POULTRY NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 4039, 11 August 1931, Page 29

POULTRY NOTES.

By

Terror.

“ Perplexed.”—-It is comparatively easy to distinguish the sex of Leghorn chickens at three weeks old, and sometimes during the first week, when the birds with tail developments are pullets. This distinction, however, disappears very quickly, and then the comb is a much better guide. The head and neck of a cockerel are longer and the neck thicker than in the pullet. The feathers of a cockerel, it has been pointed out, are “ V’’-shaped, whilst those of a pullet are “ U ’’-shaped. The cockerel develops comb and wattles earlier than does the pullet. There is objection being raised to the regulations respecting the stamping and grading of fresh eggs in Victoria, and the Minister of Health has been approached to protest. The rejection of stained eggs and those with watery yolks is regarded as a great hardship to the producers, and will materially increase costs. Out of 15,842 dozen eggs received 57 per cent, had watery yolks. An informal ballot amongst 1660 egg producers had shown that 157 G were against the regulations. As a result of the protest the Minister promised to suggest suspension of the regulations referring to fresh eggs for one year. He would not seek the repeal of the regulations because he thought there was room for improvement. The trouble in England and Australia which has arisen in respect to marketing regulations should show poultry- keepers in New Zealand that they must watch out that their own interests are not involved by unneeded Government regulations. Regulation is needed, but it may be too far reaching.

Never force eggs' by giving spices and condiments; rather get birds into a good bodily condition, for without this there can be no consistent output. When the young chicken feathers are growing , and the wing feathers shooting it is a rather trying time for chickens, for feathering is more or less of a strain on the best of birds. Their state of health is considerably indicated by the speed with which the feathers are grown. Keep a close lookout upon the birds, and eiffl the drones, as their presence means quite a reduction in the profits and an increase in the expenses. Laying ducks should have oystershell always available; they consume large quantities during the laying season. Oystershell should never be mixed with the food.

B.W.D. (Bacillary White Diarrhcea) and Coccidiosis. —A correspondent to the Feathered World (a Air Richard Wignall I says : “Dr Helm says that losses from B.W.D. can be prevented by blood testing the breeding stock. Alay 1 say that 1 have reared chickens from non-blood-tested stock for six years in succession, and have been free from 8.W.D.? This year 1 reared fioni blood-tested birds and got B.W.D. Also the doctor says that coccidiosis can be prevented by intensive rearing. Well, last year we had coccidiosis among almost mature birds, and this year we decided to rear intensively, also with peat moss litter. The result was that we had a disastrous outbreak ot coccidiosis. Please understand. Air Editor, that I am not attempting to cross words with Dr Helm. That would be like David attacking Goliath, with a result probably vastl.v different to the one which that encounter produced. I have merely related an experience I have had. and if Dr Helm or any other writer or reader can help me I shall be grateful.” Water plays a very important part in the daily routine of the laying hen byaiding in the digestive processes and helping to carry food through the digestive tract. Further uses of water include the adding of firmness to body tissue and the removal of waste from the body. The poultryman often thinks in the winter time that there is too much water in the henhouse. Litter becomes damp in such a short time, and walls and windows show frost and moisture collection. Just realise that 100 hens, laying heavily, will transpire from three to four gallons of water as a vapour every 24 hours. This fact may indicate why the house is always damp, and why some system of ventilation is needed to remove moist air. This moisture, whether it be removed by ventilation or by the littenaml the walls, must be furnished to the hen daily. The job of the poultryman is to supply that water needed for the egg formation and for normal body functions. Too small a water container may cause serious egg loss because the water is not there when the good layer wants it. A water fountain that freezes at night or during the day is just as big a liability unless carefully watched. An improperly constructed fountain may cause the hen to get water on her feet that will wet a considerable area of the, floor around the drinking place. Dripping water from beaks and wattles serves again to wet the floor, and is very undesirable from that standpoint. Plenty of water in the right kind of container helps to bring about profitable egg production.

All restrictions imposed by the other States on the removal of poultry from Victoria have been lifted. The outbreak of poultry plague has proved very costly to those engaged in the industry in A’ictoria.

Reilly’s Report.—Eggs are coming in in fair quantities, though we arc rather surprised that some agents offer them at Is Gd a dozen, as with the short supplies of preserved on the market fresh eggs were finding a ready sale at Is 7d to Is 8d per dozen. Table poultry are short of requirements Very few birds were offering at our sale on Wednesday. These offerings met a keen demand, and large quantities would be placed at the prices ruling. At the moment there is a keen demand for good pullets. Good lines of white Leghorns being readilj’ saleable at 20s per pair. We sold:—Cockerels—2 at 8s 6d, 2 Bs, 2 7s SiL 2 7s 6d. 2 7s, 2 6s Bd, 2 6s 6d. 4 6s, 2-, 5s Bd. 2 4s Gd: ducks —5 8s lOd. 2 Ss 6d. 2 8s 2d. 5 Bs, 2 7s Gd. 5 7s. 5 6s 2d; pullets—2 9s 6d. 2 ss. 2 3s Gd: all at “per pair”; turkeys —2 9jd. 2 9d per lb.

THE VALUE OF POULTRY MANURE. Leaflet No. 140 issued by the English Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries contains some very useful advice and information in regard to poultry manure. The quantity of poultry manure made under different conditions has been calculated as follows:—100 breeding fowls produce SOcwt of fresh manure in one year; 100 chickens from one daj- old to the age of 13 weeks produce 9cwt of fresh manure, while the same number of fattening birds produce scwt of manure in three weeks. A thousand fowls w ill produce about lewt of manure per day in the houses and a similar amount outside.

