POULTRY NOTES

Southland Times, Issue 23512, 19 May 1938, Page 13

POULTRY NOTES

BY

A. PEAT

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

The following judges have been elected to judge the Invercargill Poultry Club’s show in June: — Open Poultry, Utility Poultry, and Bantams. —Mr R. Wilson. Fancy Pigeons.—Mr S. Lindsay. Working Homers.—Mr S. Robson. Canaries, Budgerigars, Foreign Birds, Finches, and Singing Classes for Canaries.—Mr C. Burley. > Pets.—Mr P. Lindsay. . ' The following penning committees were elected: — Poultry.—Messrs Double, C. Neilson and Folley. Working Homers. —Messrs Cooke and J. Neilson. Fancy Pigeons.—Messrs P. Lindsay and Gough. Canaries. —Messrs Patterson and Holloway. Budgerigars and '’Foreign Birds.— Messrs Schonyan and Gibbs. INSECTS TO THE ACRE Insect life is most active in the grass and soil in May and June. A recent investigation has shown that on an old weedy meadow pasture there were 263,755,800 insects to an acre in the soil, and 8,813,640 insects in the same area or vegetation above. On arable (ploughed) land, manured annually, there were found to be 15,000,000 insects to the acre, says an exchange. The insects in the soil lie near the surface, seldom going more than four and a-half inches deep; although at this time of year when the ground is dry they tend to go below one and a-half inches from the surface in search of moisture. One hundred and thirty-two different species of insects were found in the old pasture, the most common being the “springtail” (on which were found some nematode parasites). The next most common insect is the spider, followed by betties—all valuable food for poultry. Where there is little plant life and vegetation, such as in a well-worn poultry run, there are obviously far fewer insects because there is less for them to eat. • It is any wonder that fowls ana chickens do so well on “free range?’ HOW GERMANS REAR CHICKS In Germany the chicks are removed from the incubators to roomy, very airyjhovers, with the canopy hung well up over the chicks, reflecting the heat down on to their backs. Curtains are unknown. Experiments have been done, ana 1 have proved it myself, that canopies can be placed 12 to 15 inches above the chicks with most successful results, says an overseas writer. The chicks spread out in a wide circle away from the heat centre. Beneath the canopies containers are placed with oil or with coal fueling. , Canopies are usually hung from the ceiling, on a roller with a pulley for raising up and down, very convenient for cleaning. Screens are never placed round these canopies, as that would prevent the free circulation of air. Open wire, ordinary chick mesh, is placed in a wide circle round the canopy for the first few days. Rearing houses have plenty of floor space, even for small units of 50 to bO. chicks, as exercise indoor as well as outdoor is an essential principle. Sand, is used so as to induce the chicks to scratch and look for food, grit and charcoal, and often a handful of cluck com is strewn on this sanded floor to keep the chicks alive and mobile. Chaff is only used under the hover, and is kept there by a slip of wood, as chaff blocks up water and feeding troughs. , In the early part of the year, when grass has very little food value, chicks are given vegetables and vegetable juice, such as grated carrots, later, grated beet, and then the first dandelions and nettles, cut the size of chaff, by one of the useful little rotary cutters found on almost every farm in Germany. / . , , , , Vegetable foods are fed also later, when runs are in good condition, as it is part of the poultry scheme to produce as much food as possible on the farm, so as to be independent of the balanced mash. . Skim milk is given as a sole drink for several hours a day. Experiments of Dr Fangauf, of Keil, have shown that one litre (13 pints) of skim or butter milk is equal to 100 grammes (approximately of fish meal. The protein is far more easily assimilated in the milk form. The same is the case with the mineral content of plants. The chick can assimilate the minerals far better through the medium of vegetables and plants than in the most cleverly balanced mash with raw minerals. Runs are kept fresh for the chicks, not by moving to fresh grass, as the bigger German houses cannot be removed, but runs are left over for one or two seasons alternately. Often houses have three and four spare runs. Later in the season small outdoor brooders are used. After leaving the rearing houses, chicks are placed in open-fronted removable huts without any floors to them. Here they remain till they are placed in the laying houses. Green food and vegetables are still fed, even when on range, also steamed and mashed potatoes in the wet mash, which is never mixed with water. GERMAN TRIALS I The report of the German laying trials is to hand, and contains several points of interest when compared with our own tests. The tests commenced on October 16, 1936, and finished on September 30, 1937 (350 days). There was an entry of 1918 birds in 248 pens, a pen consisting of seven birds, except at Einach and Gieben, where a pen consisted of 20 birds. The breeds represented in the competition were: White Leghorns 81.2 per cent., Brown Leghorns 10.8 per cent., Rhode Island Reds 4 per cent., White Wyandottes 2.5 per cent., Black Rhinelanders 1.1 per cent., Barred Plymouth Rocks .4 per cent. Feeding was uniform for all tests and consisted of laying mash containing 25 to 30 per cent, of protein, grains, an additional feed of milk, codliver oil, green foods and minerals. The birds were housed semi-intensively, and, with the exception of three tests, the houses were illuminated. The following records were obtained: Pen trials.—White Leghorns, 230.8 eggs; Brown Leghorns, 217.1 eggs; Rhode Island Reds, 210.0 eggs; Wyandottes, 172.8 eggs; Rhinelanders, 205.8 eggs; Plymouth Rocks, 302.4 eggs. Flocks tests.—White Leghorns, 186.1 eggs, Brown Leghorns, 179.3 eggs; Rhode Island Reds, 182.6 eggs; Wyandottes, 183.7 eggs. The average mortality for all tests was 12.6 per cent. Mortality of White Leghorns was 12.5, Brown Leghorns 11.5, Rhode Island Reds 15.6, Wyandottes 14.3, Rhinelanders 14.3, Plymouth Rocks 0 per cent. The causes of death were mainly leucosis and diseases of the reproductive and digestive organs. The best pen in the pen test laid 259 eggs; and i the best pen in the flock test 22.9 eggs.

