GENERAL NOTES EGG-LAYING COMPETITION

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 93, 21 April 1933, Page 13

GENERAL NOTES

EGG-LAYING COMPETITION

■The'-'mpn^¥f■-July, August, and September^aieVthe best for; hatching and rearing. -Broody hens are; difficult to procure during these months. : Only good-shelled, large eggs should be set for Incubation, .and' they must be fresh. Under five days is usual for those placed in an incubator, whilst broody hens will hatch'them, up to ten days old. ... '■'.T The. breeding ' sttalc, must,;be strong and healthy if you require good hatching eggs. It is not too early now to start picking out suitable breeders. Eemeinbcr that good health and vigour are more important than high egg prolduction. -.(• .In 1930; eleven million pounds of dried eggs were sent from China to the United. States.! Chinese pulp used to be . imported into New Zealand until the poultryirien promised to supply tho full local requirements. Unless poultry feed is cheaper, that Chinese pulp may have to be imported- again, for wo cannot produco eggs much longer under cost of production. A good brand of cod liver oil will improve the health of your poultry and increase your profits. Only a little daily is required, and it should be mixed in tho mash, first rubbed, into bran. Onions, finely chopped up and mixed with pollard, mnko one of tho best poultry tonics. They will keep away intestinal worms. Bhofle Island Beds are steadily increasing in popularity ns good layers and first-class table birds. Tho .Aneona- is' one of the light breeds that may becomo very popular. They are very active and lay fair-sized eggs. Lawn clippings make excellent green feed for poultry, but caro must be taken to see that they are short and succulent. Long, dry pieces of grass will cause crop-binding. Add 1 per cont. of salt to your total poultry rations for a mineral supplement. It is best dissolved in tho liquid used for mixing tho mash. All pullets are inclined to lay very small eggs when they first start laying, but within threo months they should be laying two-ounce eggs. Take care not to overfeed your birds.- Waste food should never be left in front of them. Fat birds will

feel thick and hard around the abdomen, whilst a good layer will feel silky and soft! All surplus cockerels not required as breeders should bo disposed of as soon as possible. See that the young pullets are not crowded for perching room. The'"dubbing" of male birds and despurring should bo proceeded with at once. Dust all old cock birds for body lice. Hens that will be needed for breeding purposes next spring should have free range, and on no account bo forced for eggs. All old birds should be sold off as soon as they stop laying, and any culls amongst the young stock should bo isolated. Miserable, sickish birds are often disease-carriers. Keep the nest boxes clean, and inside the fowlhouse, and you should not have many dirty eggs. Allow one nest to every four or six hens for large flocks, and more still for smaller units. The addition of a little linseed will help'the old birds over the moult. Too much is fattening. '

The following are the figures for the second week of the egg-laying.competi-tion now in progress at Massey College: SINGLE PENS. Section B.—Mrs. Dimant, 8.0., 0; T. Douthwaite, 8.0., 5, 11 j A. G. Frankham, 8.0., 0; Mrs. Hellaby, 8.0., 11, 4; Larsen Bros., 8.0., 9, 0, 9; Mrs. Scarrott, 8.0., 1, 10; Mrs. Waddcll, BO 0 7; W. E. Watson, 8.0., 11; Mrs. Davey, L.S., 0; Mrs. Youngson, B.W. 10: K. Mouldey; E.1.R., 5 Section A.—Chas. Barker, W.L., 12, 7; A. Strawbridge, W.L., 0; Mrs. Cannon, W.L., 10; G. H. Cross, W.L., 0; E. M. Galvin, W.L., 7,11; E. M. Galvin, W.L., 9; J. T. Hazelwood, W.L., 6, 11; Mrs. Hellaby, W.L., 11; Mrs. Dimant, W,L., 7; J. Ibbotson, W.L., 4; W. J. McAloon, W.L., 3; D. Kruse, A, 2, 2; Miss Mitchell, W.L., 12; A. G. Mumby, W. L., 10, 5; Mrs. Stowart, W.L., 10, 11; A. Strawbridge, W.L., 10, 0; W. H. Barker, W.L., 8, 10, 3; J. Smith, A., 0, 0; W. F. Stent, Mm., 0, 0; A. B. Watson Br.L., 6, 0; Mrs. Youngson, Bk.L., 0. TEAM EESULTS. Section D. —M. L. Boyce, 8.0., 1, 5, 11, 1, 11, 12 (25), 41; Mrs. Hellaby, 8.0., 1, 6, 9, 3, 5, 12 (20), 36; Larsen Bros., 8.0., 7, 9, 7, 3, 2, 5 (8), 33; Mrs. ■Warren, 8.0., 0, 2, 9, 0, 0, 1 (5), 12; Mrs. Scarrott, 8.0., 0, 2, 2, 0, 0, 0 (2), 4. Section .C.-—F. S. Allen, W.L.,' 11, 8, 10, 11, 10,<10 (33), 60; P. B. Harrison ( W.L., 12, 11, 13, 9, 11, 4 '(30), 60; Mr 3. 1 Hillman, W.L., 10, 4, 9, 9, 10, 12 (27), 54; S. D. Morris, W.L., 10, 10, 2, 10, 10, 11 (25), 53;' H. A. Lucas, W.L., 8, 11, 10, 7, 7, 6 (27), 49; Mrs. Hollaby, W.L., 8, 8, 1, 11, 11, 9 (25), 48; A. G. Mumby, W.L., 3, 9, 9, 5, 6, 8 (21), 40; Miss Mitchell, W.L., 9, 7, 5, 7, 2, 8 (20), 38; E. B. Wainscott, W.L., 8, 10, 9, 0, 6, 4 (17), 37; G. E. Manning, W.L., 6, 7, 4, 10, 0, 7 (15), 34; J. T. Hazelwood, W.L., 4, 9, 0, 3, 7, 6 (16), 29; F. T. Wimble, W.L., 0, 9, 3, 0, 5, 6 (19), 23; W. F. Stent, Mm., 3, 0, 0, 9, 1, 8 (10), 21; A. Strawbridge, W.L., 6, 0, 3, 3, 0, 7 (13), 19; W. G. King, W.L., 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 (0), 0.