It is well known that poultry manure is a rich fertiliser compared with farmyard manures, while air-dried poultry manure, though poorer than good guano, has a composition similar to that of rape cake. Manure from laying birds contains 1.75 per cent, of nitrogen, while that of fattening birds contains 2.28 per cent, of nitrogen. The bulk of the nitrogen is in a quick-acting form, and because it is easily fermentable care must be taken in storing, as much of the valuable ammonia will be lost. Assuming that only one-halt of the total nitrogen has a value equal to that of sulphate of ammonia (about 12e Gd per unit, that the remaining half lias one-third that value, and calculating phosphate and potash at 2s and 3s per unit respectively, the poorest of the fresh has a manorial value of 21s per ton, while rich air-dried poultry manure is worth 73s per ton. A flock of 1000 laying birds would therefore produce, besides eggs, manure to the value of over £4O.

In regard to experimental work with poultry manure, it has been proved that 4cwt of fowl manure produced as good a crop as lewt of nitrate of soda or lewt of sulphate of ammonia. That is to say, poultrj- manure is about as effecfive as one-quarter of its weight of nitrate of soda, and would therefore be worth (on its experimental showing) about £2 10s per ton at present prices. The storing of poultrj- manure calls for great care. Alanure deposited on the fields by the poultry themselves quickly sets to work, and its good effects are easily seen. But the manure made in houses calls for the greatest attention. The point to aim at is to dry and pulverise it with as little loss of nitrogen as possible. Peat moss, sawdust, and gypsum are used, but fine dry soil is quite effective. Alkaline substances, such as lime or wood ashes should not be used, as thc.v eause loss of ammonia through volatilisation. In practice a good plan is to make shallow layers of the manure and dry earth alternately in proportion of two parts of the manure to one of earth. The heap is kept under cover and turned occasionally til] it becomes drj- and friable.

For such dried manure suitable additions would lie : Superphosphate at onefifth of the weight of the soil-dried manure, and kainit or potash salts at one-tenth of the weight of the soil-dried manure. The mixture thus obtained could be applied at up to 15cwt per acre. TWENTY-SEVENTH PAPANUI EGGLAYING COMPETITION. Leading Pens, ,17th Week, ended Julv 31 (lIS days). TEST I—J. H SHAW MEMORIAL CHALLENGE (Light anti Heavy Breeds.) Week’s Weight eggs. oz. dr. Total.

TEST 7—OTHER THAN INDIAN RUNNER. H. A. Dawber (P.) 6 3 7 99 72 97 F. Ashworth (K.C.) 7 5 G 5S 67 68 P signifies Pekin. K.C. stands (or Khaki Campbell.

Black Orpinetons— J. Campbell . . 15.1 111 H. Cotton , .. 5 9.10 97 White Leghorns— IL Williams .. 7 13.15 107 J. Ibbotson . .. (1 12.1 98 L. Roache . . n 10.14 98 Miss M’Kechnie . .. G 13.5 93 T. S. Dove . . . . . ;> 10.0 90 F. G. S. Chapman . R 10.7 87 A. C. Goodlet . . . . . 5 11.15 86 TEST 2—WHITE LEGHORN. SINGLE HENS (Owner Ente rs Three Birds.) Weeks eggs Totals. W. L. Donald 5 G 5 S7 93 94 A. .1. Maclaine (j ;> I) 102 'SO J. Ibbotson . . 5 G 3 87 94 77 T. S. Dove . . . . 5 5 0 96 106 56 E. G. Cliffen 6 6 4 86 95 ( J. IL Jackson 5 5 6 S8 73 91 II. Williams. No 1 0 5 6 67 90 9.8 H. Williams. No. 2 0 5 4 75 105 i o TEST 3 —BLACK ORPINGTONS i ONLY. (Single Hen. Owner Enters ' Three Birds.) Week's eggs. Totals. B. Cotterell . . 2 6 0 70 91 81 R. M. Cookson . . 4 5 5 S' 7 79 71 D. A. M’Kee 15 3 39 79 71 J. Campbell 5 0 4 101 45 27 TEST 4—ANY VARIETY LIGHT OR HEAVY BREEDS OTHER THAN WHITE LEGHORNS OR BLACK ORPINGTONS Week's eggs. Totals. Mrs Williams (L.S.) 7 5 4 101 106 95 A. W. Pritchard (B.O.) .. .. 6 6 3 S3 85 92 S. IL Mitchell (A.) 4 3 5 77 76 i B. C. Wilson (B.L.) 3 3 6 71 62 91 L.S. stands for Light Sussex. B.O. stands for Buff Orpington. A. stands for Ancona. B.L. stands for Brown Leghorn. TEST C—FLOCK TEAMS. (Six Birds.) Week’s Wetg hl eggs. oz. dr. Total. White Leghorns— W. Knight . . 30 66.11 519 L. V. Couch . . .. . . 20 42.14 434 M. C. Craig . . . . 27 59.6 429 H. Williams . . .. . . IS 39.0 424 L. Roache .. 11 24.1 415 Verrall Bros. . . 22 45.14 415 TEST 6—INDIAN RUNNER(Owner Enters Three 1 Birds.) Week’s eggs. Totals. J. W. Thomson . . 6 7 7 84 110 113 H. A. Dawber 2 7 4 GS 116 100 G. A. Heath 7 7 7 62 115 21