EGG-LAYING CONTEST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17100, 4 March 1919, Page 10

EGG-LAYING CONTEST.

FORTY-SIX WEEKS' RESULTS.

SEVIEW OF POSITION.

The fowls, both m the light, and heavy towel section, of the Auckland Poultrykeepers' Association's competition at 'Albany, have bean laying w*ll for some time past, but as the end of the competition approaches and the moultins'Reason is on. the weekly returns ■will show * decrease. Contrary to expectstionstie light breed section took a turn for the" beStor some two months ago, and elQipnsh some of the birds in December we»e" showing signs- of casting feathers, yet by -a slight alteration in the feeding, the officials of the association were enabled to prolong the laying period of nearly allJHw fowls in the light breed section. This hajipy result proves that right and food feedini'Paya the poultry-keeper, end that the association controlling the competitions, which have become established in Auckland, ♦are fully alive to the competitors' interests. The heavy breed section, aa a whole, has kid remarkabk well, and so far the egg returns from this section comparec more than Jitely to be displaced. Last year's competitions. At the 6ame time, the association dona not expect to establish New Zealand records until it ioovoa to its new ttrarters at Mount Albert, where every advantage will be given to the airds. , ~'; To- data, the highest aggregate is credited to .Mr. J. N. McLean's pen of Black Orpingtons. This pen has been in the-lead of all other teams, both light and'heavy, right from the first for-; weeks and i 3 not likely to be displaced. Last year's competitions were led in the Aggregate by a pen White Leghorns, so honours are even. The' next highest aggregate belongs to Mr. W. Scott's pen of White Leghorns., This breeder's team did not get into the lead until a few fcnonth3 of the competition bad passed, but they have laid wry consistently and. , aro a good team of layers, The third highest agregate belongs to a fine, pen of White Leghorns, owned and bred by Mr. B.M. Smith. This pen led for the first few months until displaced by Mr. Scott's, but by "steady laying it kept second place, and although 39 eggs separate these two teams) there is a possibility of them changing places. The fourth highest aggregate belongs to Miss Hamilton's team of Black •Orpingtons* nnd they richly deserve the honour, as they are & specially fine team of this popular general-purpissa breed. The tien -was handicapped at the start by moulting j hit'has laid' most coiiMstenJly ever since. : The fifth place belongs to Mrs. Eayrs's pen : ot Silver Wyandottes, which have laid remarkably well all through the competition, j Hey aro closely followed by Mrs. Thomas's :! p*a of Black Orpingtons whichi unfortun- , ately for this competition. lost a bird someweeks ago. The seveiilh highest aggregate is occupied by Mr. & #.. Moody's white Leghems, and then feifldir a really fine pen of layers in Silver Wyandotte* bdkmgtng to . Mr. T. C" Schnaclronherg. ' This team was tow backward at the start but has lost no tijaij since, and may put up the highest total fox % , Wyandottes before the finish. One of <iha- finest teams of layers is the single sea of -White Bocks belonging to Mr. J. Owen. This breeder has been seriously handicapped from the start. Three. of the birds were a month too,, joua? and one died during; the fijst mcnth.'loavi»t th» team with only rout rams. They havs laid 'splendidly.- Messrs. Baxter. Hawkins, and Lance's pens of White Leghorns have laid very steadily, while Mr. G. H. Shaw's;. orWhite Leghorns would have been in the running'had he hot lost a bird early in the competition. Mr. W. J. Bhiels' pen of Rhode Island Beds are well ahead in this breed. They were mere chickens when the ' competition >: started, but they axe a nice :l4yerß.^*?--' ; '';' * ;'•■■" V /' ?"' i -The six leading. aggregates «> the fortyajzth week in each section are:— p y j.,. I: .>£ LIGHT, BREEDS. . '/. f W. Bco.it/-New-Plymouth (White Leg■Ar horns). ... X.±*- : .. .. ~ 1123 B. M. Smith.-Afchhill (White Leg- • S. horns) ;. _.. ... .. .. 1084 (*. B. Moody. Clive. Hawhe's Bay ■'. (White Leghornß) ~ ~ .. 1059 H. Baxter. Feuding (White Leghorn*) 1006 $ K. Hawkins, Hew Plymouth; (Whit* • • i*. Leghorn) ».*£'?».. Vg" ...... .. lOCS C. P. Lanes, Thames (White I**- *: horns) .<, .. .. .. .. 1003 $ Total .. t, ' ,i >.'•..,' 6280 '. .The average per Seam is a- friction over 1346. '■■*•!*" ■ ■■< - ' & HEAVY BREEDS. ' 3. N. McLean. Botorna (Black Qrpingft tons) ..• .. .. ..■ .. 1201 Miss HamiltoE. Hunderson (Black *• Orpingtons) —* . . .. .. 1082 Mrs. Eayrs,t Albany ;:(Silv»t':Wfaja. V dottes). '•;■.' i ..... .". .. 1080 Mrs. Thomas. Thames (5 birds, Black Ji Orpingtons) .. .. .. ... if/,2 X. C. Sehnackenberg, Onehunga (Silver £ Wyandottes) .... ■. .. .. man J, Owen, Ohakuse (5 birds, White .%. .. ~ 941 | Total-.;.;-.,,, : .. ..... 6415 i-^ lO average per i'MfflJ is & friction over lljw. I ■; DUCK SECTION. |-This section has again been disappointing, out as the present competition is' only for nine months to bring ri in hne with the other sections, it « bard .yet to say how 4i will finish. With five weeks' returns to Sjomo i,nd »me teams - well through the . jnoutt alterations may occur in the leading -positions. If the. birds that moulted early 3#me torocgh auickly there .is vet time to Jpake tho final interesting. Tho leading position has.been, held at times by three Afferent teams Mr. S. H. Scott's No. 1 3eam of White Btmners held it for the first •four months, then the_same brewer's team •hi Runners and H. W. Bower's Bunners ■lad turn about until .the latter's team established a lead, which was increased latterly when the other teams entered the moult. By the latest report Mr. Boysr's ..birds have evidently also entered' a full •moult and may not lay many more eggs. >Altho-gh the scores in this section ai» not high the teams, would do much better tinder different condition*, The four leading teams .are:— H. W. Bower. Levin (Indian Bunners) 768 .J. Owen. Ohakune (Indian Bunners), .. 703 .8. H. Scott, Avondale South (Indian ■>. Runners) , t ..... «a .8. E. Scott. Avondale South (White 1. Indian Runners) 691 T„ t ToUI • 2860 * aho average per team for 38 weeks is 715.