Poultry Notts

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 144, 21 June 1939, Page 11

Poultry Notts

THE BATTERY SYSTEM This method of keeping poultry has its advocates in England and the United States, and the poultry journals in these countries have done much to boost it; no doubt among its strongest advocates are the manufacturers of the cages in which the birds are placed in separate and solitary confinement. There are those, however, who object to the system because they claim it to be cruel to the birds, and they allege that the eggs they lay are not wholesome, and seemingly no one considers or claims that birds so kept are, subsequently, fit to breed from. A correspondent of the Feathered World asks, ’’Are battery eggs fit to eat?" and says:—“You declare in your editorial that under the battery system of poultry-keeping, each hen is accommodated with her own flat, with her own supply of food and water.

“You omit, however, to state that the 'flat' is so small that she cannot stretch her wings, that she cannot scratch, that she has no warm nest wherein to lay her eggs, that the floor is made of uncomfortable and hard wire-netting, that she is denied any intercourse with her fellows, that, she is, in fact, a prisoner for life under the most cruel conditions.

“She is given ‘her own food and water’ to keep her alive and make her lay eggs for owner's profit, but the conditions of her life are worse than the worst concentration camp. How long is this abominable and cruel system to be tolerated? ’ “Mr. C. V. Lewis's statement that people who keep hens in cages do themselves live in cages when they go to bed is an absurd comparison. People go to bed of their own free will in rooms to suit them, and leave them just as and when they like. They are not confined to the room fortheir life, with their food and drink pushed to them through the door!

"Sooner or later, when the general public realise the cruelty of the battery system, it will be condemned.’’ Head Points. Head points should be watched not only from standard requirements but because of the indication they give of health. A bird may be a good layer, as indicated by the loss of pigment, but possibly she may be responding to your method of feeding for eggs as well as from the health standpoint. If she is producing beyond her strength the head will reveal the fact. The head reveals health and the lack of it. Darkening combs and wattles, eyes losing their lustre and becoming smaller should be noticed by an ob-

servant poultryman. Many a good bird has been ruined by the owner failing to note the first signs of failing health. A bird which is overlaying its strength should be for a short time removed from the pen and fed separately on a change of food. By this treatment it will go off the lay, but have a chance to renew its health and vigour. When one bird shows signs of laying beyond its strength it is probable that the whole flock is being fed a too forcing mash, and that serious results will follow if it is not altered.

Broodiness. Broodiness often causes a serious loss in production. The loss due to this cause is much less whev the fowls are properly cared for and broodiness is promptly broken up. Broodiness in dual purpose breeds can be reduced to as low a percentage as in average Leghorn flocks by careful breeding. Limited Space. In selecting a breed consideration should be given to the space available. If space is limited a light breed will be the most suitable, and they will be kept for egg production alone. More space is desired for heavy breeds, which may be kept for the table bird at the same time. These are known as the dual-purpose breeds, and the most popular varieties are Rhode Island Red, white Wyandottes, and light Sussex. Rhode Island Red are excellent in every way even though they have yellow flesh and yellow legs, and on this account do not make just the same price as the whiteskinned and white-shanked birds when marketed for the table. They, however, make heavier weights at an early

Some strains can produce eggs quite up to the records of the light breeds. There are, however, some strains very much given to broodiness, but they are easily broken off it. and quickly return to production. The same remarks apply to the light Sussex, which are, however, seldom equal to them for egg-produ.ction. Such varieties lav standard sized eggs.

The white Wyandottes should be the ideal dual-purpose bird, hut unfortunately, they are prone to lay a small-sized egg for such a big bird. They are, however, prolific layers, and will continue to for two or three years. They are very quiet and docile, and adapt themselves to any conditions. r The white Leghorn is by far the best of the egg-producers, and some strains lay exceptionally large eggs. They have, however, been so largely bred that they have deteriorated much in body size and substance.

For the past year or two they have lost much of their popularity but they will quickly regain that once they are brought back to normal. The white Leghorn has given good returns on free range, under intensive management, and under the battery system. For small active birds they have put up some wonderful records in the cages.

