Egg-laying Contest

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 279, 25 November 1939, Page 5

Egg-laying Contest

CONDUCTED AT MASSEY COLIiEGE 33RD WEEK’S RESULTS Single Pens Section A —

145 153 x 103 r 118 d 95r 139 (28) 753 “r,” replace bird; “d,” bird dead; “x, ” disqualified, egg weight clause.

CULLING THE COCKERELS EARLY SELECTION OF MALES FOR THE BREEDING PENS One of the most important tasks that fall to the lot of the poultry breeder is the timely selection of those cockerels which are to be held in reserve for the next season’s breeding operations and the clearing out of the surplus. The following hints, which apply mainly to tho general purpose breeds of utility type, arc offered in the hope that they may assist beginners and the less experienced in the early choosing of males likely to develop into the right stamp and quality for heading their future breeding pens. Confine the Cockerels First An empty house or shed, or even a small wired in enclosure, will greatly facilitate tho work of culling, and this should be large enough for ono to stand erect and move about in comfortably, and yet not so large as to hinder easy catching of the males for removal. The batch of cockerels to be overhauled being thus confiined, and a few hampers or crates being handy, all is ready for the culling to proceed. Select the “Swaggerers” Tho operator enters the house or enclosure, runs his eye over the stock and notes their behaviour. Before long, states W. Prior, in Feathered World, ho will bo noticing some which strut about with a good deal of swagger and “cheek,” and which, if a foot be put in their direction, will probably ruffle up their neck feathers and show resentment and a certain amount of fight. These can be caught forthwith and set aside for further and closer examination. Out With the “Tired” Ones. This being done, it may bo found that, having recovered from the first excitement induced by these proceedings, a few among the others show a marked desire to squat and rest. These may as well bo removed without further ado for marketing at the first suitable opportunity; most particularly so if they should show tho slightest disinclination of difficulty in rising to tlioir feet again. It may be, of course, that they are merely outgrowng their strength; that is just a youthful weakness that will pass. On the other hand, it is possible that there is some inherent lack of muscular or nervous force which it would be in the highest degree undesirable to perpetuate. With the ample choice made possible by the normal super-abundance of cockerels, and with a ready seasonable table outlet for them, there is no excuse for running risks. .Health and vigour are tho first essentials to be insisted upon in all breeding stock, and the cockerel which maintains growth with muscular and nervous energy in even ratio is tho likeliest to siro vigorous offspring and to stand the strain of a prolonged breeding season, or even a scries of them, without breakdown. The Hands of a Clock. Next come those “betwixt and between”; i.e., thoso which havo not selected themselves offhand—so to speak —as candidates for either the culling crate or tho breeding pen. With these tho idea is to penalise every visible fault. Attention is first directed to their feet. These are required to be neat and shapely, with straight and well-spread toes, and planted firmly on tho ground. Visualise tho hands of a clock at tho hour of six. The long minute hand stands for the middle toe aud the short hour hand for the back toe. Both are in a straight line, and that is tho ideal placing for tho middle and back toes of your breeding cockerel. Very few indeed, however, are lined out with such exactness as this, hence anything up to a “seven o’clock

foot” may be accepted. Eight o’clock, nine o’clock, ten o’clock and eleven o’clock feet must all bo sent to market. Faults in Legs. Passing from the feet to tho legs, the question of leg colour arises, and at tho ago of three months or so it is generally possible to form a fairly accurate idea of what this will be. If the fowls are of a yellow-legged breed white legs will not do. If a- white-leg-ged breed any with a tendency to blue or slate colour arc culled with due severity. A slight inclination to show a little red in shank, however, can be regarded more leniently in either case. Signs of feathering on legs, which should bo clean, will also, upon discovery, point towards tho fattening pen. Thus tho more obvious culls are quickly disposed of, leaving the original batch proportionately shrunken and clearing the way for a more thorough inspection of the survivors, included with which will be the young swaggerers who have so far been under remand. Weight and Frame. Due allowance being made for the future development and perfecting of points as the cockerels progress towards maturity, each cockerel is taken in hand and the first thing noted is weight. A solidly, compactly built cockerel is always heavier than he looks, and weight of this kind is a good thing to have in a sire. So the point is scored in his favour. If, on the contrary, such weight is not there, the cockerel is rejected. Next under review is the formation of the frame. If the back is flat and wide, with the width extending well up towards the neck, that is a great recommendation. If, in addition, tho breastbone is straight, and of good length, and if it is possible to place three, or even two fingers between the pelvic bones amd tho end of the breastbone—assuming this is to be of correct length and not short—the indications are distinctly promising. All that pass these tests successfully are reserved as very likely, aspirants for breeding pen honours. The Importance of Eye Colour.

