POULTRY NOTES.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 67, 14 March 1912, Page 2

POULTRY NOTES.

(By A. J. Goodwin.)

THE UTILITY ASPECT OF POULTRY KEEPING.

11l the past there lias been a good deal of controversy as to what constitutes utility poultry-keeping, and where comes the dividing line, between the two branches of poultry culture. The fact is gradually establishing itself. A dividing line does not exist, although a fancier’s operations and ideals differ very greatly from those of the utilitarian. There is no doubt that but for the utility value of poultry fanciers would not be nearly as numerous as at present. That fancy could exist without utility is a proven fact by the numbers of bantam and pigeon specialists, and yet 1 think exhibitions generally had their origin as a means of improving utility qualities as much as to encourage breeding for size and feather. What Constitutes a Utility Breeder? Certainly not a breeder of mongrels and first crosses only. He will he a breeder of pure-bred fowls with an eye to the utility side always (and an occasional exhibit), for very good specimens can he bred from utility matings with care and patience, and it is by keeping the standard always in mind and taking care in introducing male birds that one gets the most out of utility poultry-keeping. Again, we have specialist breeders of pure bred fowls for increasing the prolificacy only. 'lt is very doubtful whether 1 this is a : line that will stand by itself for any length of time. If close breeding he long continued there must he loss of constitution and eventually prolificacy. Also the introducing of fresh it ale birds even if distantly related and pedigree known, may or may not help forward the prolificacy of the season's chickens. Lino breeding is a necessity with utility poultry-keeping as with the fancier, but in moderation. Constitution is so very essentially a quality that utility breeders dare not take the risks a fancier may. Our aim either in breeding for table poultry or prolific layers must be to raise as large a number as possible, and all up to the mark, “constitutionally’ as far as can bo. Numbers count in utility breeding always. The markets are good for any quantity of high class table poultry and eggs. >■ The Aim of the Beginner. He will be governed a great deal by the amount of capital at command, which will restrict or otherwise’ the amount of land and size of buildings on and in which operations can be carried on. The man l of small capital and area of ground will of necessity' ha Vo! 'to idevoto himself a great deal Ito fattening poultry, l Land will have to i he!i continually buying birds for . that i purpose, as he - Nvill not be , alffe to rear sufficient numbers for a Jivelir hood on a limited area of ground. It might bo alright for one or two seasons to cover every available foot of ground,_ hut must .eventually end in disaster. Thus, while establishing himself in convenient position for good markets lie must pot get Too T:|r away* from a n’eignc/bnrnobd Tvhe’rc 1 chickens can be 'bought ready for’ the fattening process. ' I*!,' - should also commence operations’ for producing a good 'strain of layers and of a pure breed. By a careful speculation and persistent effort he will become possessed of a useful flock of fowls, and in course of time he, will have both cockerels and pullets of sufficient merit to offer for sale at remunerative prices for breeding purposes. Birds inferior in type and lacking constitution should not ho placed on the market as ■ machines for reproducing- their kind. Too many such change hands, and are a source of disappointment and loss to the buyers, also spoiling the sale of reliable stock by damping the confidence of buyers. Selection of Breed. In selecting a breed it must necessarily be suitable for fattening and also for crossing for table purposes. A brqed possessing a white skin and legs is preferable to one having either yellow or black legs and black plumage. for black plnmaged birds have not- so nice an appearance when dressed.

The different varieties of Orpingtons and Sussex fowls are among the best for the purpose. Among the most suitable breeds from which to purchase cockerels for crossing purposes with the object of producing quick-growing table chickens are Indian Game, Old English Game, Dorking and Houdan. Those two last breeds if crossed with Orpingtons, Sussex, or any similar breed, produce pullets which prove most excellent layers, and further, are in turn the very thing to cross again with Game cockerels. The pullets produced from Game crosses should all bo killed as soon as large enough, as they are only indifferent layers. Should any reader have a flock .of these pullets (and I have, often met with them in good numbers among farmers’ fowls) the most profitable cross I know of is to procure a light Brahma cockerel with as little leg feather as possible. This cross will produce a splendid fowl for coop feeding. They arc such good feeders and fatten up at a young age into compact chickens of good appearance. Ancthsr Utility Lir.9. We will now suppose the woukl-bo poultry-keeper has a fair amount of capital but is limited in area of land available. AVo will suppose also that experience is not lacking. The day-old chick trade should prove the most suitable lino of operations. A range of breeding pens will bo necessary for I accommodating some of the most popu-i lar varieties of fowls, and these should j bo selected with the greatest care to j ensure good vigorous stock of good j laying strains. Several incubators,

