POULTRY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 20001, 17 July 1920, Page 11

POULTRY.

NOTES BY “CROWBLACK.” SHOW DATES.—SOUTH ISLAND. inTercargill-Culy 21 and 59, NORTH ISLAND. Taihapo—Juno so and July 1, Ne»ruawahia—July 21 and M. Auckland Cage Bird CluWuly M M d «t. Lfeos«w. to b9 #frrcc4 "**• Answers to correspondents. Piscator, Christchurch,—lt is difficult to state whether your Rock pullet is suffering from crop-bind-ing or slack crop, without handling it. hood remaining in the crop, and the crop becoming hard and distended arc 'symptoms of crop-bind-ing, while if the crop hangs down like it bag—in some cases it bulges out sideways—it shows symptoms of slack crop. The most common cause of crop binding is congestion of the liver, which results in the arresting of digestion. A fowl becomes cropbound in some cases through r,n indigestible substance, such as a mass of dry grass matted together, blocking the passage from the crop to the gizzard. in rare cases a fowl becomes crop-bound through having swallowed a substance too large to pass from the crop. To break up the contents of the crop and to act on the liver, add as much glauber salts to a pint of rather warm water as_ will make it taste saline. Of this, pour a little at a time down the throat ot the patient, and endeavour to nux it with the contents of the crop. Do ibis by gently kneading the crop with your fingers. By this means the contents become well broken apart; repeat the process •three times with intervals of three 'hours. lf_ it still remains distended and hard it should bo opened and the contents removed. The incision through the skin of the fowl should bo nearly one and a half inch in length, in line with the spinal column and over that part nearest to the head of the fowl. Turn the cut edges of the crop outwards through tho akin, then with the handle of a small teaspoon or other suitable instrument, remove the contents of the crop. Wash out the crop with warm ( water, and then close up the incision with interrupted sutures (ordinary single stitches); use some animal substance such as horsehair. The wound in the skin should ho closed in a similar way. Then give a teaspoonful of salad oil. Feed the bird on raw egg for a day or two, and for tho next seven days on bread which lias been soaked in milk. If the bird is suffering from slack crop it will be necessary to open the crop, and after thoroughly cleansing it, cut a piece out of it and the skin over it, and close the wound in the same way as when operating on a crop-bound fowl. 1 he piece removed should reduce the .crop to its natural shape and size. They may appear to lie rather formidable operations, but one need nor fear the result if the fowl is healthy ordinary care taken. T'i'od. Christchurch.—Your bird is v.if(ering from apoplexy. When a towl is found with its head hanging down, thrown back, turned to one side or depressed it is_ the symptoms ot apoplexy. When a bird shows in ability to walk straight!,y or turning round and round it is the symptoms of vertigo. They are both brain troubles. Place the subject in a rather dark place and every tureo oi four hours give it halt a' wineglass of rather warm water made faintly saline with Ifjisom salts. I'o eacii close acid about twenty drops of tinelure of iron. Feed very sparingly. A-* S. Gcdye,'who at one time was it welliknown Christchurch exhibiltir ot Brown Leghorns, won the Minorca coekoiels and pullets at "Wanganui also in English White Leghorn heiw cockerels and pullets. Brown cockerels and Rhode Island Red pullets. At the Wanganui Show three Black Spanish hens and a cockerel were exhibited. f'; Booth, who exhibited utility White Leghorns successfully when residing in Christchurch, carried off first honours in Irons at the last Palmerston North Show. Mrs B. G. Johnson, another enthusiastic fancier, formerly of Christchurch, won tho Middle Island chamraonalun for Silvia Wyandottes and the challenge shield for most points in utility Brown Leghorns at the Nelson follow on July i. At the Nelson Show there was a magnificent display of Old English Lame fowls. There were 163 exhibits —Black-reds, Duckwings, Red Pile Spangle, Blue Red, and eight entries in a.o.r. The Game bantams were also numerous, there being seveutythreo entries. Mr Fred Dacro ot Limvood, judged tho show. He wa„ given a royal time by the executive alter completing hi s duties. In the motor-car used by tho Prince during his visit, Mr Dacro was shown over thousands of acres of apple orchards in the Nelson province. Tile Invercargill Poultry Show will take place on Wednesday and Thursday. Mr F. H. Lovell, of Rangiora. has just received from the yards of Mr J. Lmney, Beecroft, New South Wales, lour pullets and a cockerel of his famous utility Silver Wyandotte strain. Mr Lovell is represented at Papauui egg-laying competition this year with three single hards which have just come to profit. He is well pleased with his imported birds as far as egg production is concerned, and hopes to be represented at Papauui next year with some pf tho progeny. Messrs J. Liggins and Walter E. Green will speak on tho “Selection ot the Breeding Stock » at the educational meeting of- tho Utility Poultry Club cu Tuesday night. “ UTJLITY POULTRY STANDARDS.” ADDRESSES BY MESSRS F, brown and c. cussen. During tho progress of the Palmerston Nonh snow addresses were given by Messrs Brown and Cussen, Government Poultry instructors. Mr John darns presided and said that all aero aware that tho long dismissed utility .standard tor judging poultry was now in existence. They had now a. utility bt.mdaid the whole of the shows in the Dominion, It was what Mr lirown and ho had been aiming at for v niiUl .v years. As Palmerston North show always brought together largo numbers of fanciers and utility men, he had mooted the idea of Mr Brown giving an. address on the ■now standardsMr Brown congratulated the parent bodies on their enthusiasm and assistunco m bringing out tho standards. Lor many years he had been advocating a revision of the standards for utility poultry. Their old friend Mr Jams slopped into the breach and arranged a conference between Goveminent instructors, the different associations and parent bodies, with the lesults that tho new stancKiixla were now in existence They had taken tho English standards as drawn by Ludlow with very little modification as a basis and text. They expected criticisms, as Uo standard yet published was perfect. They, however, asked f or friendly hrttimsms, which would ho duly notod for _ any future revision, Ono of the chief aims was to combine bcauiv with utility, width meant thev must hrivo a purebred bird, Breeders often selected then’ breeding stock on

egg-productiou. This may bo all right, but loj the purpose of Heavy production ha must have the purebred buds. c\o two breeds wore alike. Type mado the breed and colour the variety. At present ive see White Leghorns ono type and Brown Leghorns another, lueir idea was to give the true Leghorn independent of its variety. They all knew that in the past there had been something wrong with tho judging of birds from a. productive point oi view. ’By the adoption of tho new standards they w’ere, with slight modifications, carrying out the old fanciers’ work. Both fanciers and utility men blamed each other for spoiling breeds. Fanciers threw wrong interpretations, utility men mado even greater mistakes, and bred from small undersized birds, with wry tails, roach backs and other serious defects; m fact, anything away from tho brood type. What they advocated was purebred poultry, combining beauty with tho maximum amount of production. It was everyone's duty to preserve both boautyvatid brood typo. In judges utility poultry a judge mav find duck leathers in a so-called 'White Leghorn, and tho utility man would uiy what has that to do with' utility, ohows were of more importance than egg-laying competitions. So far as lie was concerned f he had not dunged ms line of action ono iota. IJo Had always judged on and advocated the Ludlow plates. -Utility men should not say anything against fanciers. Nature never mado tho present useful breeds tho credit must be given the lancior. Utility men who wont m for egg records alone, and neglected breed