POULTRY NOTES

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19258, 20 December 1930, Page 29 (Supplement)

POULTRY NOTES

(By “CROW BLACK.”) The card evenings held by the Christchurch Poultry Club will be continued this evening in the club rooms, Lichfield Street, at 8 p.m. At a meeting of the general committee of the Buller A. and P. Association, Mr Sargison presiding, Mr T. Beverland, of Millerton, was appointed judge of the poultry section. Personal. Mr J. D. Gobbe, poultry judge, breeder and exhibitor, has left the hospital and is now at his home, where he will be confined to his bed for some time. S.I. Poultry Association. The executive council of the South Island Poultry Association met on Monday evening, Mr G. E. Jeffreys (president) in the chair. Correspondence was received from the Ashburton Poultry Club, advising that all special prizes won at their last show had now been forwarded to the winners. The Dunedin loung Bird Club inquired as to the number of art union books they would be required to take. The reply was left in the hands of the secretary. A reply was received from the Minister of Agriculture with reference to the standard asked to be decided on for bran and pollard by the Hokitika Conference. The Minister stated that the question was under consideration by his Department, and in due course he would write as to the action t*. be taken. A. letter received from the Minister of Internal Affairs relating to the association's request for a permit for a gold dust art union was left in the hands of the president and secretary. Pigeon Plying. The Wanganui Pigeon Flying Club t"’?. races recently, one from Inver--aig.il (670 miles), and the other an interval race from Wellington, 100 miles. The Invercargill race was won by H 7?'.Calwell’s bird, which put up a record ™<>city by flying the distance in 15 nours 46 minutes, 43 seconds, followed closely by J. Low's 15 hours 51 minutes 41 seconds, with J. Paterson’s bird third hours, 30 minutes 29 seconds. The’ Wellington interval race was won by J. ey Third C * Barstow secon d and W. DickT ] lf i flowing: are the velocities recorded by the leading birds in the Invercargill face:—H. It. Calwell's “Stipulation jun. (1070.6 yards per minute) o’ r R?” s ’ Whito Plume ” (1004.6yd5). 2 , J. latersen’s *“Despised ” (963.9yd5) ”> A ’ iillton s Seahorse” (613.6yd5), Poor Sportsmen. men firearms and they find Pleasure in shooting at anything. The nast to destroy in the name of sport is au too common and senseless. The killing of homing pigeons on their way home is an offence which the State penalises, but this fails to stop the practice. The racing of pigeons is a costly sport and fanciers pay for it out cf their own pockets. In this respect, pigeon racing is at a disadvantage when compared with sports which have a “gale.” Therefore it is very hard on fanciers to lose their birds by gunshot and harder still to see them “home” maimed. So much of this has happened lately that the Canterbury Flying Club have offered a reward of £lO for the conviction of anyone shooting homing pigeons. Disposal of Breeding Males. The males used for breeding purposes during the season just passed will no longer be required until next year. Consideration must, therefore, be given as to whether these birds are worth keeping for another eight months at an approximate cost of 5s for feed alone. There is also the probability of a percentage becoming impotent during that time from casual troubles such as “bumble foot” or from not regaining a condition which will permit them being mated with next year's breeders. It is desirable to Iceep only the very best birds, or those of any particularly desired strain, for another breeding Reason. Males should be kept away from the layers, with the exception of a few bens which might be left witli each birds, as fertility of the eggs during the summer months is often responsible for inferior quality. Incubation of fertile eggf and rapid deterioration of quality will commence after twelve hours at a temperature of 95 degrees Fahr. or more. Chicken Troubles. Th© climate conditions throughout this season have been very favourable for chicken-racing and results are apparently abo/e the average, writes Mr V. H. Brann, acting poultry expert for New South Wales. However, some of the usual tioubles have occurred, and faulty brooding, resulting in chilling, with the consequent diseases in. weakened chicks.

accounted for the greater losses. More troubles are likely to be experienced during the latter part of the season, when the conditions are more changeable than during the colder weather. It must be remembered that the ground in which the chicks have run continually throughout the season is not in the fresh condition as when used for the earlier chicks. Then there is the Inclination to crowd the brooders as the result of the greater number of eggs being incubated and the better hatching results achieved during the early spring. Everything points to tne late chicks not receiving as good conditions as the early ones; and hence it must be expected that heavier losses must bp expected unless every care is exercised. With the advent of warm weather all care must be taken to allow extra ventilation to keep a comfortable temperature in the brooder house, and at the same time be in readiness for the sudden changes which are always experienced at this timte of year. A common trouble causing consideri able loss is leg weakness. The chick walks with difficulty and periodically becomes suddenly affected; it seems to suffer great j ain and is temporarily prostrated. There is not much loss of appetite, but a complete stoppage of growth. Investigations shew that thte trouble is caused by confining the chicks in brooders with an excessive 1 | heat and failing to permit the entrance of sufficient fresh air. Blocking the outlet of the brooders or keeping the chicks confined in a room with inadequate ventilation are common sources of the complaint. It has been repeatedly noticed that when the ventilation is improved, consistent with keeping the necessary temperatures, the trouble rapidly disappears. Chicken Vices. Featlier-eal ing, toe-picking and cannibalism among chicks are caused by the craving to make up some deficiency in the feeding. Once a vice is acquired it is developed into a habit that js somewhat difficult to control. Lack of grit, common salt, and also the feeding of rations too concentrated or with a nutritative value that is too high are the primary causes. The keeping of chicks under very extensive conditions increases the danger of their developing those depraved habits and hence the greater necessity for giving them everything they require. An excess of concentrated food must be avoided and every care taken to ensure that salt is given in tlio correct quantity, viz. loz (dissolved in liquid with which the mash is mixed) to every 51b of mash. Where dry feeding is practised dtily half this quantity of salt should be allowed, owing to the ; danger of salt poisoning when placed ’ in the feed in a dry state. While the want of common salt Is ; the main cause of toe pecking, feathereating commences more as the result c.f a desire for roughage—the conse- : luerce of feeding rations that are too rich Affected chickens will consume any other rubbish and fibrous substances ’ available to them, which cause crop trouble as well. The constant picking of tne leather stubs occasionally draws ' blood and may result in the death of the victim if not isolated in a very short time. _ Points to Remember. The shell of an egg being porous, it will quickly absorb odours, which will affect the flavour of the contents. Never, therefore, place eggs near anything giving off a pungent smell. Look after the interests of the male bird in the pen. Some of them are so well-mannered that they get reduced in condition, giving up every tit-bit they come across to the hens, and often denying themselves the food placed before them. , . , , Chickens when reared in the natural way are not necessarily any hardier, nor do they develop any better than those in a brooder; but thev certainly entail less trouble. The hen is responsible for their well-being, and there is really little to do save to provide suitable accommodation, and to suppy the correct diet. A pullet docs not mature and lay early unless she grows her feathers properly. She not only feathers normally as to time, but grows good feathers—feathers that are broad, strong, and normal in every way. A poorly-feathered pullet has long, narrow and weak feathers, and is not an early maturer, nor a good layer. Any of the heavy breeds are suitable as broodies, the ideal hen being docile, Sound in health, and of intelligent appearance. Docility is of the utmost importance, as a hen that Is Wild or nervous may wreak havoc on the sitting, especially at hatching time. It is always advisable to test a hen on a few dummy eggs prior to entrusting the sitting to her, as any bad points, such as clumsiness or unreliability may be detected.

