Amongst the Poultry

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17345, 27 September 1924, Page 23

Amongst the Poultry

NEWS AND NOTES BY

“GAMECOCK.”

Get ready to preserve eggs. Give the youngsters plain food. Provide charcoal for the chicks; it is a bowel corrective. Grade your eggs for size and colour before sending to market. As a rule the open market is better ■ than private customers. The fancier who pays periodical visits to his fellows will learn a lot. Birds for long distance racing need £ as hard training as the All Blacks or J tennis champions. 1 Breeder: “Business not so good this • year. I wonder why?'-* Game- { cock: “Your name does not appear in tho ‘Star's’ advertising columns.” [ A man may he successful, hut tho c public soon forgets Joseph. ► Tho members of the Lyttelton Fan- 1 ciers’ Club will play a card match with the Christchurch Poultry C-luh on October 4 in the local club’s rooms. The earth worm is the host of the gape worm. That is. the earth worn! harbours the parasite, so don't dig for chicken food. A pair of iiglit Sussex at the recent » English dairy show weighed 231 bs. i Some fowls, sir! < The Christchurch Poultry Club will moot on Monday nmlit. The business ; is very important ami a large attendance is desired. I read of a Rhode Island red that ‘ laid 1399 eggs in six years. This item should please the vedites. ( In the national test at Bentley, the j close race for individual cluck record i .-'till continues, and the Hon Joan Ash- ] ton's Khaki-Campbell duck again tics - with Mr Cottrell Powell's Fawn-and- i White Runner, with 245 eggs in the , 252 days since the start of the test, i The first-named fivade a sequence of 225 eggs, missed a day, and started again, i Mr George Wilkinson, who has re- 1 tired from the secretaryship of the Bantam Club, always rang me up when there was anything doing, for which ' I thank him. T shall he pleased to hear from the new secretary, Mr Riley. Get on with the hatching, for the sea- j son is not iong. Autumn and even winter hatchings may he indulged in for special purposes, but they are ( never so successful as in the natural pc riod. The Hei Hoi poultry farmers continue to he mentioned in the papers, but there is r.o mention of who advised them to take up poultry on stony ground. The Christchurc h Poultry Club wants si ggestions in regard to the next show. Don’t leave them all to the poultry scribe; lie might lose all Ins friends for giving them. Don’t forget next year is: the* homing jubilee. Ye duck men take heed. A pen of five Khaki-Campbell ducks laid 165] eggs in twelve months, or an average of 330 eggs per duck on the following diet:- Bran, <i parts, meddlings t parts, flaked maize 2 to 3 parts, fish meal £ part. The birds were on a grass run. No wonder “the Campbells are coming” into favour! Those who have ducklings or sur plus fowls will find one of the best markets of the year a. week before the New Zealand Cup. Io fatten the bird.* keep rliem m confinement, and the ducklings away from swimming water Birds that have no exercise put on weight better than those that have. Green food should he left out of the diet when fattening Any of flic usual meals mixed veil with potatoes will fatten. Maize meal will perhaps put on more weight hut if one wants purity milk and ground oats are the host. The latter is rather dear, and the majority will simply use bran one part, and sharps two parts, and mix with milk, with potatoes and a bit of fat in the work. Recently the English Utility Club applied to the Department of Agriculture for a. grant. 1 have not hoard whether the ciuh was lucky, hut Mr T. Cobb, ii noted writer on utility and a past master of the poulterers guild, wrote to the expert that the fanciers’ club were as deserving of grants as the utility clubs. It is doubtful if, after all, a Government grant is a good thing fo, the industry. Unless a club can show the public how to make poultry pnv there will lie a. loss of confidence in the business, which will not affect the fancy, hut which will seriously lessen the'demand for high-class utility stock. Says “The Feathered World It is onlv a month or two ago that one <>i my readers had a Jniilar experience to this column. When an egg i- h'»d containing a more or less fully-matured chi. ken. the only way to account for ii is that the. egg tins retained so long as to set up incubation. Probably the ho ll that laid the egg is in an over-fat condition, this accounting for the eggs being held too long. Feed vour bird.-, more sparingly, and add a iittle Epsom salts to the drinking water. The secretary of the Indian Runner Club, writing ‘to the “Feathered World,” mentions a. matter of interest to local duekmen. He says:—“The fawn-and-whitc and blacks were very poor. Fawn-and-white have been doing down hill for some years past. This is a pity, as they are a very pretty variety at high water-mark. Blacks and chocolates are improving slowly, and there are some that can .just about hold their own against the fawns. “Roman Nose.” This fad is a fault just as much as a’little weakness in the bill. A hump on a camel's back is quite in order, but a hump on a horse’s back is out of place and not according to standard, just as a liump would be on the bill of an Indian Runner duck.” Guinea fowls remind one of large quail, that is the pearl-coloured and original variety. White spots are not unknown. 1 can only remember this fowl being exhibited at a Christchurch show on one occasion. Even on farms they are not kept in such numbers as formerly. Doubtless this is because they are wild and not much sought after in the market. The Guinea fowl is a native of Africa, and there are a number of variations. They mate in pairs, and the hens .are prolific layers of small hut pretty eggs, which are of a nice flavour. They like roosting in trees, and the liens love a. very secluded place for their nests. Tho chickens are delicate and should he hatched late and fed on the usual chicken food. Tho cocks are very pugnacious. Adult birds weigh from 3 to 4 lb, and the flesh, although dark, is rich and of a gamey flavour. Hybrids with other poultry are not unknown, and the progeny are of course sterile. They have been known to breed with pheasants and turkeys as well as the common fowls. On some of our largo runs Guinea fowls have been found hard to cret, a. shot

