POULTRY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12786, 1 November 1919, Page 11

POULTRY.

MOTES BY “ CBOW-BLACK.” ANSWERS TO (CORRESPONDENTS. Correspondents wishing questions answered in Saturday's “Star" must send them in by Wednesday evening. Tho correspondent must give his or ter name and address, not necessarily for publication. X.Y.Z., Linwood-—Tho air cell must bo your guide. By tho nineteenth day the air cell should bo dried down nearly one-third to get a good hatch, E.M., Christchurch.—Pleased to learn you found the hints useful, and that you got a good hatch from your Shovel ton. E.K., Weedons-—Thanks for letter of appreciation. (1) E.un machine at temperature of 102 to 103 first week, 103 second and third weeks, and 104 fourth week- Spray the duck eggs frequently with warm water before returning them to the machine after cooling. (2) Tho ducklings should be removed as soon as they are dry. (3) You can go on hatching ducklings with satisfactory results. but it is most important that shade is provided. Amateur, Christchurch.—Charcoal is one of the Necessities of poultry feeding, and should bo_ kept constantly before the Howls; it assists digestion, sweetens the crop, gizzard and intestines, and -prevents ailments of tho digestive tract. Tho charcoal, which should ho broken into small pieces, should be supplied with the oyster shell and grit. Powdered charcoal can be given in tho mash two or three times a week. The Christchurch Poultry Club will meet on Monday night, and the New Zealand Utility Poultry Club on Tuesday evening. At an executive meeting of the New Zealand Poultry Association held in Wellington, the secretary reported that the Government had stated that it could not make a larger grant than the straight out £l5O for the Auckland egg-laying competition, and tho executive recommended that tho test be taken over under State control. It was decided to bring forward tho following remit at the conference in March; “ That tho Government bo asked to increase the grant to £SOO for the Auckland egg-laying competition; failing this to advance sufficient to Ray off their liabilities with a view to taking over the test and conducting tho same under State control." A further remit was agreed to:—"That the association support a policy of establishing egglaying , competitions—two in tho North Island and two in the South Island." Tho Otago Egg Circle is making great preparations for entertaining tho delegates to the Poultry Conference to be held in Dunedin next. March. On the first afternoon they will be motored to Portobello to visit Mr Shaddock’s farm. On the second evening they will be given a social evening by the Oumaru Egg Circle, and on the third day they will be motored to the Government Poultry Farm and entertained at Milton by the Department of Agriculture. Tlio Canterbury Egg Farmers’ Association invite poultrykeepers to join their association and obtain the highest prices for their eggs and secure their fodder, etc., at bedrock prices. At the last educational meeting of the Utility Poultry Club Mr H- Williams said that eggs should be left in a tilted position in tho incubator wheu hatching, for the reason that the chide could cut tho top off the egg and throw it clear, thus enabling it to extricate itself without - any trouble. Several; members said they had experienced good results by having the eggs tilted at an angle of 75deg. Replying to the question: “In the event of a competitor having a team in tte competition which puts up a gooci score, but did not draw weight until tho concluding, stages, would it bo advisable to breed from those birds for future competition teams; or would their progeny do likewise?” Mr Shaw said that it would not be wise to discard heavy layers as breeders for the reason mentioned. iSuo.h birds would require to bo carefully mated. By selecting a line-bred male bird which had been .bred from a layer of large-sized eggs,’ and mating them, a marked improvement in size of egg could bo looked for from their progeny. The progeny would probably lay smaller eggs than themselves if mated with a male of the same strain. Mr J. B. Merrett held a very succcssI ful meeting in Timaru on Wednesday evening. - There was an attendance of sixty poultry-keepers. The Mayor of Timaru presided, and in introducing tho I speaker said he looked for South Can- ■ terbury to became a great egg-produe- ’ ing district. After the lecture an egg , circle was formed and thirty names were handed in for membership. ! The Utility Poultry Club’s competition eggs sold this week for Is 9d per dozen. This is an increase of 6d a dozen on last year’s prices and goes to show the demand for eggs this year. Tho increased price will leave a welcome addition to the club’s funds. The exhibit at the Colosseum made I by tho Canterbury Egg Circle is very i fine. Each evening dnring the week ■ two members have been in attendance, which resulted in some good work being done to further tho poultry industry. The attendance at Mr Liggins’s lecture on Thursday evening on “ Chicken Raising ” was tho largest gathering of persons interested in poultry culture ever held in Christchurch. Mr Gee, the president, intimated that it was tho intention of the Canterbury Egg Circle to hold a Series of lectures monthly. Tho sudden death of Mr M, Donohuo last Saturday, came as a great shock to his many poultry friends in Christchurch. Ho was a prominent breeder of game over forty years ago, and a very big exhibitor of his favourite fowls. The late Mr Donohue was the largest exhibitor in the poultry section at the last Christchurch Poultry Club’s show, and two days prior to his decease ho gained greatest number of points ait the Ellesmere Show with his exhibit of utility fowls. Tho 'South Island Poultry Association, tho Wyandotte Club and "tho Leghorn and Minorca Club have passed a motion of condolence with tho relatives of their late member.

