Poultry Keeping :

Auckland Star, Issue 265, 8 November 1929, Page 16

Poultry Keeping :

By R. J. TERRY.

ACHIEVING RESULTS.

MATING AND OTHER POINTS.

MONGRELS OR PUREBREDS

A correspondent writes that it is "all bunkum" re purebred fowls and that one can obtain just as good results from mongrels if they are properly fed. There is a grain of truth in my correspondent's statement, but there is also a considerable amount of error. I admit that one may go to an auction mart and buy six or a dozen two-year-old hens, irrespective of their breed, except that they have a fair amount of Leghorn in them, and if they have come from a farm (I mean an ordinary farm, not a poultry farm), where : they had been ranging over paddocks . apd have been given a feed of grain fa day, if the purchaser houses them ;well and feeds them mash containing a -fair amount of albumen in some form, in addition to the grain, they will probably for some few months equal in egg production purebreds raised under the best conditions. But if . you bred from,these fowls and kept a tally of the egg production of the progeny for a couple of years there would be another tale to tell.

This even applies to a good crossbred fowl. By commencing with purebred stock and keeping to it, the novice has a far better chance of attaining success than by attempting cross-breeding. I admit there is a wide difference between a first cross and an arrant mongrel, but once a bird is crossed there is a risk of the whole stock being mongrelised. What might be teimed as an officially recognised* crossbred fowl is one produced by two pure breeds, and whenever that kind of cr6ssing is done, the breeder generally has some definite purpose to achieve by it. It/may be that he is out to produce a fairly good table bird, so that he may more * profitably dispose of his young cockerels, or it may be that he wishes a quieter fowl, not' so inclined to flight, therefore he crosses the lighter breed with a heavier breed. A mongrel, on the other;-hand, is quite a different proposition, for it is a bird containing the blood of mote than two breeds (either distinct or indistinct), when there has been no particular object in breeding. What used to be [described as "the barndoor fowl" i 3 the tjjest known example of. promiscuous mongtelisation. Fortunately it is no* seen to the same extent as a few years ago. ..I also admit that purchasers of utility birds for egg production are sometimes'deceived. I have heard of cases where people' have bought reputed first crosses, only to find that there existed a substantial disturbing element of doubt as to' the origin of the bird. A mongrel bird will doubtless exhibit the marking of one or other of her ancestors, and an unscrupulous dealer may label the birds the first cross of that breed. To obtain an actual first cross, poultry-keepers must use absolutely pure breeds, exclusively associated. Do not on any account be led away"; into buying first crosses unless you know the conditions under which they are bred and that they are the genuine' article. To produce highclass utility stock as much care in breeding and selection is necessary as is shown in the breeding of exhibition-stock. It is a fatal mistake to assume that any sort of method will do. Fecundity, or, in other words, the ability to turn out eggs in profitable numbers, is one. of the most difficult; characteristics /to fix, ~ because it involves a host of minor details relating to vigour, stamina and growth, and 5 is developing an abnormal bird quite different as regards egg production -from what jifature. intended'.- • From all 0.. which"tliteTeader will readily gather in selling the personnel of -a breeding pen great'care, is necessary; indeed, one cannot -bestow too much in that direction

I freely-admit that years ago,* in my ' official-capacity,; practice and. experience showed' that it was possible to evolve good . layers-, from what were termed mongrels* if one went the right way to work. Briefly} the lines to follow are these:-rj?ick'j "out: from your -mongrelflock—which flock-1 vyill admit often has good constitution —six, eight, or a dozen birds .(according to your requirements) which; aire as near alike in type and colour-and egg production as possible. Mate 'them to a pure bred male bird. You inust-jTie certain of the male bird.' If his sire and grandsire, that is - the'-bird you are looking for, because .is sufficiently prepotent tq characteristic. ..Now the .progeny'froni%the mongrel'hens and"the pure cockerel will follow the pure bred male'ib'acgreat.extent.' You again selectAa^certain number "of the females of keeping' in mind vigour, type 'and .egg production, and similarity: You mate, them back to their sire, and from itheir: progeny;, you: again select in the same, manner and mite back to the pure bred-bird which.is,now. a grandsire. If the l)ifd :happens to be deatf, through accid&nfc or: otherwise,, you must procure another.jjn'ale 'bird which was: closely related' to the- defunct bird. In this way you' may quickly, convert a mongrel flock.jinto'a.-f.pure bred flock as regard? egg production,; similarity of condition, etc. ;But even then there will be birds whos,6 'progeny will throw- back to some ancestor, even to six or seven generations back/-though' this is rare if the male bird has a lengthy pure pedigree. • ; REARING GUINEA FOWLS. " Bay of Islands " asks how he can rear a flock of guinea fowls in as short a time as possible. A guinea fowl will lay sixty or eighty ;eggs in a year, or rather in a and'if the bulk of them are set' you ;will : soon be able-to have quite .'a large .flock.' The eggs laid early in the season -may be placed under ordinary hens,>;and/ later on in the season the herself may be allowed to fit. .She invariably makes an excellent mother. Ihe period of incubation is fu° i U ti: W r n /,"-T sht da^s ' You will- find that .the; fertility of the eggs i s high. As regards rearing, the domestic hen foster mother-.does not produce as good results as are-secured by allowing the parents (and'the male bird assists the hen in 'up their own young one's in: a semi-wild state. But as you wish tof stock up'quickly, ; it would'be necessary, to use domestic hens.

Plaice the domestic hen in a coop with a slaited front, so that the guinea chicks may irjnr out. The guinea chicks' crops are vefcj small, and the birds require' to be rather more frequently than i? the case with ordinary chicks. You ma.y use irr- - chick feed, augmented with sour milk curds, but do not alternate; sweet and. sour; keep to one or the.Qther. You may dry off the curds with "<a little oatmeal for a change, and boiled.; rice /dried off with" sharps, is-good. The be fairly dry and not sloppy, -otherwise the chicks may develop-'Bow el trouble. If you can, add somei|orm"of- animal food, after, they;, are-

■a week old they will develop rapidly. In most cases you will find that they can be given their freedom when they are about six weeks old. You might take clutches of them to different parts of the run, choosing situations where they would get natural cover or trees. You will find it will be a difficult matter for strangers to steal up and pick guinea fowls off the perches, even at night. No housing will be required. When they are shot or killed they should be hung for about the same period as are pheasants. You would not be able to distinguish the male bird from the hen when shooting. After the birds were thoroughly established, in all probability the males and females would be about equal in number. , The eggs are rather choicer eating than those of the domestic fowl, and, owing to the thick shell, are very safe in transit. The thick shell also enhances the keeping qualities. There would be no trouble in disposing of any surplus birds in the bigger cities, providing they increased in .number beyond your requirements, or they would be acceptable to your friends in lieu of pheasants. They would most certainly help to ! keep the insect'pests in check. The guinea chicks would not fall such an easy victim to hawks as would turkey chicks, and ara less subject to disease than turkey chicks. Failing the guinea fowl, I would turn out old English game bantams, but the guinea fowls for preference.