RACING PIGEONS The Racing Pigeon has news from Czechoslovakia, which tells that tne federation of that country has 294 dubs with 8580 members, and that in February 110,000 rings were distributed. The majority of pigeons are finished at eight or nine years of age, but there are exceptions. Breeding from old birds that are really finished, breeding from enfeebled young that are reared from them, will bring about disaster in a loft more quickly than anything. _ In England serious steps are being taken to put an end to fraudulent practices at poultry shows. With this intent the Poultry Club of England is now licensing all judges, who have to agree to report all cases of faking and fraudulent practice. If a case of fraudulent practice is proved against a judge nis licence is suspended. , If ducks are bought which have never had an opportunity to swim, ana this can be provided in their new home, they should not be allowed into deep water at once, especially with drakes that are used to swimmihg, as the drakes will probably drown th® l ?- They will, however, be perfectly sate if first allowed to splash about at the I edge of water for a few days. ORIGIN OF FRIZZLES Is any earlier record of Frizzled fowl to be found than that quoted by tne late Mr Harrison Weir, who gives particulars dating back three centuries so, of Friesland fowl haying cu riea plumage—with the added suggestio that the present name is a corruption of the name of the place of origin. I EGG-LAYING CONTESTS MASSEY COLLEGE (sixth week) Heavy Breed (single) Mrs R. Willers (B.O.) 7 40 W. Larsen (A. 0. 6 S. Wilkinson (R.1.R.) 7 E. Berger (B.O.) 7 L. Mason (R.1.R.) 6 Light Breed (single) F. Allen (W.L) 6 38 A. Mumby (W.L.) 7 « “ F. Ecob (W.L.) 6 36 Ancona P.F. (W.L.) 6 35 A. Mumby (W.L.) 6 ’ 34 Heavy Breeds (six birds) G. Edge (R.1.R.) 36 209 W. Larsen (A. 0. 34 200 E. Stephenson (A. 0. 40 160 L. Hooper (B.O.) 36 142 Miss Somer (R.1.R.) 25 U 6 Light Breeds (six birds) F. Allen (W.L.) 37 203 J. Wilson (W.L.) 32 194 F. Ecob (W.L.) 36 179 J. Mold (W.L.) 35 178 H. Lucas (W.L.) 30 155 TARANAKI (seventh week) Single Light Breeds Mrs A. Revell (W.L.) 6 44 F. Allen (W.L.) 6 43 J. Hazelwood (W.L.) 7 42 Cl Hansen (W.L.) 5 41 Sunny River P.F. (W.L.) 6 41 Single Heavy Breeds S. Bason (Lang.) 6 46 J. Hurdle (A. 0. 7 45 Mrs Moreland (A. 0. 5 42 Mrs Moreland (A. 0. 6 41 S. Bason (Lang.) 5 41 Ducks (single) Mrs E. Kelly (W.C.) 7 48 Mrs E. Kelly (W.C.) 6 47 C. Cousens (K.C.) 7 43 Mrs E. Kelly (W.C.) 7 41 Mrs E. Kelly (F.W.R.) 6 37 Light Breeds (three birds) C. Hensen (W.L.) 16 112 Mrs Revell (W.L.) 11 106 F. Allen (W.L.) 12 101 Mrs Tippett (W.L.) 16 98 Heavy Breeds (three birds) J. Hurdle (A. 0. 18 113 S. Bason (Lang.) 11 109 J. Sutton (R.1.R.) 17 104 AUCKLAND (fourth week) Heavy Breeds (six birds) N. McNair (B.O.) 31 H 5 J. Nixon (B.O.) 23 100 J. Anderson (B.O.) 18 98 Light Breeds (six birds) W. Spencer (W.L.) 23 93 Mrs Chitty (W.L.) 21 83 E. Vemall (W.L.) 16 80 Argyle P.F. (W.L.) 19 '76 Mrs Lett (W.L.) 19 75 Single All Breeds Sunny River P.F. 6 25 K. Powell (B.O.) 7 23 Mrs Philson (B.O.) 5 23 N. Ross (B.O.) 6 21 Light Breeds (four birds) H. Mumme (W.L.) 18 72 Mrs Turner (W.L.) 17 71 L. Bowden (W.L.) 13 68 W. Spencer (W.L.) 15 64 Heavy Breeds (four birds) Mrs D. Edwards (B.O.) 14 90 Mrs Philson (B.O.) 22 89 P. Douglas (B.O.) 21 87 A. Connell (B.O.) 20 86 K. Powell (B.O.) 19 83 Ducks (four birds) Ancoha P.F. (K.C.) 28 100 Mrs Finn (K.C.) 22 94 W. Gilmour (K.C.) 21 91 Richard Bros. (K.C.) 23 78 Mrs Somerville (K.C.) 20 73 PAPANUI (7th week) TEST No. I—J. H. SHAW MEMORIAL CHALBENGE. (For light and heavy breeds, single penned)

