POULTRY NOTES

Southland Times, Issue 23336, 21 October 1937, Page 12

POULTRY NOTES

BY

A. PEAT

The official column of the Invercargill Poultry, Pigeon, Canary and Pet Club, and the Southland Poultry Producers’ Federation.

Inquirer, Mataura.—l regret that your inquiry arrived too late to answer last week. To stop your canary hen from scouring mix the yolk of a hen’s egg boiled hard with three or four wine biscuits. Add sufficient arrowroot or French chalk to cover a threepenny bit. Ten drops of whisky (not brandy) in the drinking water will also assist.

Mr J. E. Jefcoate presided over the monthly meeting of the Invercargill branch of the New Zealand Poultry Producers’ Federation.

The action taken by the board about remits referred to the board was approved by the executive as were also the board’s proposals for the the publication of a new Poultry Journal, the first copy of which will be issued this month.

Following are a few of the remits:— (1) The Minister of Agriculture has definitely promised to introduce a Stock Foods Bill as early as possible. (2) The Wheat Committee has agreed to sell pollard to poultrymen in ton lots at wholesale prices. (3) The Government will assist the board in the export of eggs during the 1937 season by means of a subsidy under which eggs for export will be taken over by‘the Government at 1/1 a dozen, ex store. (4) It is anticipated that regulations of the standard quality of meatmeal will be provided in the Stock Foods Bill. In the meantime the board has been in communication with manufacturers of meatmeal who have been requested to attach a tag to each bag showing the analysis of the contents. At the Invercargill Poultry, Pigeon and Cage Bird Club’s fortnightly meeting Mr R. Foley presided. The following two remits were also added to the list for the annual conference next month:— (1) All poultry breeds of pigeons (pouters, pigmy pouters and croppers) be allowed to compete for the championship. (2) That bantams be eligible to compete for any special prize for light breeds at a show. The next meeting night is to be held on October 30. It will be devoted to canaries and after the meeting t.iat well-known authority on Norwich canaries, Mr W. Henderson, will give an address. HEAVY ORDERS RECEIVED Because of the high price of fowl feed this year it was anticipated that very little hatching would be done as there would be no enquiries for dayolds or pullets. However, the results have been the opposite and all breeders have received heavy orders for all classes of young stock. To give some idea of the quantity of eggs that have been incubated this season, Mr G. Millar, of Ryal Bush, up to the end of September had put just on 15,000 eggs through his hatchery and he is only one, with still another six weeks to age so evidently there are a large number with faith in the future of the poultry industry. A question often asked is Can hen and duck eggs be hatched together ? Mr G. Millar informs me he was pressed to put some duck eggs in his incubator along with some hens eggs as they were of a special strain and no clucking hen was available. He consented, with no guarantee of results, and out of 36 fertile eggs 31 strong healthy ducklings were hatched. The only different treatment he gave them was damping now and again when turning. Now that all the cows will be in full milk those who are separating their milk will have the best and cheapest poultry food at home. Nothing is better than milk, especially when sour and curdled. Pour your separated milk into i large drum and wait until the curds form on top. This fed pure or mixed in a mash is an excellent food and the whey can be given to pigs who will fatten on it. In this way you are getting two foods from your separated milk. You will be surprised to see how both poultry and pigs thrive on their own portion. At Harper Adams contest a Khaki Campbell duck has laid 300 eggs in 308 days. The flock average for -.11 ducks (176) at the trials is 213 and for the pullets 164.3. Duck mortality is 3.98 per cent, as against 19.59 per cent, for pullets. There is a drop of over four and ahalf million young stock in Britain this year. Allowing for a percentage being table birds it is estimated this will result in a drop of 80 million eggs from October to January. What effect will this have on our exports? PACKING OF EGGS The size of the air cell is not a safe guide to the age of an egg, because the rate of evaporation depends upon the type of shell, the temperature and the dryness of the atmosphere. It can, however, be used as a general guide to quality. Another progressive and quite normal change which takes place is that water passes from the white into the yolk and the thin membrane enclosing the yolk contents stretches and weakens. The result is that when the egg is broken out into a saucer or frying-pan the yolk lies flat instead of standing up like a ball. Eventually the membrane may become so weak that it is unable to stand the strain and even an expert cook is unable to prevent the yolk running in all directions. During hot weather ugly patches often appear on the yolk at this stage, and make it a very unpalatable object. These patches, however, can hardly be considered as normal deterioration since they occur only in certain eggs and may have something to do with the management of the liens concerned. EGG-LAYING CONTESTS MASSEY COLLEGE Single Light Breeds A. G. Mumby (W.L.) 6 155 J. Wilson (W.L.) 5 153 W. Scott (W.L.) 5 150 A. A. Hoare (W.L.) 6 147 O. H. Markland (W.L.) 7 141 Single Heavy Breeds Miss E. I. Stomer (R.1.R.) 6 169 Miss E. I. Stomer (R.1.R.) 5 160 Mrs M. L. Douglas (B.O.) 5 156 Mrs R. Willem (B.O.) 3 149 Mrs W. J. Huxtable (B.O.) 7 142 Light Breeds (six birds) H. A. Lucas (W.L.) 22 775 Ancona P.F. (W.L.) 30 712 Mrs G. E. Sewell (W.L.) 27 669 C. L. Urquhart (W.L.) 26 596 S. G. Batten (W.L.) 26 568 Heavy Breeds (six birds) L. G. Hooper (B.O.) 34 804 W. A. Larsen (A. 0. 24 751 F. A. Dewhurst (R.1.R.) 26 685 Austral P.F. (B.O.) 23 669 G. A. Edge (R.1.R.) 27 504 TARANAKI (29th Week) Heavy Birds, Single G. A. Edge (R.1.R.) 5 176 Mrs H. Moreland (A. 0. 6 173 N. Ross (B.O.) 7 173 J. H. Hurdle (A. 0. 6 164 Mrs D. M. Waddell (B.O.) 5 159 Light Breeds, Single Mrs A. W. Revell (W.L.) 6 167 J. T. Hazlewood (W.L.) 5 152 Sunnyriver P.F. (W.L.) 5 157 Sunnyriver P.F. (W.L.) 4 142 W. Scott (W.L.) 6 138

