Among the Poultry

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16846, 23 September 1922, Page 7

Among the Poultry

The drawing of the art union held in connection with the Christchurch Poultry, Pigeon and Canary Club's last annual show will take place at the chib’s rooms this evening at 'eight o’clock- The drawing -will be open to the public. Mr V. Bed well has secured a rather good pen of Brown Leghorn hens from Mr W. Murdock, of Tnrercargill, from which he hopes to breed something at least up to the usual standard of his exhibits. A meeting of the Christchurch Poultry, Pigeon and Canary Club will be held on Monday evening. The annua) meeting of the Old English Game Fov* Chib of New Zealand will be held at this eA’ening. CARE OF THE YOUNG. The good results obtained by careful attention when the chickens are very young are often ruined by neglect when they are considered “ safe as far as reariug is concerned. Chickens from the age of six weeks and upwards certainly do not require ns much attention as do younger ones, but they do require a little more care than is often bestowed upon them by ignorant poultry-keepers. The stamina, etc., of future stock is easily impaired by such errors as overcrowding, indiscriminate mixing of sexes, bad and filthy housing, bad feeding, etc. There are several critical periods in the rearing of chickens when they need special care and attention. It is frequently said that the first ten days of a chicken’s existence is the most im- i portant. and at that time it needs j the most attention. This may be correct up to a certain point, for + he I merest novice knows that if the chick j is neglected at that time it is soon j out of its troubles- But when chickens get to a month old it is a time of far more importance, for at that period they are growing their first chicken feathers, which often proves a great strain on their system. Tf they do not receive the necessary attention they will not die perhaps, as the chick does at a week old. but linger on and finally reach adult stage, and commence laying months after they should. Far less money would be lost by these kinds of chicken rearers if their chicks.died in their first week, when the cost of their food is quite small. The feathering of chickens is lot only interesting, but often a guide to the condition of the birds. Me always like to see the chickens well* feathered by the time they are six weeks )ld. but often the time varies considerably, not only in different breeds, but also in the same breed of the same age. Chicks which have been reared on hard feed alone from the start are often slow in feathering, and in many eases the chicks which make into the largest adult birds are slow, though no discernible cause, not only in feathering, hut also in growth. But we prefer to see' .chickens grow and feather quickly, as usually those slow growing birds are left far behind when it comes to egg production. To hasten forward the feathering process after the chicks are a month old a couple of feeds of soft food per diem is beneficial, as also is a spoonful of flower of sulphur (added to the meals of which the soft food is comprised) for every ten birds twice a week. Birds of the soft feathered varieties intended for exhibition should have plenty of soft food, as this tends to promote size as well as feathers. but if intended for egg production, and the feathering is making good headway, one feed f soft footj will be sufficient. Usually chicks that are do ig well will he well feathered at five to seven weeks of age, but, of course, these are chicken feathers, the birds not getting their adult plumage until they are from five to seven months of age. In this connection it is usefu? to know that light breeds as a rule feather more quickly than heavy ones. Perhaps the most common mistake in poultry' keeping which has proba 1 'v caused more failures than any' other is overorow-ding. It is impossible for 100 chickens in one house. howo. r large, to thrive and make such vigorous birds as smaller flocks of fifteen to twenty-five kept together in suitable sized houses. It should bo remembered that nothing causes roup, colds, etc., more quickly than overcrowding. It is also a bad policy to permit cockerels and pullets to grow up together, for under these circumstanccr. neither do so well. Immediately the sexes can ho distinguished, after they have left the hen or the brooder, they should be separated and the cockerels placed in runs out of sight, if possible, of the pullets. All wasters and indifferent specimens should be weeded out. for the good birds will benefit by the extra room given. Also see that ’he birds are free from lice. A periodical dusting of insect powder is essential. A complaint which often mystifies chicken rearers is nouns. If" there are any weakly chickens, or the birds are doing badly after they are a month old. and yet have ravenous appetites. the presence ot worms raav be suspected. .The droppings should nr examined or one or two of the weakly chickens killed and opened, and often ihe intestines will be found infested i 1 with worms. There are numerous i worm powders and mixtures. I liaVe found the following very beneficial, nd • n addition to ridding the birds of these torme uing parasites, it- will also* be found useful for the backward birds:—-3oz each of ground liquorice, ground aniseed, ginger and gentian, mixed with Boz of sharps. Keep in an air-tight receptacle. Ordinary dose, one teaspoonful to every six birds ifi soft food, taking care that they aii get a fair share. SEASONABLE HINTS. People often make the mistake of getting rid of their breeding cockerel as soon-as the breeding season is over. When you have a bird that appeals to you, you would be well advised to hold him until you see the kind of stock he produces. If the stock does not turn out as desired then it is time to make a change. It is very often the case that a bird produces great layers or birds for show' purposes and in disposing of it. the owner finds that he has parted with the very bird that he should have kept as long as possible. It frequently happens that the new male bird will undo , the high laying qualities that yo*ir birds have attained-. Should you retain him. however*, you can mate him back to a few selected layers and. the cockerels that they produce should dominate any new blood that is introduced. About nine o’clock is a good time to inspect -your chicks in the brooder and whether it is u fireless or a heated brooder, the chicks should not be huddling together for warmth, but should be spread out and settled down. In a heated brooder they should be more spread out than in a cold brooder. When they aj-e u unom for table and on

