POUT TRY NOTES

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18015, 27 November 1926, Page 29

POUT TRY NOTES

BY

“BARRED ROCK.”

NOTES. The Christchurch Poultry Club -will meet on Monday night. Fanciers sympathise with Mr J. H. Sykes in the loss of his wife. The Canterbury Bantam Club met on Tuesday night in the Poultry Club rooms, Mr A. E. Webb presiding over a large attendance of members. Before commencing the business of the evening a motion of sympathy was passed with Mr J. Cummings and Mr J. Sykes in their recent bereavements, all present standing. Correspondence was received from Dr IT. T. J. Thacker, Messrs E. C'-ussen (Government poultry expert), J. R. Boswell, R. W. Thomson, T. Doig (Wellington), W. Brown (Riccarton). G. 11. King (Nelson). W. Hart (Hastings), L. D. Adams (Sheffield), West Bros.. Major N. L. D. Smith (Wellington), C. W. Tritt, C. W. M’Farlane (Hastings). T. Brown (Dunedin), and Langdown and Son, accepting the office of sub-patrons of the club, and enclosing donations to the c.hib. The agenda paper was received from the South Island Poultry Association and discussed. It was decided to appoint a delegate in Dunedin to act for the club. The club decided to institute a trophy fund by monthly subscription, and in this way to provide several cups for competition amongst its members. Mr C. W. Tritt donated a sitting of Rhode Island Reds and a trio of White Japanese Bantams to be sold, the proceeds to go to the club’s funds. Several prices were received for show tickets, and the matter was left over for a future meeting. The next meeting of the club will be held on the fourth Monday in January. Three new members were elected.

The writer called on Mrs F. W. Anderson, of Opawa, who has gone in for the English White Leghorn, having imported stock from England. These are real good specimens of the breed. Mrs Anderson has several broods of chickens from the imported stock. They look very well and show promise of developing into real good stuff. This variety has been neglected of late years, but now that there is some fresh blood to start with they should reach their former position in the shows. Mrs J. Moffat, the well-known variety bantam breeder, has a fine lot of bantam chicks cut this season, especially Sebrights and Black Rosecombs. There are some real good ones amongst them that should keep up their owner’s ,name at our coming shows. Mr C. H. Bull, who goes in for the miniature Rhode Island Red, has bred a few good ones this season and has others due this week.

The following delegates left for Dunedin on Wednesday to attend the South Island Poultry, Pigeon and Canary Association annual conference: Mrs E. R. Davidson, Messrs G. E. Jeffreys, R. Pearce, A. W. M’Nicoll, J. D. Gobbe and G. IT. Bradford.

Mr Gordon King, the secretary of the Bantam Club, is confined to his home through illness. Fanciers will wish him a speedy recovery. A meeting of cat breeders and fanciers will be held in the Poultry Club rooms to-night, for the purpose of forming a club to further the interests of this part of the fancy. It is to be hoped there will be a large attendance as a lot can be done to improve this feature of our show.

This week an enquiry came from America for Indian Runner ducks The enquirer seeks information and results from three different breeders competing in the Papanui tests. This shows the value of egg-laying competitions to the public and fanciers overseas, who see the results in the Poultry Journal and this column.

The secretary of the New Zealand Utility Poultry Club will be pleased to book space for advertising in the club’s new schedule. The “Lyttelton Times” is printing it and it will surpass last year’s issue, which was a great success. P'atten up culls and cockerels intended for the market, and send them in at least two weeks before Christmas. Do not leave them till the week before Christinas as you do not give the poulterers time to prepare the birds. Market all surplus stock from now on, without delay. Poultry breeders lose hundreds of pounds every year through the birds being in poor condition when sent to market.

DO NOT KEEP TOO MANY BREEDS.

