POULTRY NOTES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18380, 4 February 1928, Page 27 (Supplement)

POULTRY NOTES.

(Bv “CROW BLACK.”) The next fortnightly meeting of the Christchurch Poultry, Pigeon and Canary Club will be held on Mondav evening in the club rooms, Lichfield Street, at eight o’clock. The Christchurch Homing Pigeon Society flew a special race from Stewart Island recently. There were twentythree birds, divided amongst eleven owners, competing in the race. The birds wore liberated from Stewart Island in a nor’-west wind, which prevented them from recording fast velocities. The winning bird. H. N. May’s Just In Time, flew the distance of 325 miles in ten hours fifty-two minutes. Results:—ll. N. .'May’s Just in Time, 575 yards per minute; L. Ilewland’s Airman, 866; J. Baxter’s Black Admiral, 866; L. Hobdin’s Falcon Knight, 566; L. Booth’s Silver King, 862; H. Brown’s Rivalry, 823; E.‘ R. Mav’s No. 1113, 806. Tl. N. May and L. Tlewland won the special nominated bird prizes. The United Pigeon Fanciers' Club will hold its fortnightly meeting on Wednesday evening in" the Christchurch Poultry Club rooms, Lichfield Street, at eight o'clock. The show committee of the combined young bird show met on Saturday evening, Mr C. W. Tritt presiding Delegates were present from the Canterbury Bantam Club, United Pigeon Fanciers’ Club, Christchurch Canary Club, and the committee of the New Zealand Utility Poultry Club. Mr R. W. Hawke wrote accepting the position of judge of the utility section. The Utility Club allotted £lO in special prizes, conditionally on there being four entries. The other clubs submitted their prize lists and judges. It was decided to issue season tickets at 2s 6d each to admit to the show at any* time. The egg-laying and show schedule is now in circulation. Copies mav be had on applying to Mr W. H. West, secretary of the New Zealand Utility Poultry Club. Mr and Mrs R. W. Hawke will be tendered a welcome home by the New Zealand Utility Poultry Club on Tties day evening. February 21. Members and their wives are invited to be present. Mr Ilawke will givc a lecture on his experiences abroad. The monthly meeting of the Christ church Canary and Cage Bird. Club was held on Wednesday evening in the Christchurch Poultry Club rooms. Mr A. Henry presided. The club’s delegates to the combined show committee meeting on Saturday evening reported on the business done, and stated everything was going on satisfactorily. It was decided that entries for canaries, members and non-members, be Is 6d per entry. A very fine special prize list has been drawn up for the canary section, there being twenty-five specials and four club cups for competition, as well as the Peace Shield, Canary Cup and the Roller Canary Cup, open to club members only. The special prizes will only be awarded provided there are four entries. A special prize of 10s 6d was allotted to the lady exhibitor gaining most points in the novice section. The South Island Poultry, Pigeon and Canary Association's one guinea championship and certificate for best young bird has been allotted to the show. The secretary reported that he had not received any reply to his inquiries in response to the new standard. Messrs G. Goodwin and C. Scholl were elected members of the club and Miss E. Brown was nominated. The next meeting was called for Wednesday, March 7. when final arrangements will be made in con flection with the show. Mr R. Pearce, secretary of the South Island Poultry, Pigeon and Canary Association, left last Saturday on his annual holiday. Mr Pearce intends visiting Invercargill and the Lakes. Mr J. Gumming, of Sydenham, is expecting a shipment of Black Minorcas, White Leghorns and Black Rose-comb Bantams from England at an earl) date. Mr Fred Chambers, secretary of the United Pigeon Fanciers’ Club, informs me that he expects the club’s shipment of poultry, pigeons and canaries to be on view at the Christchurch Poultry Club’s rooms this evening. The shipment comprises over twentypigeons—Holle Croppers. Pigmy Pouters, Blondineters, Sattinettes Tumblers —a trio of pullet breeding Brown Leghorns, and a pair of Yorkshire canaries. An\-one interested is invited to inspect the birds before they are distributed to the different owners. Hedgehogs are very plentiful just now. Several poultry breeders report having lost a number of chickens bv them. Mr G. Goodwin, at one time secretary of the Christchurch Canary and Cage Bird Club, has returned to the fancy and has joined the Canary Club. Mr Goodwin informs me that he has bred some very fine cinnamon Yorkshire canaries this season and intends making a good entry- for the young bird show. The writer called on Mr F. during the week and was shown some very fine young stock, especially' in Light Sussex. In a pen of forward pullets I noticed a very fine specimen of grand type and size, and good colour. Another in the same pen is not quite so forward, but is very promising. In a pen of cockerels there were some good ones, two that should develop into top-notchers by show time. The Brown Leghorns Mr Dacre procured from the Poultry' Club are now running out on free range and look splendid. A few young cockerels from a son of this pen were running around, and they looked very' promising. It will be interesting to see the results of the mating of the imported stock with our local birds. They will be lull grown by show time. I also visited the yards of Mr E. Wheeler, of Rangiora, who lias been very successful with Utility Black Orpingtons. Mr Wheeler has bred a large, number this season and will have plenty to choose from for the coming season’s shows. This yard contains some capita* hens, excelling in t)-pe and colour, a special feature being the eyes and the legs. In the young stock there was a really good pen of cockerels, showing nice type and carriage, and the colour was good. The pullets were more forward and I noticed one that should make a fine show bird. She was of beautiful ty'pe and carriage. There were several others that should do their owner credit later on. Mr Wheeler intends making a good entry for the Utility Club’s young bird show, to be held next month. Mr W. Graham, also of Rangiora, who is a breeder of Barred Ply-mouth Rocks, has had a good season, judging by the number of y'oungsters in his pens. The most forward were a pen of cockerels, and one of them promises to be a very good bird, of nice type and colour, the markings being very even. The others were drooping into a moult and did not show to advantage. The pullets were rather younger and did not show the same as the cockerels. There were some nicelymarked birds among therti. I expect, to see some good ones from these yards later on. The Crystal Palace number of the “Feathered World” came to hand during the week. The Palace Show was a great, success, the entries—-poultry 5961 and pigeons 6417—being the largest received. The best bird in the show was Mr Laurence Anderson’s Indian Game

