POULTRY KEEPING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 157, 5 July 1935, Page 14

POULTRY KEEPING.

HEAVY EGG PRODUCERS. SOME LEADING BREEDS. (By ORPINGTON.) As with dairy stock, so many lirccds of poultry have been brought up to a good standard, of production by the continued efforts of skilled breeders, that it is iniI possible, even for those who know them all, to point to one variety as the "best" breed. Each has its merits and, far more important than breed, is the ! particular strain within the breed. ! While one hen nowadays may lay 1000 eggs in her lifetime, another looking to the novice almost identical, may not produce more than 30 eggs each spring, while yet another may make a brilliant start in production, but break down before the end of her iir.-st laying; year. It is easy to see that, while the first bird will show a handsome profit over her rearing and feeding costs, the second would show a heavy loss, and the third might just pay her way. Most of all is it important that the second and third types are not bred from on the farm, and that, if the novice cannot obtain help or advice as to the breeding quality of his stock, lie is better hot to breed (until more experience is gained), but to buy eggs, chicks or stock from a reliable source. Up to some 00 years ago, purebred fowls were divided into two distinct classes —light breeds, natives of the Mediterranean countries, and essentially busy layers in spring and summer, and heavy breeds, hailing from Asia, and making the big table birds for which there was great demand. Since then a number of double purpose breeds have been evolved in England, America and elsewhere. These combine very successfully the egg-laying possibilities of the light breeds, witli the production I of brown eggs and sufficiently good table quality of the heavies. It is as well to remember, however, that as happens with the dual-purpose breeds in cattle, a few strains of such breeds as Light Sussex, VVyandotte, Rhode Island Reds, or even Black Orpingtons verge on the overlarge, coarse boned type that grows quickly for table purposes, but is not up to utility standard for egg production. The same thing can, however, almost be said of some strains of light breeds. Light Breeds. Of the light breeds, the White Leghorn has become and remains the universal egg machine throughout the world. It is recognised as the ideal bird for the commercial egg farmer, doing well in comparatively confined space, and taking less room per bird and slightly less foodstuff for growing stock, than heavier breeds of the same productive ability. Laying averages are generally highest among Leghorns for the year records, but adult mortality is often high, too, and the light breeds tend to lay a smaller proportion of their eggs in the winter than do the better feathered heavy breeds. Especially is this so when they are kept in ex posed places, or have not particularly good shedding. White Leghorns have been bred for egg production for so many successive generations in this country, that it is almost impossible to light on an utterly poor strain of layers. This can hardly be said of any other breed. Also, in spite of competition, it is an easy breed to exhibit, having almost nc plumage difficulties. This accounts partly for its popularity with the novice and the expert" breeder, who supplies him with stock. Brown Leghorns can make good pro ducers, are very handsome birds and are popular on the farms in the llawke's Bay district, where the climate no,doubt is in their favour. There is first class Brown Leghorn stock in the country, and although their average production will probably not compare favourably with that of the Whites, it is an interesting and easy task to birild up a good laying strain in these very decorative birds. There are few good producers found among the Black, or any other of the many varieties of the big Leghorn family, in the Dominion at present. Minorcas and Anconas are probably the only other -light breeds that make any bid for popularity here, the first on account of their appearance and enormous white eggs. But these are both fanciers' birds, and neither bear any comparison in average utility qualities, with the Leghorn. The Farmer's Bird. The. true heavy breeds, Cochins, Langshans, and Brahmas, are almost unknown in New Zealand, where every breeder wants laying quality "as well as good table or exhibition pcints. Popularity of a breed with a country as wifii an individual, must follow its commercial possibilities. If the farmers' (too often) mongrel flock were profitable, there would be no need for.him to look for something better —but they are not. The dual-purpose breeds are almost always known as heavy breeds—rOrping tone, Rhode Island Reds, Sussex, YVyandottes and Barnevclders—-and have much to recommend them as stock for dairy farm or sheep station. These are the "sitting" breeds, and are more useful than Leghorns where chicks are to be hatched without incubators. Their brown or tinted eggs are usually preferred by the household, and also by the retailer in the flush season, when it is sometimes difficult to dispose of white eggs at a reasonable price. Of greatest advantage to the farmer is the fact that the heavy breeds are quieter and- Jβ'. fly nearly as high as the mare nervous light breeds. A garden fence, that is proof against pigs or sheep, is generally sufficient to keep heavy breed fowls from coming in from the paddocks, too, whereas Leghorns will fly over six-foot netting. Although the uselessness of Leghorn cockerels for table purposes is rather over-eraphasised, and they can, if preferred, be killed off at two or three weeks, yet the extra weight and flesh on young, heavy breed roosters docs make these more satisfactory to rear.