POULTRY NOTES

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2824, 15 July 1916, Page 15

POULTRY NOTES

(By ChanteclerJ Intjulrer," Blenheim writes:—(l) ' ""id you be. kind enough to say if all eggs imported into New Zealand have to be branded? (2) Within the last few weeks 100,000 dozen, were imported from America unstamped; and it is staled that unscrupulous grocers retail them as fresh (3) .Is it correct that the Customs, satisfactorily explains why tho unstamped eggs were permitted to bo distributed? .1 he replies to tho above are:— ' , arriving in shell in New Zealand from now on- will have to lie stamped "Imported," and also with the country of origin, (2)1 do not think the total imports reach 100,000 dozen this season, (io,ool> dozen .is nearer correct.. It is possible grocers sell American eggs as New Zealand eggs, but in the absence of braml--1 "ff tlio case is hard to prove. (3) l.es, the Comptroller of Customs lias given a ruling that the eggs have a right to come in unstamped for this season. New Zealand Championships. Tho New Zealand championships allotted to the Marlborough poultry show were won as under:-Orpinglons (black), .1.11. Kitching; Urpingtons (buff), F. Oibbons; leghorns (white), English standard, .1. (:i. Cox; Peking bant(ims, 1!. M'Whirier; Working Homers, A. W. Sliallcrass; Norwich canary (non-colour fed), E. B. llartin.—Press Association. The Question of Sex. Even in this advanced age we frequently come across'people who are wedded to the old-fashioned idea that sex can be determined Ly some external characteris-tic-of the egg. The long egg, the short egg, the round egg, each has its following, and to its shape is ascribed the sex of the. chick it contains, whether it is fortilo or infertile. A few years ago practical poultrymen ill New Zraland simply roared with laughter at the cabled reports from England that some leading men among their scientists were keenly interested in tests of sex with a special _ appliance. Eggs were the poular article dealt with. Tho enthusiasm spread to New Zealand, and we well remember. our first, joke on. a practical demonstrator. tie was of a scientific turn of mind, and prided himself on being among the. first to have tho appliance in question. Friends were gathered from far and near to see tho testMnade. We were to lind tho eggs, which we did. The test was made, the diviner being worked up to a sense of his importance, created quite an excitement, and everyone was moved to' admiration—some to 'tears—at the old man's prognostications. The eggs were separated—seven cockerels and live'- pullets. Praise, adulation, etc., from the ladies present .new no bounds The writer was the ::nly unconvinced one of the gathering. It was not till many days after we released the joke that the eggs, were from oninuted hens, and would not have produced a e'hiclc of any sex. The sex of a chick is not determined till the sixth day of incubatiuu. Now I hat the hatching lime has approached, many will puzzle their brains how to minimise the production of cockerels. It *s pullets we want, and yet these cockerels will i.surp our chicken runs. You will -notice eggs laid early in the season are usually more, pointed than later, due to greater compression. As a preponderance of cockerels caine fronj each sitting {he eharacieristic was ' assigned to that shaped egg. Why more chicks turn out cockerels early in the season is a problem, unless it is ail old provision of nature that demands male birds to protect the race. Later in the season females preponderate, when safety is assured. Certain matings produce, a preponderance in favour of a certain'sex. The problem is a secret, held by Nature. It. is a good job, Ir.o. Wlw't a lovely mix up there would be if we had our way. The balance would be in favour of pullets. The egg mnrket- would I,a glutted, tho table industry starved, the foundations of tho poultry business would be ruined. If. is a kind'Naluro that saves ns from ourselves.