HOW TO ENSURE SUCCESS WHAT NOT TO DO. Herewith are listed the more common mistakes that beginners are liable to make. Those who master the details of a definite approved method, and who adhere closely to it till they have gained some practical experience, will be in little danger of falling into serious errors. DC) NOT START BLINDLY. „ Many who have decided to take up back-yard poultry-keeping fail to appreciate the importance of securing necessary elementary information before making a start. Poultry-keeping is simple, but it is not so simple that it will*not pay to get the advice of those who have had practical experience. Speaking generally, more money is wasted on original ideas in building and methods than would have been required in starting right. Those who have been in the business for years have very definite reasons for the suggestions they make or the advice they offer, and it is the part of wisdom to profit by their knowledge rather than to show one's independence by starting where they started and paying the same costly tuition in the school of experience. DO NOT BUY FOWLS BLINDLY. Each of the different breeds has its peculiar qualities, and some of them are better suited to back yard conditions than others. Do not buy stock blindly without knowing or caring what, breed is represented. Proper care in selecting fowls with reference to their breed and individual characteristics may make a great difference in the income received, also in the pleasure of caring for them. DO NOT FOLLOW UNTRIED PLANS IN BUILDING. Probably more mistakes are made in building back-yard poultry-houses than in any other one thing. Many beginners would rather adopt some idea that appears to be unique than to follow the commonplace outlines of the kind of house that- the experienced poultryman regularly builds. Mistakes in design that will waste time and labour, mistakes in construction that will add greatly to the cost, mistakes in ventilation that will affect the health of the birds—these may all be avoided by adopting an approved plan. Most of the poultry plants that have failed, both small and large, have freak poul-try-houses on them. It is true that some poultry plants that are successful also have freak houses, but in these cases their owners have succeeded in spite of their mistakes in building, not on account of them. DO NOT BUILD MAKESHIFT HOUSES. The poultryman’s attitude towards his flock is determined to a large extent by appearances. He gives goodlooking fowls better attention than scrubs. He takes better care of a neat, attractive house than one that is built without regard for appearance. That is one reason why the poultry-keeper with a plant that is neat and attractive almost invariably gets better results than one whose buildings are an eyesore. If you cannot afford to build at tractively and with new lumber, make the best of what you have, but remember that reasonable expense incurred in making house and surroundings neat and pleasing in appearance is money well spent.

DO NOT KEEP INFERIOR STOCK. Even though you may have only a small flock, and are interested only in the production of eggs for table use, you will find that you can well afford to keep standard-bred fowls— cannot, as a matter of fact, afford to keep anything else. Such birds look better, lay better and weigh more, and in every practical detail are more desirable than birds of mixed or mongrel breeding. It is not necessary to buy exhibition stock unless you want to breed such, but at least get standard-bred fowls, so that the birds will be uniform not only in colour and size, but in other characteristics as well.

It is rarely advisable for the beginner to have more than one breed, particularly where he lias only a limited amount of room. Jf the different breeds are allowed to run together, they seldom do well, and to maintain two or more separate pens in close quarters adds to the cost of the buildings, increases greatly the amount of labour required in looking after the birds, and is of no practical advantage It generally is much better to select the breed that will best meet your conditions and that you like best, and then concentrate your attention entirely upon it. DO NOT EXPECT THE IMPOSSIBLE. Wonderful results sometimes are secured even by the inexperienced, but it should be borne in mind that these extraordinary results are the exception and not the rule. Be reasonable in your expectations and your demands on the fowls, and be satisfied with fair returns upon your investment of time and money. With increasing experience and skill, you will be able to get better and better results, but the greatest success comes to those only who have qualified themselves by years of practical experience. EGG-LAYING COMPETITIONS. PAPANUI The following Is the result for the thirty-third week, ended November 20, of the twenty-third competition held by the New Zealand Utility Poultry Club at PapanuiSINGLE HEN OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP.