Heavy Breeds (three birds) Mrs H. Moreland (A. 0. 15 429 N. Ross (B.O.) 17 428 G. A. Edge (R.1.R.) 14 417 Mrs F. A. Warren (B.O.) 15 358 W. A. Larsen (A. 0. 14 343 Light Breeds (three birds) Sunny River P.F. (W.L.) 12 410 W. Scott (W.L.) 15 381 Mrs A. W. Revell (W.L.) 16 359 M. Stephenson (W.L.) 14 324 Ducks, Single Breeds Mrs E. Kelly (K.C.) 7 201 Mrs E. Kelly (K.C.) 7 194 Mrs A. W. Revell (F.W.R.) 7 183 Mrs E. Kelly (K.C.) 6 146 H. H. Melville (F.W.R.) 7 146 AUCKLAND (27th week) Heavy Breeds (six birds) Huxtable Bros. (B.O.) 34 776 H. Harrison (B. Lang.) 25 704 N. Ross (A. 0. 27 648 •W. Worthington (B.O.) 27 612 Light Breeds (six birds) ♦J. B. Guy (W.L.) 30 695 W. Spencer (W.L.) 33 658 Argyle P.F. (W.L.) 34 641 Whenuapai P.F. (W.L.) 32 614 Single Bird (all breeds) ♦Ancona P.F. (A. 0. 7 151 ♦E. Wells (B.O.) 5 151 ♦N. Ross (A. 0. 5 150 ♦G. Hawkins (W.L.) 6 143 ♦W. G. Crabb (B.O.) 6 142 . Light Breeds (three birds) Mrs L. Stubleman (W.L.) 24 534 H. Turner (W:L.) 24 498 W. Spencer (W.L.) 21 489 ♦H. Humme (W.L.) 21 485 L. G. Hooper (W.L.) 22 475 Heavy Breeds (three birds) ♦K. A. Powell (B.O.) 26 615 ♦C. T. Harding (B.O.) 24 552 ♦Mrs N. Ross (B.O.) 22 • 549 *P. Douglas (B.O.) 23 537 ♦Mrs D. Edwards (B.O.) 27 547 Ducks (four birds) Mrs E. Kelly (K.C.) 27 679 W. T. Gilmour (K.C.) 23 671 Mrs D. Simon (K.C.) 20 640 L. Ayling (K.C.) 23 617 S. Clark (K.C.) 28 597 ♦Denotes underweight eggs. PAPANUI (28th week) TEST No. I.—J. H. SHAW MEMORIAL CHALLENGE. (For light and heavy breeds, single penned)

TEST No. 2.—WHITE LEGHORN SINGLE HEN TEST. (Each competitor to enter three purebred pullets to be single penned)

TEST No. 3.—BLACK ORPINGTONS AND AUSTRAL ORPS. (Competitor to enter three birds.)

TEST No. 4.—ANY VARIETY LIGHT OR HEAVY BREEDS. OTHER THAN WHITE LEGHORNS OR BLACK ORPINGTONS.

TEST No. S.—SINGLE HEN TEST, LIGHT AND HEAVY BREEDS. (Each competitor to enter six purebred pullets, to be single penned.)

