THE POULTRY YARD

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 466, 22 September 1928, Page 30

THE POULTRY YARD

(By

GEO. H. AMBLER.)

Old Breeds Overlooked

IX the old days of Aladdin’s Wonderful Lamp, the huckster who went through the streets crying, “New lamps for old,” had no difficulty in collecting all the old lamps in town. People readily traded the old for the new, while, according to the story, there was one lamp worth the whole collection, and the huckster got it. To those choosing a breed of poultry we would suggest a fuller consideration of the merits of the older breeds.

Many a fancier has found his Aladdin's lamp, the kind of feathered favourites that have filled his leisure time with interest and pleasure, brought him some convenient cash, and which to him has been worth all the other varieties put together. Nor has he always found it among breeds of recent origin. If he had been chasing the latest novelty he would never have found it at all. The altogether disproportionate popularity of a few varieties is a fact which makes our poultry shows topheavy. To experienced and thoughtful poultrymen, familiar with the wide range of choice among standard breeds, and familiar with the sterling merits of the older varieties, the pranks of “popularity” are often a matter of regret and something of a puzzle. The question cannot be avoided, as one passes through the country: Why this unending recurrence of a few breeds Would we have this tiresome monotony if people knew the standard varieties and felt free to select what they most admired? A few observations as to what really are the factors controlling selection of a poultry breed with the generality of people may not be without interest. With that class of poultrymen who keep fowls for profit alone, or profit derived only from eggs and table fowls, this article is not specially concerned. If these people keep a definite breed and do not disfigure the landscape with flocks of mongrels, poultry-lovers have at least that to be thankful for. That only the most

| widely-advertised breeds are profitable is to them a natural supposition. They pay no attention to the uncommon varieties; indeed, hardly Know of their existence. BEAUTY RECEIVES HARO KNOCKS There is another poultry-keeper who represents a large class. This man would be keeping birds of a more beautiful and less common type if he followed his own choice or that of his wife and family. His home and garden show a love of the beautiful. Good taste, with a touch of originality, appear everywhere until you go to see his poultry. These are just like his neighbour’s birds. In conversation, it is explained that Mrs. Smith and the children wanted a breed of striking beauty seen at the poultry show, but other influences decided the choice. On the whole, there is no subject more discussed among neighbours than hens. No sooner does Mr. Smith begin to build his poultry house than advice begins to pour in over the garden fence. The breeds other than selfcoloured ones come in for hard knocks. Mr. Smith has a reputation for business shrew’dness to maintain and cannot afford for aesthetic reasons to keep fowls that eat their heads off. Therefore, he decides to go on practical lines and invests in a couple of guinea-setting of eggs from Jamieson’s three hundred-egg strain, winners in all the laying contests in the world. This story w-as from Mrs. Smith, by way of apology for the looks of her hens. She further confessed that they were performing no miracles as layers. Later the Smiths took other advice, got the breed they wanted at first; visitors admired them; the children loved, petted and fed them and, most surprising of all, they beat the heavy layers in the egg basket. NEW BUT NOT ALWAYS BEST The adoption of a new variety is, in many cases, brought about by the impression that, just because it is new,

it is likely to be an all-round improvement on older breeds, and may be expected to excel them in all utility points. This idea may be honestly held by its originators and it certainly pays the boosters of the new variety to cultivate it, but it is misleading for the reason that utility excellence is not a matter of breed or variety, hut of stock. In the oldest breeds may be found improved strains carefully selected and bred with an eye to prolificacy and constitutional vigour. Much is heard of high prolificacy from White Leghorns, by no means a aew breed. Heavy laying stock can also be found among Light Brahms, Barred Rocks and Langshans, which now rank among the older races of fowl. As for the Hamburghs, justly ranked as a beautiful breed, if there are many poor layers among them we have never heard of it. Laying is an incurable habit with them, as it is with Wyandottes, which inherit prolificacy from them. Hamburgh blood was deliberately infused into the Orpingtons for that purpose. The old Black Spanish also is an inveterate layer, and the more recent Minorcas are not unlikely. Anconas and Leghorns owe something to their blood. In view of these facts can there be a more absurd supposition than that the new breeds, because they are new, excel the old ones as egg-producers? OLD RACES IMPROVE Some are influenced by the notion that while the older breeds were good in their day, they have “run out. It is probable that potatoes, wheat and other seeds, which supply the analogv, run out. not because the variety itself deteriorates, but because the soil on which they are reared becomes deficient in the foods those particular varieties need. Plainly, this ■ i« a wrong idea when applied to races of live stock. In good hands the old races of fowl improve in feather, size, vigour and production. In poor hands, neglected and poorly bred, the best of the recent breeds will assuredly run down in all these qualities. Beginners are sometimes prejudiced against varieties of poultry having the more elaborate parti-coloured feather pattern, whether old or new, simpiy because of their attractive appearance. They have been told that such are show birds purely and simply. It is said that their owners in the effort to get the feather have inbred them to such an extent that they are good for nothing but to look at. Cases are known of fanciers who sacrifice everything for feathers, but in the nature of the case that practice cannot be long continued. The leading men in the best and most widely reared varieties are reaping their reward for persistent work and breeding through an immense : amount of advertising and outlay. j