POULTRY RAISING.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 11 August 1926, Page 4

POULTRY RAISING.

BOYS’ AND GIRLS’ CLUBS.

A meeting of the Hawera Poultry Club was held on Monday evening. Mr J. B. Wilson presided over a good attendance. Consideration was given to a proposal by the Farmers’ Union for the formation of poultry clubs on lines similar to the boys’ and girls’ agricultural clubs. A resolution was passed providing that, if the Farmers’ Union brought forward an adequate working scheme, the Poultry Club would give it every assistance, including supplies of settings of eggs, and general instruction of the children in the rearing and care of birds. The children would be supplied with record cards which would contain data in reference to number set under lien, chicks out, infertiles, dead in shell; rearing; cost of feed for twelve months; number of eggs laid by the pullets hatched from, the settings supplied. Points would ho given for general cleanliness, and condition of birds throughout the twelve months. It was also suggested that a small entrance fee be charged for each child entering the clubs, the money to be devoted to the purchase of trophies to be awarded at tlie end of tlic year. The inauguration of the poultry clubs would probably result in tlie institution of a special class at the Hawera Winter Show, when the birds would be judged from a show standpoint. A general idea of the probable procedure to be followed is as under: A child desiring to take up poultry-rearing will pay his entrance subscription to the working committee appointed by the Farmers’ Union in conjunction with the Poultry Club, and apply for a setting of eggs in the breed fancied. This will be supplied free by local breeders. The children will not know the name of the breeder or the particular strain of eggs in breed applied for.. Only the committee will know from what source the eggs come. This will protect fanciers who supply valuable settings free of charge from any who may endeavour to get a cheap commercial start in good strains.

The Poultry Club now awaits the for motion of a definite scheme by the Farmers’ Union.