592 Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [10 July, 1!)19. 



])en3 ready to hatch out chickens for winter laying, the exact dates 

 depending upon the breed used, the climatic conditions, and methods of 

 the people doing the rearing work. The htiavy breeds being slightly 

 slower in reaching maturity require to be hatched out two or three 

 weeks earlier than the light breeds. July, August, and part of Septem- 

 ber will, in most places, be the best hatching dates for the heavy breeds. 

 Too early hatching may mean a false moult when the colder weather sets 

 in, although fhe^e birds may be safely used as breeders after being twelve 

 months old, whereas the late-hatched bird is slower in reaching maturity, 

 does not lay until the price of eggs begins to fall about mid-June, and 

 never makes a satisfactory breeder. 



How to Start. 



It may be definitelv stated that for successful poultry keeping there 

 is no such thing as a ''best" breed; if sufficient care and attention are 

 paid to any breed they can be worked up to about the 300-pgg mark. 



Laying strain is far more important tlian breed, and the question 

 of " selection " Avill be discussed later. 



Tliere are virtuall^^ three ways of making a start. 



1. Eggs. 



2. Baby chicks. 



3. One or more breeding pens. 



Any of the foregoing methods will give good results provided that 

 the buyer is prepared to ask for, pay for, and see that he gets — the best. 



Many of the prominent breeders issue catalogues of prices, and eggs 

 can be bought at almost all prices from 20s. each, down to about 4d. 

 each. These prices represent the seller's valuation of his own stock. 

 Should the buyer, therefore, grumble if the birds from the 4d. eggs do 

 not give high records? The same reasoning applies to baby chicks, 

 v\'hich can be bought from as low as 9d. or 3s. eacli and upwarch. The 

 beginner is urgently advised to get a few of the " upwards," in preference 

 to numbers of comparative low-grade chicks. 



lu purchasing stud pens, it is again far better to start with a very 

 few " top-notchers " than to buy a lot merely because they are cheap. 

 However, price alone may not in every case denote the actual quality, 

 as at times breeders have various reasons for selling, or wishing to retain 

 certain stock. There are a large number of thoroughly reliable breeders, 

 most of whom are from time to time represented in ])ublic competitions, 

 so that the novice is not entirely dependent upon advertisement to 

 determine from whose stock to select. 



Concerning Pedigrees. 



Certain terms used at times somewhat loosely regarding pedigrees 

 are apt to confuse or mislead the novice. Eight or ten birds, of perhaps 

 varying pedigrees, may be bred together with a certain cockerel. All 

 the chickens from this mating are branded with the same toe punch. One 

 pullet may be subsequently sent to a competition, and j^erform creditably, 

 when all the others of the same punch are sold as brothers and sisters, or 

 sometimes as full brothers and full sisl^ers. 



In the opinion of the writer it is a clear duty for the National Utility 

 Poultry Breeders Association to deal firmly with this matter. The use 

 of the term " full brother " or " full sister " should be only applicable 