points, would he short lived. Thcv ehoud cam- their ideal in their eve and breed birds accordingly. Mr Brown " c ol }[' °'} 1° say be had managed one ot Uio first laying competitions held in New Zealand, and it was ono of tho finest educations of his life. Previous to this no one had ever heard of egg type. Ho bad satisfied himself there was a laying type. Without trailnesting, _ etc., they could with a . , ocrf ' nm i amount of accuracy pick out tho host layers. Breeders mould not imagine when entering birds for show that they should send "record layers; unless tho birds conform with tho breed they cannot win Tho average utility man and fancier understood each other better than ever before. I hoy sriould only have ono class and not two, as at present. If ono was right, the other must bo wrong—ads ai d fancies must go. Mr Brown then dealt with the judging of exhibition birds, and said judges in judging, «£.. M bite Leghorns, expected to see White Lcghornsr— not mere white birds If ho were judging, no matter what egg capacity the birds possessed, unless they conformed with tho typo ho would lefuso to put thorn in.' He. would sooner put a bird in with “white in face.” Tho speaker then demonstrated by tho aid of tho drawings, and explained the difference in tvpo and characteristics between the Black Minorca and White Leghorn, thus showing tho necessity of holding on to breed type. Ho advised bis hearers t<> take one breed, specialise ami thoroughly master this before taking on another one, and in doing so not to aim for excess show points. Mr Brown then wont on to illustrate the good and bad layer. In tho good layer they wanted depth and fulness of abdomen, indicating that the bird was prolific and possessed a fully developed ogg-cluster. In selecting breeders he advised thorn not to look for beef. Constitutional vigour must go with type. Birds light and thickly feathered could withstand the bad weather much better than thin and loose feathered birds. They must have a _ good wide back. Speaking of the width of the pelvic bone Mr Brown said this was a myth, and no indication of heavy production. A full crop, as shown in the standard was necessary. Tho bird was then able to consume the food required for egg production and was an indication of vigour and a, convertor of food to eggs- Egg producers wore short in breast, spare through, the centre of tho body, and shallower. with a depth, of abdomen. He had never seen ,i bird full m breast a good layer,. They should not be led away too much by tho bold and prominent eye or dean face. Those could bo found in the Gamo bird. By all means gob constitution and breed points. Birds with round bones woro never good layers. It was a rare thing to see a good White Leghorn cockerel in the show pen. If they would mate up the birds as illustrated in the plates they would get a fair percentage of good birds. Utility "White Leghorns in Now Zealand wore getting too Email. Birds to put in the breeding pen wore quite different to those to send to egglaying competitions. Mr Brown then dealt at some length on the importance of maintaining the 4£lb pullet in a Leghorn. His opinion was still that tibk> 31 lb bird was too small. Hot warned breeders to see to this, otherwise they would soon have to import birds from England to increase size and vitality. In conclusion bo urged show committees and exhibitors to impress upon judges tho importance of placing a right interpretation on the. staiulind. If this was done ho was satisfied they would soon sec a big improvement in iheir purebred poultry. Mr O. J- 0. Cussen dealt at some length on housing, hatching and rearing, also the handling of breeding stock. Ho emphasised ,tho necessity of cleanliness, ventilation and free range where possible—not only with chickens, but also with adult, birds. Mr G. H. Ambler, in proposing a vote of thanks to tho speakers, said lie would go away gratified to know so many fanciers of tho old school had been present at the show, and not criticised the work of the Standard Committee. He was quite in agreement with Mr Brown that judges should give a belter interpretation of the