POULTRY NOTES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 46, 17 November 1917, Page 13

POULTRY NOTES

A I'LEA FOR QUALITY. WARNING TO CARELESS PRODUCERS.

(By Chanticleer.)

The preparation of tho egg for human consumption is an undertaking of the greatest importance. Those entrusted with such important work do not realise tho care that should bo exercised in placing the egg on the market. Tho hen sets a splendid example. She produces tho egg in its perfect, form, and it iB after she has done her work and man steps in to carp for it that value is impaired. Occasionally a hen will lay a bad egg due to somo defect internally, or she may envclopo in the shell foreign matter that is repulsive to taste, but such instances arc rare, and when it is considered the millions of eggs that aro produced their instances of defect are a very insignificant proportion. Careless handling after the eggs aro laid, is the chief cause of trouble, and should be remedied. No one will deny that tho egg-circle movement has done much to improve tho marketing of eggs. Grading, stamping, and marketing quickly have helped to establish tho egg trade in hew Zealand as an important business, j but there are already sigiis of carelessness, and gross injustice is tlono to the public by oircle niemyjcrs. Glaring instances have come to light where tho eggs from certain members of egg circles aro at a discount, and will not bo accepted by some users at any price. One can pardon careless grading, but the inclusion of infertile incubator eggs, or stale eggs held 2 r i a j rißin S market, aro practices that should be severely condemned. Perhaps tho greatest caro should bo exercised by duck breeders. OaroloSß breeders leave (ho eggs out in the sun or in tho water for hours at, a time. If fertile they soon deteriorate, and when they reach the market aro in a most unsatisfactory state. Recently wo watched a sale of eggs. Firstgrade hen eggs realised ono ponnv per dozen more than duck eggs. Tho latter wore largo and even in grade, and in' quality wero excollcnt, but in quantity they wero fully half as much again an hen eggs. Why thin great, diversity? Duck breeders should institute a campaign to popularise durk eggs and to market them nV fashion as to stimulate public confidence. A few years ago there was no' distinction in Taluo of eggs. When the egg-circle movement was introduced, and brought with it grading, stamping, and prompt marketing, it seta higher value' of fgffs, iind'now to-day wo havo a. distinctive market value placed upon the improved article. Producers should give the marketing of eggs their strictest attention. The fresher the egg reaches the market the more satisfaction it gives and the better value it commands. Home men take a great pride in placing their eggs in the market in a clean, fresh, and graded connttiou. Buyers know these men and asklor their eggs. and.are prepared to pay extra Tor them. Farmers are losing hundreds of pounds annually by careless marketing of. eggs.- The money lost alone in broken eggs and bad eggs is' enormous, with the many nvenues for education it is surprising; that great improvement- is not made in tho marketing of farmers' eggs.-

