Poultry World.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11685, 29 April 1916, Page 15

Poultry World.

INOT&S AND NCWS. (By Crowblack.) Xjb expert who conducts this column is a recognised authority in all matters touching th(» pemhrv industry. He will willi»g!y answer questions, and his advice ia *t tie scrvke of all interested.—Editor "£>tax. K The Christehurch Poultry, Pigoon and Canary Club will meet on Monday evening. The secretary of the Utility Poultry Ciub has asked me to state that the risiting days to the egg-laying competition is every Saturday afternoon, between two and four o'clock. Many townspeople make the trip to the competition during the week., and it not only interferes with the caretaker's duties by dropping in haphazardly, but it is not in the best interest of the competition, as young birds are easily upset, especially in the- early stages of the competition. A permit will bo issued by the secretary to country visitors wishing to visit the grounds on a Wednesday between 11 a.m. and noon. J understand that the beautiful team of Dalmuir White Leghorns in the present egg-laying competition were reared in a cold brooder. The Christehurch Canary Club will hold n meeting on Wednesday evening. The Utility Poultry Club will hold a young bird show on Tuesday night, Mr C J. C. GiPsen (Government Poultry Instructor) and Mr J. H. Shaw adjudicating upon the exhibits. At the last meeting of the club it was decided that each member should be permitted to bring a friend to the show. Eight new members were elected at the New Zealand Utility Poultry Club's meeting on Tuesday night. Miss Jessie James, of the Essaydale Poultry Farm, Soekburn, will exhibit White Leghorns, Mmorcas, Rhode Island Reds and Black Orpingtons at the Utility Poultry Club's young bird show. Entries for the Christehurch Poultry Club's annual exhibition in the Colosseum will close nest Saturday week. Mr Baldwin, who was an exhibitor in Golden Wyandottes some few years ago, has decided to go in for the Silver variety, and has purchased a trio from Mr J. TindalL Mr S. H. Scott, a noted duck breeder from Auckland, was in Christehurch on Thursday, and visited the egg-laying competition at Papanui with the president of the club (Mr J. TV. Green). Mr O. J. C. Cussen, the Government Poujtry Instructor, returned to Christchurch on Thursday morning from the Poultry Conference in Wellington. I understand the Chief Government Poultry Inspector (Mr F. C. Brown) will be in Christehurch on Tuesday morning. The supervisor of the New Zealand Utility Poultry Club reported at the club's meeting on Tuesday that , the twelfth competition commenced on April 9. The 444 pullets were, on the whole, a strong, well-grown lot. Some were a little too ripe and would probably go out of profit later on; others were a little backward and it would be some time before the whole team would be laying. However, there was ample evidence of good breeding and selection for egg production. The birds were settling down fairly well, though the judging of the teams as exhibition specimens somewhat disturbed them, which was rather unforturate, coming so soon after the start. The feeding commenced with a handful of wheat for each bjrd for.three consecutive mornings- and oats the next morning, and this method has been continued. Green feed (mangels and mangel tops) has been fed each day. After conferring with the Manallow the birds access to their grass runs for two hours each fine afternoon, which they seem to enjoy. They are then fed as much mash as they will eat., and shut in their houses for the night With regard to sickness, a few pens have shown signs of cold, but nothing very serious, so far. Condy's .crysta« are used in th» water each morning, and sacks well saturated with disinfectant are hung in the houses between teams wherever colds were noticeable. Pens 9, 28 and 30 have each had a bird off colour, but with a little treatment quickly recovered. Extensive alterations to the spare birds' houses and scratching sheds, egg house, granary and storeroom have all been completed In commencing to breed with a vi»\r to producing the highest class of canary, pigeon or fowl, of whatever breed or variety, I cannot .impress too distinctly upon the mind of the beginner the importance of having a clear notion or what he intends doing, and of following out some definite plan. Desultory breediug is not " breeding," but only an amusement that goes by that name. 'Jhe term, "broken green,'' is applied to a canary with the greater portion of its colour green, but with a light patch or patches in wing, tail or on body, and "foul green" is applied to a green-coloured canary with a small light patch on some portion of its plumage. Wet brewers' grains direct from the brewery arc rm;cli lower in feeding value than in the dried state, because of their moist character, of course, and when fed by measure this counts. A reliable English authority states that the wet grains have only 3£ per cent digestible albuminoids, but dried grains have 12J per cent. This is very material in a laying mash. Recently, when viewing the soya beans grown by Mr Brand, of Shirley, T was asked by the secretary of the Egg Fanners' Association if I would supply the camparison in analysis of digestiol'e constituents of scya and bean meal. The comparison is:—Soya bean, 34 per cent albuminoids, 5£ p>r cent oil, 22 per cent carbohydrates: bean-meal, 19 per rent albuminoids. 1J per cent oil, 43 per cent carbohydrates. For use in mash in connection with bulky foods, such as brewers' grains, bran and sharps, it is easy to see from this comparison that soya is the most suitable, since it is higher in albuminoids—necessary to a full eac supply—and- much lower than rarbolTvdrates." which i.s fat-forming. <3ova ha-' an advantage over bean-meal, toi.' in its appetising qualities Sixteen ounces of ideal food for egg production, i t is reported, should consist of 12oz carbohydrates, 3oz of albuminoid's or flesh-formers and loz of fat.