POULTRY NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3859, 28 February 1928, Page 33

POULTRY NOTES.

By

Terror.

SHOW DATES.

The following show dates for 'the 1928 shows were allotted by the South Island Poultry Association at its annual meeting:—

New Zealand Utility Poultry Club, March 16 and 17.

Dunedin Specialists’ Young Birds Club, March 30 and 31.

Christchurch Canary Club, March 30 and 31. Otautau and District Progressive League, May 9 and 10. Nightcaps, May 18 and 1&-

Christchurch Poultry, P.C. and C. Club, June 7,8, and 9. Waimangaroa Poultry Club, June 8 and 9. Dunedin Fanciers’ Club, June 14 and 15. South Canterbury Egg and Poultry Society (Timaru), June 15 and 16. Westport Poultry Club, June 22 and 23.' Ashburton Poultry, P. and C. Club. Friday and Saturday, June 22 and 23. Taieri Poultry Club, Saturday. June 23. Balclutha Poultry Club, June 29. Waimate Poultry Club, Friday and Saturday, June 29 and 30. North Canterbury Poultry Club, Friday and Saturday, July 6 and 7. Granity Poultry Club, July 6 and 7. Hokitika Poultry Club, July 10 and 11. Oamaru Poultry Club, Friday and Saturday, July 13 and 14. Tapanui Poultry Club, July 14. Invercargill Poultry Club, July 17 and 18. Kaitangata Poultry Club, Wednesday and Thursday, July 18 and 19. Lyttelton Fanciers’ Club, Friday ana Saturday, July 20 and 21. Gore Poultry Club, July 27 and 28. Temuka Poultry Club, Friday and Saturday, July 27 and 28. Greymouth Poultry Club (reserved dates), July 27 and 23. or August 3 and 4.

Utility Standard.—At the 1926 annual meeting the suggested alterations in the utility standard were referred to the annual conference of the New Zealand Poultry Association for favourable consideration. The alterations were agreed to by the New Zealand Poultry Association as follows: —Minorcas to be increased bv 41b, Wvandottes to be increased by ilb, and Rhode Island Reds to be increased by lib. Tne new weights came into operation prior to the show season, all clubs having been advised to that effect in May. The present issue of the utility standard is nearly sold out, and before a new edition is printed the Department of Agriculture will be pleased to receive any suggestions as to standards for breeds not catered for, and plates of good utility types of fowls.