N.Z. UTILITY FOULTRY CLUB'S NEW COMPETITIONS. x The official 'results of the thirieentU.wcclr of the Mew Zealand Utility Poultry Club's twelfth cg-fi-layinir competition for-, fowls for the week ended Tuesday, July.ll," arc as follow:— ' - LIGHT BREEDS. ■ Total Total for . to; week. date. Verral Bros., B.'li 20 305 Brackcniield Farm, B.L 13 195 W". Davey, W.L 20 258 ,T. B. Merrett,, W.L 18 295 1!. G. Shearnuin, W.L 17 CT9 iteretaunga Poultry Co.-, W.L. .. 27 2CO H. Ball, W.L 14 273 JL A. r.ur-in, W..L 20 2J2 Dalmnir Poultry Yards, W.L. ... 14 326 Mrs. H. Graham. W.L 17 210 .1. Wordsworth, AV.L 25 186 H. K. lloss, W'L 26 259 Ji. 11. James, Wi, 13 214 C. J. Norton,-W.L ', 18 274 Alfred Eaton, W.L ' 4 278 M. H. Walker, W.L 15 184 Green Bros. (No. 2), W.L 23 273 H. Leger, AV.L ! 27 234 ,1. Nancarrow, W.L 24 315 CaMer Bros., W.L 27 3^3 It. Pounsford, W.L. 21 273 A." W. <Vdams, W.L 22 303 A. E. Phillips, W.L 28 340 T. Kennedy, W.L 17 198 V. J. Hill, W.L 5' 217 B. I'. L. Clayson, W.L. 20 254 T. E. Conway, W.L 17 239 Keretaunga. Poultry Co. (No. 1). W,L 25 291 Itangiuru Egg It.nnch, W.L 24 . 303 S. Dick, W.L 15 246 O. Gee, W.L 11 Ml 11. C. Yates, W.L 15 ■ 230 E. P. Amyes, W.L 22 281 A. E. Wilson, W.L 23 279 Mrs. J. Mills, W.L 27 319 A. G. Braile.v. W.L 16 125 Green Bros.' (No. 1). W.L 15 237 Atkinson Bros.. W.L 23 276 A. A. Hoare, W.L 20 23S L., T. Wright, W.L 27 232 To Allan Utility Stud, W.L 28 254 T. M'llwraith, ■' W.L 21 157 R. A.. Lazarus, W.L 13 213 If. W. Bower, W.L 14 182 TT. S. Woodnorlh, W.L 4 ]96 Hokov.'hitu Poultry Co., W.L. .. 5 203 l/r\lder Bros., W.L 23 291 .T. B. Merrett 'No. 1), W.L 22 211 Jack Green, W.L 19 308 Totals .-. 524 12,373 HEAVY BEEED TEST. Total Total for to , welt. dot". T. Kennedy, WAV.' 19 90 Green Bros., W.W SO 159 W. Knight, W.I'.K 29 232 A. 6. Cooper. H.1.1i 23 215 Miss E. Willis, 8.0 JJ 323 C. ,T. Xorton. 8.0 27 197 T. E. Conway, 8.0 29 316 •T. Nancarrow, 8.0 21 274 Hiss J. James. 8.0. 25 299 'P. Dowthwaite, S.W. 28 231 A. W. Adams, S;W 16 114 Totals 261 2,420 SINGLE PEN TEST. Total Total for to , _ „ week. Dat".. A. ft..Cooper (.No. 1), E.I.K. 1 41 A. N. Cooner (No. 2), It.I.I) 3 73 If. 11. James, W.L 5 71 ,T. L. Wright, W.L 3 39 Raugiuru. Egg Ranch, W.L. 5 56 Green Bros., W.I, 5 62 Calder Bros.. W.L 4 67 W. Davey, W.L 6 58 •T. Jl. J-Wrett,, W.L - »| A. E. Wilson, AV.L — 41 Mr ? . J. Mills, W.L 4 72 Atkinson Bros.. W.L 5 55 B. P. L. Clayson. W.IS 1 61 .1. Wordsworth, W.L — 2 Totals 42 724 FOIt DUCKS. Tho New Zealand Utility Poultry Club's seventh eeg-lnyine test for <lueks. Returns for the thirteenth week are as follow:— . Total Total . for to wohU. dat':.. W. Knight, I.R : 23 152 Heretuungu, Poultry Co., I.U. ... 31 365 11. W. Bower, 1.1! 38 376 Totals 92 893 Tho letters after each entry denote the hreod, as under:—B.L.. Brown Leghorn; W.L., White Leghorn; ij.W.. Silver Wyandotte; 11.1.1t., Itliode Island lied: W.W., White Wyandotte; 8.0., Black Orpington; W.P.R.. White Plymouth! Rock; 1.R., Indian Runner.