POULTRY NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2057, 27 July 1893, Page 4

POULTRY NOTES.

SOME USEFUL HAMBURG CROSSES.

The black Hamburg-Plymouth rocks are excellent layers and well-shaped fowls. Some poultry keepers who have, this cross may be desirous of keeping their birds the same shape, if not colour. This may be done by mating a Wyandotte cock with the crossbred pullets. If a dark cock is used, many of the chickens will come black, about the same shape and a little larger than the first cross, and the laying qualities will not be affected. These are very useful fowls; many have white legs, a few yellow. The cockerels make fair table fowls, plump in the breast and short on the leg, but many of them have yellow skin, which is not in their favour. If good layers and non-sitters are required, the Hamburg-Plymouth rook pullets can be mated with a Redcap cock. The pullets come about the same shape as those from the Wyandotte cross, but they differ in colour, the majority being spangled like the Redcap, although not quite so evenly, and the remainder black. are also rather larger fowls. The pullets' legs are blue or black, but most of the cockerels' legs are much lighter, some being quite white and of a fine flavour. They do not make large table fowls, but they are of good quality. The pullets are good, summer and winter layers, most of the eggs being white and rather small. They can be bred from again if requisite, and if eggs and table fowls are wanted, , a Houdan cock may be mated with them, as this increases the size of the eggs and improves the table qualities of the birds. Few chickens will grow faster and fledge better than these. The flesh is as white as that of a Dorking and of good flavour, but there is not quite such a deep cut on the, breast as in the case of a Dorking. Hou'dans are most valuable for crossing, and they .always improve the progeny whatever variety they are mated with — whether pure or crossbred— both as Tegards the number - of eggs produced and table qualities; The chickens also grow quickly and feather fast, and can be' hatched early in the season, and will also thrive well if hatched late. These birds should not be bred from again, as the progeny have a mongrel appearance. The black Hamburg and Brahma also make a^very useful cross. The Hamburg cock should always be used, as it is very risky to cross them the other way on account ofthe Hamburg hens being so small. Light or dark Brahma hens can be mated with the Hamburg cook, and the results will be much the same, if the hens are of a good laying strain. ' Most of the pullets will come black, a few with black bodies and coloured hackles of a straw colour. They come very short on the leg, and. are very compact

birds ) the chickens. feather- well and are very . hardy. A few of the cockerels are ,& little backward in feathering, and do not come as uniform in colour as the pullets ; in fact, there is not much beauty in the cockerels. ' The pullets usually commence laying at about six and a-half months old, and produce a medium-sized egg, either tinted or brown. They are good winter layers, and about half of them come broody and make good sitters and mothers, but they should be cooped with their chickens, for if not, theyKaveithem when too young, as they usually commence laying again when their chickens are .three weeks pld only. If they have their liberty , they leave their chickens; but then if they are confined to a coop they will usually lay, and take charge of their little family as well. The cross looks rather different to other black Hamburg crosses, as the Brahmas have such a very small comb which fits close to the head, and the Hamburg a rose comb. The 'birds from this cross have very small combs, some coming like thAt of a Brahma, and others like that of a Hamburg. In. either case they, look very neat. ' They would do well where a run is exposed to the north-east winds, as their combs do not get frost bitten or turn black like those of many fowls do. Some poultry keepers -prefer them to, Hamburg-Plymouth rooks, as , they are rather shorter .on the' leg and their ' comb is neater, while others do not, like them because they-show a little feather on their legs. — W. Cook, in Farm, Field, and Fireside.