POULTRY NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3828, 26 July 1927, Page 32

POULTRY NOTES.

By

Terror.

“ Novice.”—ln answer to your first question re oats, you can safely feed them to your fowls, mixed with the wheat at first, and subsequently feed them oats only. The reason why oats are not more generally used is that there is a prejudice against them because of the large amount of husk, and although the price may be cheaper per bushel (as in your case) than wheat, the bushel of oats is lighter than the bushel of wheat. For constitution I have frequently recommended oats, but for eggs, and the profit they bring, wheat has more advocates. It takes 21b of good heavy oats to make lib of hulled oats. The hulled oats may be compared with wheat in weighing, but is more expensive. Don't imagine that the husk of the oat is waste material. It helps to divide up the food, and roughage of some sort is necessary to proper digestion. Minus roughage a great deal of food after digestion passes on unassimilated into the dung—is. in fact, wasted. Birds fed on oats seldom get ill. It is hard to overfeed on oats. Oats give hard, glossy plumage, and where, as in your case, they are more cheaply obtained than wheat they are economical to feed, for though you may get a few less eggs than with wheat, they are obtained at less cost. Hokitika is to hold a show on August 3, and Mr F. Dacre is to judge. He judged the first Hokitika Show held away back in 1895. The British exhibits at the World’s Poultry Congress will include a large business office with verandas, a model of Lord Dewar’s farm, and one of Mr Tom Barron’s. There will be an aviary with homer pigeons exhibited by lI.M. the King, and two pens of poultry from the Prince of Wales’s farm in Cornwall. Other exhibits are a scientific collection from Cambridge. Edinburgh, and the 5.P.8.A.. an exhibit from St. Dunstan’s, a collection of eggs from Miss Amherst, Royal and other photographs, an interesting collection of pictures and engravings (including the original copperplate of Hogarth’s celebrated picture of “ The Cock Fight”), a fattening plant, literature, and many other objects of interest. In addition to the foregoing, England will, of course, send livestock exhibits, and it is reported that 80 pens of large fowls had already been accepted, together wtih 10 pens of ducks and 27 pens of bantams. This is without counting the Royal pens. London 653 Years Ago.—ln an old publication is given the following reference to the reign of Edward I:—“In

1274, Henry le Wales being at the time Mayor of London, a civic ordinance was issued that no poletria [that is. no dealer in poultry] should forestall the market by going out of the city to buy, nor buy even within the city, until the purchasers for the King, lords, and citizens had completed their bargains, namely, after 3 o’clock. The prices were also fixed: A good fowl, lid; a good capon. 2d; a fed goose between Easter and Whitsuntide sd. and from Whitsuntide until the festival of St. Peter ad Vinculas 3d, and for the remainder of the year 3d; three young pigeons, Id; a pheasant, 4d; a swan, 4s; and a good peacock, Is.” Evidently they had more regulations than we have in these days. Day-old Chickens Exported to Switzerland from England.—The Feathered World reproduces a photograph showing 19 or 20 boxes containing in all 1000 day-old chickens being taken on board

an aeroplane from Croydon (England), also a photo showing the export of ducks and fowls to Paris. The sending of a dozen day-old chicks from Croydon by plane to Germany cost Is lOd. The sending of 51b of chicks or eggs to Paris from the same aerodrome costs only 4s Bd. Two dozen day-old chicks were conveyed to Budapest for Bs. pr.d pnq eggs to Dresden for £1 15s 4d. Not unreasonable charges, surely!

Early Hatches.—Some poultry people venture early on the incubation of eggs. They want early chicks, and are ready to face the risks incidental to wintry conditions in .the rearing and the likelihood of the pullets going with the hens into full moult." In this matter the two chief evils to guard against in the hatching and brooding are frost and draughts. These are responsible for much of the failure experienced in early hatching. Another point is the selection of the breeding stock. It has been said that the male bird constitutes one-half of the breeding pen. and for this reason special care must be taken in his selection. A full-grown, healthy, vigorous typical specimen must be chosen—neither too young nor too old. A cockerel mated with two-year-old hens or a yearling cock with full-grown pullets give the best results.