wil] be required to keep up a regulai supply and to ensure eggs being in cubated while perfectly fresh. Foster-mothers, too, ivill bo required to rear a certain proportion of tin chickens hatched, to be later sold a; utility cockerels and pullet: for breeding purposes. Som. will cbo. retained for future oper actions, and a certain proportion wi 1 he disposed of as table chickens as o not sufficient merit for breeding pur poses. A larger amount of capita is required for this branch of poultry keeping than many would imagine A margin will bo necessary, as it take: some time to build .up a sufficient trade for a livelihood, and a good deal of advertising will bo necessary. Care ful and conscientious handling of or ders will in time bring many repea' orders and reduce advertising expense; somewhat. - i The Man of Capital j . / can .make a good start in any dircc t i on.' Ho can choose his, surround itigs.'with moi;6 leisure, and can make a careful study of what is likely to pay best in the locality in .which ho ev cntually settles. He will do well t< Specialise in the line offering the her. local market. Probably the ncw-lait egg trade will be worth first consideration, in which case to breed up a lint of first-class layers will appeal as of first importance; Here again it wil bo more profitable to specialise in a popular variety than to mix up op erations in all and sundry varieties ol poultry. A large number of chickens will need to be reared during tin early months of the year to ensure eggs during autumn and wintei months. Sittings of eggs for hatch ing and day-old chickens may he sole 1 during the months when new-laid egg; are cheap and plentiful. Fruit cultxpr and bee-keeping should also be under taken, and also a portion of land should be cultivated for producing roots for winter nso and crops of grecr food for the summer mouths. The Small Holder. This class of utility poultry-kecpo: will combine all branches of fruit and vegetable cuture, bee-keeping and pig keeping. Ho will cater for the supply iug of best quality table poultry and new-laid eggs, and to be most success ful will commence operations witliii easy reach of a town having a large and growing population. A man ol good business ability, by supplying first-class produce, will soon cstablisl a good connection, and it is this comhi nat ion which will suit the man oi moderate capital. There must bt sufficient capital and also practical experience in the branches of work tf be undertaken. Among -would-be poul-try-keepers wo often find capital without experience, and, again, experience without capital. The combi nation is not the rule. The general fanner who makes utility poultry part of Ids op orations will, of course, follow such lines as appear most profitable and adaptable to the class of farming in which he is interested. Utility Creecfs of Poultry. We will now consider the breeds of poultry and first’crosses most suitable for utility poultry-farming. Among heavy or sitting varieties will be buff, white and spangled Orpingtons, white and buff Wyandottes, light mid other varieties of Sussex fowls, Rhode Island Reds, and barred, buff, and white Rocks. Of light or non-sitting varieties, Houdans, if bred with small crests, will prove profitable layers and chickens good table birds. White Leghorns of the American type for eggs on ly. Tl ic cockerels are poor table birds, and should bo killed at a young ago. There is a good market for white Leghorn cockerels for farmyards, am! among cottagers’ fowls for crossing to improve laying. Many people mix up first crosses indiscrimatoly, mating light breed with light, and heavy breed with heavy, without regard to plum ago effect and what plumage effect will be the result of a cross can only lie arrived at by experiment in some eases. The effect is often quits different from expectations-. Two light breeds intc-rmated wil!

| produce good laying pullets but indifferent table chickens in cockerels. Thus it mostly pays best to cross a light and heavy breed together for producing layers. Black Minorca cockerels, dubbed, crossed with buff Orpington hens produce a fowl of pleasing appearance and very hardy and good layers, also the cockerels are fair table birds, having a good breast. White Leghorn crossed with, white Wyandotte or Light Sussex would produce good layers of nice appearance. Many useful crosses might be mentioned, such as Houdan-Faverolles and Minorca-Langshan. The Andalusian, too, is a splendid layer and hardy fowl, very useful in a farmyard, but not now kept in any great quantities anywhere. I have before mentioned the most useful crosses among the heavy or sitting varieties of fowls, and beyond saying that for general purposes (by which I mean the poul-try-keepers who. do not depend ov fattening poultry as ti c chief. means of livelihood), the (Indian and Old English Game are used for crossing with any sitting variety for producing table chickens. Here utility .poultry-keep-ers depend chiefly on the fancier for cockerels of these varieties as birds not suitable for exhibiting answer well For crossing purposes. Waterfowl must now claim our attention. There are not in this country many establishments entirely devoted to waterfowl, out most poultry-keepers with pond or stream at command keep few or many, according to locality. That there is a ready and surprising sale for well-fattened ducks in almost any locality goes without question. The best breed for producing table •lucks' of good size and quality of flesh is the Aylesbury, growing very quickly, and producing a very pleasing sight when soon in large numbers on stream or meadow. The Rouen duck grows to a good size, but is slow, and docs not fatten so readily or possess the clean appearance of a white duck when dressed. I have- seen .very large and good quality birds produced by crossing Rouen and Aylesbury, and birds that have come to table at a young age. However, for profitable trading pure breeding gives the best returns. The Pekin is not grown to a large extent in this country, although very popular in America, The other varieties of ducks belong more to the fancier than the utilitarian. The breeding of geese in some localities parr, well especially if plenty of grass land •is available, such as common land or poor pasturage. The Embdon is the favourite table variety, .and first crosses with this variety and the Toulon so.'■ Enormous quantities ,of Irish gee so are annually imported, .and spread all over the country for .fattening! : These do not make the weights of English goose, and it,is■ not often, vary large geese are required, a goose of 101 b or 15lb finding the quickest sale. Irish go ora weigh anything between 101 b and 151 b, and very seldom go beyond. Turkeys and Guinea Favyls are very profitable where space is ample. An unfettered existence for the breeding stock is essential. Orchards and plantations with opportunities to roam at. will without annoyance to neighbours. The rearing and feeding of these and other poultry are subjects for special articles, and I am sure I must finish with the hope that I have made my subject of interest. N.Z. UTILITY POULTRY CLUB. Pullets. W. Nixon (28) ... ... 1575 Heretaunga Poultry Co. (30) ... 1375 A. R. Browne (24) ... ... 1373 W. Nixon (29) 1362 T. Kennedy (27) ... ... ... 1327 A. Tisch (27) 1318 Misses Bradley (14) ... ... 1311 Mrs Mills (29) .> 1299 Ducks. Heretaunga Poultry Co. (11) ... 1332 W. Knight (0) 1311 A. R. Browne (10) ... ... 1195 P. J. Keller (9) 1178