EGG-LAYING COMPETITION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17140, 21 April 1919, Page 3

EGG-LAYING COMPETITION.

COMMENCING AT MOUNT ALBERT. The formal opening of the Auckland PoultrydcDers' lssoci&tion'a now egg-laying competition site at tho Mount Albert railway reserve, took place last (Monday. For tho last ten woekß the reserve has been a luvo of industry, where trees have had to be felled, slumps drawn, ground Welled and excavated, buildings erected, divided, and subdivided, and made draughuprooi to poultry breeders' special birds. Birds from all parts of tho North Uiand arrived during last week, and their abode is the most .up-to-date set of petition buildings in the Dominion, if not in Australia and New Zealand. Each bird is placed in a separate pen, and each breeder's team of six birds occupies consecutive pons. The penning, which occupied all Saturday afternoon and ovemng, was carried out by Messrs. S. H. Scott (president), A. G. Heighway (secretory). E. C. Jarrett (Government instructor in poultry for Auckland, and te caretaker, A. H. Skelton. The first .tally of eggs was taken on Monday. and until tno ©nd ox next March a strict account will be kept of each egg laid by each bird in each team. Prizes, presented by the association and by friends of the association, will be allotted to the various breeds and sootiona for competition during tho 50 vwks the competition will last. The poultry plant includes nine rows of houses, each 128 ft long, and 9ft Gin deep over all. Each row is divided into 48 pens, measuring roughly 9ft by 2ft Bin. , ' The houßeß for the ducks are Bft deep, Bft high in front, and 2ft at the back. Tho association has gone to groat expense in Providing this competition and show ground for poultry, and the educational value of the venture is appreciated by the Agricul tural Department, which has promised a grant toward tho cost of th« buildings. Mr. I F. C- Brown, chief poultry instructor, has consented to act as advisor to the association, and will prepare tho menu, for feeding the fowls and ducsti. The entries show an increase of 6omo 30 por ccnt. on the Albany fixtures, including oompetitors from Christchurch, Wellington, Masterton. P&hiatua, Hawko's Bay, Palmereton North, New Plymouth, Hawjra, and all parts of the Auckland province. , . , The heavy breed section shows o marked increase, especially Black Orpintons. In fact, the Auckland competition draws mow entries in this section than any other competition in Now Zealand. The breeds entered are: 85 teams of White Leghorns, two teams Brown Leghorns, and one team Minorcas, in the light-breed section 16 teams Black Orpingtons, five teams Silver Wyandottes, six teams Rhode Island Reds, and two teams of Whito Rooks m the -breed section. Omy six teams have entered in the' duck section, including four teams Indian Runners, and one each of White Indian Runner and Buff Orpington Tho official opening will take place at an early date,