POULTRY NOTES

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1523, 28 February 1901, Page 51

POULTRY NOTES

THE COMING BREED. BUFF ORPINGTONS. RECOMMENDED BY THE POULTRY EXPERT. In writing about a breed or variety it is usual to say if it is a good, bad, or indifferent one; but with this variety it can be said to be the best aIP-round fowl to keep. The reason why will be explained later on in this article. Me are anxious to* make it plain, the dxtferenca between a breed and variety, as many get rather in a fog over these

two terms. Take, for example, the Dorkings, as they are on-3 of the oldest breeds. When, a novice meets a fancier he informs him lie keeps a few Dorkings ; the fancier then asks . him what variety of Dorkings he keeps. The'novice then says he does not know r , but they are Dorkings. The fancier then asks him if they are dark, light, .speckled or white. If they are dark they are coloured. Dorkings, if light the silver, if speckled the cuckoo, and if white the white Dorkings. In most breeds there are several varieties.

In Orpingtons there are ten varieties, i.e., two of each, the rose and single comb of the black, buff, spangled, Jubilee, and white. This is mentioned to help some of our readers. We said the buff Orpington was the bird at the present day, and it certainly is the most popular. Why is this so? Firstly, because buff is a very taking colour, and one that most people admire ; secondly it is a fine large bird ; thirdly, it is one of the finest table birds both in size and quality, „with white legs, flesh, and skin ; fourthly, it is one of the best _ winter layers—many people who have kept them: say they are the best; fifthly, they lay a brown or tinted egg, and, of course, this is a great advantage when people have to sell their eo-gs in the different markets. This bird lays a very fine egg, considerably larger than the Wyandotte. Seven eggs usually turn the scale at a pound, and in a few cases it has only taken six to do this. Of course, this has always been in the hen’s second year.

For many years was. said it was impossible to get good winter layers and table birds combined; this is totally wrong, as has been proved by all the varieties of the Orpingtons, and especially in the variety we are writing about. Dorkings and Indian Game are good table birds in their pure state, but when it comes to laying; they are a long way behind. Buff Orpingtons have proved to those who have kept them that it does not matter where they are; whether in hot or cold countries, they are marvellous layers.

As a breed Orpingtons have remarkably strong constitutions and an enormous amount of vitality. There is no breed or variety of fowl that lias so improved the class and standard of poultry, both table and laying qualities combined, as the buff Orpington. They are particularly well thought of by farmers’ wives in England, as they scratch for their living if they have the opportunity, and it is impossible to> put the birds in the wrong place. The chickens are wonderfully strong, grow quickly, and can be reared on any soil, thriving in a small garden almost as w r ell as on a grass field; the pullets come on to lay early—in fact, too early—especially those hatched in July and August. A few specimens have been known to lay each year before they were four mouths and a fortnight old; however,’ to lay before they are six months is apt to stop the birds' growth. As is well known, there are two sides sides to every question. In the first place, a buff colour fades when it is exposed to the sun; therefore those who wish to breed: for exhibition should always shade their birds from the sun, otherwise the breeder will find his birds bleached, eventually coming a little mottled and going lighter in colour ; and this is more noticeable in the pullets than the cockerels. Though this variety has been out over six years, they do not all breed true to colour; one will find a few white feathers in tne wings, or some of tlie tail may he black, and then a few feathers may be found on the leg. These defects may appear even when the stock are bred from the best fowls, but if breeders know what to expect they are not disappointed. Now and then one will find the pullets come a little dark in neck hackles, but if mated properly this failing can he corrected. When breeders mat© a dark cook and dark hens or pullets -it is invariably with bad results; others try dark cooks and light pullets; this also is wrong, and the results are sure to he unsatisfactory in the end. Now, with regard to mating, a dark bird should not be mated with a light one. To get the best results, mate a few dark pullets with a medium dark cock, say three shades lighter than the pullets. Many of the best pullets are bred from, cocks that favour the dark shade, though this does not always hold good, as it depends largely on the parents of the birds, as they often throw back. A light clear-coloured cock will usually breed the best pullets. Sometimes buff Orpington breeders will discard a cooker-el that is rather dark on ris shoulders (that is just above the wing flights) but this is -wrong, as some of the most successful pullets come from these cockerels, especially if they have clean white legs, a good head and a fairly buff tail. In mating up fowls there is one important rule to be observed — any deficiency in the hens or pullets

should be corrected by the cock or cockerel being extra good in these points. A breeder will often get some good-shaped pullets with large combs hanging to one side, and they are frequently sold simply for killing purposes. Instead of doing this a cook with a neat, fine comb, fitting closely to- the head, with a strong base, should be procured, and the result will be some very good birds among, the progeny. Breeders will at times mate a rosecombecl cock wun single-combed pullets that are w 7 eak in the comb; this will produce strong bases to the combs —naturally a few will come wi-.ii rose combs.

At other times breeders may have a good) buff cock with white in the flight feathers, and a sound buff tail. The pullets mated with him should be sound in the flights, and their tails may be rather dark, and the results of this mating will be satisfactory. If one- has a cock well marked, but with feathers on the legs, mate him to pullets that are absolutely clear of any trace of feathers, as it is often the case that birds with feathers on their legs have the best under-colour. Some may ask, why use a bird at all that is faulty for breeding purposes? The answer to this is, there are not enough perfect birds to be had to breed from, of any variety, especially the buff Orpington, to permit one to discard those with faults.

If a bird is a perfect buff throughout, and good in all points, no matter. whether it is a buff Rock, Wyandotte, Leghorn, or Orpington, it is worth a high price. Without a doubt the secret of success in. breeding lies with the mating, as birds for breeding can be bought at less than, half the price of .show'birds, and in many cases will breed birds of better quality. When mating dark and light birds together, we may mention that many of the cockerels came with a laced breast, and occasionally a trace of this may be seen on the neck hackles, and should the pullets that, are bred from such parent birds come grey across the shoulders and back (at a distance and when running about they look a nice colour, it is only when handled this is detected), these birds should always be discarded for stock when exhibition birds are required. If the novice anticipates breeding for the show pen, it is advisable for him to breed from only two or three good birds, but, as is usually the case, one is anxious to breed not only birds for exhibition but stock for utility purposes.

Buff Orpington hens are much paler in colour than the pullets, but the hens are larger than the pullets. When large birds are required it is advisable to breed from hens, and if pullets are wanted for laying purposes the following season, then it is advisable to breed from July stock, as chickens hatched from their eggs will usually lay from three or four weeks earlier than when bred from old stock, and this is a consideration when eggs are making a good price. Many people mate a cook with pullets, but there is a drawback in this system, as if the early spring is cold the old cocks are not active, especially in July and August, just when it is essential to set eggs for breeding purposes, therefore it is well not to trust an old bird if there are good early ones, but change them when the weather is milder.