POULTRY NOTES

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVI, Issue 164, 12 June 1926, Page 11

POULTRY NOTES

Last year’s (that is 1925-1926) Papanui competition reveals no deterioration in fowls so far as egg-laying is concerned. In many classes previous records wore eclipsed and new records set up. Prominent amongst AA’hite Leghorn owners, wo find Mr 11. Williams heading the list, securing first and second places with birds producing 337 and 302 respectively. The 337 birds has established a new world’ record and is a bird, it is stated, of which any owner can justly be proud. It is stated that Mr Williams paid over £3O each for birds doing well in the previous Papanui competitions and it is from these the present winners have been bred. Proof again that it pays to get the best. Prominent in the honours also find Mr. 11. AA r . Beck, whose team' of six ducks produced 1627 eggs —another world’s record. Mr Beck, by the way, is the new editor of the New Zealand. Poultry Journal. On the whole, the competition reveals a very satisfying etafe of affairs, so far as breeding and egg producing goes in New Zealand, and is proof conclusive that the industry is making progress. It is time to male up. For next winter’s laying stock, hatching operations should begin early in July. Pullet owners at present, who are lamenting the fact that tlveir birds are backward, should take the lesson to heart »and get busy right away. It takes a week or so for the birds mated to settle down. It takes several days, according to your number of breeders and the capacity of your machine to get the eggs required: then 21 days to hatch. Make a note of tilings if you would avoid being amongst the cumin l !' with plenty of pullets but.no eggs in the dear season next year.

Keen competition in all classes is evident in the large entry list at the Manawatu Poultry Show next week. Though in recent years there has been shown a growing interest in two colour birds, and more and more entries aro forthcoming in these classes, tile all black and the all white, that is, the Black Orpington and 3\ bite Leghorn classes, still predominate. Breeders locally are busy preparing their birds and aro making a bold bid for honours. More attention, it is whispered, is going to be given to size in the utility. classes. Too much consideration for the birds displaying fineness in bone and feather has been given in the past, it is stated, regardless of type and capacity. Type, size and condition generally,( when dealing with utility birds count most, say some, and all other things arc secondary. Then, again, wo have the feathered world stating that the White Leghorn Club in England has definitely stated that “ultra-fineness or meanness resulting in an under-sized bird must be- regarded as a departure from true Leghorn type and should be severely deprecated. ’’ The desire for reform, therefore, is not prevalent only in New Zealand or locally. It is evident that it is recognised generally that the , prettiest birds, and especially when they are under-sized, are not always Uio best from a utility point of view. The old proverb says: “Quality with quantity is little thought of." This surclv applies to utility fowls. However like 'all good sportsmen, all aro agreed that the judgo’s decision will bo loyally accepted and all hopes are that the best will win. ,