The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1924-01-01
Hints For Poultry Raisers.
Raising Fowls Have Brought Light Many Valuable
Points Concerning FEEDING and Heredty

the experiment station and college
work until today, in the United States
and Canada, there are over % official
egg-laying contests operated under
State and Dominion control.
1t is needless to say that these CON
tests have been a real boon to the
poultry fraternity. First of all, they
have shown us that birds differ great
ly in their ability to produce. They
have demonstrated the fact that egg
production is an inherited character,
and that if the poultry owner paid at
tention to the breeding of his birds
he would get a more satisfactory egg
production than he who lets them
breed in any hit or miss way. The
egg-laying contests have also been a
valuable factor in showing US the i'm
portance of good management.
Feeding Vital.
They have taught US that feeding
is the vital consideration; that birds
cannot lay profitably and maintain
themselves in a normal, healthy, phys
ical condition unless they are given
the raw materials which go into the
production of the product outside Of
their bodies Egg-laying contests have
taught US the value of disease proven
ton through sanitary precautions.
They have taught us the important
lesson of the value of the personal fac
tor in handling the bird; how kindness,
regularity and attendance and sys-
tenn will always result in a satisfac-
tory. profitable yield of eggs.
Contests have also introduced a
,r,oo+ oJyyo,,+iCipo, fortoY. info tho b1IS
mess, for the man who makes a cred
table showing at the egg-laying con-
tests is bound to be flooded with or
ders for stock of all kinds. So, then,
the egg-laying contests have become
a firmly established institution in our
scheme of poultry development.
The State Contest. .
One of the first contests in America
was started at the Connecticut Agri-
cultural College, at Storrs, Conn.,, 13
years ago last November. 1t was not
until the year 1920 that New York
State made a move in this direction,
at which time the New York State
egg-laying contest was established by
act of the New York State Legislature
and was supported by annual appro-
priation.
While young in years, this contest
is coming to the front rapidly and will,
as time goes on. be an ever-growing
influence for better poultry and more
efficient poultry methods. The New
York State egg-laying contest is To-
Gated on the grounds of the New York
Institute of Applied Agriculture, at
Farmingdale, L. l. The contest con-
sists of 100 pens of 10 birds each.
1t opens November 1 of each calen-
dar year and continues one year. Re
placements are allowed where birds
die from natural or accidental causes. |
In this way a full quota of 10 birds
are kept in each pen throughout the
year The birds are housed in 80 uni
form houses, each 10 by y, with yards /.
40 by 40. The focks Of two contest
ants share one house together.
Only Pure Breeds.
Only pure-bred birds, healthy and
free from physical defects, are accept |
ed for this contest. The contest is |
divided into classes according to /
breeds. and monthly and yearly prizes |
are awarded in the nature Of ribbons /
and awards of merit.
The entire fee for the New York |
State egg-laying contest is $50 for
each pen of 10 pullets for the year.
The Long Island Poultry Association
is cooperating in the management and
control of the contest and handles the .
financial end of the competition.