed in a sufficiently deep wooden box in a corner of the house. (8) Digestion grit and plenty of oyster shell must * never be wanting when the birds are laying, otherwise the poultry keeper will be troubled with soft-shelled eggs and illhealth amongst his flock. (9) Housing: Whatever size or type of house, it must be dry and free from draughts. (10) Scratching litter: Whatever material is used, it must be bone dry. (11) Vermin: Dust the nest boxes and perches regularly with insect powder. Flowers of sulphur and pyrethrum powder in equal proportions are good for this purpose. (12) Broodiness: This is cured easily if the bird is caught the first day it begins. Examine the nest boxes late every night, and remove the birds found sitting to a broody coop. (1) Frost bite: For heavycombed birds rubbing the comb gently with camphorated oil is both a preventive and a cure. A badly frosted comb puts the bird off laying at once. (14) Feeding: Give 4oz of good food per day to each laying hen. These are 14 essentials, and without very strict attention to them the smallholder cannot keep his birds healthy and make them pay. Reilly’s report some very nice cons/n----ments of poultry came forward for their sale on Wednesday. In all we penned:—• Hens: 12 at 7s 4d, 16 at 7s, 22 at 6s lOd, 17 at Cs Bd, 18 at 6s 6d, 25 at 6s 4d, 11 at 6s 2d, 5 at 6s, 3 at 5s 4d, 14 at ss, 11 at 4s Bd. Cockerels: 4 at 11s Bd, 4 at 11s, 15 at 10s, 24 at 8s 2d, 15 at 7s, 2 at 6s, 9 at 5s lOd, 4 at 5s 6d. Pullets: 15 at 10s. Ducks: 2 at 5s Bd. Gobblers: 2 at Is 2d per lb. Stud Poultry: We sold stud cockerels and Muscovy ducks at 5s to 10s each, drakes at 10s to 15s each, black Orpingtons at 10s to 15s each, two Minorcas at 10s to 15s each, an Andalusian at 15s, three Rhode Island Reds at from 10s to 15s each, and an American bronze turkey gobbler at 40s. Eggs: At the moment there are not sufficient of these coming forward to meet our requirements. We are securing Is 5d per dozen, and Is 6d for stamped and guaranteed. 22nd PAPANUI ECG-LAYINC COMPETITION. Leading Pens 20th Week ended August 21 (140 days). FLOCK TEAMS CONTEST (six birds). —Light and Heavy Breeds.— Week’s Weight White Leghorns— Eggs. oz. drs Total

Heavy Breeds— P. Bailey, E.I.R. 33 63.13 598 SINGLE HEN OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP. (For Light atod Heavy Breeds.) Week’s Weight White Leghorns— Eggs. oz. di’s. Total. Miss M. White .. 6 13.3 113

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

W. E. Ward .. .. •32 63.13 633 J. Lt'ggins .. .. 35 74.5 576 M. C. Craig .. 36 53.11 572 H. C. West .. 34 71.2 553 F. Hawes .. .. 28 58.7 540 Calder Bros. 24 51.10 527

Green Bros. 5 11.3 113 N. Harrison .. . 6 13.3 110 A. G. F. Ross 6 12.2 105 F. Hawes .. . 6 12.14 103 W. Spenca .. . 5 10.10 98 Black Orpingtons— J. Kingeland .. .. 6 11.13 113

W. J. Richards, No. 1 .. 6 116 H. Williams, No. 2 .. .. 7 115 R. \V. Coombes, No. 1 .. 5 115 H. C. West, No. 1 .. .. 7 115 E. Crouch, No. 3 .... 6 114 Miss M. White, No. 3 .. 6 114 Rogers and Thomson, No. 3 6 114 R. W. Coombes, No. 2 .. 5 113 A. C. Goodlet, No. 3 .. 7 113 SINGLE HEN CONTEST. (Owner enters three birds.; Week's Black Orpingtons— EggsTotaL J. W. Thomson, No. 3 .. 6 109 H. Harris, No. 2 .. 5 106 A. R. Leckie, No. 1 .. 5 98 J. W. Thomson, No. 3 .. 6 109 Any other variety. Heavy Breeds— CutbWtson and Mitchell, W.R. No. 2 ... .. •• 6 119 Cuthbertson and Mitchell, W.R., No. 1 5 105 Cuthbertson and Mitchell, W.R., No. 3 4 D. O'Hein, W.W., No. 1 .. 5 103 Any other Variety— Light Breeds— II. Williams, B.M., No. 2 .. 5 94 H. W. Beck, B.M., No. 2 .. 4 88 SINGLE DUCK CONTEST. (Owner enters three birds). Week's Indian Runner*— EggsTotal. J. W. Thomson, No. 2 .. 7 139 R. W. Hawke, No. 1 6 134 It. W. Hawke, No. 3 .. 7 133 Second Team. H. A. Dawber, No. 3 .. 7 131 J. W. Thomson, No. 2 .. 7 130 J. W. Thomson, No. 3 .. 7 128 H. W. Beck, No. 2 .. .. 7 128