Notes and Hints by “Crowblack” £

the more all night there is always the danger of a lot of mortality. Fhree of the main things in chicken raising are: warmth, fresh air, and judgment in feeding. N.Z. UTILITY POULTRY CLUB. ADDRESSER BY GOVERNMENT INSTRUCTORS. A good gather l ng of those interested in poultry attended the educational meeting o' the New Zen .and Utility Poultry duo - held at Jelliooe Hall on Tuesday evening. September 19. Mr Beck presided. Speaking generally of the present state of the industry, Mr Brown said it was flourishing as far as increased production was concerned. As to the question of marketing, the progress made was not by any rocans what it should have been. It was the weak link in the whole business to-day, and the chief blame for the present, unsatni ictory position lay with the producers themselves. He urged til© adoption of co-operative methods on sounder lines, so that the market, might be stabilised. With respect, to the selling of es-gs, he advocated that* the salesman should receive a salary and should not cell on commission. If the. salesman required gingering up, he should receive a bonus in addition to his salary. Referring to the possibility that an export trade in eggs might have to be established, he said that the Department had proved that New Zealand eggs could be satisfactorily exported to England. He. himself, had packed this shipment, and the High Com mi scion er had reported that they had opened up equal in every way to first-gra.de Danish, eggs. The remainder of Mr Brown’s remark? were devoted to answering questions from those desiring to take up poultry farming, and from those ' seeking information regarding inbreeding. To those wh(/ asked regarding the money to be made out of poultry-farming, be advised them to gain practical experience of the industry in a small way, and to expand the p!ant ai knowledge increased. Failing this, they | were advised to take a course of training under a. practical man. ITe detailed the difficulties connected with the comp'’ rated problem cf breeding. remarking that like did not always produce like, an 1 the law of variations upset the best of breeders. To bo a successful breeder it. was necessary o have some definite type in view, and that involved good knowledge of the ‘character of the breed or breeds used. Mr Cusseu urged those starting in poul-try-keeping to become members the Utility Poultry Club. He. himself, hirh obtained much valuable information from •he addresses and papers given by ex perienced members. He dealt with questions arising out of incubation matters. He recommended mating eight to ten heavy-breed hcis to one cockerel, and twelve to fourteen light-breed hens to one cockerel. As to the mating age, he believed in mating two-year-old hens with j ear-old cockev's. The best months t~ batch were August. September and October. He did riot like chickens hatched i-fter October. If- urged the greatest care in keeping breeding hens free from parasites. Second-hand incubators generally proved to be the dearest. He advised that a second-hand machine about which the prospective purchaser did not know anything should not be bought. A good machine was the best investment. On the motion of Mr R. W. Hawke a vote of thanks was accorded Messrs Brown and Cussen by acclamation. EGG-LAY! N G COMPETITIONS Tn the three-bird competition for light breeds, the following birds laid seven eggs for the week: —Smart Bros.' No. 1, Mrs W. Hewitt's No. 2. E. Fuchs's No. 1. Hon C. H. Izard's No. 2 and No. 9 and T. W. Betteridsre's No. 2. The following arc the leading birds for the twenty-third week, ending September 16:- # LIGHT BREED SINGLE HRN CHAMPIONSHIP.