CLASSIFICATION. M A ITERS NEE DIN G ATTENTI ON. Some of the clubs are already moving in regard to classification, so few remarks on the subject will he seasonable. New Zealand clubs are known to ho generous in giving classes bu are not always correct in the arrangement of them. The main thing is to see that no variety is shut out. 1 his is easily managed by providing any j other variety classes which are generally alluded to as A.O.Y. Thus in hreecls which have several varieties and one or more varieties are specified they should have an A.O.Y. to finish up with. For example, there a few light Sussex in the Dominion and the? class “ Sussex V takes in the light and any other colours of the breed that may be about. But- if the class may “ Light Sussex ” the reds and the other varieties of the breed, instead of competing with their kind, would have to compete with the odds and ends in the A.O.Y. at the tail end of the schedule. Hence breeds which have several colours should always have the A.O.Y. classes unless the breed is pure. Then the breed should only be named. Of the schedules before me the greatest errors are in the duck classification. At a few shows in New Zealand, hut seldom elsewhere, the ducks are divided into two sections which read “utility classes ” and “open classes.” in the utility classes we find that Indian Runners only are mentioned, which suggests that the Runner is the only utility duck. In the open classes (and in place of open), we find Pekins, Aylesbury. Rouen and Orpington ducks named and this suggests that those breeds arc all fancy ducks, whereas they are all ranked as utility. If the words “open” and “utility” wore deleted the classification would be made sensible and in accordance with world-wide practice. The fawn and white Indian Runner is kept more than any other variety of duck in New Zealand, yet in one schedule before me there is not a class for Indian Runners at all, and in several other schedules the classes arc for fawns or lawn, or grey. There is no standard which mentions grey, but that is a trifle. What is more' important is that a class for “ fawns” is not a class for fawn and white though, strange to say, the fawn and white win in lawn. As mentioned the fawn and white variety is most popular in New Zealand. T'awn are not so plentiful and the two varieties might well la.* shown together hut unless the wording is altered the most popular one may he put as being in the wrong class for I repeat a iawu and white is not a faun. Besides these two varieties of Runners. wo have whites and in the old clearer classification for the two sections of Hminers would he to give the first for whites and the second to read “ Indian Runners and any other variety.” That would allow lawn and white or grey or fawns or indeed all tho other varieties to compete. 'Then kn case there were any Khaki Campbells about or some Orpington ducks, another A.O.V. section would provide* for them. Anyhow, if fawn means fawn and white or both, it should be stated. It is common to read on schedules black Leghorns and black Mjnorcas. YY ho knows where there is another colour ?

