POULTRY NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3783, 14 September 1926, Page 56

POULTRY NOTES.

Bi

Terror.

“Ajax.”—The perches generally favoured are 2in x 3in, the 2in surface being on top for the birds to stand on. The edges should be rounded off so that the fowls may obtain a good grip without injuring their feet. Do not place them more than 2ft from the floor. A good plan is to have a dropping board 2ft from the floor, and then perches 6in above that. See that the perches (if there arc more than one) are all on the same level, otherwise there will be a commotion every roosting time for a place on the highest perch. “Toulouse.—The earliest age at which young stock geese will breed is one year, and the average period for incubation of eggs is 30 days. The greatest number of females annually allowed to an adult male is 10. “Length of time to allow for fertile eggs after mating?” This question cannot be answered definitely, because a deal depends upon what you mean by “mated.” Just putting a gander with some geese is not mating them in the sense implied. Sometimes geese and gander do not settle down sociably for some considerable time, and at first the gander may show a preference for only one of the geese. If the geese are already laying when the gander is put with them the sex-call is strong, and the probability is that the fourth egg laid by each goose will be ferilised. If the flock has been mated up, say, a month betore laying commences, then all the eggs from the first may be expected to be fertile.

I have received, by the courtesy of Mr

R. J. Brown, secretary of the Dunedin Cage Bird Club, a considerable collection of cuttings from papers relative to the advantages to be obtained by fanciers by joining fanciers’ clubs. As opportunities arise, I shall be pleased to avail myself of the matter sent by Mr Brown. As there has been some reference to the success attained up north in the acclimatisation of the Indian pheasant known as the chakar, it may interest local fanciers to know that chakars entrusted to the care of Mr J. R. Dickieson, a poultry fancier of Anderson’s Bay, Dunedin, have been reared successfully, and that he now has some 30 odd doing well. Light and Range.—Professor Drummond, of University College, London, in speaking of the bio-chemistry of vitamins, is reported bv The Times (London) as saying: “Those who were erased in studying post-war malnutrition in Vienna 'found that a food mixture so deficient

in vitamins that it produced rickets in animals could be endowed with curative properties by exposure to ultra-violet light.’ Prolonged experiment has shown it to be at least highly probable that under the action of the ultra-violet rays the neutral oils in the food produce the vitamins.” Professor Drummond is of he opinion that ultra-violet light, from sunlight or electricity, acting on the skin of human beings, makes the latter produce* its own vitamins. In making reference to the foregoing in the Feathered World, Mr Edward Brown, F.L.S., says: "I have not the qualifications or experience enabling me to form any judgment as to what is here stated, and do not attempt what would be very foolish in the extreme, as it would not be based on knowledge. Scientists themselves are only beginning the research into what are very complex problems, and make no claim to have arrived at positive conclusions. The writer of the article in question states that ‘ the stage has not been reached with certainty of determining the chemical structure of any one of them [vitamins].’ There are, however, considerations which have a very considerable bearing upon practice, in which poultry-keepers are involved. One of these is relative to the effect of sunlight upon the health, reproductivity, and productivity of domestic fowls. Under ordinary conditions light is taken so much for granted that we have not thought about its influence. So long as birds spent all the daytime in the open there was no reason for thinking about it. With the adoption of more intensive methods and increase of numbers relatively to the area, concentrating them in larger flocks, and, above all, under cover where the sun’s rays could not be obtained in full strength, or where, to conserve warmth and shelter against wind and rain, wood and glass are used to a large degree, to say nothing respecting other influences, great changes have followed. Should the statement made as recorded above be justified, to the effect that ultra-violet light influences the production of vitamins, it is evident that the most economic method is to give them range, so that they may have the benefit of the natural sunshine to the fullest extent possible in this country. Moreover, there is the question of the greater feeding qualities of fresh vegetable matter grown naturally, and which may be contributory. Natural plus a measure of artificial appears to be necessary. No evidence is forthcoming that artificial can be an entire substitute for the natural, either in feed or environment.” Digestibility of Wheat.—Mr Hainan, m an address delivered before the National Poultry Council (England) on this subject, dealt with one phase of the nutritional investigations now in progress at Cambridge. After stressing the importance of ascertaining the digestibility by fowls of foods in common use for poultry feeding, the lecturer proceeded to compare the powers of digestion possessed by the various farm animals, including poultry, for wheat. The figures given for poultry were the averages of those obtained for the English wheats studied, and are given in the table below: The Digestibility of Wheat by Various Farm Animals.

After discussing the above figures in detafi, the lecturer pointed out the practical significance of the figures arrived at —• i.e., that poultry were equally as efficient as other farm animals in dealing with wheat. In speaking of the respective values of hard and soft wheat—i.e., a^ 8 of good and poor baking quality— Mr Hainan said that as a result of investigations made and so far as his figures show under normal conditions the soft wheats are equally efficient for poultry feeding as the hard wheats, and that from a practical standpoint, if he were farming and growing wheat intended for poultry, he would grow a variety which gave Hie largest yield per acre irrespective of the baking quality of the variety grown.

