The San Francisco call., 1910-03-22
EGG LAYING CONTESTS
POPULAR IN AUSTRALIA

Egg laying competitions are quite
popular in Australia, reports United
States consular agent, and at the pres
ent time each Australian state is run
ming at least one competition, the
state poultry experts having general
supervision over them. In nearly all
of the Australi lian states wheat forms a
leading part OF the diet of the poultry
in these competitions. In Tasmania,
however, conditions are different from
the mainland of Australia in that very
little wheat is produced and much has
10 be imported, so that wheat diet
for poultry is not good business
proposition for Tasmanian farmers
This has led TO trial of oats at the
present egg laying competition which
] visited, high grade oats being very
abundant In Tasmania, with always a
surplus for export The competition
has now been going on for seven
months and the results, so far, have
exceeded the most sanguine expecta-
tions Of the poultry expert. The lead
ing pen of six white Leghorns laid S26
eggs in seven months, including the
winter period.
. The oats are white, heavy feed,
given all the year round at the even
ing meal In the morning mash there
is a more or less balanced ration. For
instance, in ordinary weather the
would have on consecutive mornings
a certain proportion of ground corn.
ground barley and ground peas mixed
with the mash. However if the
weather is wet and cold the birds have
ground corn added to the mash
whether it is the right morning for
them TO have it or not; on the other
weather the corn would be left out
and cut green food added.
r. J. Terry, Tasmanian poultry ex-
pert. in connection with this competi-
tion has put into successful practice
an original and novel idea of feeding
green food TO the fowls, so that the
food may be taken as il grows, with
out, however, the fowls tearing it UP
at the roots. The plan is as follows
A portion of the ground is dug 4
inches deep and sown with various
seeds. The green stuff as it grows is
covered by a wooden frame, composed
Of by inch timber on which wire
netting is very tightly stretched, so
that il is inches above the roots of
the crop. which the birds are thus pre-
vented from scratching or disturbing.
The birds apparently take pleasure in
walking on top OF the wire and eating
the green leaves that protrude through
the netting. Their manure fertilizes
the soil and increases the luxuriance
of the growth.
At the time of my visit a thick crop
Of Algerian oats had been sown. 20
gether with lucerne or alfalfa, the
idea being that the oats formed a
nurse crop for the lucerne, which
came up very quickly. and after they
We're finished the lucerne was a per-
manent crop to take their place The
frames which / saw at the competition
were about 9 by ) feet and were suf-
ficient for dozen birds each. OF
course. any sized frame might be used
and quite a variety of crops sown to
suit the various climatic or soil con-
dtions. This idea seems to have rem
edied a long felt trouble, in fowls
scratching up the food growing for
their diet Where there is plenty OF
land for the fowls TO get about this
trouble may not be serious, but for
the small farmer who has only a lin
ited amount of space available for
growing green stun for his fowls the
idea seems to have much practical
value.
Terry, the poultry expert who
showed me the hens in the competi-
tion. stated that for intense egg pro-
duction a large amount of lime and
bone forming material must be sup
piled TO the birds. He said:
You have to feed them unnaturslly. and has
IL ever occurred to you what you asking the
modern hen 10 accomplish is against What ma
fnre intended her to dos A natural hen would
lay at the most "a eggs in the year; she would
he called upon TO produce "a egg shells and q
frames Of chickens. because, remember, that the
frame OF the chick has 20 be contained in the
egg or the egg is not laid. Now the hen has
3Ss DAYS to gather and store this frame forming
material; but asking the modern com
mercial bon TO lay $50 10 $50 eggs, with $50 Il
$50 egg shells, and therefore $50 TO $50 frames OF
chickens must be formed Therefore. you have
o assist her by what might be termed unna tura
Feeding Fortunately ground bone and shell gri
II cheap. ] find that green food can be fed il
much larger quantities than was aware Of. and
takes the place of bran 10 a considerable extent
] place lueerne first, clorers next, and ther
green grains.