i £ o ra ■o o 5 o H C. Miln (A.O.) 1 81 J. R. Griffen (L.S.) G 127 C. N. Goodman (A.O.) (1) 5 117 C. N. Goodman (A.O.) (2) 5 55 D. J. Hawke (B.O.) 5 123 Miss F. Kerr (A.O.) 6 63 S. F. Marshall (A.O.) 6 141 W. N. Jepson (A.O.) 5 97 J. Gunn (A.O.) 6 102 G. D. Hollyman (A.O.) 5 129 J. Brennan 6 63 Ted Turner 5 124 H. Whyte (1) 4 146 H. Whyte (2) 6 131 Mrs C. J. Collings 2 88 G. Wright 6 109 D. J. Hawke 6 63 M. C. Mills 6 137 Miss F. Kerr 6 128 J. Hamilton 6 71 Miss H. Keddell 6 136 J. Ibbotson (No. 1) 1 82 E. Tilley 6 90 F. C. Innes 5 128 W. E. Harvey 4 71 A. C. Goodlet 6 95 R. West 5 104 H. Williams (No. 1) 6 124 Mrs J. Still (No. 1) 7 82 A. Lucas (No. 1) 7 114 H. Williams (No. 2) 6 125 W. E. Ward 6 112 J. Liggins 6 121 E. P. Anderson (No. 1) 4 84 W. Barrell 6 81 J. Ibbotson (No. 2) 6 114 Mrs J. Still (No. 2) 5 102 A. Lucas (No. 2) 4 143 T. Calms 6 140 L. P. Hawke 5 124 J. H. Graham 5 115 T. B. Grant 6 76 T. S. Dove 5 127 Green Bros. 6 93 C. A. B. Williams 4 127 E. P. Anderson (No. 2) 6 110 Mrs B. Andrews 6 82

Grand total. G. Millar (No. 1) 145 113 130 Mrs F. D. Dillon 125 81 90 Mrs B. Snelling 91 102 140 A. W. Pritchard 98 129 129 F. Ashworth 117 125 106 D. J. Hawke 80 145 142 Miss F. Kerr 80 138 65 S. F. Marshall 105 105 100 G. H. Bradford (No. 1) 87 136 137 W. M. Evans 150 149 88 Miss H. Keddell 112 81 106 J. Brennan 21 84 95 G. H. Bradford (No. 2) 109 130 92 L. Brumby 132 155 116 Mrs J. A. Ritchie 138 124 113 E. Tilley 141 120 98 P. Knight 112 143 146 F. C. Innes 77 94 89 Green Bros. 84 137 139 A. C. Goodlet 154 131 149 A. D. Whyte 81 70 110 J. H. Jones 105 112 104 H. Williams (No. 1) 101 52 126 H. Williams (No. 2) 108 155 109 J. Liggins (No. 1) 113 50 131 J. Liggins (No. 2) 103 121 124 A. Edwards 129 116 98 J. B. Lees 74 120 144 A. S. Cormack 95 88 151 T. S. Dove 141 110 104 A. O. Oakley 152 164 111 W. Turner 84 143 114 E. Fuchs 134 128 118 Argyle Poultry Farm 131 96 104 Mrs B. Andrews 109 136 104

A. S. Cormack (A.O.) 154 79 147 Miss F. Kerr (A.O.) 47 78 80 S. Brumby (A.O.), (No. 1) 68 64 44 S. Brumby (A.O.), (No. 2) 116 136 144 D. J. Hawke (B.O.) 98 142 110 L. Brumby (A.O.) 49 89 63 C. O. King (A.O.) 155 145 152 B. Cotterell (A.O.) 95 133 22 K. D. Martin. (A.O.) 106 150 124 W. N. Jepson (A.O.) . 98 142 87 G. D. Hollyman (A.O.), (No. 1) 94 143 124 G. D. Hollyman (A.O.), (No. 2) 112 122 150 D. A. Tutton 39 69 33

R. Pearce (A.) 80 62 97 A. W. Pritchard (B.L.) 37 129 113 E. R. Buckley (R.I.R. 122 138 129 W. J. Scott (R.I.R.) 107 137 160 T. B. Grant (R.I.R.) 104 76 77 C. Stone (R.I.R.) 139 106 119 P. A. Cornish (L.S.) 101 94 39

Weekly total Total G. Millar 22 427 D. A. McKie (A.O.) 29 619 S. E. Davey and Sons (No. i; 35 734 J. Liggins 25 612 E. F. Butler 30 610 L. G. Ancall 30 704 G. H. Bradford (No. 1) 22 581 G. H. Bradford (No. 2) 32 801 G. H. Bradford (No. 3) 32 641 S. E. Davey and Sons (No. 2) 33 635 Mrs B. Andrews 34 643 E. Tilley 31 645 G. H. Mitchell 31 674 S. E. Davey and Sons (No. 3) 32 808 T. S. Dove (No. 1) 33 663 H. Williams 33 731 D. A. McKie 28 747 Calder Bros. (No. 1) , I 615 Calder Bros. (No. 2) 27 704

T. S. Dove (No. 2) 26 609 E. P. Anderson 1 33 699 A. D. Russell 33 724 G. D- Hollyman 26 667 TEST No. 6.—SINGLE DUCK TEST. F. Ashworth (K.C.) 131 168 157 G. Wright (K.C.) 114 130 181 Mrs C. J. Collings (K.C.) 177 144 96 j. W. Thomson (K.C.) 14 124 .176 R. J. Vallance (K.C.) 132 57 103 A. G. F. Ross (I.R.) 163 132 185 L. Williams (I.R.) 140 155 140 W. A. Toon (K.C.) 127 131 170