Avoid Old Males. —As a general rule, old male birds should be avoided, as they rarely give satisfaction during the early part of the year; but should it be necessary to use such a bird for some special purpose, he should only be given three or four hens or pullets. At this time of the year one of the most frequent causes of unfertile eggs is the practice of running too many hens with the male bird. As a general rule, he should be given five or six only, and one or two more can be added as the season advances; but, of course, the number varies greatly, according to the breed. Further, in the case of birds which have a free range, more bens can safely be run with the male than when kept in confined runs. The size of the runs is a matter which must be taken into consideration, and at all costs overcrowding must be strictly avoided, for this is one of the surest preventives of fertility. A pullet or hen which becomes broody once a month may be as suitable for breeding sitters as she is for hatching out clutches of chickens, but as layers her own progeny are unlikely to put up big records.

Every hen which claimed to be purebred should at least possess the general characteristics of that breed. If it does not do so, even though it may be a good layer, it should not be bred from. The sulphates of soda and magnesia— Glauber’s and Epsom salts respectively — are of great value for poultry. In both of these compounds sulphur is held in chemical combination, but in the system splits up and perforins valuable offices. The sodium sulphate (Glauber’s salts) is the move expensive, but it is a more valuable substance. In laying hens the action on the intestines is gentle, and the influence on the oviduct is most beneficial. The blood is alkalinated also. It is a good plan to mix a stock solution of 4oz to 1 pint of hot water. Of this us.? a teaspoonful to each quart of drinking water.

Avoid Heavy Clay Land. —When you are seeking land for a poultry farm ]ct the following guide you, and hold to the advice as nearly as you possibly can. The best land is open, porous, sandy soil, with its slope, if any, facing towards the most sun. and sheltered by higher ground or trees from the worst winds. Clay land is a disagreeable and stubborn partner. It holds on its surface, or retains within an inch or two of its surface, all the fowls’ droppings, and only deep digging in cleanses it. What is more, and perhaps worse, it retains moisture, and remains cold and damp when a more open soil would be warm and dry.

A correspondent in an exchange argued some time ago in favour of retaining laying stock for a third year, and advances the following estimate: —“A bird that lays 200 eggs (an easy figure to work on) in its first year will lay 168 in its second year, and 140 in its third year—a loss of 28 eggs (which at lid each comes to 3s 6d) between the second year and the. third. But as there is no 3s to take off for rearing the third season bird, it makes only 6d less profit than the second season bird, while if fewer eggs than 200 were laid in the first season the difference would be smaller. Third season birds will lay about as well in the winter as the second season birds, also a higher price can nearly always be obtained for the three-year-old hen because it weighs more and will put on fat easily. Concerning an Egg.—Few persons, even experienced poultrymen, appreciate the delicate construction of an egg. According to scientists, the yolk of the egg is suspended within the white by Tninute 'ligaments from each end of the shell. A

large per cent, of the eggs termed “ infertile ” owe this condition to abnormal, weak, or absent ligaments. But even in perfect eggs with normal ligaments any sudden movement or jar will distend the yolk membrane, break one of the ligaments, or rupture the delicate membrane forming the floor of the air cell, either of which condition will cause the death of the germ. In some cases a yolk ligament may be broken or the air cell membrance ruptured, and the germ may continue to develop during the first few days of incubation, but the germ will eventually die. Intensity of Artificial Light.—The lighting of poultry houses should not be carried out iu any haphazard way. Care a J)<i attention must be given to a number of factors, which are essential if the maximuin efficiency is to be obtained. ■1 he main factors are: (1) The intensity ot the light on the floor should be about a foot candle. (2) The lamps should be hung about 6ft from the floor, so as to allow sufficient head room for the attendant and be out of reach of the birds. (3) All the rays of light should be reflected on to feeding space. (4) Some of z- e la J s should strike the perches. There should be the least possible expenditure of electrical energy. As the light from an ordinary electric lamp shines out in all directions, it is adusable to place a suitable reflector over it, and so reflect the light in the most usual direction.