Research in Edinburgh University.— The report of the Animal Research Department of Edinburgh University, covering the year ended March 31, 1927, contains an abridged account of experiments conducted with fowls, the majority of which are purely of laboratory interest. In one experiment carried out by Dr F. A. E. Crew, to ascertain the time of onset of fertility after the introduction of the male to the peu and the duration of fertility after his removal, it was found that fertile eggs are to be expected 24 to 28 hours after the introduction of the male, and that the length of the life of the sperm within the body' of the hen is about 15 to 20 days, though in exceptional cases it may be greater. If after the removal of the male a second male is introduced the influence of the first sire is extinguished by the seventh to tenth day. Another experiment conducted by Dr Crew revealed that miniature eggs may occur in the midst of a clutch by an active, producing hen, but no reason is given. A study of the embryology of the cloaea in the fowl by Sir J. Hashimoto resulted in the claim that the sex of day-old chicks can be discerned in much the same way as the method by which Dr B. J. C. te Hennepe claimed to discern the sex of day-old ducklings. The report, however, appears to be optimistic in hailing this as an easy method of sexing chickens in poultry practice. Poultry keepers who have not provided a scratching shed for their fowls will be well advised if they do so before the winter months are on us. It will mean extra eggs when prices are high. During the cold and wet days of late autumn and winter birds that have to huddle together in their roosting quarters cannot, or should not, be expected to lay or continue healthy. The advantage of a scratching shed is that it not only provides shelter in light and airy quarters, but provides exercise in scratching for their grain feed in litter. Exercise means health, and without health there can be no eggs. Many days in winter the birds are much better under cover, and if there is no shed available they have to go into the open. It is quite out of the question confining them in their roosting compartments all day long. The covered run or scratching shed should be kept littered with straw, dried leaves, or chaff, amongst which the grain should always be scattered. One of the most difficult problems during the winter months is how to keep the birds occupied. Idle birds never prove as profitable as those with plenty of occupation. Feather-picking, egg-eating, and similar vices are engendered, whilst the birds themselves speedily become too fat. If a scratching shed is available for the birds the difficulty is largely overcome. An excellent plan to follow is one I have before described in these columns, but its importance justifies its repetition. On wet or foggy days, when it is thought the birds would be better indoors all day, the following system of feeding should be adopted:—Supply only half the quantity of mash first thing in the morning. merely sufficient to satisfy the birds’ hunger. About 930 a supply of grain should be scattered among the litter, the seeking for which will keep the birds busy for a couple of hours. About midday some green food should be supplied, or, if this is scarce, a mangel or swede cut in half and hung un a foot or so off the ground just out of the birds’ reach—affords them excellent exercise, and it is surprising what a large quantity they will consume. About 2 a second supply of grain should be given in the litter, which will keep them busy till they' go to roost. Under such a system of feeding the birds’ time will be fully occupied, and it will have a very beneficial effect upon their egg production. On fine days, when they can be liberated, the usual method of feeding should be followed. During the winter months, when there is little or no growth in the grass, green food must be supplied to the birds, without which they will probably be less healthy and vigorous. Garden refuse, such as the outer leaves of cabbages, the leaves of Brussels sprouts, etc., answer admirably, but when these cannot be procured mangels, turnips, or swedes may be substituted. A liberal supply of grit and oystershell shquld be provided for the order to assist in the digestion ot the food and to supply lime, a large amount of which is necessary in the formation of eggs. Fresh water- should always be available, being renewed at least once a day. 'During very severe weather it should be supplied in small quantities, and is better if slightly' warmed.

Breeding from the Beet.—lt is never too late in the season to write of breeding, for it is never too late to learn. If there is any value in the advice, “ Breed from the best,” the proper procedure is to set aside for the prospective breeding pen the best of the reared pullets. These birds should not go into the laying pen to be forced for eggs, but into a pen in which they will feed more for the building up of constitution. They will, of course, lay under such conditions sufficient eggs to more than pay for their keep, and subsequently when bred from will reproduce strongly constituted birds—stronger certainly than birds which have passed through a heavy laying season can possibly do, or should be expected to do. There is a tendency in Nature to revert to a mean, in a sense to the normal, and the outcome of this is, in respect to poultry, that, notwithstanding tin* appearance of one or more birds in a flock laying, say, .300 eggs per annum, the flock average remains about the same. One has only to note the laying of trios and six-bird teams at the laying competitions. These birds are sent by owners who have trap-nested the parent hens, and who know all about the proper feeding to produce eggs, also all the secret or semisecret methods of selecting the best layers from a flock. Undoubtedly, as far as their knowledge guides them, they send the most promising birds from their flocks to establish or uphold the reputation of their poultry farms. Yet what is the. result? More often than not only one bird in the trio or six-bird team does anything out of the way; th e rest are mediocre. It is the average production of a flock that is important to the owner, and also to the buyer of his day-old chicks or sittings of eggs. The idea in breeding from the best should be to raise the average, i.e.. the mean output of the flock. There will be a big demand for stock by and by, but buyers are tired of purchasing rubbish; they want something for their money. There are too many people breeding from pullets, from birds lacking proper size and with various defects. The explanation that a batch of day-old chicks are the progeny of highlaying birds does not satisfy the buyer who finds that only a small percentage can live to laying age. There are constant complaints on this score. To make money it is necessary to breed the best, and to be scrupulously honest in all dealings. for it is only in that way that repeat orders are assured. The buyer, however, has no right to expect good stock if he is prepared only to pay the prices usually charged for culls. Reilly s report: A fairlv good varding of poultry, which realised ' the followin ’ prices:—Hens: 22 at 7s 6d. 12 at 6s Sffi 18 at 6s 6d, 28 at 6s 4d. 33 at Gs. 17 at 5s lOd, So at 5s Bd, 48 at 5s 6d, 40 at 5s 4d, 22 at 5s 2d, 23 at ss, 15 at 4s lOd. 455 at 4s Bd, 42 at 4s 6d, 13 at 4s 4d, 21 at 4s 2d, 9 at 3s Bd, 26 at 3s 6d. 8 at 2s Bd. Cockerels: 20 at 10s Bd, 24 at 10s, 16 at 9s, 12 at Bs, 18 at Gs 6d, 9 at 6s, 14 at 5s 4d, 26 at ss, 17 at 4s Bd, 2 at 4s Gd. 2 at 4s 4d. 2 at 3s Bd, 6 at 3s 2d. Pullets: 3 at 10s. 6 at 9s, 6 at Bs. 22 at 16s. Ducks: 22 at Bs, 17 at 6s. 16 at 5s 6d, 16 at 5s 2d, 11 at ss. (All at per pair.) Eggs: These, have been coming to hand very freely, and we have been able to clear consignments on a basis of Is 8d to Is 9d per dozen.

