BOYS IN BURNING VESSEL. A "BOILING" SEA. FEATHERED FANCY

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 73, 2 May 1914, Page 5

BOYS IN BURNING VESSEL.

A "BOILING" SEA.

FEATHERED FANCY

(By "GRIT.")

In a recent issue Mr Thomas Kennedy lias a further letter on this subject. He states that he Had shown in his first letter that his Wyandottes had held their own, from an egg-laying point of view, against two of the best White Leghorn breeders in New Zealand. I do not doubt him, and, further, he may be able to show where he can beat Leghorn breeders; but remember, there are breeders and breeders, and as long • as he is permitted to pick his own marks he will always be able to glory in the. prediction that his Wyandottes will be the better. It is a matter of opinion that the two Leghorn breeders he mentions are two of the best —how is it that they do not oeeitpy more prominent positions than their last scores of 17th and 41st 4>lace, Mv Kennedy's Wyandottes' performances against, the better class, and, as I pointed out,- he is hopelessly lost. ' The article stated' that the performances at the competition proved that the I Leghorns were more profitable. I still : maintain they are, and defy Mr Kennedy N or any other breeder to prove that it is not so. Go "to-what breeder you will, where eggs are required, and White Leghorns are always to be found —they are the egg producers. How many breeders keep Silver Wyandottes for the same purpose? No, ybu are told they are kept ; on account of their broody habits to help ; on the incubator. Just take the competi • tion completed at the Burnley Horticultural School, Melbourne, where the ;. world's record was beaten, and you find • Leghorns putting up 1668, 1546, and 153S '-■ for third, the best heavy breeds being Black Orpingtons, with 1216 and 1208. Which is the more profitable? Eggs ' practically all produce the same. This is not-only one competition, but every competition. What is the! reason of the great preponderance of '. White Leghorns.'? Nothing short of the fact that you have to admit that you must have White Leghorns to win; quantity is required, and a very strong argument in my favour. Again, why did the club separate the breeds, light from heavy'? Was it not on account of the general opinion that the latter had no chance rwith the former? "Thirty-nine chances to one. lam quite aware of the number of White Leghorns competing against Ins Wyandottes, but he, being a practical brooder, with all their doings must have considered them equal to the test, otherwise he would not have, entered them. And the fact of their occupying the 52ihI place of the 54 teams competing—a position, for reasons; best known to himself, he omitted to .state in Ins fir.-.t letter —is not a competitor's misfortune as he endeavours to explain, but the breed's deterioration, as his position in recent'tests and own figures explain. Mr Kenncdv has a particular liking for his average of 203.per bird in seven years' aggregate. Considering his last performance is only 151, it must be remembered that he had to seek the assistance of the years J9OB-9, 1910-11, and .1911-12 to keep this lot on. With nil the' experiments of trap nesting, single houses, etc., we are supposed to be our poultry, not goingback to the extent of 557 eggs in four years, as his figures stated. Where Ivould a fancier of the present day be likely, when purchasing stock, to take into consideration the. doings of birds in 190S-9. No, un<l<-: the circumstances the -0:> average is not worth reckoning, it is like a-few more records beaten. An average of 20:'. for the heavy breeds, in their present position, would be considered good. Air Kenue.lv 's is only 151, 203 for light breeds would be laughed at. '•

He asks me to answer a few quest-/ ions,-"and. Ido so with, pleasure. He requests me to produce any competitor (with the exception of Mr Mills) — strange he, should always have to pick his course —with their White Leghorns to show a better record than he could for the seven years., L*am at a loss to understand why I should be asked to answer this. *Mr Kennedy distinctly states, in his first letter, that the seven years' aggregate was Mr Mills 8551, Mr B. W. Hawke 8547, and Mr T. Kennedy 8535, so in addition to your exception

THE POINTS OF A FOWL.

(1) Beak or mandible. (2) Eye. (?>) Face. (4). Wattle, (5) Ear lobe, or deaf ear. ((?) Tuft covering' the ear. (7) Comb. (8) Spike or serration. (9) Neck hackle. (10) Back or saddle. (.11) Breast. (12) Wing bow. (13) Wing bar or coverts. (.1.4) Thigh. (15) Shank. (Hi) Toes. (17) Hocks. (18) Spur. (19) Back toes. (20) Fluff. (21) Wing bay or secondaries. (22) Saddle hackle; in the hen this part is termed the "cushion." (2;!) Sickles. (24) Tail coverts or hangers. (25) Stiff or hen tail. (26) Keel, in varieties where this is prominent.

Mr Hawke still leads you. To my mind it pays to breed aggregates, or breeds with consistent performances. I hope he does not consider his Wyandottes so; under their present and recent layings, they are neither aggregate nor fluctuat-

ing, but deteriorating, as iiis own figures point out. The old hens when laved out. would be marketed, and the prices realised would lie from ."»/- to 5/6 per pair. It. would lie impossible, as Mr Kennedy knows, to give the price of the respective breeds. I have seen good Wyandotte cockerels sold at 4/per pair, and the following week thev have brought eight. I have already stated the Wyandotte was the better table bird, still any difference receive.', for the carcase is considerably lost by the amount of eggs mo're produced by the lighter breed. He says he has proved from a commercial point, ofview that the poultry fancier with a seven years' aggregate ''not a record '" is the successful poultry farmer. I am surprised he thinks so. Where would a unreasonable person consider a breeder that, has lost M 9 per cent, of his laying abilities in four years lie considered a successful poultry farmer. Leghorns are more subjected to ovary troubles than Wyaudottes. It is quite immaterial to myself Avhat breed -win?;, but 1 cannot close my eyes to .Mr Ken nedy's argument that Wyaudottes are more preferable. In any case he has produced no information, but about his own birds, and the whole of his arguments can lie summed up in the old adage ''that a cock crows best in his own yard.'?

POULTRY, PIGEON AND CANARY NOTES

. Ducks. —ln order to assist the'production of a liberal quantity of fertile eggs, ducks should, have a free range. It is necessary that they should be locked np at night, and . let out as early as possible after 6 a.m. in the morning. They hate confinement. They differ from fowls, as they usually lay very early in the morning. Should they have free range, a feed of pollard one-fourth bran, about 8 o'clock, and a second one of wheat or oats, fed with grit in a trough of water late in the evening, is about all they require. Either hens or incubators can be used in hatching, the latter being more preferable at hatching, when there is less chance of the ducklings being crushed, as with heavy hens. When the young ducks are ready to leave the nest, they should be placed in a coop, with a fair allowance of water, in a small vessel for the first ten days; after that they will require a swim, and should be allowed the exercise. Swollen rice and biscuit meal thrown into the water for the first few days are ;i!i that is'necessary for feeding, adding meal in crumbly state placed on a board, and a little whole wheat in trough of water with plenty of grit at a week old.

lu consequence of the increase of work in connection with its champion show, the C'hristchurch Poultry Club is now meeting weekly. <• ..

Mr A. H. Padnian, the well-known Adelaide breeder of White Leghorns, writing to a local fancier, states that he is experiencing a great demand for stock, and at present, is unable to book' anv orders for future deliverv.

The annual meeting of the Utility Poultry Club will be held at the rooms on Tuesday evening.

At the - last meeting of the Utility Club, reference was made to the hiving of several small eggs by the teams now competing at the competition. .Rule 18 provides that eggs under Hoz in weight shall not be counted. In view of exnorting, ami as only first-grade eggs are required, I presume the club will see that this particular rule is carried out. . ~