POULTRY NOTES

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 110, 5 April 1930, Page 11

POULTRY NOTES

(By “Brooder.”)

Stating that the Leghorn as we know it probaoly had its origin in Central Italy, Mr It. D. Whyte, delivered a very' interesting lecture at a meeting of the Manawatu Egg Producers’ Association, held at Eoxtori recently. Following the introduction of Leghorns into Britain, he said, different crosses had beer, made by breeders to try and improve the breed in size of body and size of egg. Fanciers probably used the "White Itock to give size for exhibition purposes and maybe to improye stamina, this cross being traceable in strains to-day by the colours of the eggs and the typo of birds met with when culling. Moreover, tire language of some of the females was decidedly Itock. The utility branch, however, used the White Minorca, hoping thereby to increase the size of the egg, this cross also being manifest in the shanks of some strains, being white and pinky. Speaking generally, however, Mr Whyte maintained that characteristics of the Leghorn are : —They are nonsitters, specially suited for egg production ; the legs and feet are yellow; and the colour of the shells of eggs is always white. There are three outstanding essentials, said the lecturer,, in the breeding of Leghorn birds wortn while, these being type, constitution and stamina, body size and size of egg. Enumerating the points necessary for good typo, he insisted that the beak must be strong and deep, the point standing clear of the comb. The beak must be strong, he said, because it denoted constitution. The comb must be fine in texture, not overgrown, single, perfectly straight, and erect; it should be deeply and evenly .-eviated, spikes broadening at the base and" extending beyond the back of the head, following the line of the hackle, but not'touchmg the neck, free from thumb marks and side sprigs. The face must be fine in texture and free from folds or wrinkles. Wattles, medium length, thin, fine in texture, and round at bottom. Lobes, well developed, rather pendant, evenly matched in size and shape, smooth and free from folds. The neck should 1 e well arched and full in hackle. Body, wedge shaped, wide at shoulder, and in utility especially this width was vitally important. The breast of the bird must be “round and prominent,’’ breast bone straight and not to finish between the legs, but to continue so that it would give the requisite support to the abdomen. The back should be slightly rounded and sloping to the tail. Wings, large and clipped well up. Tail, moderately long, with sickle feathers carried in line with main tail feathers, whalebone of some to be strong and not sappy; the furnishings fine and long; the carriage of the tail to be at an angle of 40 to 45 degrees. Legs, moderately long, shanks, with feet wide spread, toes long and straight. Regarding constitution, the lecturer stated: “Tire prizes for health, vigour and stamina are won by the most compact, best balanoed and most mobile specimens, together with good width across the shoulders and full in front. These always give good placings for heart and lungs, and, in the case of females, plenty of space for the oviary. You must have a broad back, he said, with deep and wide front in order that the vital organs have all the room they require for production and reproduction. When selecting your breeders, drop the grain and stand above the birds; the wide backs then are not difficult to discover. The weedy specimens and culls can also bo seen at a glance. When erect, it is also always easy to choose the wide fronts which denote reproductive powers and strong constitution. The exhibition bird can be selected in the same way. Old , breeding birds carrying these qualifications, and still retaining their pullet appearance, should be a most valued asset to every commercial poultrynian. The . same applies to the fancier, and if judges gave more consideration to these old stock birds, when judging, a great improvement in show specimens would result.” . . , .. , Of line breeding and in-breeding, he said: “These can be used to advantage, but the novice may also find it a short cut to disaster.” The golden rule was to buy and then maintain the constitution and vigour in order to have sound stock, and to bring this about "the lecturer advised keeping birds as far as possible on a full range amid natural conditions. • He recommended small units for breeding stock. Mr AYhyte dkl not advocate the too large hen. Excess in weight, he said, interfered seriously with compactness ,and mobility. The too large hen was also an undesirable breeder. Usually they were heavy feeders, inclined to fatness and taking too long to bring to laying and breeding condition. When used as breeders in that state, there was always a big percentage of dead in the shell and the progeny was hard to rear. Neither should they be too superfine, for then, of a certainty, would there be weediness. Breeding stock, medium-to large, w,as nearest the ideal for commercial layers. Mr Whyte is a strong advocate for keeping up the size of the egg which he said was principally controlled by selection, trap nest. feeding, line breeding and last, but not least, the incubator. “My method, Ire said, “of controlling the size of the egg is in the. pullet stage. All eggs are weighed for the first three months, and pullets not laying a two-oz egg during this time are culled. Breeding hens that lay 2joz eggs only are used and in many cases these have been line bred for six or seven generations with proved breeders of large white eggs. Concluding, the lecturer exhorted his hearers when mating up for sound utility stock to have their ideals fixed clearly regarding male and female; they should not sidestep from type, constitution, vigour or size of body, and should always aim for good size in the egg. He asked then to view with suspicion the test record, lien vyhich could only show numbers at the expense of loss in the aforesaid qualifications. The poultryman’s nightmare, because of dead, weedy and degenerate chicks, was caused through disregard of the conditions governing food breeding. Mr Whyte added that e did not altogether reject the test hen, as a breeder. He advised that, if she must be used, a period of rest, and plenty of good free range Bhould be given in order that she might regain lost vigour and be filled for breeding purposos.