SOURCES OF CROP TROUBLE. There -is. of course, a variety of causes of crop trouble, long dried grass being one of the most common. This is often picked up with the soft food that has been placed on the ground instead of in a trough. The grass adheres to the mash, and this forms into a hard ball and blocks the passage. Small pieces of string and similar oddments have been taken from the crop. Excessive use of grain and scarcity of water at the same time wiil bring on the trouble. The water causes the grain to swell and the crop becomes distended. Lack of grit (which may be considered the teeth of the fowl) will cause stoppage. In this case the trouble is usually in the gizzard, and from gizzard to vent, otherwise the whole of the digestive system becomes impaired. I remember some years back being called in to _ give advice in connection with some chickens which were not doing well. Several had died from no apparent cause, and others were very mopey at the time of my visit I killed one of the worst specimens, and found the intestinesabsolutely blocked with fibrous matter. In addition to this the gizzard, proventriculus, and crop were all full, and it was quite evident that the whole system was clogged. I suspected the food, and found that the ground oats contained some thousands of pieces of small fibrous sacking, which had. it appeared, been shaken from the sack when emptying the food. I also found the gizzard was entirely free of grit, and this was the cause ot the trouble.

. Most of these chickens died. It was impossible to get any grit into the gizzard, and this was essential in order to effect a cure. I mention this case to show mv readers how necessary grit is, and that it should be allowed the birds “ ad lib.

One of the first symptoms is a voracious appetite, followed by its loss as time goes on .-. The bird is really starving in the midst ot plenty, and the food in its crop is not nourishing it. On examining the fowl which by now has assured a dejected appearance, one finds the crop very swollen, and as large as a cricket ball, there is a certain amount of fever accompanied with thirst, and the bird has great difficulty in breathing. The ailing bird should have half a wineglass of warm water, containing a teaspoonful of Epsom salts, slowly poured down the throat. Iknead the crop well with the hands in an endeavour to break hp the hard mass of food. -Sometimes s, *ch treatment will prove effective, in which case the crop will soon empty itself.

Should this method fail, half a wineglass of olive oil may be poured down the throat, kneading the crop again (Giving the affected fowl milk to drink and no feed is likely to prove better than either of these suggestions. UtilityFancy has often recommended this as an almost certain remedy.) Allow two or three hours for the oil to work its way into the food, and if the stoppage continues then it will be necessary to perform an operation. In that

case it will be necesary to get an assistant to hold the bird firmly on your knees with the head from you. After moistening the breast feathers so that they keep clear of the operator and wound, a snot should be selected as near the base of the crop as possible and free from veins. With a sharp knife or a razor an incision -is made in the outer skin (longitudinally) l£in in length. A second cut is then made through the true crop, lin in length, taking care to keep in line with the first cut. The contents of the crop are now exposed, and can be removed with a small spoon. After removing the contents and noting the cause of the trouble, the operator should wash out the crop with a weak solution of disinfectant.

