POULTRY NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3862, 20 March 1928, Page 32

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:— 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 19. Christchurch Poultry, P.C. and C. Club June 7,8, and 9. Walmangaroa 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 and 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 28. or August 3 and 4.

Shopkeepers in Invercargill report an acute shortage of eggs at the present time (reports the Southland Times). Notwithstanding the scarcity, there has been no marked increase in the price per dozen. Some shopkeepers are retailing eggs at 2s 4d per dozen, but the majority are accept! ’ 2d per dozen less. “Inquirer.”—lt is a mistake to fatten young turkeys further than to give them free range to the animal food in the way of the grubs they may pick up, two good feeds a day of grain, and any amount of grit. If they have access to a swede turnip field they will continue to grow and come into good condition. The average weight of a young turkey ready to kill for the market is 161 b to 181 b, and for a bird specially bred for breeding purposes 261 b. It is wrong to pen up young turkeys with the object of feeding them for weight, as they will not progress m confinement. They must have free range, a liberal supply of green foods, insects, swede turnips, and, as I have said, grain twice a day. Only such treatment will keep them in good condition and At to send to market to be killed at eight to twelve months old. If penned they will most likely go black in the head and quickly lose all interest in hfe. As to where to obtain a white Rock rooster, there are plenty about, and a small advertisement over these notes would no doubt put you in touch with breeders. The nrices quoted will of course, vary according to the quality or the bird —anything from 15s upwards.

''Ducks.'’—The information you require is given in a paragraph which appears in this week’s notes on “ Indigestion m Ducks. fhe paragraph touches on the subject you ask about, as well as in respect to indigestion.

A Leghorn which laid 335 eggs in 365 under the supervision of the Dominion of Canada Department of Agriculture has found a buyer at £lOO.

It is estimated that in the metropolitan area of London something like 900,000.000 eggs are consumed every year, and that probably no more than 5 per cent, of these are produced within 15 miles all around from Charing Cross. Also it is assumed that the same evidence of failure on the part of English producers to supply local wants exists throughout the country, and consequently importations from abroad are the necessary means of

keeping the price of eggs within the reach of the multitude.

Mr Frank Snowden, in reporting to the_ Yorkshire Federation respecting his visit to the World’s Poultry Congress, criticised the Missouri egg-laying test. He had been struck by the fact that the weight of eggs only averaged IJoz, and was proud to think that English breeders were more particular in breeding from a large egg strain. The first farm ha visited in the United States happened, he said, to be a duck farm, and here were 16,000 adult ducks, and during the rear* ing season over 23,000 ducks had been reared and marketed, the breed being the white Peking, and it was nothing un* common to record an average of 300 eggs from individuals. This breed was con* sidered to be the best for table purposes. Over 25,000 white Leghorns were witnessed at another farm. Many of the poultry houses were 360 ft in length, each house being fitted with the latest laboursaving devices, including automatic water troughs. A strong point in favour of the intensive system and what it means over there was given by the lecturer when he pointed out that very small runs were given to the poultry; no useful purpose was really served by allowing the birds out of their houses. The runs were bare—not a blade of grass to be seen,—and as alfalfa grass was a cheap and useful green food this was the great substitute. There are still some real fanciers, although we hear little of them. They are not out so much for eggs —though they naturally expect to gather sufficient of them for household requirements—as they are for a breed in which they can take a “ fancy.” They want to “ specialise ” in a breed, and often ask to be “ put on ” to one which is not in too many hands. When ’ called- upon to select a breed, specialise only in that particular one, mastering its points. Be guided in the selection by taste, as once a fancier has a liking for a particular breed h e is more likely to make a success of his venture than if, on the other hand, he was stocking his pens with a variety his heart was not given to.

The Value of Skim Milk.—Skim milk is very useful, and when it occurs as a by-product can be made good use of for poultry feeding. Skim milk has, of course, lost most of its fat, but the proteids remain, and valuable salts. It can be safely used for laying stock, but will not entirely replace meat or fish. It belongs, however, to the fresh food class, and has properties not found in preserved food. Indigestion in Ducks.—When ducks have indigestion it is not so much that they have been over-eating, but because they have overeaten of grain or meat. If they have green food to gorge on, they won’t over-eat. Indigestion is caused by lack of water at feeding time. Ducks have no crop as a halfway station for their food; they must have water to wash their food down. Watch ducks at their meals, and note that they gobble the meal, then swallow the water, dipping their heads in until the water comes above their eyes. When deep water is not given them they cannot get their eyes washed, and the result is that the meal sticks and the ducks get sore eyes. Permanganate of potash may be put in the water for ducks if its use is indicated, but medicines should not be given them in the water. When medicine is required give it in the mash. Sore eyes in ducks means either that they have not had deep water for drinking or that thev have been running in dirtjr, sloppy yards, and eating filth. Ducks need some meat in their ration, but this should not be putrid meat. When ducks seem starved at one feeding and at another will hardly touch their food, when their bowels are loose, and they are very thirsty, it is well to examine the droppings for worms, and to pl L e a goocl elear ing out with Epsom salts. Give one-half to two teaspoonfuls for each duck, depending upon the size of the duck. An equal amount of a mixture of equal parts of turpentine and lard or oil should follow the salts next day. If worms are present the ground must be thoroughly cleaned up and disinfected or ra • i oucks will reinfect themselves. Chickens should not be kept with ducks. Ine aucks soil the Water, making it unfit tor chickens and subjecting them to disease.

