lo Feb., 1909.] 



Utility Poultry Keeping. 



115 



Plymouth Rock is also a breed which has improved in all-round 

 qualities during the past few years. Several breeders have imported 

 high class stock from America, that are not only good table birds, but 

 have also proved themselves exceptionally prolific egg producers. This 

 combination must bring them into a prominent position. The yellow 

 shanks of the Rocks were at one time against them as table birds, but 

 this has changed, and they are now quite as saleable in London and 

 Manchester as either white or pink legged birds. 



Langshans are very good layers, and the young stock are hardy and 

 easily reared. They are, however, somewhat slow in developing, and 

 for this reason the young birds have to be kept rather long before they 

 are readv for market. 



AMERICAN PLYMOUTH ROCKS. 



Good winter layers, and noted for their table properties. Imported by Mr. G. E. 



Andrew. 



Dorkings are certainly a breed which carry a fair amount of flesh. 

 Some strains of this variety are also fair layers, while others are very 

 inferior. As chickens they give their owners considerable trouble in 

 rearing. Although one of the oldest English breeds they are kept in 

 very occasional instances in our State, and in numbers are very far 

 behind all of the breeds of recent production. When all things are 

 favorable Dorkings succeed very well. 



The game family includes a number of varieties, the strongest point 

 in favour of them all being their table qualities, but as layers they are 

 not as good as the breeds already mentioned. 



Age of Birds, 



When a hen has completed her second laying season it is, as a general 

 rule, the best plan to get rid of her, and replace her with a j^uUet. There 

 may be, perhaps, an occasional case where this rule may be broken, but 

 it should only be where an extra good egg producer is coiicerred. The 

 following table gives the result of an egg-laying competition for second 

 season hens held last year at the Hawkesbury Agricultural College 

 (N.S.W.). It will be seen that the 240 hens averaged nearlv 124 eggs 

 each for the 12 months, while the 978 pullets in the competition previously 

 referred to averaged 177 eggs each for the same time, being 53 eggs 

 more fronQ each pullet for the 12 months. 



