PouLTRY Notes CONDITION OF BIEDS

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 96, 20 October 1934, Page 21

PouLTRY Notes

CONDITION OF BIEDS

SHOWS AND EGG-LAYING COMPETITIONS

Eoutine work commands the greater part of the poultryman's day at this season of the year, and once most of the chicks are perched, instead of taking a holiday he usually has to catch up on the many jobs that have been delayed until more time is available. Often one hears, keen breeders state that they had good birds and intended competing in the shows or egg-laying tests, but they forgot to have them in good condition. Actually this getting into condition is no last-minute work, since selection and special treatment should be given all special birds right from the day they hatch. Many winning birds are packed off to the show right from the perch without any final preparation, and some of the highest egg-layers have been selected from the 'flock the day the test commenced, but such achievement is only for the experienced breeder, who will even then require a fair share of what is called luck.

Quite a number of leading-' breeders do not compete at shows or egg-laying competitions, and it is certain that they miss excellent opportunities for advertisement. , Some wise ones compote just once in a while, usually making an excellent job of it too, then retiring on their laurels for several years. Probably it is the novice breeder who constitutes the bulk of the exhibitors, and what keen pleasure is gained from an immediate win. One woman breeder in the Auckland province entered some Black Orpingtons in the Auckland competition and established a world's record right away. With only a few birds, her stock of birds was in keen demand, and she obtained some high prices for stud cockerels. Within two years she joined the ranks of the experts, but never since has she repeated her first performance. In the shows, another case of a sudden rise to fame is that of a businessman who became interested in ducks. He did well, and in less" than three years acted as a judge of all breeds of poultry. Such cases are of course the exception, but the novice should not hesitate to launch- out and test his stock. From an educational point of view alone, the experience gained is well worth while, and there is nothing like competition to promote interest. The1 egg-laying competitions commence about April 1 each year, and last for fifty weeks. Pullets for entry should be just on the point of lay, well grown, in hard condition, and preferably from selected known parents. How annoying it is to put up a high record and not be. able to trace the breeding of the bird. Champions are not easily produced, and once a good, mating is found such birds arc of far more value than tho progeny that win. It is as well to have at least double tho number of required pullets for selection, since some may lay too soon and some be a bit backward. Then the conditions of management at the competition concerned must be studied and the birds treated the same way, so that on arrival they will .not suffer from a sudden change of management. Far too many good pullets fail to put up good egg scores simply on account of a false autumn moult due to an internal upset from the change. On return from the competitions, the tested birds, if required for breeding purposes, should be given a rest from egg production and be placed on absolute free-range conditions, the object being to rebuild the constitutions of the birds so that when they do commence to lay their eggs will be strong and their progeny full of the parents' vitality. Good stock cannot be raised from worn-out birds that have been in heavy production for several months.