POULTRY NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3383, 15 January 1919, Page 40

POULTRY NOTES.

By TXKBOB.

Purchasers of eggs have, naturally, a preference for those of fair size, and attach no extra value to a small egg even though it be -laid by a pullet at an extraordinarily early age. Such being the case, it should interest novice breeders to realise that it has long been known that _ many hens (second year) produce small-sized eggs because, when at the stage of growing pullets, they were forced on to lay by the free use of stimulating substances, condiments _ and spices, or too largo an allowance of irritant foods. Such practice on the part of the breeder stimulates the egg organs of the immature bird into premature activity, and, being premature, it is weakening: hence small eggs. Whether chickens hatched from small eggs—small because of a forcing system of feeding—will of necessity also In their turn lay small eggs is a matter of doubt, for scientific investigation seems to prove that "acquired characteristics are not transmitted to offspring.". The probability is, and it is a comforting thing to believe, that if such chickens are properly fed and housed, and do.not lay till, say six months old instead of, as their parents were forced to do, by improper feeding, at, say, four months and a week, they will lay the normal-sized eggs peculiar to the breed. —-Talking of the normal eg"' of the breed reminds one, however, 'that different strains of the same breed lay different-sized eggs, and, also, that it is possible to improve on a strain! T!", 3 should be every novicobreedcr's ambition. If his strain, say, of white Leprhorns lays a, comparatively speaking, small egg, he should impart a cockerel from a strain laying large eggs (for Leghorns), provided, of course, that said strain can lay such eggs in satisfactory number. It is in this, way—by improving the strain through the cockerel —that chickens can bej

bred capable of laying larger eggs than do their parents. To get large eggs and plenty of them from oven the best strains, howver, the feeding must be liberal arjj include a fair quantity of meat, and the' housing must be of the best. —lt is reported that tho 64 groups of pullets competing at Gatton (Queensland) laying competitien have been judged according to standard, ajid only 18 of them passed as true to type. Twenty-nine were passed with sorne reservations as to faults, 11 of them had faults which would debar them from acceptance under tlio more rigid standard laid down for future competitions, and four failed altogether to comply with Gtandard requirements. From the fact that the birds were not only judged, but passed according to quality into one or other class, it must be assumed that the competitors penned birds of even quality, and that consequently the judge's work of selection was comparatively easy. This is a good move on the part of the Gatton competition authorities, and it is to be hoped that it will be followed otherwise it will not be long before it will be difficult to distinguish between breeds, and serious deterioration must follow.

The thirty-eighth week, enMing olst December, ,|of the Papanui egg-laying competition shows Mr 11. Beck's six white Leghorns leading with 1154 eggs, Mrs E. A. Gorinski's pen comes second with 1151. In comparison the heavy breeds are not showing" up so well this year, the leading pen—viz., Mr Conway's six black Orpingtons—having only scored 908. In the duck section Mr W. T. Green's six Indian Runners still maintain their leading -position, having laid 1200 eggs in the 38 weeks. In the single bird test Mr T. Wilkinson's white Leghorn is the present leader, having laid 228 eggs. ' ".,.'; —My attention is frequently directed to abnormally large and double-yolked eggs, and I am, as a rule, quite evidently expected to compliment the breeder on his possession of something wonderful. Instead of praising, I try' to discourage. I point out that not only do hens frequently produce eggs with double yolks, but often hens lay eggs with three yolks. This tendency is to be discouraged, as it reflects not productiveness, but rather disease. The causes may be various, but these generally arise from excitement, change of environment, sudden disturbance from the ordinary conditions of life, as a severe fright, or it is often traced to weakness of the egg-organ, through irregular or unnatural formation of these productive organs. Over-feeding may also be a cause- —perhaps the most common—causing a too rapid development of tho yolks, whfch leads'to more than one to leave the ovary at a time ■to enter the oviduct. Fowls which frequently lay such eggs arc liable to illness, which leads to disease, the symptoms being loss of power of the legs and general collapse caused by an actual rupture internally. In such cases the fowls require special treatment, seclusion in an isolated pen, and a rationed diet with a view to checking the development of this unusual tendency. Such hens are not profitable. Poultry-keepers avoid such abnormalities, their aim. being_ rather' a general standard in egg production in order to get average size ancl regular laying. Experience has proved that hens which lay double-yolk eggs lay once every two or three days, and such should be dispensed with for market purposes as unprofitable and unrcnlunerative.

Fraser and Co., produce merchants, auctioneers, and commission agents, 146 Crawford street, Dunedin, report:—Business is not back to normal since the noliday season, and the prices quoted below are approximate values. Eggs: Market unsteady; Egg Circle eggs Is 5d to Is 6d, fresh eggs Is 4d to Is 4£d. Poultry: We held our first sale of the year on Wednesay at 1.30. Prices for all lines were good, especially for ducks. The following prices were realised at per head : —Hens—l4 at Is 6d, 30 at Is Bd, 25 at Is 9d. 30 at Is lid, 50, at 2s, 73 at 2s Id; cockerels'—ls at 3s 6d, 18 at 4s; ducks—7 at 5s 3d, 13 at 5s 4d; goose, 5s to 6s; turkeys-—hens per lb, gobblers lid to per lb live weight. Reilly's Central Produce Mart (Ltd.) report.—A nine yarding of poultry came forward _ for our sale on Wednesday, all lines being in keen demand. High prices realised, and good values obtained for all birds submitted to our care. Eggs have been coming to hand freely, most of the merchants selling stamped and guaranteed at Is sd. We have been securing Is 6d for our consignors. The following prices were secured for "poultry:—Hens—s at 4s Id each, 4 at 2s 7d each. 94 at 2s 4d each, 121 at 2s 3d each, 153 at 2s 2d each, 21 at 2s Id each. 12 at 2s each, 4,3 at Is Id each: dueks—l6 at 4s 3d each, 10 at 4s each, 3 at 3s 6d each, 8 at 3s 3d each.; cockerels— Is 6d to 3s 9d each.