POULTRY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12483, 23 November 1918, Page 11

POULTRY.

NOTES BY “CROWBLACK.” The annual meeting of the South Island Poultry Association has been postponed. It will probably bo hold at the end of January in iJuncdm. Many poultry enthusiasts have been suffering from influenza during the lust fortnight, amongst them being the president of the New Zealand Utility Poultry Club (Mr Carlyle Atkinson), the secretary of the Rhode Island R.ed Club (Mr G. H. Ambler) and the president of the North Island Poultry Association (Mr John Jarvis), who caught tho epidemic travelling to the burial of Ms son at Hamilton last week. 1 am pleased to report the/gentlemen named are progressing favourably. I- anciers will regret to learn of the death of Mr A. 15. Stonnex, of Auckland, from influenza. The deceased was a noted Black Orpington enthusiast, and imported some rare exhibition specimens of both the black and white variety. He was a large exhibitor at the leading North Island shows, and usually carried off many high honours. The deceased was a visitor to tho Christchurch Jubilee Show last year, and was well known to many Christchurch fanciers.

llio New Zealand Utility Poultry Club has decided to notify breedeis that it proposes raising the standard weight of egg to two ounces for heavy breeds in the 1920 competition, thus bringing them into lino with light breeds, before being eligible for prizemoney. The idea is a good one, but I do not think it will materialise if the club single-pen tests 100 birds in its next competition, as I question whether 66 per cent of the birds (light or heavy breeds) will lay 2oz eggs for the year. During my periodical visits to the competition I have been privileged to see tho eggs, and while admitting that there are many line eggs laid by num-i ber s of birds in a team, yet if tho sixt birds constituting the team were singloponned I am satisfied there would bo found one bird in Smith’s team, two in Brown s and three in Jones’s nob laying the standard 2oz egg. The egg weights on March 31 next of the twenty-four single pens in tho presentcompetition should prove valuable data for the club, and the more birds tho club single-pen tests in the future the more valuable lessons will bo learned by its members and breeders of heavy layers.

. 'l'ho principal of the Gatton egg-lay-ing competition, writing on the weighmg of eggs for August, says There are a fair number of birds among tho tho light breeds laying eggs below standardj but amonst the heavy breeds the condition is deplorable, only five out of eighteen competing groups yielding eggs up to requirements, while fortyseven out of sixty-six single-tested birds are ineligible for prizes. file cause of so many birds laying eggs below standard weight can bo attributed, in a great measure, to many breeders who are careless in the mating ol their breeding pens. How many note that their stock hens lay eggs weighing 2oz to 2joz, and, more important still, that the male bird is descended from a. large egg strain? Every year 75 per cent of the persons who keep poultry consder that they must have a change of cockerels, and they usually rush the men with orders who have a team laying strongly during the first few months of a competition, without possessing any knowledge as to whether the eggs laid are up to standard. During tho past season I know of scores of such cockerels having been purchased and bred from extensively. Next spring these same persons will be on the look” out again for fresh cockerels to head the breeding pen, and I would commend to them the breeders of the “ prizewinners ” in the Papanui tests, ending March 31 next. •

