Among the Poultry

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16987, 10 March 1923, Page 4

Among the Poultry

Notes and Hints by "Crowblack”

*KOW DATMS.- NORTH ISI.AMi. Muv lC > u»ui 10—Pufc'-iu>a Wir.tei* Show. :::; vj i"».u“2 A . aT>t. _c... ... 3j and - ,v*t«mtv. „•..... 7 ,mi f-Ncv. Plymouth. ,i ~„o t> and 7 e Y, iir.tr Show. , .4 and 15- t'nc’iunga. _ July 13 and 14 —W aarf.t vnti. MOUTH ISLAM D.—SHOW D->TES AND j ('HA.viPIONSHIPS. March 17—Chii-tchurch Canary Club. | Jlarch X and 24 —Nc.v Zealand Utility , Poultry Club. ! March -20 ui.U 24—l'muct’.iu Youns Bird ; buovf.

dune 7, 3 and o—Christchurch. Champion- ; shipfc—Oid iingiiili « amc, Black Orp- ’ iagLon, Utility white Wyandotte, Mag- • p;e- Pigeou, or king Homer Cock (3oj iniley or ever:. M liiunrc Green J Canary, n.c.t.: iu.-o IT.allonge Shield, j June 11, 13 and lt>--Dunedin. llamburgs. i Seaoright Pantazo. Utility Barred Ply- i mouth Reck, and other variety Prill Pigpon other than Ov). rambler tclea.iilegged. long-faced outer than self). Norwich Burt Canary (clear, tickcu or variegated, n.o.i. . June 22 arid ji»— Ashburton. English V.Tiite Leghorn, Orfuugton iother than Black), Utility Khodo Island Red. Owl Pigeon, Colour led Canary, any variety £8 3s). July 0 and 7—North Canterbury. Duck, any variety. Utility black Leghorn, any other variety of Bantam other than Game, Pekin. Black Rose corah or Seabriglit, Dragoon Pigeon, Tumbler Baldhead and Yorkshire Canary, yellow, c.t. or n.c.f.

July 13 and 14—Oarnaru. Black Leghorn (£3 3s), Ancona, Utility Silver Wyandotte, Pouter. Cropper. Pantail or Jacobin Pigeon. Horner Hen (350 miles or over). Yorkshire Buff Canary, c.t. or v. n.c.f. July 20 and 21—Lyttelton.. Barred Plymouth Rock, Utility Cvoad Laugshan. Modern Game Bantam. Nun Pigeon, any other variety. Fancy Pigeon, Norwich Green Canary, n.c.f. June. 22 and 21 - Kaitaugala. Silver V.'ynndotto. Golden Wyandotte (£3 3.-), Utility, White Rock. Utility Indian Runner Duck, Black Rosecomb Bantam. June 30—Taieyi. White Wyandotte, j White Crested Black Polish, Utility Black Orpington (female . Tumbler, t clean-legged, long-faced l£3 3s), Nor- j wich Yellow Canary c.t. or v., n.c.f. 'L3 3s), any other variety canary other | than Norwich or Yorkshire, n.c.f. July 11—Tapanui. Brown Leghorn, White 1 Plymouth Bock. Utility White Leghorn 1 female). Old English Game Bantam. June 29 and JO—lnvercargill. Rhode Island Rod. Utility White Leghorn •finale'. Pekin Bantam, Homer Cock ! Tinged, 1922-3 . Norwich Ci ntiamon Canary, n.c.f.. and'Mule Canary. June 05 and .Y*—Waimate. Minorca. Util- ; ity Black Orpington (male). Muffed i Tumbler, crest or crest-bred canary, j

n.c.f.. and Andalusian. _J,UIy s—Heriot. Iloudan, Dorking. Utility Brown Leghorn ami Utility An- j July 21—Balclutha. Sussex. Brahma. Utility Minorca, Mourtame, Silver King, ('arneam or Runt Pigeon. Homer lieu (ringed 1922-3). July 13 and 16 Waimang&roa. Plymouth Rock, Utility Orpington, and Utility Indian Runner Duck June 29 and 80—IN estport. Wyandotte, Rhode Island Red, Utility Leghorn, Game, any variety. July 13 and 14—Grunity. Leghorn. Duck (any variety), and Utility Minorca. Tia© Utility Poultry Club will meet on Tuesday night, the principal business being the ballot for competition pens. Half a dozen single pens and two flock pens are still vacant. Air H. Pearce secured a nice pair of "White iiantams when in Auckland. Bantams are now popular among junior fanciers m Christchurch, and entries null be very large at. the June Jhow. The l. nited Pigeon Club intends holding a. Young Bird Table Show for flying Homers on March 11, when Mr A. Gerard will judge. The entries received for the Christchurch Canary Club's Young Bird

