A Poultry Keeper's Experience.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 350, 13 March 1889, Page 5

A Poultry Keeper's Experience.

We have received the following from a subscriber :—: —

To the Eoitoe.— Would you kindly inform me through your valuable paper if Bantams, when exhibited, ought to be dubbed as Game fowls are, as some of the judges seem to have a difference of opinion on this subject ? lam very fond of poalbry, and take a great interest in everything I see in your journal respecting them. I have myself a good many different varieties — White and Brown Leghorns, Andalusians, Dark Brahmas, Plymouth Rocks, Houdans, and a few other varieties. I have obtained some of these from some of the poultry fanciers who have advertised in your columns. I wish to ask you a few questions about some of these breeds, and tell you my experience. The Plymouth Rocks I >vas very much disappointed with, as they did not turn out to be what they have beeu represented. White and Brown Leghorns and Andalusians I have always heai'd were good layers. I find by keeping an account of the different number of eggs that they lay every alternate day. Could you kindly inform me in what way I could improve them ? Would they improve if I got new male birds? It was a long time before I could be persuaded to keep Dark Brahmas, as I understood they were bad layers, and were always wanting to sit. I mid, however, they are the very best layers I have, and very raiely sit at all, and when they do they are very easily broken off. I have obtained some Wyandotte eggs fiom Mr Bluck, and I have succeeded in raising about nine out of thirteen, and I am with great interest waiting the result of these. If this would not be of interest to other readers of the Farmer, I would be very much obliged if you would kindly answer my questions about the Bantams, and how to improve the White and Brown Leghorn and Andalusian. — Subscriber. Wangarei, January 22, 1889.

With reference to the above we may say that we want as many letters of this kind as possible from our readers. Let them tell us exactly how things turn out with them and ask any reasonable questions they like. "Dubbing," or cutting off the comb and wattles of male birds is a fashion only practised with iowls of the Game breed. Some of the most popular varieties of Bantam 3 are of this breed, and these are usually clubbed for show purposes. At some shows there are different classes for dubbed and undubbed Game 3. When no special class for unclubbed birds is provided it is to be assumed that all the Game cocks exhibited, are to be dubbed. In all main points the same rules are followed in judging Game bantams as prevail with other varieties of the Game breed. Of course, there are many other varieties of bantams besides the Game, none of which require to be dubbed. We gave a somewhat detailed account of these not so long ago. With regard to your experience of Plymouth Rocks, we have always warned our x'eaders that there was a very great difference in the laying and other merits of different strains. We have received the best accounts from some people who keep Plymouth Rocks as to their laying qualifies not breeders wishing to sell), and we have also heard from others that they were much disappointed with them. Naturally results will depend a great deal on treatment and the favourableness or otherwise of their surroundings, but?, as we have said, there is a great difference in one strain of Plymouth Rocks and another. While on thi3 subject of laying capacity we would say, as we have stated many times in these columns, that with any breed it is advisable to build up your laying flock by individual selection of hens. Always set the esrgs of your best laying hens, and if your flock is only a mongrel one you will very aoon see the difference you will thus bring about in average laying capacity. Our correspondent's experience with Leghorns and Andalusians surprises us, if he means to convey thattheseason's egg production of these breeds was less than heobtaiued from his dark Brahmas. A hen may, of course, lay only every alternate day, and yet lay more eggs in the year than a hen that lays every day. The only way to test hens of different breeds is to keep a record of their respective performances for twelve mouth?, Non-sitters, a3 we have frequently stated, are seldom good winter layers, unless you have them laying as early hatched pullets. But we must say that tor long continued laying we have never kept anything to beat a good White Leghorn. We had one hen of this breed that, although she had all she could eafc, would lay herself to a condition as light as a feather. Of Andalusians we have had no personal experience, but we know tha!; the family they belong to, the Spanish, is justly celebrated for egg production. The only way to improve the laying qualities of any flock is by the means we have above indicated, viz., by careful culling, and selection of eggs from only the best layers for setting purposes. Your Brahmas are certainly peculiar if they have so little propensity to sit. It is a great mistake to suppose that Biahmas are bad layers, but except in one or two individual cases we have never known any Brahma that " very rarely sat," and we have lively recollections of the job it was to break some of them off sitting. Mr Lewis Wright, as is well known, wa3 an ardent admirer of Brahmas, indeed had what some people might term a perfect " fad " for this breed. He writes : " The fecundity of the hens (Brahmas) is very great. It is true the production of eggs is considerably interfered with by the propensity to sit ; but in spite of this, there are many which will produce over 150 eggs per annum, which is a very high average." In thecase of this breed, as in that of others, there are great individual differences in hens, but that Brahams have a strong tendency to sit hard and often will be the verdict of at least nino out of ten people who have kept them. Their chief drawback a3 a profitable variety is the fact that they take so long to mature as compared with some other varities, the pullets not laying as a rule at nearly so early an age as those of most other breeds. At the same time we have always maintained that the Brahma has great and undeniable merits, and under good management can be kept with profit. Early hatched Brahma pullets, properly cared for and fed, have been known to lay at a few days over five months old, but this is a very exceptional case. The Wyandottes you will find a most useful and satisfactory breed if your experience is the same as our own. They develop young, lay very well, and keep in flesh easily. They are also easy to rear, and attain a good size, but you will find it difficult to breed them up to the picture specimens as to feather marking. We should say you are keeping far too many different varieties to do well with any, unless you can afford to spend a good deal of money on yards and wire fences, and have unlimited time to attend to the fowls yourself.