cockerel, which won the Champion Challenge Shield, Sir James Blythe's Challenge Cup, the “Poultry World’s” Cup for the best bird in the show, and the Poultry Club’s challenge trophy and medal. The Champion Challenge trophy, for the best hen or pullet in the show, was won by Mr Fish’s Silver Sebright hen. The Randolf Meech Challenge Bowl, for the best cock or cockerel other than the winner of the champion prize, was won by Mr Golding’s Buff Orpington cockerel. The Randolph Meech Challenge Bowl, for the best hen or pullet, was won byLord Dewar’s White Wyandotte pullet The C. A. House Challenge Trophy fell to Mr Beesley’s Black Red Modern Game Bantam cock, and the Dinto Challenge Cup to Lord Dewar's White Wyandotte pullet. The Poultry Club’s Challenge Trophy and medal for the best hen or pullet in the show, was won by Mr Swindell’s Black Orpington pullet; the Poultry- Club’s medal for the best cock in the show, by Mr Beesley’s Black-Red Modern Game Bantam cock; the Poultry Club’s medal for the best hen in the show, by Messrs Wright Brothers’s Black Pekin Bantam hen; and the Marx Memorial Cup by Mr Bradley's Faverolles cock. The medal for the best Wyandotte went to Mr J. 11. Smith’s Golden Wyandotte cockerel. Satisfactory prices were received for stock during the show. The outstanding price was £6O, for Lord Dewar’s breeding pen of White Wyandottes. Messrs Wright Brothers's winning Black Pekin Bantam hen sold for £lO, and Air J. S. Ilepbur’s breeding pen of Indian Game for £3O. Bar nerelders brought good prices, several place-getters being claimed at £l2 10s, £lO and £7 7s. NOTES. (By “BARRED ROCK”) The monthly business meeting of the New Zealand Utility Poultry Club will he held on Tuesday night at 8 o'clock, in the club rooms. Air J. B. Merritt, of Melbourne, was in Christchurch during last, week, on business. Mr T. S. Dove, of Horn by, has about 900 White Leghorn pullets on his farm and about 1000 layers. He reports having a very- successful season.