LAYING TEST AT BURNHAM.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 14061, 16 May 1906, Page 9

LAYING TEST AT BURNHAM.

Early last year, Mr D. D. Hyde, the Government Poultry Expert, decided to hold a laying test .with the birds at the Government Poultry Farm at Burnham. The-' test, which was conducted under the direction of Mr J. Rose, who has charge of the birds at Burnham, extended over a year, and has now been completed. It may appear strange that

only seven breeds were represented in the test, but at the time it was decided on, Mr Rose had sold out of all other breeds. .The birds used, were not firstclass specimens, eo it could scarcely be considered a fair test. In tbe ea'rly part of the season, the pens wore used for breeding, but when the male birds were removed on December 1, blood

was fed to the hens twice a week with good results for two months. As thfey were wanted for the breeding-pens this season, they-wore then eased off again, to let them come through the moult as early as possible. Each pen contained six hens, and the test resulted as follows ;—^

TEST PENSMAY Ist, 1905 APRIL 80th, 1906. „ ■ Grand

, Breed. May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. April Total. Black Orpington . .. 15 , 38 52 71 121 124 Ill 106 86 89 60 18 891 Buff Orpington . 81 80 87 87 121 93 99 119 87 64 54 20 992 Minorca . 32 33 26 41 92 103 91 109 115 86 58 12 798 White Wyandotte . 58 72 70 101 89 89 56 81 102 80 61 15 bV4 Brown. Leghorn . 50 94 81 83 123 120 101 130 114 , 94 79 27 1096 White Leghorn . 24 34 73 74 118 126 129 117 129 118 80 4 1026 Golden Wyandotte 'M * 0 33 63 62 96 101 91 92 95 80 68 41 822 Average per pen. 928.3; 260 average 384 452 519 per hen, 154.4. 760 756 678 754 728 ; 611 460 137 6499