EGG-LAYING

N.Z. UTILITY POULTRY CLUB'S COM- •. PETITION, ■ • '■

Following' is tho official report of tho "j'Hy-first week, ended November 13 and the. total to date of the thirteenth' «ceUn! l n^ ( <! -?-? I ' c^ U ? n ' he,d tho Zealand Utility Poultry Olub, at Papanui:- ' LIGHT BREEDS'.' Weekly Total to n™-*.„ t ~ totali ' dat «- Jfrown Leghorns-Verrall-Bros. ..,„...„.'.„...:. 35 ' .fifo:" ' White Leghorns-- ,-• : . .. - - H..F. Eb^5"....,:;.1.W : ........ »"7''..757-"'"..' Caldcr Bros., No.: I ......:.. 36- '• • .'867 •' 1 p ßto JL h .?, n . son ' '•••■•....•'..:... 26.'. --689'- : '■'• A. E.-Phillips ...;..■....: ;■ "32'. 759 .-.'• t" S" la ,?r e ? ;•;•••••"■•■■• « •■~-W ' w w '^ rls!lt ••-"'•• •- 37 ' ™ a. \V. Bower ; .„• 24 .731 . . Green Bros. ; 30 752 to Anau Utility Stud ... jj 755' Atkinson Bros. 28 ' 675 Hokowhitii • Poultry C 0...-- 32 628 " : o. Diok ~ 38 '..745 ■ Dalmuir Poultry Yards ■ ■ 40 •■■ 783 •• • 'J. M. ■ Alloy ...,-. ..;..,;... 33- .. 689; - J. Robinson •....,..„.,.*....., 37- ■ ' 715 . Rangiuru Egg Ranch ... 31'' '586' Omeo Poultry Farm ...... 32 720 . Herctaunga Poultry Co:, ~ *9- I ■■■■■■■■ 26 683 " Master Jack Green ; ..' 29 636 Smart Bros. ...,.; „ 37 • 795- , W. Davey : 35 750-. T. E. Conway- .-.;::.■;...-..;;.'..• :30.:...■■■ 739' "' Mrs. J. Mills 32 634 T. W. Wilson _ 28 . 620 'It. Mills 28 593 A. W. Adams 37 756 Reliable Poultry Farm .I.' 31' 744 A. G. Brailey 31 640 John Stevens ', ;: 30 .:. 727Fazackerley and Son ..-. 27 6f9 R. W. Hawks ; ..*. 30 620 •I. Nancarrow. sen. 32 736 . Oaldcr. Bros., No. %.'. 37 622 T. Kennedy ..". 34 485 Herctaunga Poultry Co., No. 2 ; ;..; 33 710 •It. A. Ourrin 21 674 H. Ball 35 809 W. H. West 33 880 A. E. Wilson 37 737 H. Williams ..; , 33 774 ■ Totals ;.„... 1344 .30.039' V' HEAVY BREEDS. '.-' Weekly Total to total. dato, • Silver Wyandottes— Green Bros 23 • 616 A. W. Adams 10 594 W. W. Hewinson 23 683 Mrs. F.- Howell 24 634 T. Kennedy 33 647 T. Dowtkwaite ......'. 9 672 - White Wyandottes6. E. Benjos 25 647 Black OrpingtonsMrs. Olaridge ...: 30 . 437 T. E. Conway, No. 1 .;. 28. 601 A. 6. Cooper . 31 586 J. Nancarrow, Ben 22 - . 780 • T. E. Conway, No. 2 29 -.. ■ 692 Victor Geo 28 700 E. F. Mai'sden ;...; 37 602 F. Staines 29 ' 852 Herctaunga Poultry 00. 24 612 Miss J. James 29. 585 White Rocks— H. J. Gopparth' ....'. 35 . 618 Rhode Island Reds— A. 8. Cooper 32 522 E. F. Oakes 12 : 553 Totals 518 12,533 (418 eggs wero gathered from the 9B spare birds.) SINGLE BIRD COMPETITION. .

LIGHT BREEDS. Weekly Total to total, date. White Leghorns— Oreen Bros 6 193 W. Davey 7 119 Victor Geo 5 145 J. Nancarrow : 6 165 Atkinson Bros. 7 174 B, Mills 5 96 H. Williams 6 169 R. H. Taylor 6 169 To Anan Utility Stud ... 7 133 Mrs. Mills ; 7 177 R. H. Jones 6 115 A. E. Wilson 5 86 Green Bros. 6 123 It. W. Hawke 6 142 Minorcas— Miss J. James 6 95 Miss J. James 5 73 Totals 96 2174 HEAVY BREEDS. Weekly Total to total, date. Black OrpingtonsT. E. Oonway 7 155 Silver WyandottesThoß. Wilson 6 174 Green Bros 0 55 E. J. Robs 5 109 Ehodo Island Reds— J. Nancarrow, sen 7 '• 73 Totals 25 516 DUOK CONTEST. Weekly Total to total, date. Indian RnmicrsW. Knight '. 32 . . 695 Herctaunga Poultry Co. 36 1011 Mrs. Geo 33 950 W. T. Grcon 29 1147 H. W. Bower 35 1092 Totals 165 6W5 (40 eggß wero gathered from tho nine spare ducks.) '