The simplest, most effective, and most oft-sn used laxative is Epsom salts, which will be found useful in cases of constipation, colds, crop binding, diarrhoea, liver troubles and others. To get birds to take enough of the salts in their mash let them be very hungry before feeding, borne dissolve the salts with hot watef-, and add the solution to the drinking water, but one is less sure of the birds taking a sufficiency in this wav. If the salts are made into a solution' with hot or boiling water, and thoroughly incorporated with the mash, the birds are each sure to get enough. For adult birds 40gr to 50gr is a dose; 35gr for young birds between the age of six months and a year and from lOgr to 35gr graduated for small chickens up to birds of six months is the usual Quantity to be administered. y ne teaspoonful of Epsom salts is equal to oOgr. one dessertspoonful 120 gr, and one tablespoonful 240 gr or loz. Grains and cereal foods contain fat too little of what is needed, and birds fed mostly on this sort of food get not vxtl enough of the necessary elements. hen it is remembered that it takes about 101 b or 121 b of wheat to produce enough lime needed for the composition <?g, U ’ s obv i°”s that this grain fails far short of supplying anything like a proportion of the needs of the hen. Other grains and cereals are deficient in other minerals, and consequently to get plenty of eggs grains and cereals must have minerals added to them that will supply the deficiency. Describing, in the course of hi s address at the New Zealand Poultry Association Conference in Wellington last Wednesday night, the miles and miles of beautiful streets in Montreal and Ottawa, with lovely gardens and fine homes on both sides of the roadway, but never a f?nco between the sections, or between the gardens and the pavements, Mr R, W. Hawke (New Zealand representative to the World’s Poultry Congress at Ottawa last year), said that when ha got back to this country he felt that we in New Zealand wasted millions of pounds on fences—many of then! very ugly ones—in our cities. Reilly’s report: There is a keen demand for eggs, and we have been able to secure full market values for our consignors. At

our sale on Wednesday a nice lot of birds came forward. Really choice pullets commanded extreme prices, very inferior small pullets realising as high as 14s a pair. We received and sold:—Hens: 16 at 6s, 36 at 5s Bd, 44 at 5s 4d, 39 at 4s lOd, 24 at 4s Bd, 41 at 4s 6d, 23 at 4s 4d, 55 at 4s 2d, 39 at 4s, 19 at 3s lOd, 41 at 3s Bd, 43 at 3s 6d. Cockerels: 12 at 12s 6d, 9 at 12s, 12 at 10s 4d, 13 lat 9s 6d, 9 at 8s 6d, 17 at 6s Bd, 12 at 6s, 16 at 4s Bd. Chickens: 2 at 6s 6d, 2 at 6s 2d, 2 at 6s, 2 at 4s Bd, 2 at 4s, 2 at 3s lOd, 4 at 3s 6d, 2 at 2s. Pullets: 20 at 30s, 15 at 28s, 20 at 245, 15 at 14s, 13 at 12s. Ducks: 12 at Ils, 8 at 9s, 13 at 6s, 26 at 5s lOd, 5 at 5s 8d —all at per pair, • WHEN TROUBLE COMES TO THE FLOCK. Though now we have advanced greatly in the way of treatment and prevention of poultry illnesses, the ravages of some of them are yet very far from being nil. Much lies with the poultry keeper, who should be an observer and able to detect at once when anything is not normal in his birds. To check a trouble is more than half the cure, and there are always indications or symptoms of trouble among birds just as there are among animals and humans. The comb of a bird, for instance, is a very indicative organ. The slightest illness immediately affects it. in health it is a rosy red, and when one sees it looking purple, dark-coloured, or black at the tips one may conclude things are not normal. As a- rule discoloration of the comb is the accompaniment of some liver disorder, such as liver chill or liver disease. As a cure for this there is nothing better than turkey rhubarb. Its effects on the liver are considered to be wonderful. For small breed birds the dose is 10 drops per bird, and for heavy breed birds as much as 15 drops may be administered. If when the comb is observed to be beginning to look unhealthy this cure is applied, the trouble will be easily handled and the result effectual. The nostrils of a bird are also a good indication of its state of health. When everything is all right with the fowl its nostrils are hardly observable, and thej r are in a perfectly dry state. When there is moisture in these parts it may only indicate a cold, but if there is any offensive smell the trouble may be recognised as “ roup,” a disorder to be dreaded on account of its decimating effects among a flock. As roup is very contagious, it is of great advantage to be in a position to anticipate it and to apply a remedy. Birds suspected of being victims of an infectious disease should be isolated for the safety of the other members of the flock. Roup passes through three stages if allowed to get a hold, but much may be done to check it and effect a cure in the initial stage. The cure is simple if attention is given when the nasal discharge is only newly started, and is still thin, the bird being rendered free from further disorder and illness. Washing and bathing the nostrils with a disinfectant solution, as a rule, suffices, and if a roup pill is given it still helps in the cure. Permanganate of potash, izal, or boracic acid are all good disinfectants to use. When making a solution of the first of these dissolve as much of it as the water will take up, then add two teaspoonfuls of this to the pint of water. Use it warm for bathing the parts with, and where necessary dip the head of the bird for a few seconds in the solution, repeating if sneezing and the discharge continues. When izal is used add a teaspoonful to the pint of water, and of boracic acid two drachms to the pint of water will be sufficient. These are cures for the trouble in its first or simple stage. In the, second stage, if the trouble is allowed to advance thus far, there will be swellings on the face and round the eyes caused by inflammation and a collection of pus. These swellings sometimes yield to applications of iodine, which has a dispelling effect, but it frequently happens when these gatherings have been allowed t be* come hard that they have to be opened to allow the discharge of the pus. When opened the matter must necessarily be pressed out. and the opening should afterwards be cleaned with disinfectant solution and the parts well daubed with swabs of cotton wool. Care must be taken that these swabs are burned. The third stage, when the trouble develops into diphtheritic roup, is much more serious, the mouth, tongue, and throat being affected, the hard chees.v lumps on these parts having to be burned off with silver nitrate-in stick form.

