Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-10-21
LESSONS DRAWN FROM
ECC-LAY|NC CONTESTS
Stimulated Poultry Production All
Over the Country, and Established
Values as Shown by Reports.
GAIN VALUABLE INFORMATION
Trap-Ncst Records Prove That In
tcnsive Husbandry Is Practicable.
Things Learned at Contests About
breeding.

tralia and New Zealand have been con
Quoting egg laying contests with con-
h abb |" ts'' soms OBJ 81
tanned ~ these contests wcr. SO
Phenomenal that they we're questioned
an this country, for the reason that
no official cffor; had been made TO de-
,ernIine the egg producing possibilities
OF the American hen. The splendid
improvement; III egg production report
cd from these foreign competitions AZ
las; began 10 bear trui, aud similar
contests were started in this country.
From the trSn they have been sue
cess and have added greatly TO our
knowledge of poultry anaEcmCnt.
one OF the most importan, features
;hat has made for tho success OF tho
contests is the STRAIGHTFORWARD way in
whjch they are managed. As Gen-
Tho supervision OF an official poultry
man OF the state wherein they are
located. This. means that the records
aye trustworthy. since the men in
charge are disintercsted except from
the standpoint of scientific progress
substantial buildings and yards are
provided for the various pens OF birds
entered. The owner Of each pen Of
layers pays an entrance fee. The birds
entered remain the property OF the
"wner, but The. eggs arc sold by the
funds used to help carry il on. M
l'on. competing in egg production arc
maintained under precisely the same
conditions OF housing. yarding. feed
equal chance.
Wore Than n Contest.
. n connection with some OF tho con
experiments are being conducted. and
Judging from tho results thus far oh
aimed this work bids fair 10 be of
considerable value TO the industry. at
large.
The aim OF all laying compcti-
Tcricnccd breeders have long since
Of strain OF family. rather than breed.
'rhrs poin; has been brought TO the at
icntion OF the public by the csg-laying
contests as never before. In one OF
The foreign competitions the winning
pen of LeGhorns produced 1881 eggs
during the year. while another pen OF
thc same breed had only $50 cggS 20
It's credit Both pens were pure bred
leghorns. yet one averaged to produce
about twice as many eggs. Another
illustration OF the oft-madc statement
nat there is no one best breed for
ceg production is seen in the results
IF five contests conducted in Missouri.
Two were won by I.eghorns. two by
Barred Rocks and one by Rhode Is
land Reds
Careful observation of the trap-nest
records OF the contests has established
some interesting and valuable correla-
lions between external characteristics
= i.t eSE ln0Sp OIL great
est value to the practical poultry
keeper are. time of molting and the ac-
lion OF the body pigment in yellow
skinned breeds.
Valuable Information Cleaned.
~ comparing the time OF melting
With the trap-nest records OF great
'nanE individuals. it has been shown
t tn"' the mediocre Hayer sheds her
high producing hen does not mott un
M several weeks later. II you have
ever closely observed flock Of lay
crs along about The first OF October
YOU Viii have noticed that the plum
age of number Of birds was clean.
bright and glossy. while that OF some
% '"c 0thers was dirty. dull and rag
sed. The latter group arc the work
EFa,-tnc ones that are keeping the egg
basket full.
Ia this particular correlatio he
llo'. we have valuable factor which
may be successfully applied in every
pou!try yard, The removal of tho
cary ino!ters means that the nonpro-
era! chiciency Of the flock very much
improved thereby. In these days Of
conservation 1t is tho duty OF every
po"IorT grower TO cu!l the loatcrs, so
us 70 utilize the food they consume in
ma ihtainirS the more profitable birds.
me results obtained from studies of
49,, 80 acnon OF body pigment in con-
nection with egg production have al
ded further practical information. |,
IS now well known that the BODY pir
nent o. yellow sk inncd varieties .-rad :
LILY tadcs out - heavy laying hens as
nc season of.egs' production advances,
hlfas that exhibit bright yellow legs
una ye!lo" vents during the early
spginS months will. if they produce
'ti parts' $" that By tho nrst OF
'Si"Dcr the shanks and vent will he
pale or almos; white.
Proper Use OF NnIc>
number Of color readings made
one OF the Connecticut egg laying
nc tesnorms that had pale vents laid
from $40 10 $50 eggs while only 81
cH"t OF these birds laid from 0
d1eii'oGn 81 esS 'h FRA Iyer RAJ egg pro.
N"ats vas l55i. while for those hov.
'hE pale vents il was 1Gl.
ne average egg production Of the
i-!mouih Flock having pale vents Sas
tI6.a. whereas tho average Tor .br,ss
NJ N'nr yellow vents was Il93 II, thc
w indoites u" bids with pale vents
%nSfa&ed 30 tsss and those with
40 oi'os observed. 20 per cent n,
.Hose that had palc vents produced
~ W to 20 eggs. while Of tho
, ,'tt.S ,n"N' ne ytilow vents only s per
'c;.i !ald zoo egg. or more
iffioro the advent Of having cnn
tts'S nc -"u-cSE hen was considcra hi,
HI ~ - Hto oi,h In fact. the public had
tnc% came from reliable sources. Nov
ihi* has all been changed and la-rclL
through thc educational work Of m,
competitions. To- day The pen tina, cav
hot produce around 80 eggs per her
mas practically no chance in ,,linc
nome tho blue ribbon This sni,ndiT
showing In egg production has s,inu.
'hfcd poultry breeders cvcrywhcr, !,
rNsh g-cater efforts in breeding.
not The least in value Of tic man,
inportant points established by IN,
contests Is the fact that having hon.
WI. produce. Just as many eggs with.
on male In the pen. EXCEPT where
bEscolng experiments are carried or
nrre IF the pens in the contests cor.
ih'ii 'aa.es. yet all OF the hens i'm In,
icadih2 contests have averaged 10 Ia,
lose 10 100 eggs during the wear
ms Is strong proof that the presenc,
% 'ne male is not essential 20 maxi.
mum production
~ proving this point the work O.
me contests has been OF inestf,nabI,
- luc in connection With The country
vac campaigns Of the Federal ant
Siaic governments 10 eliminate tic
rooster as soon as the Matching sea,
son rs over. II is the fertile egg ,hat
SP"liS the quickest II We can prevent
production during hot su-nmo,
month";, saving Of thirty or fnrr
inAlton dollars worth OF eggs Mi
be made
blow AZ Monrreiism.
= very lCA1