DUCKLAYING RECORD.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1745, 16 August 1905, Page 60

DUCKLAYING RECORD.

Th© record performance in public egg-laying competitions has been reserved for web-f&oted occupants of the poultry yard at the first New South Wales ducklaying trials, . initiated by “The Australian Hen” and held at Blackwall, under the supervision of tMir A. Beattie. The twelve months test endc^

on June 30. The winners were Ruff Orpington ducks, the property of Mr JAhern, New South Wales. These ducks ■are comparatively new t-o Australia. Their performance was 1326 eggs, or an average, of 221 per duck. This heats all previous egg-laying scores, even by hens, which have been held throughout the length and breadth of the land. The record was held by Victoria in the first egg-laying competition for hens, held at the Dookie Agricultural College during 1904-5, when Mr G. Leven’s six white Legjhorns laid 1313 eggs. The second pen of ducks, Mr A. T. Davenport’s (Victoria) Indian Hunners, also beat the hen champions by two eggs, laying as they did 1315. No fewer than six pens out of the 19 competing laid over a thousand eggs each, which demonstrates the laying capabilities of ducks of the right strain and breed. Yet another record was performed, as Mr A. Snell’s (Western Australia) Indian Runners 'beat all hen competitions for highest monthly total; which was 175 eggs laid in December, a month which is generally regarded as a bad. one for ducks. The total cost of feeding the birds came to £32 15s 9d, or an average of 5s 9d per duck. The sale of eggs realised £6l 10s 9d, equal to 10s 9d per bird, thus leaving a cash balance of 5s per duck. The first and second pen of ducks also carried off the market value prizes with £6 3s 9d and £6 2s 6d respectively, thus making a return of £1 0s 6£d each for the twelve top ducks. When their food bill had been settled, the substantial profit of 14s 91d per duck was reaped.