THE POULTRY RUN

Southland Times, Issue 19223, 19 April 1924, Page 11

THE POULTRY RUN

(By

“Leghorn.”)

Where birds have plenty of space to roam in, it is not necessary to give them much soft food. In the winter and in cold weather a warm breakfast assists greatly in egg-pro-duction ; but in the summer a morning feed of wheat or barley and an evening meal of oats will be sufficient. Maize can be given occasionally, and does not tend ro lay on internal fat if the .birds are able to have plenty of exercise.

A good illustration of the system of double mating is shown in the breeding of Brown Leghorns. To produce the best cockerels, the stock cock must be a show bird, his hackle bright in colour, with the black stripes well defined, and the breast free from white splashes, and of solid colour. The hens to mate with him are light brown, with fine but distinct pencilling. For pullet breeding, the hackle of the cock is deeper in colour and more heavily striped with black, the breast may be slightly ticked with brown. He is mated with light, but sound, partridge-coloured hens. An Irish fancier. C. J. Milligan, M.D., says: "Pigeon breeding incites culture.” It is clear our M.D. does not know what the “Aussie” wrote about the House, cr what the New Zealander said about the "’Aussie.” My Irish friend then proceeds: “The pleasures of pigeon keeping are boundless. It smooths the furrows on the brows of care and keeps its devotees ever youthful.” Girls may have this tip gratis. One hears a lot about utility these days. Mr W. Powell-Owen has a standing heading in the ‘Feathered World” which should be noted. It is as follows: “It is not abnormal individual egg-records gained at the expense of stamina, but high flock averages, combined with beauty, breed type and vigour, which constitute true utility.” The duck as a layer has only come to the front during the last three or four years, but in the comparatively few’ laying tests in which she has appeared results have proved that she is a very profitable proposition. The breeding life of ducks is much longer than that of other poultry, and they may continue to lay well into their sixth year. It is also not unusual for drakes to be kept on in a breeding pen from the tenth month up to their tenth year. The importance of this point is well worth consideration, because one of the chief items to the commercial egg producer is the replacement of ’ layers. N.Z. POULTRY IN ENGLAND. In the course of an account of a visit to Lord Dewar’s, Mr C. A. House has the following in his paper, the Poultry World:— Accompanied by Mr Walter Bradley, Lord Dewar’s manager, I commenced my tour of the farm with what is known as the “Lower Breeding Pens.” A fine range, in which were to be found some of the best birds on the farm. Those readers of the Poultry World who followed my New Zealand experiences will remember I spoke highly of the utility White Leghorns owned by Mr J. Liggins, of Christ church. As Mr Bradley opened the first pen door and said, “This is the Liggins pen,” my thoughts flew back to the day when Mr Liggins and myself were caught in the snow flood torrent, and began to wonder if we should ever see another Leghorn again. The Liggins birds are Leghorns, not white egg layers only, and they have for years put up some wonderful performances in New Zealand. This pen, which is the first of Lord Dewar’s utility stock, is headed by a bird which since he arrived in this country has won in utility shows: First, special, Surrey County; first, special, Tring, first, two specials; Sussex County; first, special, East London, under Mr Powell-Owen. He is mated to the eight imported Liggins hens, which include the first prize-winners in the three-bird test, laying 787 eggs in fifty-one weeks, at the Papanui competition; and five of the six birds which won the fourth prize in the flock team test at the same competition, with 1328 eggs in fifty-one weeks. The highest individual record of the above was 278 eggs. These birds arrived from New Zealand on July 12, yet after their two months’ voyage they set to work to show their worthy owner that Maori belles are not only good to look at, but are useful as well. During the six months after landing these eight hens laid as follows: 124. 112, 102, 101, 87, 84, 84, and 78. Two of them won first in the breeding pen at Tring, another was first in her class, and at RedhilL Thus, great as is their egg record, it would have been greater had they not been interefered with by moulting and showing. Eggs from this pen may be obtained at £5 5/- per sitting, and those who get them will obtain some of the best blood that ever came from Australasia.