Other details have to bo dealt with as they arise, an important ono being the question of eye colour. This is not always definite at the first culling, but

at a later stage of growth eye colour must come in for scrutiny. In all cases tho standard eye colour for the breed

should be insisted upon, for this is one of the many points in which fanciers’ standards have a perfectly sound utility value. Light-coloured eyes are weak eyes; young fowls with light eyes are often short-sighted, and may become blind long before their usefulness is exhausted —often from cataract. The sound red eye, bay or brown eye, or black eye (no allusion to the sort collected in violent collisions!), as the case may be, must be present in the breeding cockerel, with a pronouuced leaning towards tho red where alternative colours are permitted. Satisfactory Mating. At this stage it becomes expedient to take into account the general plan of mating which is to follow tho selection of the cockerels, aud here one special consideration takes precedence over all others. This consideration is that the cockerels chosen to breed from shall be free from any failing to which there may be a general tendency in tho stock. Even careful breeders encounter lapses from time to time not always accountable, while slip-shod methods let in faults innumerable. Let us suppose, for instance, that for a season or two there has been a noticeable percentage of short breastbones, or a general inclination to “legincss, ” or to * ‘ dumpiness, ” or to ‘' floppy ’ ’ combs, or to excessive feather, or to any other undesirable feature. Such faults must not be tolerated in the cockerels to be retained—better, indeed, should they err in the opposite direction. Not that balancing an excess against a deficiency will at once give you the happy medium you seek, but it is a necessary initial step iu that direction. On tho other hand, tho bringing together of tho samo faults on both sides of a mating will not only accentuate them in the immediate offspring, but will also make such faults more and more difficult to eradicate as time goes on. Satifactory Mating. Perhaps the most generally practised and, also most generally satisfactory mating is that of hens a trifle on the hefty side with males which, without Lveing undersized, are yet not over big and of medium substance of bone. That

being so, the final malo reserves will | consist of vigorous active stock of i medium size, yet solid and weighty in the hands, of “intelligent” outlook and full of quality and character. All the same, thero are often Eome hens which without being puny are by no means “hefty,” but which havo some special quality or qualities which it is desired to preserve in the strain. Such hens can be mated to a cockerel which is better equipped in the nutter of lieftiness, providing lie has also complete freedom from coarseness. I do not know what is the case with other breeders, but personally I find myself practising these to-and-fro sort of matings quite regularly as the years roll on. Plumage Colour. Faults of colour arc of lesser consequence to the utility'- breeder than to the fancier, but the point of colour should not be neglected, because the : influence of the male iu this direction is considerable. In any white breeds males with a creamy tint should be avoided to the fullest extent possible. In the coloured breeds a richer tone than the exhibition standard ca.Vs for is more useful in the breeding pens than on the show bench, especially for the maintenance of satisfactory colour in the resultant pullets; whilst washy J colour, or patchiness in colour, is a bad j fault in tho sire, and should not bo j countenanced. Finally, seeing that so many qualifications contribute to the sum tota* required in the ideal, it is wise to undertake the task of selection before j there havo been any considerable and indiscriminate clearances; and it is perhaps a good thing, after all, that a normal season always provides plenty of scope, insofar as numbers are concerned, for insistence on a high standard of all-round excellence. A word on tho subject of multiple mating may not bo out of place. Care-. fully and intelligently planned mating I of flocks of hens to a suitable number * of cockerels b a proceeding that has 1 its advantages as well as its draw- i backs, aud if such a plan be content- \ plated it is essent’al that the chosen i cockerels should bo reared anl strict- « Jy kept together all tho time without 1 fail. This will minimise tho risk of serious fighting when breeding is in Xirogress.

H. S. Saunders, W.L. .. (7) 181 A. Or. Mumby, W.L. .. 1 (6) 179 B. E. Wilkinson, W.L. .. 1 (1) 179 Huxtablo Bros., W.L. ,. W 178 A. A. Hoare, W.L (5) 177 A. J. Skailer, W.L (5) 170 A. Thomson, W.L (5) 175 W. F. Stent, W.L 1 (5) 174 B. E. Wilkinson, W.L. ,.j 2 (7) 173 W. F. Stent, W.L 3 (5) 172 J. A. Annan, W.L (5) 170 Capt. Middleton, W.L. . 2 (5) 105 A. G. Mumby, W.L. . .. 4 (5) 104 H. A. Lucas, W.L («> 152 Capt. Middleton, W.L. . 3 (6) 151 E. 0. Collier, W.L ( 5 ) 150 A. G. Mumby, W.L. . .. 3 w 150 Capt. Middleton, W.L. . 1 (0) 123 A. G. Mumby, W.L. . .. 2 (3) 89 1*. Mummery, Min (2) 01 W. F. Stent, W.L. .. .. Section B— 2 (0) 00 Huxtaole Bros., A.O. .. (1) 160 Sunny River P.F., R.I.R. 2 (1) 150 Mrs. R. Willers, A.O. .. W. A. Larsen, A.O W 149 147d Iv. Mullins, R.I.R (6) 147 A. A. Hoare, R.I.R (5) 145 Sunny River P.F., R.I.R. 1 (G) 130x P. Mummery, R.I.R. .. (0) 13i B. Pimm, A.O 1 (5) 130 B. Pimm, A.O 2 (5) 128 S. Wilkinson, R.I.R. .. Teams’ Results Section 0 (all W.L.)— J. Wilson, — (3) 97 107 174 178 177x 17S II. A. Lucas, — 177 (31) 1054 174 171 ISO 103 145 S. D. Morris, — 190 (30) 999 140 165x149 1S1 lllx 173x (31) F. S. Allen,— 917 170 150 153 207x HSrlOG Cotswold P.F., — (32) 907 04d 153 104 171 173 Sunny River P.F., — 74 (23) 799 110 151 92 70 141 J. T. Hazelwood, — 159 (26) 759 73d 127 133 107rx 148x 147r (25) J. Mold,— 735 150 123 122 125 100 W. F. Stent,— 75 695 130 118 10 73d 126 Section D (all A.O.) — E. W. Stephenson,— 15S (19) 621 170x164 157 190 142 W. A. Larsen, — 102 (20) 985 110 210 69 104 158 J. D. Wealleans, — 177 (22) 834