Show to be held on Saturday, March IT, at the Christchurch Poultry Club’s Kooms eclipse .all previous records. Mx- G. Goodwin the non secretary has arrangements well in hand and he expects a highly successful exhibition. Air "SV. 1. lull will act as judge. Air A. Gerard the well-known pigeon enthusiast has been appointed to judge alt homing pigeons at the l>uivedm Fanciers bnow to bo held in June. Judging from the favourable comments one hears from all quarters, the appointment of the celebrated authority Air Percy Furness to adjudicate at the Christchurch Poultry- lugeon and C anary Club's next Annual slum to be held in June is highly appreciated. Ihe fixture should be an unqualified success. _L.iu.rus close next Saturday night

for t.ne ttdity poultry uubs Young ; . i>ird Show. .a number of kitten masses ‘ i avt* been included in this year's • cheduio, and a class has been added iu» uaiuauis. any oilier \ariety. Lli«. \Wiiington Poultry Club has resigned us memoer&hip from the chainpionsnip Association, and at the last j meeting of the North island Poultry i Association gave its reason lor .doing i so and making application lor attiha- j viou witn the JNorcn. luo ioilowmg ; resolution was unanimously carried: — ; Having carefully considered the uppii- i cation of the \V ellington Poultry, ! Pigeon, Canary and Cat Society lor j affiliation with this Association, the j Council greatly regret that, whilst the agreement between the North and South Islands and Championship Associations is in operation, the affiliation cannot be granted. But should the "Wellington Poultry Society obtain a legal consent to withdraw from its ‘ parent body and so enable it to apply j for effilietio-n with this Association or | should the parent body be legally dis- ! solved, then no exception would be taken to the affiliation. At the invitation of Messrs Green Bros., the well-known White Leghorn specialists of Cornwall Street, St Al- ! bans, a party of Beturned Soldiers Trainees from the Cashmere Sanatorium Poultry \Farm visited their yards on February 27 . The breeders, of ■ which there were ten pens, were the \ first inspected All looked well and were still holding their feathers. Then came the cockerels some hundreds, all specially marked and of strong robust appearance. The pullets were particularly fine. They had a large run and were allowed to sleep in the trees, which abound in the runs. The selected team should give a good account of itself at. the forthcoming competition. The brooders and incubator home was carefully inspected, this being the only gas-heated plant visited this season. The Trainees were greatly impressed by what they had seen, and their experience should prove of great value to them. A Nelson telegram dated March 8 states: —The poultry conference is the largest and most repreaentative gathering ever held in New Zealand. After hearing Mr T. Buxton, the organiser of the Farmers’ Union, a resolution r; ,s passed affirming the principle of federating with the New Zealand Farmers* Union. SEASONABLE HINTS. Now is the time for young poultrymen to procure a good breeding pen at a reasonable price, ps the big ponluryma.n must have room for his pallets. If you wait until June or July

jou will have to pay double the* prico as the poultry man will lvavo selected verv few more stock hens than lie will require for tlio breeding pen. It will par to select and retain the late autumn and winter laying -hens. We need • tect our hens by their ability to “ go- on laying’’ in the sea- j ; son of high-priced, eggs. These may bo [ j ccneedy termed “ long distance la vers.” Tinder favourable conditions ! thev keep right on producing eggs j while tlreir product its realising top figures. As a rule these hens will lay j a. both ends of the period. Be jealous j c 1 this kind and make a- practice of ; holding on to them for laying or breed- j i iug pui poses. 1 When it becomes necessary to move [avert! or pullets to new quarters, move

them after dark. If only a few birds ai\ io be moved and the distance is .short, the best way is to carry them i\Y( by two. one under each atm, the I legs being grasped by the thumb and | lingers and the breast of the bird rest- i injj oil the hand and wrist. In this j position the bird feels secure and safe J and well treated. When the number j of bids and the distance to be tra- j versed make Ibis method too laborious j a convenient, box or coop should be j used, the birds being lifted carefully i one bv on© from their places on the i [•cents' to the box. Tl*o birds should i iK>t in* overcrowded, and should be j taken with the same care from the j box on arrival at the new location, j where th y should be placed on the j lio' r at the rear of the pen. The first j thing they will know about their homo

