POULTRY NOTES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 217, 1 June 1918, Page 13

POULTRY NOTES

[By '■Chanticleer. , ')'

Duck Eggs and Winter Laying. Wiitchins thu, rcajilts of tho egg-laying compotitione, the 'laying of tho clucka attract attention,' the number of eggs laid in somo instances eclipsing that of the iums, and ouu.is tempted 10 believe that keeping a lloek of ducks would jjrove to bo iiiore; prolHablo than keeping lawls, because ho corn is required,' anil expeiieive foods are not, essential.. : Tho production of wheat in New Zealand ie slowly and surely decreasing, and if eggs can be produced by ducks in satisfactory numbers without feeding corn, why keep hens? At this stage of our reasoning, it is advisable to view .the. question from a commercial standpoint. The prejudice against duck egg.3 has admittedly to a certain extent been broken, but not wholly. To that section of tho community who have to expend considerable physical exertion in gaining a livelihood, duck eggs are generally enjoyed as much ae hen eggs, whilb those following a sedentary occupation usually prefor.lhe smaller and unquestionably the moro tasty hen egg. This position obtains whilst'the price ia reasonable (about Is. 6d. a dozen), nfler. which tho demand for duck eggs gradually weakens, and when tho prices reaches 2s. and over per dozen, eggs are beyond the purchasing power of the largo majority; and those who can aflord to purebnso eggs for the breakfast table will not buy duck eggs.. This .is an undeniable fact, and it may,bo news to soirie of.our readers to leai'ri that during the last few weeks, a certain well-known establishment has found it impossible to get, orders for duck eggs, and have had to sell them to pastrycooks "at per pound,: although as much as 2s. 6d. per dozen had been paid out for them. This statement can bo verified, and should be a warning to breeders who oontemplato converting the fowlhouses Into shelters for ducks. The temptation to do so is great, but to shut our eyes to facts will bring disappointment. High prices for duel; ecus must not be expected, nnd it would not take a, very larjto number for the supply to eicecd the demand. The Price of Eggs.

TJi'e sharp drop in prices during tho last few uaj'a suoula Bivuiood for tlirout'lit to iu'oiluci'i'B -wlio iidvouiUo tho policy of advancing tho nna'a as liigh us bouio folk 'nro Mining to pay. Wliai has iiappeuou this spasou ie a repetition of what lias happened other seasons, when tlio price soared as high as to be qiiito beyond thu .reach of the general puQlio. Tnere aro some comtnoditiea lliut are indinpoueable. iV'ot so with eggii for the brcakl'ael. table, for whatever me prio'j of poulLry foods, or whatever adverse circumstances producers may have to conteud with, there is a limit to the price that tho public will consent to pay. Exceed that, and stocks will' commence to .immediately accumulate. ' If that ia allowed ■ they cannot ho guaranteed as fre9h,- and complaints will certainly bo made. It follows, thou, that the consumer must be coaxed to again give an. order, and that is more easiy said than done.' I'coplo : can get used to doing without eggs, nnd it takes weeks to again create a demand. Meanwhile stocks have, beeu banking up and a drop- of 6d. or more a dozen , in one weelc frequently hap : pens. Last season, it. waa decided, by a. number of producers to instruct their agent to try and keep up a demand tor eggs "throughout'the winter, and -not to; allow tho price to exceed 2u. 3d. per dozen, -however keen tile. demand.. For ten consecutive weeks 2s. 3d. was the figures qnotcd, and it is this policy that specially commends itself to all who will .take the trouble .to balance their returns over the period "for"the two seasons.. Butter and ees» as-'a'- perishable marketable article,' could be bracketed. When, milk is flush so also aro egge, and vice versa. It then ws watch tho prices quoted for butter, we do not find it to be 3s. per pound In the winter. A steady demand has been encouraged by a price acceptable to tho consumer. Is not this a sound policy? Headers should give it their consideration, and if the answer be in the affirmative should not allow their agent to get as .much as he can, but" from' oi April to about the■ .second.week in June place a maximum on tho price to be asked, and results will", prove to bo. the more satisfactory to all concerned. ~