UTILITY POULTRY CLUB.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18363, 22 April 1925, Page 11

UTILITY POULTRY CLUB.

PRIZES PRESENTED.

The prize© won at the recently completed egg-laying .competition of tie New Zealand Utility Poultry Club, and at the club's young bird show, -were presented at a social function held by the club last night. In the absence of the president, Mr G-. B*. Bradford (who sent an apology for his absence due to his presence in Wellington attending a meeting of the executive ot the New Zealand Poultry Association) Mr B. W. Hawks presided. There was a. fairly Urge attendance. Apoloeies for n-beence were received from Mesas J. Kingsland, W. '£•■ Green and J. Liggins." , c , lT u„ The chairman, alter the toast ot J-ne King" had been honoured, referred to tne importance attached to pronouncements maaa by the club by raisers of poultry in aU parts of the Dominion. He said that__t.be interest ehown in the club's work indicated that it was still the hub of the poultry world. Thousands cf people all over the country followed the proceeding of the club v,rth the ckw-et interest, thev believed tha only the latest and-most reliable, information was given bv t7i» members ot uie ciup. This fast should make members careful in respect of the information they gave out. In reecect of the experiments to be ca™4 out bv the club at Papanui, he said that he was looking forward to important results in connexion with breeding and ieeding. Mr H. W. Beck, the secretary, in proposing "The Successful Competitors, said tnat some very fine specimens had "been shown at the club's young bird show. Hoarding tho egg-laving competition, ho congratulated tbo two competitors who owned the White wyandottes and Anconas which put up New Zealand records. He gave some in*«"_* tu £ figures relating to the averages recorded in the different competitions. . The following were the averages in the single hen open championship (51 weeks): High- age. I-aid Champioi-ship No. of est per *<>*• Tests: Birds. Bird, bird eggs. Light breed, .. 15 078 223 2-, 10 Heavy breeds .. 10 »I 193 940 4 AU breeds .. 35 297 21119* " Throe Bird Test: „ Light breeds .. 191 289 2M| 1« Heavy breeds .. 31 282 Wt " Anv other breed 10- 278 1.4 2-5 » All" bweda .. 232 289 195 2-o 160 In respect of single birds (223 birds), the following information was given:— 2oz.

It would bo seen by these figures that the light breeds' weight of egg percentage decreased as tho number of eggs increased: The percentage for the heavy breeds was very Jow, and was a serious problem, not one half of the birds laying over 200 eggs showing the standard weight of eggs. Tbey had. been troubled with broody birds, and the \followirig- figures would bo interesting:—One bird went broody nine times, three birds fire times, eleven birds four times, thirteen birds three times,' 12 birds twice, and twenty birds once. ■ The toast was responded to by Messrs "Wilkins, Ward, Slater and Black. ' "Kindred Societies" was proposed by Mr "W. A. Geo and responded to by Messrs K. Pearce and J. D. Gobbe. . The chairman. then presented tho prizes •won at tho, competitions, and at the young bird show.

' /he shields were awarded ae follows: Leghorn shield, W. E. Ward; points for eggs, 50; exhibition, 38 points. Orpington shield.: ... M. Cooksan, the only competitor eligible. Wyandotte shield: C. Bennett, 'White Orpington; only competitor oligiblo. 'Duck shield: J. G-. Greenslade; points for-'~rrum-ber of eggs, 32 1-5; woight,' 33 1-3; exhibition, 59*. Studholme test: Mr H. Williams; points for eggs, 941; exhibition, SBJ. Mr. Arthur Smith,' in proposing . "The New ZoaJand Utility Poultry. Club," said that the club had. exceeded his expectations, and it was one of tho pleasures of his life that it had been so successful. The industry had turned the corner. It was estimated that the return from eggs was, 120 per cent, more than the cost of feeding. Referring to, the young bird show, he advised the club to hold it in trie suburbs, 'such as Sydenham; Woolston, or Papanui, where suitable halls could be got: the club would do hotter in such localities than in trying "to run it in a backyard in the town.. He mentioned that in Juno next .he would celebrate the jubilee of. his connexion with the poultry industry. Mr W. H. West, the treasurer, in responding, stated that he had worked out the average per bird at the competitions. The return from tho eggs was £1 7s Id and tho coat of feeding each bird was lis, leaving 18s Id over the cost of feeding: last year the surplus was about lis, so they were improving.

Several other toasts- were honoured and a pleasant evening was spent. 'The figures in respect of the flock'teams were as follows: '

S '• Sa ""•? fl£?M dg 65 -»g £.g g'&g£H fcH'WH < p. &£% "Light breeds 16 96 1540 196J 11 Heavy breeds 2 T2 1035 165 5-6 2 All breeds .. 18 108 1540 18U 13 * Including three birds which died during the currency of the competition. Tho figures in respect of all sections were: No. of Average Birds birds, per bird, laying 2oz eggs. White Leghorns .. 300 216 • 216 Black Orpingtons 42 178 28 Light Sussex ~ 4 148J 1 Silver Wyandottes 12 183 4 Anconas .. 6 165 6 White Wyandottes 3 199JS 3 Croad Langshans .. 3 131 0 Brown Leghorns .. 3 224| 0 L Minorcas .. 6 147 i 6 Number of birds died:—White Leghorns 14, Black Orpingtons 2, White Wyandottes 1, ■ Oroad Langshans . 1 (included in the averages). - 3?he average of all breeds of fowls, all sections:—Number of birds 379, average per bird 177, number laying 2oz eggs 264. The figures in respect of ducks were as follows: No. of No. eggs Average Birds, highest per bird, bird! White .. 3 272 2165 Fawn and W. Runners 39 297 194 Pekins .. 3 110 IOT All breeds - 45 297 172§ Birds died during, the competition:—-Fawn and White Banners 1, Pekins 1. The average of all fowhj and ducks:—J«umber of birds 424, average per bird 174 5-6.

Eggs laid. Ko. birds, eggs. 280 and o.vor 270 and over 2C0 and over •..: .. 9 .. 1!> .. 32 8 16 2!) 250 arid over ., 52 240 and over .. .. 86 57 230 and over . ~ 114 82 220 and over _ .. 329 91 210 and over .. .. 145 101 200 and over .. 160 115 In respect of heavy breeds (30 birds) i," tbo figure's "were: —• 0 290 and over -~4 !*• 1 280 and over • < 2 0 270 and over .. 4 2 260 and over .. 4 2 250 and over *> 2 240 and over 7 - 1 230 and over .. 10 3 220 and over .. 14 6 210 and over .. 14 6 200 and over .. 18 8