The poultry house and yard are part' of the environment of the h etl, so is the soil she scratches in. The term also embodies the rain, wind, heat and cold experienced in the locality, the situation and area of the house and yard, and any noise or disturbance likely to disturb the hen. If environment is good, and the hen also, then production should be good. Jaundice in poultry is generally suspected to be due to chronic congestion of the liver, possibly brought about by over-rich intensive feeding. The gall bladder becomes congested and poisons are absorbed therefrom, causing the death -of the fowl. The only outward signs, and these are not dependable, are yellow tinges on those parts not covered with feathers. Treatment is dietetic. Give more variety of food, cutting down nitrogenous elements and increasing green food. Epsom salts should be given periodically to aid in the excretion of the poisons. Plenty of fresh air and exercise are, of course, essential. The greatest care should be taken when feeding soft food to keep it free from lumps, pieces of bone, to which meat or gristle adheres, etc. A bird will often seize such a piece, and, carrying it to some corner, will peck and peck at it in a vain attempt to get something off it, while the others are eating her share of feed as well as their own. When they have done this thev will soon relieve her of the bone, and she goes hungry until next meal. The little oversight will cost you an egg—perhaps two Many eggs are broken every year through th© habit most hens have of scratching away all the nesting material and laying on the bare boards. To check I this, says A.E.F. in “Poultry World,” get the straw-casing from a few wine bottles, and cut u'p one side so that it will open out flat; tack this to the bottom of the nest to form a mat bottom, and lay a little loose straw round the edges to form it nest-shape. Hens cannot move this, and it can easily be renewed from time to time. Xu Bngiaua. Poulry-breeders in England always look forward with interest to the display staged at the Dairy Show, because it is the first important fixture of the season, and the entries in the poultry section are understood to be a fair indication of the progress or otherwise of the various breeds during the precoding twelve months. Reports from latest' English files show that although there was once more a slight drop in the entries, it was not so great as last year, and the total entry of 3371 fowls proves conclusively that there is still a considerable amount of vigour in the poultry fancy. Critics remark that although four years ago the poultry entry was 464 more than it was this year, there is no evidence that the quality has deteriorated; in fact, in a number of breeds,, such as Sussex, Bantams and Wyandottes, it is doubtful if it ever was so high. It was noticeable that the name Dewer was very prominent throughout the various classes, and Mr John A. Dewer not only carried off the challenge cup and the association’s gold medal for best exhibit in show with a White Wyandotte cockerel of outstanding quality, but he also registered the unusual performance of winning three breeding pen classes. The runner-up for best bird was a Black Orpington cockerel owned by F. Swindells. Of the newer and more uncommon breeds, English Columbian Rocks seem to have attracted most attention. We are given to understand that these birds originated from a cross between White Rock cockerels and Light Sussex hens, and they are said to have already attained the true Rock type. In Sussex, reds and browns have made no headway, but the lights seem to have been a truly wonderful collection. There'has been a gradual decrease during the last four years in Wyandottes and Orpingtons, and in the last-mentioned breed we find blues at the head of affairs, even the popular buffs having to give way to them. The entry in Rhode Island Red was an increase on last year’s, the pullet class (50) being the largest in the standard-bred section. Barnevelders were also up in numbers—96 as against 91—but judging from reports the cockerels were evidently a more even lot than the pullets. The trouble here seems to be the introduction of partridge as well as laced classes for females, and Mr House, the editor of tho “Poultry World ” (Eng.) remarks in that journal:—“Why the Barnevelder Club will persist with the class for partridge pullets is strange.” He points out that year after year very few of the birds are really partridge-marked; it is always the smallest class, th© markings on the whole do not improve, and how can they wheh breeders seek to secure both “ partridge ’* and “ laced ” from one pen? “Why not follow the Dutch breeders, and keep to the laced birds?” In Leghorns, browns and whites both showed increase, but blacks were down considerably. Plymouth Rocks still keep holding their own. The barred variety were fewer, but the others made up for j