TEST No. 3—BLACK ORPINGTONS AND AUSTRAL OHPS

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

TEST No. S.—SINGLE HEN TEST. LIGHT AND HEAVY BREEDS. (Six purebred pullets, single penned)

TEST No. 6.—SINGLE DUCK TEST

Weekly total. Total. C. M. Goodman (A.O.) (No. 1) 4 29 C. McKenzie (A.O.) 6 37 C. M. Goodman (A.O.) (No. 2) 5 37 C. Mlln (A.O.) 5 30 J. R. Griffen (Barn.) .4 19 J. Gunn (A.O.) (No. 1) 2 22 Ted Turner (A.O.) 5 33 J. Gunn (A.O.) (No. 2) 6 24 Mrs M. Knight 6 26 J. B. Lees 5 35 H. Whyte (No. 1) 4 12 H. Whyte (No. 2) 5 19 J. Gunn 5 24 Mrs J. A. Ritchie 5 37 A. D. L. McClintock 5 39 J. E. Rainey 5 26 J. Brennan 3 22 J. Ibbotson (No. 1) 5 33 J. Ibbotson (No. 2) 4 32 W. Skelton G 36 Green Bros. 5 32 E. Tilley (No. 1) 5 36 E. Tilley (No. 2) 4 28 T. S. Dove 5 17 H. Williams (No. 1) 6 32 E. P. Anderson (No. 1) 4 30 Mrs J. Still 3 17 A. 0. Oakley (No. 1) 4 27 Mrs C. Cook (No. 1) 5 21 Mrs B. Andrews 1 23 G. H. Woods 6 12 H. Williams (No. 2) 5 34 F. A. Atkinson 5 29 A. 0. Oakley (No. 2) 6 36 E. P. Anderson (No. 2) 5 32 A. C. Goodlet 3 17 Mrs C. Cook (No. 2) 2 12 J. Still 6 35 J. Ibbotson (No. 3) 1 25 Miss A. Chapman 5 28 Wallace Chapman 5 28 W. E. Ward 5 31 W. Barrell (A.O.) 5 31 T. B. Grant 0 25 J. Cunningham 5 31 J. W. Green (sen.) 5 32 F. Ashworth 6 20 A. Lucas 5 33 Russell Liggin* a 8 i