THREE TURD AGGREGATE. Black Orpingtons— J. W. Thomson 49 j G. A. Grainger **! 402 ANY OTHER VARIETY HEAVY BREEDS. Cuthbertson and Mitchell,W.R 534 E. Crouch, L.S 397

FLOCK TEAMS. (Six Birds.>

WOOLSTON TANNERIES CLUB. The following is the result for the thirty-second week,ended November 20, of the Woolston Tanneries Utllitv poultry Club’s single bird competition:

PO TOUR HENS LAT? I>ack of proper constituents in the food l.=* usually the trouble-—the quality is lacking- A teaspoonful of Singer's EgR Producer to 12 fotvls daily guartheir supply of stimulating, egg iful eupply large packets, 2s, at t, Christchurch. I*ld.. High

XV’kly Weight Od. Tl. on. dr. Tl. White Leghorns-— Mips M. White .... 7 1 i 2 105 N. Harrison 7 3 5 ;i 191 Green Bros 4 8 16 177 F. Hawes 4 S 5 174 A. n. F. Ross 5 1013 174 Black Orptngtone— -J. Kingsland 5 10 14 103 THREE BIRD TKST. W'kly XV’eight Gd. Tl. oz. dr. Tl. Black Orpingtons— G. Blair 0 12 4 1$2 J. V.’. Thomson .... 5 10 12 V$© H. Harris . .... 0 13 15 171 ANT OTHER VARIETY HEAVY BREEDS. WkJy Weight <14. Tl. oz. dr. Tl. Cuthbertson and M1 to he 11. W. R. 5 10 1 102 Cuthbertson and Mitche.H.W.R. 6 13 1 172 Cuthbertson and 1 Alitchelt. W.R. 3 6 12 170 j O. OTIern, W W. .. 2 4 4 167

ANT OTHER VARIETY UIGHT CREEPS. Wkly Weight G4 Tl. oz. dr. Tl. H. William b, B.M. .. a 13 7 u? K. W. Beck. B.M. .. r. 31 ? 354 _ Pearce. Anconas . 7 u 11 u<^ White I^eghorrjs— II. Williams 6 3 2 4 <>04 P- W. Coornben .... 7 is 7 1 q,-. F , rin, I ?i!' , ‘ hai ‘ d8 r> 11 13 *93 1 roucn .1 7 1 ~ ij*i; Wh b“' 4 s lss w-E-' waM ??:::::: ? 11 ,1 ill i: S ? ;g <-• w. Trltt ; 5 11 0 111

A2STY OTHER VARIETY BREEDS. LIGHT H.W. Beok, B.M White Leghorns— ... J74 H. W tl liajn n A. C. Goodlet Green Brop ... 618 J. Rnttigan C. W. Tritt

W'kJy Weight 04 White Leghorns— Jr ’ JJT- Ward 29 60 0 1065 .T. Lift-gins ‘2» 50 3 9SS V. Ilaww 34 69 i:j 057 Rhode Island Reds— r. Bailey 14 35 11 1005

rvucKs. < Singles.) AV'kly Weight Gt2. Tl. oz. «ir. Tl. Indian Runners— J. W. Thomson ft 14 o 224 R. W. Hawks .... 7 19 7 219 1£. A. Pa.wbfir ft ]j n 217 R. W. Hawke 6 16 4 216 J- W. Thomson ft lft 11 215 Reklne— J- W. Thomson .... 4 12 1 208 THREE BIRD AGGREGATE. .1. W. Thomson 64ft H. W. Bock 592 If. A. Daw her .* ft 6ft •H. A. Dawber 558

_ , Weight. Total. H. Taylor ft 12 ft 110 O. Hall 7 14 4 157 S. Loader 0 12 7 120 G. Swarisloo . .. - r * 10 14 3 51 G. Black 6 13 11 le i ■T. Morrison 5 10 14 ft 6 P. Mauger 5 11 4 3 1.0 R. Smith ft 14 1 J22 A. M’Concliie .. 6 n H 112 P. Mauge: 6 1311 122 G. Hall 7 12 ft 160 G. Black 0 . 101 G. Russell 4 S 5 J2S H. Taylor ft 12 1.3 fti S. Loader 2 3 12 143 R. Smith 2 4 3 73 A. M’Oonchie .. ft — — 72 OS. Hall 3 10 7 313