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White Legh orn«. W’kly W’ght. Grand Tl. 02. dr. Tl. Mrs W. Hewitt 6 12 12 129 W. P. Hern . P. W. Shacklock . 5 15 12 124 10 4 122 W. I j. Richards . . . 13 0 119 W. Aldous 10 1 119 C. N. Thomson 12 9 117 S. G. Loader H. C. West J 12 3 117 9 0 115 G. H. Bradford . 11 13 lift S. L. Beer 5 11 11 112 HEAVY BP FED SINGLE HEN CHAMPIONSHIP Black Orpin srtons .T. P. Drew it t, 7 15 4 155 L. A. Wad ham 12 f) Posen and Christie . u 13 7 120 Mr E.”V. Arthur's Cro ad T angshan iaid four e'sers for the week, total eighty-nine egg's. woig ling 7oz 9dr, LIGHT BREED SI VGL HEN COMPETITION. Each competitor to on ter hree birds. White Legb jrne. W. H. West. No. 1 6 12 n iae Hon r. H. Izard. No. 2 G 12 11 126 -C. A. Tnder. No. .3 10 9 124 T- W. Betteridge. No. 3 6 12 14 124 W. P. Hern. No. 3 6 13 2 122 E. Fuchs. No. 2 . 12 6 721 Hou C. H. Izard. No. 2 Mrs W. Hewitt. No. 2 . % 10 5 120 13 4 121 R. W. Hawke, No. 1 . 6 11 2 119 P. W. Hawke. No. j 6 11 2 119 IT. E. Martin. No. 2 . Woolston Tanneries, No 6 12 8 118 2 5 11 1 117 HEAVY BREED SINGLE HEN COMPETITION. Each competitor to enter hree bird*. Black Orpin gton? P. Olorenshaw, No. 1 . 5 9 5 134 ,T. Gunn. No. 1 12 3 117 J. P. Drewitt. No. 2 Mrs A. M. Stewart, No. 1ft 3 110 3 r, 12 1 108 J. P. Drewitt, No. 1 7 16 2 305 W. R. Sprosen. No. 2 . 4 8 15 99 Rhode Island Kec s. H. Hunter. No. 1 . 11 15 104 H. Hunter. No. 2 . 10 3 104 J. W. Mathieson, No. 2 6 11 4 302 J. W. Mathieson. No. 1 5 11 5 91 Silver Wyandotte T. Dowtbwaite. No. 1 . 6 .11 11 94 F. H. Lovell. No. 2 12 .10 88 Mrs A. M. Stewart's Whi e Plymouth Rock laid seven eggs for the week, weighing 14oz lldr. total eight v eggs. SINGLE PEN DUCK COMPETITION. Each competitor to enter three ducks. R. W. Hawke. No. I . 17 3 157 • T. Bond. No. 2 19 14' 150 A. C. Clements. No. 1 . 39 11 J 43 K. A. Hollis, No. 1 6 17 1 143 SINGLE DUCK CHAMPIONSHIP. J. C. Musgrave 5 13 7 113 T. Dowtbwaite 7 22 12 108 Mr T. Dowtbwaite's White Indian Runner laid seven eggs for the w eek, weighing 18oz ldr, total 145 eggs. LIGHT BREED BLOCK TEAMS. Each competitor to enter six purebred pullets E. Orchard 34 72 3 653 M. C. Craig . 35 70 8 040 W. E. Ward . 37 76 6 637 H. Whittle .. 68 8 627 H. Harris 31 61 14 590 T. H. Gardiner . 29 63 3 * 589 L. V. Couch 33 65 4 553 Verrall Bros.' Brown Leghorns laid 32 eggs for the week, weighing 53 oz ldr, total 567 eggs. SOUTHLAND COMPETITION. The following are the le&dijig bird* for the twenty-second week, ending September 14:— Weekly' Tt Weight, Grand oi%r. TL Andrew Lov© 4 8 5 128 William Thomson 5 9 3 127 Alexander Proven 6 12 12 123 S. A. Fairciouth . 10 11 123 Tracey King . 7 14 0 123 Mrs M’Quilkan 6 11 3 121 E. Neilson * 7 14 1 121 N. Bain . 14 11 121 Mrs Gorin ski . 12 15 119 Charles Thomson . 9 5 118 S. L. Beer 7 15 118 Mrs A. E. Morris . 5 10 1 117 DUCKS. J. C. Wilson . 8 6 120 Alexander Peat 13 4 112 Alexander Peat 6 15 15 06

WOOLSTON TANNERIES CLUB. The following are the leading birds foi the twenty-third week ending 8eptembei 12th:-— W’kly W’ght, Grant Tl. oz dr. TI. G. Russell . . .7 14 9 124 H. Greenland . . 6 12 3 3.10 H. Tait . . . .6 11 11 109 J. Farrar . . .6 12 12 106 O. Briggs ... 4 8 4 05 H. Taylor . . .6 12 11 102 E. Irvine . . . 6 14 4 97 J. Edmonds . . . 6 13 4 97 G. Loader . . .5 10 2 94