Again, certain breeds have both rose and single combs. The former are few and would not suffer if classed with the singles. 1 lie classes for American Leghorns is pandering to a sort that differs little from most of the white Leghorns we see in a show. Americ an Browns do show a difference in colour. And so do barred rocks. But a good one would win in a mixed class, no matter the coimry it hailed from and others are sq few that- it would not hurt if they were classed with the single combs. At many shows modern game Pouters. Carriers, An twerps and shortfaced tumblers have as many classes as when these varieties were popular. It is so absurd to give four and five classes for Antwerp* and short-faced tumblers when it is years since four or five birds has been .seen in New Zealand. Tbe- same remarks will apply to Hasses for some varieties of canaries now almost extinct. 'I be pigeon section is the most difficult to classify by reason of the great variation, but on the whole it is not bad. The Christchurch club’s classification Is good but. the Dragoons and classes for table pigeons are canaille of improvement. Blue or black chequer Dragoon is of course meant, for chequers, but it is not good to have blues in the A.O.Y. against the softer colours. Blue, or blue or black chequer would make a more even competition. “ Barred and chequered ” is suitable for tumblers but not for Dragoons. Anyhow, the blue bar is more in its place with a blue chequer or a black chequer than with the other colours of Dragoons. s As regards table pigeons I must confess that l could not group * them equitably in two or three sections. At present they have only one section at Canterbury shows and two some northern shows and neither pleases breeders. Years ago the old Leghorn had many followers. Then came a craze for the modern liigh-legged kind, but both went out of fashion. There are indications that the old sort called Croad will come into favour again, and the so-eallcd Chinese (they arc all of Chinese origin) will also be popular. It is already so in Australia. But here in New Zealand the class might well read simply “ Leghorn ” as we only have a few Chinese and few Croads and both arc much alike. It will be understood that the requirements differ according to district As the schedules come or should come before the council of the association one expects them to he edited, oi is that expecting too. much? Rut with all their weaknesses, dm in many cases to changes, the classi : fication of our schedules, the classi has improved very much. That on< 1 should seek for greater progress is no ' a fault. I ' ! CONTROL O# VERMIN. 5 METHODS OF TREATMENT. . 1 The hot weather means a continus i i fight to keep all domestic birds fre b from vermin ; rather, I should sa? e 1 fairly free, for complete freedom 1 rare in hot weather. One does n<