Before sewing up the cuts, however, it is as well to place a Jump of lard, butter, or similar substance into the base of the crop as near to the channel as possible. This will lubricate it. an<’ wHI probably prevent a recurrence of tho trouble.

A small needle and silken thread are required, and. after dipping it in disinfectant, the operator proceeds to sew the inner crop, making three separate stitches, lhe two portions should be drawn together, not overlapping and each stitch fastened. ror the outer skin, four or five stitches are necessary, an equal distance apart, fastened separately as before. Carbonised vaseline is applied to the wound, and the bird returned to hospital. Bread and milk should be fed for a few days, and no hard grain given.

23rd PAPANUJ EGC-LAYINC COMPETITION. Leading Pens 45th Week ended February 11 (315 days). FLOCK. TEAMS CONTEST. (Six birds.) Light and Heavy Breeds.

— Little French girls looking after cattle at Solignac, France, were confronted by a full-grown wolf, which, under their terrified eyes, killed a sheep and dragged it to a wood near by. The presence of wolves has not been known in that region since 1869. The same district, owing to the intense cold, is being visited by a large number of wild boars. Some 30 or more of these visited Solignac, and, after playing havoc in the potato and cabbage fields, attempted to raid a barn filled with potatoes.

Week’s eggs. Weight oz.drs. Total. White Leghorns— A. Woolley 32 63.15 1332 J. Liggins .. .. 27 58. 7 1364 F. Hawes 26 55.11 1347 T. H. Wilce .. .. 16 41.14 1340 Verrall Bros 3G 75. 8 1322 J. G. Verrall .. .. 23 48.11 1315 SINGLE HEN OPEN CHAMPION SHIP. —Light and Heavy Breeds.— Week’s Weight eggs. oz.drs. Total Black Orpingtons— H. W. Beck .. .. 4 10. 3 245 Mrs J. A. B. Hellaby 4 8.11 f?27 A. M. Espie .. .. 4 8. 7 003 . -.le Legimrns— H. C. West .. .. 6 13.10 251 S. E. Davey .. .. 5 11. 2 250 W. Spenca .. .. 6 13.10 235 J. MT nt of h .. .. 4 38.15 233 G. H. Chambers .. 4 9. 3 ■2'29 E. V. Crouch .. .. 6 12. 5 229 SINGLE DUCK CONTEST. (Owner enters Three Birds.) Week’s eggs. Total. Indian Runners— A. G. F. Ross, No. 2 .. > 5 301 G. Voice, No. 3 300 F. H. Cotton, No. 1 .. 7 299 Mrs B. Gee, No. 3 .. 297 A. Adsett, No. 1 .. 5 293 A. Adsett, No. 3 . 5 ■266 single HEN CONTEST. (Owner enters Three Birds.) Week’s eggs. Total l.O.V. Heavy Breeds— P. Bailey R.I.R.. No. 1 2 244 P. A. Cornish, L.S., No. 2 0 231 P. A. Cornish, L.S., No. 1 0 201 Black Orpingtons— G. A. Grainger, No. 1 .. . a 247 T. D. Dalziel, No. 1 .. 0 242 T. D. Dalziel, No. 2 .. 0 239 R. M. Cookson No. 3 .. . 5 238 G. A. Grainger, No. 2 .. 1 232 II. W. Beck No. 1 .. 6 229 WHITE LEGHORN SINGLE HEN CONTEST. (Owner enters ThreA. C. Goodlet. No. 3 .. Bl,ds.) Week’* eggs. 7 Total 272 H. Williams, No. 3 .. • o 270 A. M. Espie, No. 3 .. 7 270 G. A. Mitchell, No. 2 .. 6 •268 J. Maxwell, No. 2 .. 6 268 H. Harris, No. 2 .. 267 W. H. 'West, No. 2 .. 4 263