POULTRY KEEPING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 124, 27 May 1932, Page 13

POULTRY KEEPING.

BREEDING SEASON.

REJECT FAUT.TY STOCK. HOW TO GET STRONG CHICKS.

(By ORPINGTON.)

What are the faults that should dt bar birds from the breeding pen? I should, of course, be realised that n< bird, however good, is 100 per cent per feet; we can therefore abandon the id« of perfection in our selections, and dis cuss the subject from, the point, of viev of minor and major faults. The dif ficulty in which the novice finds him self is to know the serious from the les, important departures from breed stand ards and with him it is often a ques tion of what must be condoned in orde to keep within his means or circum stances. The question then arises, is the mating designed to treed exhibition or utility birds? This much should, however, be said, that in neither case can the standards for the respective breeds be ignored without the risk of the flocks becoming nondescript. It is not enough that one has reputed Leghorns, Orpingtons, Langshans, etc., 'because it is only by constant selection that one can hope to maintain any breed in its. entirety. This being the case, the necessity for one to have a. working knowledge of the standard for the breed being kept is obvious, yet only a comparatively small number of breeders have any acquaintance with it.

The really serious faults for which birds should be rejected may be summarised as follows: —Any material departure from the type (bodily form) and character of the breed. For instance, it should not be assumed that a black bird is necessarily an Orpington, Langshan, or Minorca, or that it is one or the other due to the presence or absence of feathers on the legs, or that it has red or white ear lobes. Only body shape in conjunction with such characteristics, will constitute what is required, and even then something should be known as to the source of its breeding.

Assuming, however, that the stock is pure-bred, there are still many faults for which birds of any breed should be rejected, such as crooked breast bone, wry tail (Le., tail carried to one side), and squirrel tail (i.e., carried too high, so that "it appears to be leaning to the head). Turned toes is another serious fault, so also is the colour of eyes or legs of any other shade than that set down for the particular breed. The same applies to colour of lobes; as, forinstance, the lobes of Orpingtons and Langshans are red, while those of Minorcas and Leghorns are white. All these faults are serious, owing to the fact that they are in the main hereditary; at any rate, they should be treated as such to be on the safe side when mating up breeding pern.

Healthy Chicks. Emphasising that breeding stock must be strong and vigorous if deterioration in body size and constitutional development is to be prevented, Mr. F. C. Brown, chief poultry expert of New Zealand, states that the great underlying principle in breeding the modern layer is to see that no bird, whether male or female, is placed in the breeding pen unless possessed of undoubted constitutional vigour. It is equally important, however, that the progeny be given every opportunity of securing a liberal supply of natural food and be reared under natural conditions throughout the growing stage.

The matter of cleanliness must also receive attention. The houses must be maintained in an absolutely sanitary condition, and the yards must not be allowed to become stale or a breeding ground for disease and parasitic life. A thoroughly clean run is just as important as a clean house, cleanliness being essential in everything connected with poultry.