T. Robinson 4 9 Bernard McIntosh 0 4 Miss T. McIntosh 0 6 G. Millar 0 0 TEST No. 2.—WHITE LEGHORN SINGLE HEN TEST. (Three purebred pullets, single penned) Grand total. T. Barr 27 20 32 A. S. Cormack 15 19 22 Mrs M. Knight 39 37 37 J. B. Lees 31 35 9 W. Turner 35 31 36 E. F. Butler 27 21 22 Mrs J. A. Ritchie 35 33 19 Mrs B. Snelling 27 31 32 J. Liggins (No. 1) 32 33 24 J. Liggins (No. 2) 13 29 30 A. D. L. McClintock 35 42 37 L. Brumby 23 28 34 A. Edwards 18 13 24 A. J. Severn 34 37 36 J. Wilde 26 21 36 A. Patterson 39 37 29 F. Ashworth 35 36 30 Cotswold Poultry Farm 31 43 27 W. M. Evans 22 30 25 H. Williams 18 35 7 A. W. Pritchard 33 29 36 W. Barrell 31 39 35 J. Cunningham 34 34 34 Green Bros. 22 34 J. W. Green 36 26 38 T. Dove 28 10 23 E. Tilley 16 33 29 C. O. King 3 31 0 J. Green (jun.) 35 39 32 A. 0. Oakley 35 41 38 C. Bartley 29 28 36 Mrs B. Andrews 33 — 40 G. H. Bradford 28 5 35 F. A. Atkinson 40 40 35 A. C. Goodlet 33 5 1 J. A. Luke 32 21 35 F. Hughes 23 29 12 C. Davenport 37 37 34 G. Millar (No. 1) 29 4 23 G. Millar (No. 2) 24 7 30

S. Brumby (No. 1) 38 41 40 J. Gunn 3 38 23 A. D. L. McClintock 13 4 43. L. Brumby 12 35 32 D. A. McKie 42 33 38 T. Kennard 37 17 38 Mrs H. Williams 32 41 18 T. Robinson 21 7 18 S. Brumby (No. 2) 32 40 9

S. T. Bason (Lan.) 4 21 0 J. D. Gobbe (B.L.) 0 0 0 A. W. Pritchard (L.S.) 26 12 16 R. Bruce (Buff. 0.) 0 0 0 W. J. Scott (R.I.R.) 36 33 14 R. Pearce (An.) 17 26 22 C. Sanderson (An.) 2 5 0

Weekly total. Total. A. D. Russell 26 190 T. S. Dove (No. 1) 23 197 T. S. Dove (No. 2). .20 145 J. Cunningham F. A. mu 25 189 33 207 J. W. McCllnchy 27 180 S. E. Davey and Sons (No. 1) 10 46 S. E. Davey and Sons (No. 2) 15 64 S. E. Davey and Sons (No. 3) 30 158 T. B. Grant 28 199 G. H. Bradford 21 172 D. A. McKie 27 167 Mrs B. Andrews 22 130 E. P. Anderson 21 178 G. O. Rutherford 26 187 H. Williams 25 155 A. Woolley (No. 1) _• 24 ,183 A. Woolley (No. 2) '21 167 A. Woolley (No. 3) 26 170 J. Liggins 23 167 E. Nottingham 32 209' A. O. Oakley 28 155

W. R. Wooding (K.C.) 47 38 35 A. G. F. Ross (I.R.) 0 28 31 J. W. Cottier (P.) 38 11 33 G. Wright (K.C.) (I.) 33 36 39 L. Williams (I.R.) 4 15 8 H. E. Anderson (K.C.) 37 35 46 H. J. Anderson (X.R.) 13 9 8 G. Wright (KiC.) (2) 7 28 25 J. W. Thomson (I.R.) 30 45 43 I. A. Horsley (K.C.) 41 22 27 F. Ashworth (K.C.) 0 39 22 W. A. Toon (K.C.) 40 42 30