, I'-ggs are an ideal food. They are rich in vitamins A, B, and D. and iron, being particularly ri'cli in vitamin A, and as a carrier of iron they “ more than compete with vegetables and fruits.” They also contain a large amount of calories. 18 \ alu £\ and should not be V e bear so ,nuch about countiy children being under-nourished. P? b ¥ lld for better farm girls and oojs by increasing the number of eggs in then diet and serving these eggs attractively and in a variety of ways? a HnVk’sVr Al °P e! ~ There is a tinle in i ? r? hfe when it is best left where n is for a while. I allude to the period the en tw”lfth rOin n about eigllth w ® ek t 0 the twelfth. Once chicks are in their unt°i? y JI?T e M thoy i sh Pn Uld be lcft a l«ie until well feathered. They do verv tnnr.L better than if disturbed. For the same reason I do not sell chicks after they are e ouit SSe th the day ; o!d time until they are quite three months old. This entails months* tl"t g ’ Wl ? en 1 eell at jnontjis, that my customers will be much made r than S thev lth ‘n ? rograss the birds ceding is a most important factor’in the •ten/v'fe xJn n. i ' 1 r . en sa lo on Wednesdnv 6d,’ 13 at d l os lO 4d. 6 i J 2 J? & W 1 ] 7 q Bs, 9 a?VA a C r 8 6^S 19 >. at 2s 6d. Cockerels—-? It’ V I s , 6d > 2 at 15 at 7s M tetete-ite’ Sr pail. TsS’VL fl ““• A " “ lb; 11 gobbler?l 6 gobb,crs at is 4d per at Is 2id p er f b 4 P°, r lb ' 3 There has Zen ’a Joo? ? ls ? d por lbbirds. W o ha W Ut dcmand for stud Orpington.® bffit £, d a number of black MteXo?"® SV" •

23rd PAPANUI EGC-LAYINQ COMPETITION.

L “"” S p». lgl . a w„ k , FLOCK TEAMS CONTEST. (Six birds.) Week's Weight

WHITE LEGHORN SINGLE HEN CONTEST. (Owner enters Three Birds.) Week's

DOMINION AWARDS. NELSON, July 21. The following New Zealand championships were awarded at the Nelson poultry show.— American Leghorn—Hockey Bros. (Nelsen). Hamburgs—W. J. Phillips (Nelson). Rocks, fancy—W. A. Sowman (Blenheim) . Japanese bantame—Major N. L. D. Smith (Wellington). Pigeons, owls—E. D. Barry (Nelson). Leghorns, utility—Miss M. Chapman (Blenheim). Rocks, utility—W. A. Sowman (Blenheim) .

White Leghorns— c ° ss - oz.drs. Total. J. Liggins 3! H.c.fe n ;;« A. Woolley , o< T. C. Wilee 31 F. Hawes ., t 20 SINGLE HEN OPEN C 65.15 68. 1 421 420 W. 4 404 51. 6 399 53.16 384 51.15 379 hampionship —Light and Heavy Breeds.,— Week’s Weight felack Orpingtons — ° oz.drs. Total. Mrs Hellaby .. 7 H. IV. Beck .. 7 H. J. Ballin .. 5 A. M. Espie ,, 7 J. Kingsland .. 5 White Leghorns— 14. 1 16. 1 10. 6 14. 6 8.15 79 79 73 72 69 J. Hawes .. e n A. C. Goodlet .. .. 5 H. E. Ward .. 5 H. C. West .. a 12.11 10.10 10.15 14. 3 80 72 72 S. E. Davey .. ,, 5 10J1 72 70 SINGLE DUCK CONTEST. (Owner enters Three Birds.) Week’s Indian Runners— sggs. Total. F. R. Cotton, No. 1 .. .. 7 97 A. G. F. Ross, No 2 7 95 94 Mrs Gee, No. 1 ’ . ’ 7 A. G. F. Ross, No. 3 .. .. 7 92 J. W. Thomson, No. 2 .. .. 7 92 SINGLE HEN CONTEST. (Owner enters Three Birds.) Week’s A.O.V. Heavy Breeds— eggs. Total. F. Bailey, R.I.R. No. 1 .. 6 85 P. Bailey, R.I.R.’ No. 2 6 85 P. A. Cornish, L.S., No. Black Orpingtons— 1 4 G. A. Grainger, No. 1 7 86 T. D. Dalziel, No. 2 .. 6 S3 R. M. Cookham, No. 3 .. 6 81 J. Kingsland, No. 2 .. 6 79 J. Kingsland. No. 1 .. 6 78 T, D. Dalziel, No. 1 »» 4 76

eggs. Total. A. R. Browne, No, 1 .. .. 7 87 H. Williams, No. 1 .. .. 6 86 W. H. West, No. 2 .. .. 6 84 W. II. West, No. 1 .. .. 6 83 H. Williams, No. 3 .. .. G 82