It will be seen how great must be the advantage of keeping watch over the flock,- and detecting any such outbreak at the start. By doing so much trouble is saved both to birds and owner.— Scottish Farmer. 23rd PAPANUI EGC-LAYINC COMPETITION. Leading Fens 48th Week ended March 3 (336 days). FLOCK TEAMS CONTEST. (Six birds.) Week’s Weight

White Leghorns— eggs. oz.drs. Total .. 23 62 1 J. Liggins . - .. 27 60. 0 144ft F. Hawes .. .. .. 22 50. 4 1423 Verrall Bros .. .. 29 61. 9 1409 T. H. Wilee .. .. 13 30.14 1369 H. C. West .. .. 23 61. 0 1388 SINGLE HEN OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP —Light and Heavy Breeds.— Week’s Weight eggs. oz.drs. Total Black Orpingtons— H. W. Beck .. .. 5 12.15 a.58 Mrs Hellaby .. .. 2 4. 7 237 A. M. Espie .. .. 0 0. 0 225 White Leghorns— H. C. West .. .. 4 9. 9 2G6 S. E. Davey .. .. 5 12. 4 263 W. Spence .. 4 9.10 248 J. M’lntosh .. 4 9.12 245 E. V. Crouch .. .. 5 9.14 243 A. H. Adams .. .. 4 9. 3 243 W. E. Ward .. .. 6 13. 4 210 . ! SINGLE DECK CONTEST. (Owner enters Three Birds.) Week’s egg«. Total. Indian Runners— A. 3. F- Boss, No . a .. . 7 321 B*. B. Cotton, No. i .. . e 817

Mrs Gee, No. 3 6 316 A. Adsett N<\ 1 .. .. 6 313 A. Adsatt, No. 3 .. .. 6 305 G. Voice, No. 3 .. » • • 0 305 SINGLE HEN CONTEST. (Owner enters Three Birds.) Week’s eggs. Total A.O.V. Heavy Breeds— P. Bailey, R.I.R., No. 1 6 253 P. A. Cornish, L.S., No. 2 6 248 P. A. Cornish, L.S., No. 1 6 217 Black Orpingtons— G. A. Grainger, No. 1 „ 3 262 T. D. Dalziel, No. 1 ~ X 3 251 II. W. Beck. No. 1 .. 6 246 T. D. Dalziel No. 2 .. w 1 243 R. M. Cookson, No. 3 .. •• 3 242 WHITE LEGHORN SINGLE HEN CONTEST. (Owner enters Three H. Williams, No. 3 Birds.) Week’s eggs. C Total. 289 A. M. Espie, No. 3 .. 7 288 A. 0. Goodlet, No. 3 .. 5 287 G. H. Mitchell, No. 2 .. 5 286 'H. Harris, No. 2 .. 6 285 J. Maxwell, No. 3 .. - 5