nsect pests. There are other things ■o do. so J n-ill briefly refer to simple methods. ~ . With the ordinary fowls the root , srt l, or dost hath is the natural remedy. hot the earth round a. tree be dug and made fine and the hens will r Mv to the spot- every day it pos,jble. fo This bath trill remain goorl rwing to being exposed to the weather. When, however, the earth is pnxt m a 50x and placed in a fowlhous© tho hath Iris to he renewed frequently. \cry fine ashes, a. little air slacked lime, or . flowers of sulphur may be mixed with the earth, hut keep lime and ashes g out when- the birds are meant for exfiil.ition unless it is before they moult. f In Ihe vase of pigeons, canaries and s manv other cage, birds and ducks and ( geese the natural cleanser is water. '1 hose, who have an idea that ducks are not troubled with insect pests had better get rid of it, for ducks are not | immune, though more eo than hens, while turkeys can stand less than anj of the other domestic birds. } . Where the birds won’t bathe they may he sprayed or given some wet grass to roll in. Some parrots love jj the latter. AY fie re spraying the birds is indulged in some disinfectant that will not harm the feathers should be c mixed with the water. Also some infusion of Quassia chips should be mixed with the water. One ounce of 1 chips to a pint of water will be strong 1 enough. Then there are insect powders for t dusting which is all right for a few ( birds, but too slow a process where y there are many. Xow for the houses. Expose nest boxes, dropping boards, etc., as often •, as possible to the weather. Have a g change of boxes if you can. The gar- { den hose is a. great insect destroyer j where it can he turned on in the houses and on the appliances. ‘ Spraying with kerosene emulsion is a simple remedy, or the emulsion may be brushed on. An old friend of * mine swears by kerosene for all troubles. A simple remedy and a ' very effective one is to get half a kerosene tin of lat rendered so that it will brush on easily. Mix with the hot - fat a pint of kerosene, stir well when hot and paint -the cracks, the ends of ' the roosts and under the dropping [ boards. Cages may he boiled or steamed or [ sprayed with hut water and soda or 1 other lice killers. ‘ The emulsion is made as follows : One gallon soft water (rain), 21b of soft soap. Mix well, remove from j fire, then add one gallon of kerosene, j When the whole is well mixed, add . slowly ten gallons of soft water, and the spray is ready. Where infesta- j tion is bad spray three or four times, . ailowing two days between each spray- \ ing. Any of the above methods will take op only a little time. When nothing is done the egg yield goes down and the number of chicks decreases. 1 THE MASH. HOW TO MIX IT. .Mr .Tames Hadlington, poultry ex- < pert for New South "Wales, tells in the ‘‘Agricultural Gazette" how to mix the mash : “"When visiting farms, he has been somewhat surprised to find that quite a largo number of farmers make so much hard work of mixing the morning mash. In this, as in most things, there is a right and a wrong way, also a laborious way and an easy way. To mix up a mass of pollard, bran and the other constituents of the mash dry, and then wet, it, is not only the most labori- * ous method, but it scarcely ever results in a. mash of the right consistency; on the other hand, it often produces a sticky mass. “The more simple and easier way is to place the pollard round the tub. or, in the ease of a proper mixing trough, at each end, and then to put the bran with the meat meal or other concentrates in the depression in the middle. Over this pour the hot water, or whatever liquid is used. The bran and concentrates, being the coarser and least sticky bodies, can be stirred up into a wet mash like porridge. When well mixed, the pollard should be gradually introduced and worked up with the hands, or, in the case of a large quantity, with some tool. A fourpronged hoe or an ordinary garden four-pronged fork are excellent tools for mixing up to a point, and then the mixing should he finished off with the hands. In this way one man can mix sufficient to feed 1000 adult birds in less than half an fTour, and the mash will ho superior to one where the ingredients are mixed before writing. Try it.—James Hadlington.” PIGEON FLYING. < ANTERRURY PIGEOX~FLYING ‘ ( M il. The nominations for the old bird races closed on Saturday evening last. A splendid entry was received, twentyone owners entering fill birds, showing that the younger members of the club fearlessly supported flip programme, despite the large number of experienced birds to be raced in the long 1 nder the new entry fee scheme more honours go to lung distance winners, and this has considerably encouraged several members to enter a large number of birds. The club has already received quite a list of special prizes to he competed for, and given fair weather conditions, some close, fast races should fie seen. Tfie following are tfie trophies offered for competition for old bird races : Russell Trophy. Scott Service Challenge Trophy, Jlrown-Stewart Trophy. East Cape Trophy, Auckland Trophy, Dr Savage .Memorial* Trophy, Napier Trophy. Wairoa Trophy. The following gentlemen have kindly donated special prizes to be won during the season: Messrs A. Smith (Russell Jubilee Challenge Trophy), Scott Ramsay (Scott Service Challenge Trophy). Jones, J. Pratt, G. Robertson, T. Newton, A. C. Gerard, J. Harris. V\ Kingsford, H. Hancock, and J. Shipton. BANTAM CLUB. ANNUAL MEETING. The second annual meeting of the New Zealand Bantam Club was held last monday. Mr •!. D. Gobbe was in the chair, and there was a large attendance. The annual report stated that the Hub show was held at Rangiora, and was a big attraction. At the Christchurch show there were 247 entries in the bantam classes. The entry in ' Pekins was indifferent, as members could not tell whether their birds were buff or cinnamon. The winners of the club cups were : —Rosecombes, Mrs J. Moffat; Pekin, master AY. L. Gobbe; Game, AY. Gordon; A.0.V., Master R. G. Pearce. Special prize-money amounting to £ll 3s had been paid out. and there was a credit balance 1 of £6 19s sd. e The following officers were elected : Patron, Mr Alf. AValker; sub-patrons, s Messrs NY. Esquilant and T. Brown t (Dunedin), P. Lindsay (Invercargill),