Will OP lliai as soon a- u:c.. •• • uhev can*see they find feed and drink there. With provision made for litter and. nest:;, there is no occasion for an attendant to conic into i\he pen to do anything that in the least disturbs the birds. I’very visit to them the- first clay or two should bo for the purpose of doing something which even liens will recognise as done for their welfare. With this treatment the effects ov changes are not great. It is a little trouble, but it pay*. lie who is constantly complaining about bad luck is only advertising the fact that hiis methods are at fault. Bad luck, .investigated, bv ill nearly always prove to be wrong management. Good luck and proper management are akin. Start in your poultry work with an object in view, build slowly but surely. Learn from your experiences and lot your failures bo your educators, From

i small flock build each year and make t- larger. Learn all you • can about poultry. Know your limitations and keep within them. Study each problem until eon have mastered it. With each successive step you become more proficient and more the master of your occupation. Always bear in mind that the poultry business is a broad one. and that it is your business to know as j much about it as you possibly can. j By thus recognising the vasbnoss of the work you will fit yourself in proportion. Poultry-keeping is no longer a sideline for the farmer, but is an occupation in itself. However, it is a science for the best results are only attained after diligent study and experience. There was a time, when any feed that might come handy was fed without question ns to its fitness for the fowl’s needs, but to-day various iootLi are given with an obejet- in view. Keep proper records of your flock. Do regular and systematic poultry book-keeping. Don’t- leave it to guess work. Find out what your fowls cost and what they pay. how many eggs they produce, what they sell for, and whether or not you arc making the profit you should. The way to master the poultry business is to begin mastering the numerous details step hv step. Success in poultry culture depends upon the quality and quantity of brain work 'employed. Even during the very hot weather the business hen is hot lazy; that much cannot always he said of her owner. To know what a lien is doing is a requisite to the improvement When it is known that a hen produces tit cut y to thirty pounds Nd eggs in a year it means that she must he fed so as to assist her in doing so. She should have the kind of feed that contains the elements of thq egg in their most available form. There must be 10 per cent of meat in some form in the daily bill

LGG-LAYING COMPETITIONS ; PAPANUI. Many of th« fowls slackened off in pro- j rlv.ction during the forty-;eveuth week of tile New Zealand Utility Poultry Club - j competitions. in the championship lignt ! broods P. Shaoklock’H lion lias gone out j of profit, ami although she is at present j in third position she is unlikely to finish i among tin; nrst dozen. S. 3.. Beer's lien ! is laying brilliantly, and is now only nine j oggs behind the leader (W. i>. Hern's 27i j eggs). J. I*. Drewctt’s lien is laying j solidly in the championship heavy singles, j her score being So 7. In the three-bird i single lien test, there are oniy seven eggs I between Hern's No. 3 White Leghorn and W. 11. West’s No. 2 and Hon C. 11. Izard's No. 2. The contest will be a very close one. Two of Air IX. Ik Martin’s hens only laid three eggs each, leaving J. Higgins’s team with, a good lead in the three-bird aggregate. During the last three months Liggins’s team have laid brilliantly, recording seventeen eggs for the past week. T. W. Betteridge’s team are also putting up i great autumn lay. There are no changes in the throe-bird heavy breeds. J. Gunn’s Black Orpington hen io again in profit, and leading J. P. Drewett’s bird by one egg. F. H. Lovell’s three Silver Wyandottes put up the good score of seventeen for tire week. E. Orchard’ flock team has gone right out of profit, leaving H. Whittle to finish next to W. E. Ward's team, which is likely to reach 1300 eggs by the end of the month. In the duck section T. Dowthwaite Is running first and second for tho championship. I?. W. Ilawkc’s No. 1 duck has a. total of 317 eggs, and It. A. llollis has jumped into second placo with 269. The latter’s team has performed most creditably, and is likely to run Messrs Hawke and Clements closely f*>r the Duck Shield. The leading pens are as follow: LIGHT BREED SINGLE HEN CHAMPION SHIP.