Mr T. E. Quisenberry, president of tbo American School of Husbandry, in Ins June report of tho American contest, says:—‘‘lf I ever had any doubt about a good standard-bred lieu, containing exhibition qualities, being able to .lay a profitable number of eggs, that doubt would now be dispelled. In Orpingtons, Plymouth Rocks, Rhode Island Reds, Wyandottes, Leghorns, Sussex, and practically every variety j« this contest, ‘there are females amongst tho highest layers which are also high scoring bird.?. Most of the birds in our present contest come from Madison Square Garden, Boston, Chicago, and Kansas City winners at other of’Amenca s best shows, and best advertised exhibition strains. Many predicted that practically all of the birds would make a disgraceful showing because they were largely standard-bred exhibition birds. Their record has been a creditable one in practically every case Nearly all of these varieties have individuals going well over 200 eggs, nidging from present indications. Our best record has been 218 eggs in eight months by a yearling White Rock hen. U’hy shouldn’t a standard-bred bird lay? Or why should not both standard qualities ami egg-laying ability bo combined m tho same fowl? The body of both are about the same. The head and tail are where tho main difference is between a standard-bred fail'd and what is ordinarily known as a utility bird. In a standard bird there are a neatness and carriage to tail and head tliat are produced by careful selection and breeding. In the ordinary laver no attention is given to head' and tail 1 points or to disqualifications in many cases, just so the bird will lav a larc'o number of eggs. But the body in both 9 asea practically tho same. So is it not reasonable to believe that those minor head and tail points can be bred into a good layer? It can bo and is being done. Tho Hawkcsbury Agricultural College' bas decided to discontinue tho lestinoof second-year hens, as it now has suflT cient data on hand concerning these rests. A small number of the. pens will bo set apart for “standard’ 1 birds, that is to say, birds belonging to breeders wlio hare won first, second or third prize in an open class at an approved exhibition m New South Wales during tuo past three years. Special quality prizes will be awarded to the “ staadblrds‘ P rovi ded the group lay IUiX) or more eggs. One of the regulations of the next Hawkesbury laying competition is that the committee reserves the right to inspect any applicant’s stock with a view to determining whether the quality and character of tho birds warrant the allotment ol the pens. This is a rulo which the Now Zealand Utility Poultry Club might copy. For the week ending November 12 tiio forty-one pens in the Southland egg-laying competition averaged thirty

At Pnpanul there were a good number of bloodies in tho light and heavy breed teams competition, consequently the egg yield for the week ending November 19 is down, and several changes in position have taken place in the lending teams of light breeds. Good work for the week wns done by Mrs Gorinski’s White Leghorns (38), which are now in the lead, and C. Thomson’s (37), H. W. fleck’s and Calder Bros. (36), J. Robertson’s and Mrs 'Mills’s (35), 11. Coombo’s, Calder Bros.’ No. 1, Rangiuru Egg Ranch, Green No. 1 and 2 pens, A. W. Adams’s, Walmea Poultry Yards, Herotannga, H. "Williams's and Dalmnir Yards (each 34). The latter team has 99 eggs to its credit for the nineteen days of November, after registering a record of 1.70, eggs for October month. Tho heavv breed teams and ducks have slackened off, but the light breed singles continue to give a good average egg yield. On. Wednesday afternoon I had a look at the single birds, and many of them were showing signs of the'effect tho heavy laying was having upon them. Messrs Gee and Sons’ strong pullets and Green Bros.’ No. 1 wore looking in tne_ best laying order. The highest totals m the five tests are as follow:

eggs per pen. follow: — Tbo leading polls nro as Daily Weight. Grand Master C, Dixon Laying. oz. Total. . 4566565-37 72* 695 Chas. Thomson . 41)55565 — 36 73* 847 Mrs Gorituld . 4403113 — 22 46 k 829 >T. J. Schultz . 5543554-31 5ttg 53* 827 11. C. Forgueon . 4543343-26 804 A. Ptovan . 5455466-35 111 797 J. Pauli . 6525666—80 73J 785

light breed teams m.) Mrs Gorin ski, W.L, . 6GG153G—38 965 Atkinson Bros,, W.L. . 4342458-25 965 H. W. Beck, W.L. . 6365554—36 952 Caldcr Bros, W.L. . 0456544-34 918 Tracey King, W.L. . 2643444—20 944 S. L. Boor, W.L. . 4344234—24 943 HEAVY BBEED TEAMS (ity. T. E. Conway, Blk, Orp. ■4333433—23 7S4 T. Wilson. S.W. . W. Bloomfield, Blk, 0. . 3433132-19 . 1233332-17 70G C93 DUCK CONTEST (7). W, T. Green, I.R. . . 4555255—31 1029 L. A. Wadham, LB, . 6445444 30 1015 W. T. Green, No. 2 I.R. 6443543—80 1011 HEAVY BREED SINGLES (5). Thos. Wilson, S.W. . . 0111111 —6 149 T. E. Conway, R.I.R. . 0101100— 3 141 A. E. Wilson, B.P.R. . 0000011 —2 119 LIGHT BREED SINGLES (19). T. Wilkinson . 1111111- 7 168 S, L. Beer . 0111001- 4 186 Green Bros. No. 1 . . 1101111- G 180 Reliable Farm . 0101111— 5 180 Tracey King . 1111101— 0 172 W. A. Gee and Son . 1101110- 5 170