ARE ACQUIRED CHARACTERISTICS TRANSMITTED TO THE OFFSPRING'? This question was answered by Mr O. Ream at tho last educational meeting night of tho Utility Poultry (Hub. He stated thait he would answer it in tho negative. He took tiro view that an “ acquired ” , charafeteristio was one brought about through environment, and must not be confused with an herditary tendency, which was the result of a set ofc mronanstanoos operating through a series of generations. An acquired tendency might bo brought about by (1) a system of feedmg; (2) a lack of proper feeding; (3) a change of altitude in which birls were kept. Mr Renn contended that any increase in the fecundation’, of fowls, umich was directly or indirectly due to changes in their individual environment .would not bo transmitted to their offspring. A change in .the physical structure of a bird might bo caused by environment but unless such environment were persisted in through a number of generations it would not be transmitted to the offspring. Stimulation would bo responsible for increased muindnalfecundity, by response of tho ! yolk glands, but that increase w'as not transmitted to the progeny. With regard to fecundity, gcnetical or “ intern fecundity was the only kind of U a ,| which was inheritable, and then only under circumstances of the most favourable kind. • 3 enn classified the laying types ! n G v kreo f&c Lions—L2 (tho highest tpol, LI (tho medium type), and Zero the lowest type. Only in the case of a mating of an L2 bird with another bud could tho power of transmit, ting fecundity bo expected. For tills reason ho advocated tho mating of known fecund hens with males whose progeny wore proved to bo highly fecund. The use of an untried cockerel, however we I, bred, was a leap in tho suits’ “ Ight Lead reMrOariyle Atkinson, in commenting reply to tb ® question, of °P inion *at acq ed characteristics were transmitted. He instance the breeding of oow s whoso projeny showed improved milking reof T lo f ? ey WerG bred from «>* r s ot at least four years of age and who had acquired the characteristic of yielding milk over a period of years. This acquired characteristic they transmit. SJ. Y c ! r offspring. M r Renn Lad stated that the hands of tho Lancashire weaver wore peculiarly adapted \ rt T° n of generations of tho same family doing the same class H ° u° T,ght tbat this boro out the theory that aopiired character islics were transmitted. In reply Mr Renn stated that an “ ao T u ™ d characteristic must not bo con'n'titb, P inherited one which was only? ”*** f<WoUrabl ° rircnm * CHICKEN RAISING. LECTURE BY MR J. LIGGINS. E^rV h °i of . tbo Canterbury 1-Vfc, Circle, Mr J. Liggins last ThursdJ Y gave , tbG first of a series of lectures on ‘ Successful Poultry Earming The chairman (Mr W. A Leo) explained that Mr Liggins had Ein?” d 10 SP6ak ° U “ Chicken Mr Liggins said one of the many reasons why so many people did nob make a success of poultry fanning was tecanse of their inability to reproduce stock. Chicken raising was absoluteiv essential to replenish stock. It could bo earned out on a largo or small scale. Artificial means had ,to be resorted to when poultry farming. There were many ways of roaring chickens, and if one had a good systeih, he should leave well alone and not - make drastic changes. Mr Liggins said he found his method simple, yet efficient. Chicken raising really commenced in tho autumn with the selection of the breeders. Experience had taught him to breed from late monitors, strong birds, which possessed the standard requirements of the breed. He never bred from pullets, as they laid too manv eggs to produce tho best of stock- He preferred an early hatched cockerel mated with second year females, and got good results from mating 100 breeders with six, male birds. They should bo mated for two or three weeks before the eggs were required for incubation. Ih© breeders should bo fed grain and made to scratch for it; it was important not to overfeed them. Ho advised giving them plenty of free'range and green feed. _ Mith the help of a youth ho was canny for 2000 chickens and about 1500 adult birds, and did not find the work a drudgery. Ho favoured the semi-cold brooder for chicken rearing, and only supplied artificial beat lor a few days. Mr Liggiim said tbat when he removed the clucks from the incubators he placed sixty to a hundred in each broodpr. Tho brooders were kept in. an open shed facing north, and the chicks had full advantage of tho sun and were protected from the winds. Tlve lamps of tho brooder were put out at night after the ducks were .comfortably settled, and after a few days no artificial boat whatever was supplied. Plenty of fresh air in brooders was absolutely necessary. When tho chicks were a week old they were placed in lots of thirty in outdoor coops, or "brooders,” as some call them. The brooders must be supplied with a good bed of chaff to keep the chicks warn, and they must he draught-proof; also kept scrupulously clean. These outdoor brooders were boarded on tho sides, with wire-netted tops and front. Thirty chickens supplied enough heat to keen themselves warm. The earthen floors were covered with sand and chaff. Ho believed in, bringing them up hardy, as later on ho found they wore able U) resist cold snaps and not go out of profit. Tho chickens were kept in the brooders described for eight or ten weeks. They were supplied with a porch to encourage them to perch early. As soon as a chicken took to it ho considered it safe. The cockerels 1 wore thrown out when two or throe i weeks old to allow the pullets (12 to I 15) a better chance to tlinve. Tho pul- ! lets wore next placed in largo grass | runs in lots of one hundred. X watch- i ful eye had to die kept on the pullets, I as tiiey were liable to crowd into corn-! ers instead of taking kindly to tho 1 porches. In the autumn they wore again removed to permanent houses, wheu the underfiights of one wing wero cut. Mr Liggins said he fed nothing hut a good chick feed Tor the first few da vs. Later a little maize was given, varied with hulled oats or broken wheat; after two weeks the chickens weyo fed mash in the morning, '[ho mash contained sharps, bran, maize, flour and linseed meal. A little charcoal and sulphur was occasionally given. When milk was available it was mixed in the mash. Green food was given dailv from dho start, also a good supply of grit and clean water. Meat was given "throe or four times a week. He did .not favour dry mash feeding, as the chicks were always picking and never hungry. When cliicks were not doing well it was advisable to completely change their food. Mr Liggins was accorded a hearty vote of thanks for his lecture. Yesterday afternoon a number of returned soldiers from the M.C. Hospital at Cashmere were motored to Mr T. Fazackerley’s poultry farm at Woolston, and were shown over tho plant. Mr Fazackerley _ ininarted much information to the visitors in regard to the selection of the layers, the select! in and culling of breeders, and the hatching and rearing of chickens. During the afternoon the visitors were entertained at tea on the lawn, and before leaving they ’thanked Mr find Mrs I'tzjickerley for their hospitality.