Record of Performance Stock.—A Canadian dairyman writes: “As a revenue producer for a dairyman or general farmer the chickens are hard to beat, but they are exactly the same as cattle in this respect: you have to have good stock to make the most out of them. I use only record of performance’ blood. I prefer it in poultry for the same reason that 1 prefer it in cattle, because A know that the stock I am getting has official records back of it. Any dairyman can appreciate the value of such assurance, and the profits that my birds make for me is all the proof thfct I need that I am on the right road.” Shade for Chickens. —Sunshine is invaluable as an aid to chicken-rearing, but while the sunshine is important in their early growth, and also at nearly all stages of growth, the importance of shade should also be realised. An overheated chick will soon go to pieces. Their digestive machinery will be thrown out of gear and no end of trouble caused. Therefore, furnish plenty of shade as well as sunshine. If your yards haven’t natural shade, provide an artificial shade. Reilly's report.—Small consignment of poultry at our sale on Wednesday, and birds realised good values. We received and sold:—Hens: 3 at Bs, 2 at 7s Bd, 22 at 7s 6d, 20 at 7s 4d, 19 at 7s 2d, 6 at 6s lOd, 70 at 6s Bd, 38 at 6s, 3 at ss. Pullets: 4 at 13s. Cockerels: 2 at 15s, 6 at 10s, 2 at 7s 6d. Cocks: 2 at Bs, 2 at 7s, 5 at 6s 6d, 2 at 6s. Ducks: 5 at 9s 2d, 2 at 7s, 5 at 6s 6d, 2 at 6s. Ducklings: 8 at 6s. Pigeons: 6 at Is 6d. Bantams: 5 at 5s 2d, 2 at 3s. (AH at per pair). Gobblers: Is at Is 3d per lb, Is at Is 21<1 pe lb. Eggs: these are short of requirements, and at the moment we bold orders for all export eggs at Is 5d and Is 6d per dozen, and in some instances we secured Is 7d for special lines of new-laid eggs.

22nd PAPANUI EGG LAYING COMPETITION.

Leading Tens 21st We?k ended August 28 (147 days). FLOCK TEAMS CONTEST (six birds).

Digestibility Coefficients. Ruminant. Pig. Organic matter .. — 83 p.c. Protein .. .. 84 p.c. 80 p.c. Poultry. 86 p.c. 88 p.c. Fibre Nitrogen free ext. 47 p.c. 92 p.c. 60 p.c! 83 p.c. 5 p.c. 88 p.c.

—Light and Heavy Breeds.— Week’s Weight White Leghorna— Eggs. oz. drs. Total W. E. Ward .. .. »l 69.11 667 J. Liggins — ..31 66.6 607 M. C. Craig .. .. 27 57.9 599 H. C. West .. .. 32 66.14 584 P. Hawes 31 62.15 571 Calder Bros 27 57.9 551 Rhode Island Reds— P. Bailey .. .. 33 64.12 631 SINGLE HEN OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP. (For Light and Heavy Breeds.) Week’s Weight White Leghorns— Eggs. oz. drs. Total. Green Brea. .. .. 7 15.6 120 Miss M. White .. 5 11.3 118 N. Harrison .. .. 6 13.5 116 A. G. F. Ross .. 5 9.14 110 F. Hawes .. .. 5 10.4 107 W. Burrell .. 5 10.5 102 Black Orpingtons— J. Kings land .. M 5 10.3 1*1 WHITE LEGHORN SINGLE HEN CONTEST. (Owner enters three birds .1 Week’s EggsTotal. II. Williams, No. 2 .. . 7 122 It W. Coombes, No. 1 7 192 W. J. Richards, No. 1 121 Misa M. White, No. 3 6 120 A. C. Goodlet, No. 3 .. . 6 119 H. C. West, No. 1 .. . 6 119 Aggregates for the leading coonpetita ons at the Papanui Egg-laying Competition ; or the 20th week: — egga R. W. Coombes .. 333 A. Patterson 316 H. Williams 315 E. Crouch 314 G. and F. E. Beltcliff .. 305 Green Bros 291 J. Rattigan 293 SINGLE HF.N CONTEST. (Owner enters three birds.; Week’s Black Orpingtons— Eggs. Total. G. Blair, No. 2 6 117 J. W. Thomson, No. 3 .. 6 115 H. Harris, No. 2 G 112 A. R. Leckie, No. 1 .. 5 103 Any other variety. Heavy Breeds— Cuthbertson and Mitchell, W.R., No. 2 6 125 Cuthbertson and Mitchell W.R.. No. 1 6 111 Cuthbertson and Mitchell, W.R., No. 3 6 109 D. O’Hern, W.W., No. 5 106 Any other Variety— Light Breeds— H. Williams, B.M., No. 2 5 99 H. W. Beck, B.M., No. 2 5 92 SINGLE DUCK CONTEST. (Owner enter* three birds). Week’s Indian Runners— Eggs. Total. J W. Thomson, No. 2 7 146 R. W. Hawke, No. 1 .. 7 141 H. R. Dawber, No. 3 •. 7 138 Second Team. J. W. Thomson, No. 1 .. 7 136 J. W. Thomson, No. 3 .. 7 135 H. W. Beck, No. 2 .. ., 7 135 H. A. Dawber, No. 2 7 130 First Team. H. W. Beck, No. 1 .. .. 7 130