standard. As ono of the most successful exhibitors of White Leghorns in England ho had always bred what tho judges required, but it was beyond ■his skill to follow the majority of the utility judges of White Leghorns in New Zealand. He would, however, assure them that if the judges would interpret the standards the same way as Messrs Jarrett and Cussen at Palmerston North he would take nn the breeding of utility _ White Leghorns, and he could piomise them it would not bo long before he was amongst the tickets. So long as they allowed weeds to win ho would ho satisfied to stick to the old English Leghorn, Mr Brano supported tho resolution, which was carried with acclamation. Mr Brown, in replying, said lie did feel somewhat gratified at the manner in which the standards had boon received. Ho was pleased to have the support of Mr Ambler, whom they all knew was a man with groat experience and knowledge, as a pressman, and breeder of high-class exhibition poultry. It augured well for the future'. EGG-LAYING COMPETITIONS PAPANDI. There was a marked improvement in the egg yield from the 441 fowls and ducks for tho tenth week of tho New Zealand Utility Poultry Club’s cgg-laying competition. The total gathering was Kio6 eggs, against 1473 for the previous week, recorded as follows: 24 Singl* fowl* .. . . , 185 Pullets in flocks, teams of 6 550 204 Single-p«a pullets, teams or 3 780 22 Single pen ducks '. . . ill 6 Second-year ducks, flock team 29 441 Fowls and ducks , . . IGO6 Average per bird 3.G. The best individual layings ot the 228 singie pen fowls for the seventytwo days aro as follows; T. E. Conway’s Elk 0. . . .“'e:, 5 ' S. L. Beer’s W.L. .... g-t A. C. Goodlet’a W. L. . . , iy S. L. Bc-er’o W.L. .... r.fl G. Gee’s IV.L ys -.V, ho wall's W.L 57 Tracey _ King’s W.L. . . . 57 U. Williams , , . * . £B

Tho No. 1 Black Orpington in T. E. Conway’s three-bird team has lair! daily for the last three weeks, the last peven eggs weighing 14oz 7dr. S. L. Beers pullet laid seven eggs for the week weighing 14oz 3dr. In tho three-bird light breed teams good work was done by G. H. Bradfoi'd ’ 8 T 17, J- Webb's, H. Williams’s and H. W. Bock’s, 16 each, Mrs Goiinski’s, H. Saunders’s, S. Dick’s Tracey King’s and Smart Bros.’ 15 each. The laying of the leading teams loi the week, also their weight and number of eggs to date, is as follows: LIGHT BREEDS. Weight, o S. Dick, W.L. , is 27 10 ii,Y W. H. West, W.L. . 15 27 15 151 Tracey King, W.L. . 15 27 0 551 J. Webb, W.L. . 1G 30 11 143 Smart Bros., W.L. . 13 30 8 144 G. H. Bradford, W.L, 17 33 5 144 8. L. Boor, No. 2 . 13 25 11 140 C. H. Izard, W.L. . 14 26 9 HO HEAVY BREEDS. T. E. Conway, 8.0. . 18 35 15 161 J. D. Merrett, 8.0. . 35 29 12 140 H. W. Beck S.W, , 13 24 2 323 R. R. Christie, 8.0. , 13 25 8 301 The ducks continue to lay splendidly. \V. T. Green’s, T. Dowthwaite’s H Beck’s and R. W. Hawke’s three ducks laying 21 eggs each. Tho best scores tor the seventy-lwo days arc-—\V Knight’s 196. R. W. Hawke’s loi W T. Green's 170, T. Dowthwaite’s’ls9' and W. T. Green’s No. 2 157. AUCKLAND. The egg yield for tho twelfth week was as follows: 240 Fowls in single pens . 332 p°?. vy ,)rt ' e^'s I" single pons . 759 1- Indian Kunnor ducka , , goD * s ® 4 „ „ W6O Average 3.8 eggs per bird. Hie following are tho leading mdividual and team aggregates:LIGHT BREEDS. White Leghorns— IVo't ■. Sh e ? r lß ;- 57 ’ 51< 62 - 5S - 47 • • 313 Waitoitoi S.F., No. 2—57, 47, 51, 48, 19, * • . OftT T. hj. Bell-63 . 46, 46, 48. 43, 61 .’ ’ 297 a b l ma . ll ~ 45 ’ 19 62, 39, 52, 46 . 233 V 7 T, A ™ ry ~ 53 ’ s~> 5 ~> a 5. 43 , 4 <h 53 . . 234 Mrs R, G. Higginbotham—36, 46. 45 43, 61, 62 . . ’ ogg Waitnitoi S.PM No. 3—42, 48, 48, 46 47 * 42 ! 273 TWK duck section. Indian Runners— G. Ewington—74, 69. 64. 62, 61. 70 . 390 H. C. Vennali—69. 73, 73 70, 66, 0 353 J. (hj Law-67 54, 56, 21. 69. 45 . . 312 ” • Knight—4s, 55, 50, 51, 47, 43 , „ 055 WOCiLSTON. The loading single pen birds in the Woolston egg-laying competition arclaying steadily mid their eggs aro wei’ over ioz standard. Tho highest score 1 - on July Li wore G. Black’s 83, 6 Russell s 7S and E. Irvine’s 74.