The forgoing is taken from the Scottish Weekly, and it is interesting, as it shows the opinion of various birds in Great Britain, but all that is said does not apply here in New Zealand. For instance, there is no evidence that there is any preference here for whiteskinned birds as against those yellowskinned. Next the writer, after speaking of heavy breeds, says: “These are known as dual-purpose breeds.” Here in New Zealand there is a distinction made between heavy and dual-purpose breeds. Cochins, Langshans, Dorkings are amongst the heavies, and the birds mentioned above, with the exception of the Leghorns, are classed as dualpurpose. Again, it may be mentioned that birds kept on limited spaces here and throughout the world, if not

forced unduly for high production, are kept profitably both for production of eggs and as breeding hens. Birds so bred have won prizes and fetched large sums at many shows. Spurs i.oo Ix>ng and Sharp. There is no doubt but that long spurs in a breeding male bird interfere with the fertility of the eggs. The hens will also be considerably damaged when mating. The spurs can be filed down with a coarse file or sawed off with a fret-saw. Care must be taken not to cut too close to the shank or the quick will be injured. The spurs can be removed with a hot roasted potato, as hot as possible, and push it as far on the spur as possible. Hold the bird and potato in position for three or four minutes. When the potato is removed the spur may come with it, if not, twist the horn spur with the fingers and it will be found to come away.

EGG-LAYING CONTEST MASSEY COLLEGE RESULTS The results for the tenth week of the egg-laying contest, being conducted at Massey Agricultural College are:— SINGLE PENS. Section A.—A. A. Hoare, W.L. (6), 54; A. J Shailer, W.L. (6), 52; W. F. Stent, W.L., No. 1 (6), 52; B. E. W’ilkinson, W.L.. No. 1 (6), 51; ditto, W. L., No. 2 (6), 51; A. G. Mumby, W.L., No., 4 (1), 50; J. A. Annan, W.L. (4), 49; H. S. Saunders, W.L. (6), 49; A. Thomson, W.L. (5), 49; Huxtable Bros, W.L. (5), 46; A. G. Mumby, W.L., No. 1 (4), 46; W. F. Stent, W.L. No. 3 (5), 46; E. O. Collier. W.L. (5),

42; A. G. Mumby, W.L.. No. 3 <6l, 39; Captain Middleton, W.L., No. 2 (51, 37; ditto, W.L., No. 3 (5), 37; ditto, W.L.. No. 1 (41. 36; H. A. Lucas. W.L. (5), 32; W. F. Stent, W.L., No. 2 <2>. 22; A. G. Mumby, W.L., No. 2 (3), 16; P. Mummery, Min. <o>, 0. Section B.—Huxtable Bros., A.O. <6), 60; W. A. Larsen, A.O. ( 5), 54; Mrs. P. Willers, A.O. (51. 50; Sunny River P.F., R.1.R.. No. 1 (5), '5), 47; A. A. Hoare, R.I.R. (4), 43; B. Pimm, A. 0., No. 1 (6>. 41; Sunny River P.F.. R.I.R. No. 2 (6), 37; B. Pimm. A. 0.. No. 2 (5). 36; K. Mullins. R.I.R. (5), 33; S. Wilkinson. R.I.R. <5), 17; P. Mummery, R.I.R. (5) 9.

TEAMS RESULTS. Section C. J Wilson, W.L., 48, 52, 50, 43, 55. 56, (32), 304. H. A. Lucas, W.L., 47. 38, 52. 45, 35, 52 ( 26), 269. S. D. Morris, W.L., 44, 54, 45. 42, 27, 49 (31), 261. Cotswold P.F., W.L., 32, 39, 52, 48, 49, 19 (25), 239. F. S. Allen, W.L., 47, 45, 44, 63, 3, .36 ( 23), 238. Sunny River P.F., W.L., 42, 48, 5, 15, 18, 50 (16), 178. W. F. Stent, W.L., 33, 25, 8, 13, 31, 43, (18), 153. J. T. Hazlewood, W.L., 39, 22, 33, 0, 29. 29r (19), 152. J. Mold, W.L., 34, 26, 23, 19, 20, 17 (20), 139.

Section D. W. A. Larsen, A. 0., 39. 64, 49, 34, 50. 51 (28), 287. E. W. Stephenson, A. 0., 59. 42, 37, 54, 31, 32 ( 35), 255. J. D. Wealleans, A. 0., 55. 42, sr, 3,1, 36 (15), 142. r Replace bird.