EGC-LAYINC COMPETITIONS The egg yield from the 485 pallets and 54 ducks in the New Zeaand Utility | Poultry Club’s competition for the week ' ending October -16 was 2822 eggs. Specially good work was done by W. Newell’s, G. Gee’s, W. 0. Sail’s, Mrs Hunter’s, Green Bros.’, T. J. Richard’s, H. Marsden’s, Beck and Oakley’s, Waltoitoi Farm’s, T. Wilkinson’s and 1 T. E. Conway’s single pen birds, all of wbioh recorded the possible. In the teams section D. F. M’Dougall’s six pullets kid 40, the highest so far for this contest, and G. H. Bradford’s and P. Freeman’s 38 eggs each. T. 13. Conway’s Black Orpingtons further increased their lead in the heavy breeds by laying 34 eggs for the week. W. T. Green’s single duck missed on the first day of the week, thus ending its record rUI j in the same number of days. The leading pens in the several contests are as follows: LIGHT BREED SINGLE PEN BIRDS * (21). No. Weight. Broodies—One each in Penn 61, 62, 81, 97, 98, 121, 123, JB4, 125. 127 and H29; two in Pen 123. 'Signifies mm bird dead.

AUCKLAND. A total of 2307 eggs was gathered from tho 461 fowls and ducks in the j Auckland Poultry Keepers’ AssociaI tion’s egg-laying competition for the 1 : week ending October 29. E. Daniel’s | single pen duck has laid 170 eggs in the same number of days. The leading teams’ aggregates are:— HEAVY BREEDS. Black Orpingtons-^ E. Hangard—l2B, 144, 136, 13G, 139, 101—784 Mis C. Thomas—l 37, 137. 117, 121, 132, 134 778 R. M. Copland—lo4, 12, 135, HD, 113, 142 740 W. Blorafield l —ll3, 125, 190, 137, 135 104 734 H. O'. Porrelt—79, 97, 140, 148, 124,’ 130 718 Silver Wyiandoitea— G. Earns—ls3, 142, 90, 103, 122. 11l 721 EIGHT BREEDS. Whit© Leghorn©— T. P. Blomfiold—l37, 125, 110, 12G, 138, 133 769 ■R. M. Smith—llß, 119, 134, 119, 131 130 I 751 A. G. Heigh way—lo6, 127, 117, I®, 135, 142 . . . '. . . .747 A. S. Holmes—l 27, 108, 128, 120,118, 126 727 Mrs J. Small—l2s, 100, 124, 136, 122, 113 720 DUCKS. Indian Renners— E. W. Daniels— B2, 170, 61, 160, 159 150 802 J. Owen-138, 115, 147, 83, 148 . . 789 S. H. Scott—l 66, 102, 92, 65, 165, 134 . 744