Poultry Notes

Southern Cross, Volume 17, Issue 15, 24 July 1909, Page 10

Poultry Notes

(By "Buff.")

The local market report says that eggs are scarce, and does not give quotations. There is something wrong with the systems followed by keepers of poultry. In Southland we should have a good supply of eggs all the year round if proper housing, feeding, and attention.be given the birds. Tho mildness of the winter should have been conducive to egg-laying, and if farmers would give a little more attention to poultry they would find it very profitable. Mr Carr, Manager of the Milton Government Poultry Farm has been interviewed on things in general — tnore especially poultry.. * Talking of shows, he said Invercargill had a really good exhibition, and to his mind it was ahead of Dunedin. He says the day of fancy is nearly over, and utility birds >i/-e mow as'*ed for, and he is using the Hogan test in mating up for layers. Talking of shows, he would like to see a tip-top show at Dunedin, Gore, and Invercargill, or six shows altogether in the South Island, believing that the small sho%vs could be cut out and classes arranged at the main shows to suit. CAN FOWLS STAND TRAVEL ? This is a thing that has often been in our minds, and so our reporter called on Mr Harry Gill, who has shown Leghor-ns in most of the South Island towns this year, to find out how his stand it. This is what he told us :—He had a cockerel and pullet which he sent to Christchurch on June 3rd, and arx'ived back on June 7th ; left again on June 9th for Balclutha, arrived back on 12th ; left for Wellington on June 13th, arrived back 22nd ; put straight in the Invercargill Show June 23rd and 24th : left for Oamaru July Ist, arrived back July sth ; sent to Wyndham en July 6th." This shows, in his opinion. that birds—Leghorns at an5 r rate — can stand travel very well, but he states that it is hardly fair to the I :ids themselves. His cockerel secured Ist Christchurch, Ist and Champion Wellington, Ist Oamaru, Ist Tnv nvargill ; Ist and Best Heavy Bird (ladies' class) Wyndham show, 3rd (ladies' class) Balclutha—a really fine performance for the bird.

The birds had no special attention during their trips, and never even had any water. Of course, heavy ;?irds seem to stand the strain much better than the light ones, as they seem more heavily and better built for it. Of course the birds will not be used for breeding, and so this is in itself a good thing, as birds that .have travelled much are no good to breed from!.

After having- this evidence to go on it appears to us that birds can stand a good deal more travel than those who know nothing about them are apt' to think. The care given to show birds is much better nowadays than that given a few years ago ; fanciers owe a good deal—or at least those in Invercargil, do —owing to the early express, to those in authority, and the railway officials in general. If the fowls have nice, neat, well-made, and well-aired boxes to travel in, and receive careful handling by the railway officials, they will stand it very well. And in conclusion, one must always watch the feeding of show birds to have them well nourished, so that they can stand a little hardship if necessary. This, we trust, will show what birds are capable of if really properly looked after.