ings"). W. H. Turney (Oamaru), H. F. Rollinson (Kninmii), T. Kennedy ami T. I,overlay (Ifangiora), .T. Higgins, E. ,T. If oss, H. R. Pen golly. W. Brown, E. Nickolls, F. R. Bust, A. Gapes, R. Pearce, ,T. Jenkinson, *T- Martin, G. H. Bradford, and Geo. Wilkinson ; president Mr J. I>. Gobbe; vice-presidents, Messrs .T. AT. Gobbe, F. J. Stephens, .1. Ohegwin, .1. Tindall and H. F. Rollinson ; honorary secretary and treasurer, Mr W. H. Riley; honorary I auditor, Mr P. Pearce. After the business f>f the evening, Mr Fred. Dacre, the veteran judge and 'breeder, gave an instructive address on Game Bantams.

EGG-LAYING COMPETITIONS NEW ZEALAND UTILITY POULTRY CLUB. New Zealand Utility Poultry Club’s og-p-lavinK competition held at Papanui. Twenty-fourth week, ended September 20, 1024. Leading birds:— SINGLE HEN CHAMPIONSHIP.

THREE BIRD AGGREGATE,

Wlii to Leghorns— Mrs F. Gorin ski Weekly To Total. oz. dr. '■ S }i 12 0 al to Pate. 132 .r. c. M us grave S. Loader 1 28 .6 12 6 1 22 W. FT. West .6 1L 9 122 Black Orpingtons— .T. P. Prewitt. . 6 11 12 1 3 2 G. .T. Wilkins . 6 3211 1 1 7 G. Grainger . 2 2 13 1 1 7 C. E. Graham .5 9 9 116 THREE BIRD TEST. (Singles.) Weekly To Total, oz. dr. Black Orpingtons— G. A. Grainger . 6 11 11 tal to Pate. 136 G. A. Grainger . 6 10 15 1 25 G. E. Graham . 0 12 15 5 23 .T. P. Prewitt. . 5 9 14 122 White Wyandottes— Bennett .5 10 5 13 4 White T^eghorns— IT. Williams . 6 11 15 1 3S . 0 111 134 T.' Pa lsr]pish . 5 9 7 133 W. E. Ward . 5 9 13 1 33 F. Ellis . 6 1110 133 H. C. West . 0 12 9 132 G. E. Moody 132 Green Bros. ‘ 6 13 9 130 TH R )•;E BIR D A< iG REGATE Weekly To Total. G. A. Grainger . .1-S J. I*. Prewitt . .11 tal to Pate. 359 279 C. E. Graham 271 Whi te W \ a ndot t es— i Bennett . .15 311 White Lpfclioms— T. NT. Betteridge . .IS 369 W. E. Ward i •; 3 6 8 Rogers a lid Thon A. P. Gumberpat ison . 17 •h . IS 3 6 6 W. Spence TT. Williams . 1 x . . 1 7 362 W. A. Gee . 1G Brown Leghorns— Smart Bros . . 3 S 343 SIX BIRD J. Biggins FLOCK TEAMS. Weekly Tot Total. oz. dr. . 36 71 13 al to Pate. 731 (V. M’Beath . 33 68 5 726 P. MVKechnie . 36 75 0 722 H. Williams . 36 73 4 6.9S W. E. Ward .37 78 10 G 9 4 DUCK Three Bird CONTEST. Test (Singles). Weekly To Total. oz. dr. tal to Pate. Wh i teRun ners— A. H. Wheeler 7 20 9 132 Fawn and White .T. W. Thomson . ;» 12 5 136 H. P. Slater . 7 17 6 125 TT. P. Plater . 0 0 0 125 FT. A. Paw her . 0 0 o 122 R. W. Hawke . 6 14 3 121

Weekly Total to Total. .Date. TT. P. Slater « „ 7 386 IT. A. Pawb»r . . 5 3 25 J. G. Greenslade . » 0 314 , W. Nlmmo . . 16 314