HEAVY BBEED SINGLE HEN CHAMPIONSHIP. Black Orpington a. .T. P. Drewett G 13 1 807 Eogen and Christie 5 il 0 211 J. P. Drewett 3 GO -200 LIGHT BBEED SINGLE HEN COMPETITION. Each competitor to enter three birds. White Leghorns Weekly Weight Grand Total, oz. dr. Total. W. P Hern No. 15 10 II 2GB Hon C. H. Izard No. 2 3 6 1 261

WOOLSTON TANNERIES, j Results for the forty-eighth week, t< March 6 : G. Russell 261, 11. Tail 239, E. Smith 236 S. Wright 235. and H. Taylor 229.

White Lej»liorns. Weekly Weight Oran.1 Total. oz. dr. Total. W. P. Hern . . 6 11 0 271 S. L. Beer .7 15 4 262 P. W Shacklock . 7 — 254 W. J. Richards .. 6 11 2 245 Mrs Hewitt . . 5 11 8 242 S. N. Thomson .4 S 12 241 J. O. Musgra-ve .1 2 4 23G Woclston Tanneries n 11 13 240 H. C. West . .0 18 3 235 Mrs GoriTi3ki .4 8 6 235 D. M’Dougall .8 13 9 237 W. E. Ward .6 12 15 *235

\V. H. West No. 2 6 II. E. Martin. 12 11 261 No. 2 3 6 8 253 J. Liggins No. 1 G 13 15 254 teridgo No. ;i 5 2 l 7 253 W. H. West No. 1 8 G 7 253 No. 3 5 It. W. Coombes 10 9 250 No. 3 G 14 0 24S E. Fuchs No. 3 - 5 11 4 247 Green Bros. No. 3 G 14 0 247 J. Liggins No. 2 . G T. W. Bet13 1 215 te ridge No. 2 G A. C. Goocllet 11 11 246 No. 3 Woolston Tan12 0 243 uerie3 No. 2 6 Hon C. Izard 12 11 242 No. 2 a 11 33 242 Mrs Gorinski No. 3 6 Hon C. Izard 13 i 333 No. 2 6 13 3 ' 235 Tie leading three-bird as follow :— aggregates am J. Biggins 284 II. Vi. Martin . 217 245. 22 G — 725 25(7. 231 — 703 T. W. I.etteridge # 1 J>' 253 I-:.: -2 is — os;) W. 11 West . . -33 W. IV Hern . 17 >12. 208 652 HEAVY BREED SINGLE HEN COMPETITION. Each competitor to enter three birds. Black Orpingtons. J. Gunn, B.O. . 5 J. P. Drewett 1U 9 236 w c N °‘ 1 5 11 12 235 8 13 207 The leading thrcc-bird follows - aggiegat s 8. P. Drewett . 235. 203, 164 -- 593 W. K. Sprosen . 165. 207 . 205 — 677 Mrs Stewart . 18. L77, 197 — 513 H. Hunter .231 101, 127 — 512 LIGHT BREED FLOCK TEAMS. Each competitor to six purebred pullets White Leghorns. \V. L. Wiyd . 2/ 50 0 1430 li. Whittle . . 25 52 0 1347 l'j. Orchard 2 T. li. Gardiner . 21 50 1 1263 V. Ward’s team had l5oz lldrs to the good in weight of SINGLE DUCK CHAMPIONSHIP. T. Dowtmvaite’s White iunner . 2rl J. C. Mi:.igrate's Fawi ] unner . 247 T. Dowthwaite . 24 U SINGLE PEN DUCK COMPETITION. Each competitor to e 1 It. W. Hawke. tk.oe ducks. | No. 1 7 17 1 317 R. A. Hollis . . 5 13 2 269 H. W. Hawke - 0 Tli© leading aggregate for three ducks A. C. Clements . . 733 It. YV*. Hawke . 723 K. A. Hollis . . 701 SOUTHLAND. The following arc the retjirns for the Club’s seventh Southland Utility Poultry annual te/t for the to ending March 1: - Week’s Weight Grand Total, oz. av. total. 1-2 11 2/6 j .Mrs A Qr.iikan !2 0 -R0 2\Jtox Prukiii 12 11 269 10 2 269 Mrs F. Gorinski 13 1 208 Mr.’ F. Gorinski 13 12 £01 Master Cushei: 10 2 260 Charles Thomson 9 l 257 William Thomson 0 1 234 8. A. Faircloth . 9 2 252 C. T. Berry li 9 252 10 8 251 j .T. Rattii;an . 10 7 250 10 1 249