POULTRY NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 154, 26 March 1925, Page 12

POULTRY NOTES.

(By

New-laid.")

SELECTING THE BREEDERS. (Continued.) The fact that undesirable qualities, whether in lack of egg-laying rire or anv other peculiarities of the feathered tribe, can ba transmittedl just as readily as the good ones., is one of the difficulties which beset the path of the breeder who is trying to build up l a Hock of high-class layers. On paper it may seem quite a simp_e matter to obtain a male b d one noted strain, and 6 fT a >° bens from a similarly note I strain, quite distinct from the former, in * order to produce birds of even better ay all V thaS their parents. It does not always follow that the progeny wiU bo as de sired—on the other hand, they may prove disappointing, inasinucn as undesirable qualities in both strains have been intensified, with a resultant decrease in the quality of the progenyThe beginner in the science of poultrybreeding, who is desirous of mating up in order to produce a first-class laying strain, would be well advised to get his first pen from a reputable breeder, and be prepared to pay a fair price for them. One cannot expect to get high- ' class unrelated breeding stock „ cap ; on the other hand, the "cheap birds will probably prove themselves dear, in the end. For the following year’s mating, the same breeder may be consulted, and will no doubt be able to supply male birds fit to go with the best of the first year’s progeny. It need hardly be pointed out that the random use of male birds without any knowledge of their ancestry may easily result in failure, and in order to get over the difficulties of introducing fresh blood the best policy is to select some of the best hens in the flock and mate them to a male of the strain to bs introduced.' By using separate pens, and keeping careful note of the history of the male bird, also of the hens, and the chicks from tht.se mating being marked for identification, it will be possible to observe which mating has produced the most desirable progeny. Those which have come nearest to th» desired tyne should bo trapnested. single penned, or run in pans of not more than six birds in each p.-n, and a correct tally kent of the ears laid. If the birds are found to give satisfactory results, the cockerels from the same mating should be mated back to the hens, or vice-versa. As previously pointed out. the problem of securing a definite type and maintaining it. from year to year, is the most difficult problem confronting the poultry-keeper, and if the object is attained no effort should be omitted to obtain as much of this mood as possible, and to retain it. This being (he case, if a certain mating has produced the type of pullets aimed at, for the following year exactly the same mating may lie used, for another season at any rate. On some plants it is quite common for pullets to be used in the breeding E’ n f*., but mU5t be borne in mind that these birds will have been hatched in the early spring of the previous season, so that they will be at anv rate approximately twelve months bld at the time of mating. As a general rule, it is not a good policy to breed from millets,, as it is found that many pullets fail to prove themselves as suitable for the breeding pen bv the time the fiist season’s laying is finished. In selecting the birds, both male and female, it is always advisable to choose them of a little over, rather than under, the Ideal weight. In the case of Leghorns, the weight of the roosters is six and a half nounds; of the cockerels five and a half pounds; of the hens, five and a half pounds; of tho pullets, four and a half pounds. The weight of Orpingtons is as follows:—Roosters, eight and a half pounds; cockerels, seven and a half pounds; hens, seven pounds; pullets, six pounds. Minorcas are approximately the same weight as Leghorns, and Plymouth Rocks are slightly heavier than the Orpingtons. The reason for choosing birds of slightlv larger size than the ideal is that a certain proportion of the progenv will always be found to be of lighter weight than that desired, and it is difficult to maintain the correct size without introducing coarseness. A point which requires attention is to know that tho male bird is from a flock producing good-sized eggs. This is an important matter, especially when we know that a two-ounce egg is the size aimed at, and that during the recent export season a vast number of eggs had to be rejected on account of their small size. Seeing that the male bird is half the flock, it is evident that unless lie is descended from layers of good-sized eggs, his descendants will likewise produce too many lowgrade eggs. The number of hens which a male bird can manage satisfactorily will depend on the age and vigour of the male, and on the amount of space whieh their pen occupies. On free range, that is to say, where thev are able tn roam at large, and are able to get back to Nature, as it were, as many as twenty, or even more, hens can be mated to a rigorous cockerel with good results. On the other hand, if they are confined in a small pen. or kent under tho intensive system, a considerably less number of hens should be used; otherwise there will not only be an unduly large number of infertile eggs, but also poor hatches will result. Under these circumstances., from about ten to twelve hens of the light breeds, such as Leghorns and Minorcas. will be the maximum number, and from six to eight of the heavy breeds. Whether the birds are kept on free range or not. they must be provided with dry accommodation for the wet weather, as it is useless to expect either good fertility or good results at all from birds which have to stand about on muddy ground. Tn the summer time this is not such an important matter, perhaps, but with th* early hatching which is essential for producing winter layers, the breeding birds, must be nrovided with accommodation and shelter from the cold wintry weather. A, good shed, onen to the sun. if possible, and provided with plenty of clean, deep litter, will give them opportunity for the exercise which is so necessary. Unless the birds are kept busy one cannot look for healthy progeny. The matter of exercise can be greatly encouraged by feeding all the grain in the litter, in which it can be hidden; in this manner the birds are forced to scratch and find it for themselves. This will give much better results than by throwing it down on a hard ground to be eaten at once.