36 — 
journals in the world, an illustration of a 
Winte Leghorn which had laid 180 
eggs. We have 25 pens which. have ex- 
ceeded that total by 28 pérhen. Even 
the Brown Leghorns, which were poorly 
represented averaged 188, and the Black 
Leghorns 160. The Minorcas put up the 
magnificent fotal ot 195, and the Black 
Orpintons, which included some really 
‘good birds, finished with the respectable 
total of 180 eggs per hen. It must not be 
assumed, however, that I advocate the 
Black Orpington being turned into a 
sprinter. In my opinion only one fowl 
should be bred purely for egg production 
and that is the White Leghorn. The 
Silver Wyandottes came out with the 
satisfactory average of 153 eggs per 
hen, and naturally I am very pleased, be- 
cause in season and out of season I have 
advocated the Silvers as one of our most 
useful all-round average breeds. The 
Wyandotte is essentially a farmer’s 
fowl, not the best layer of course, but it® 
- flesh production is good, and it is an ex- 
cellent table bird. A good deal of interest 
was taken in the Langshans, with which 
Mr. G. Toseland occupied fourth place in 
the heavy breed section. As one of the 
original breeds of fowls the Langshan has: 
always been interesting to breeders. It 
occupies rather a unique position because 
it is distinct from the other Asiatic 
breeds, as it has white skin and white 
flesh.’ 
The Moulting Period. 
annually cast off its old feathers. This 
casting off is known as moulting. The 
process of moulting begins ~ in the 
summer. The bird, by the thinning of 
_its garments, is helped to withstand the 
excessive heat then experienced Later 
- on, and before the old plumage becomes — 
too scanty, a crop of sprouting new 
feathers is to be seen in any bird that is 
handled. Thus it is that the old feathers 
discarded, the bird is prepared by new 
and warm plumage to bear the brunt of 
the change of temperature that is natural 
_ at the fall of the year. 
The moulting period is therefore ex- 
tended for a number of weeks, according 
. 
“THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
to the age, constitution, and treatment of 
the birds. 
Poultry is what we are immediately 
concerned with. Owing to the somewhat 
unnatural conditions in which they are— 
kept, and the excessive production re- 
quired of them; poultry are frequently 
hard put to bear the transition state 
caused by the moulting of the feathers 
and the removal of their plumage. There- 
fore, it is the poultry-keeper’s province 
and duty to give great attention to the 
stock at this particular period. -With 
bird life brought up under natural con- 
ditions, only the robust have a chance of 
living. An enemy is always in waiting 
for the weak ones. The ‘survivals of the 
fit-test’ are not only robust, but they are 
not reduced by ov r-production, as are 
our poultry. A bird ‘in the wild’ pro- 
duces eggs for two cr three nests during 
its breeding season, but poultry are 
expected to lay at least 150 eggs a 
Each of these eggs will weigh 
quite two ounces. Therefore, at that 
standard of production, the hen will have 
produced eggs that weigh over 17]b , or, in 
other words, quite four times her own 
weight. Think, then, what a strain it 
must be to the fowl, after having produced 
so much, that she then has to undertake 
the replenishment of her wardrobe from 
her own body. : 
Fortunately, the function of moulting 
and the renewal of the plumage is a 
gradual one. And this dual function 
can be materially assisted by the intelli- 
year, 
gence and thoughtliness of the poultry- 
A natural function of bird life is to 
keeper, - 
The feeding of the fowls during the 
moulting period is of great importance 
because the foods in 
specially adapted for the casting off, while 
some are for the making of feathers. Tt 
is a curious fact that while some expectS — 
advocate a reduction of. 
moulting fowls, on the other hand, other8 
are in favour of a generous diet. Take 
for instance, what is advocated by the 
Central Experiment Station, Canada. The 
management there removes the male birds 
ani allows the breeding stock and all 
other hens to run promiscuously in the 
field, in the rear of the poultry-buildings 
where there are grass, clover, and shade; 
rae! 
' three important essentials. At this tim 
some cases are _ 
rations to ~ 
easier than oldor fowls; moulting is more 
April 1, 1909 
the rations were reduced one half. Th 
effect was immediately to very much re 
duce and ultimately stop egg-productio: 
which the Th 
half-rations were continued tw 
weeks, when full quantity was resumed as 
was desideratuin 
for 
follows:—Mash. composed of Coarsely 
ground oats, two parts; shorts, one parts | 
gluten meal, cne part; with beef scraps in 
proportion of one pound to 15 fowls. The 
mash, which in summer was mixed with 
cold water, was fed three times per 
week. At times a small quantity of 
linseed meal was added. The beef scraps | 
were used in lieu of cut green bones 
because it was not convenient to procure 
the latter. If mash was fed in the morn-— 
ing, wheat or oats, or both mixed, were 
given in the afternoon, or vice-versa. On 
such days as mash was not given grain: 
took its place. 
A correspondent in Nova Scotia, writing 
to the central experiment station, ‘says 
he has reduced the moulting period by — 
feeding in generous quantity, beef heads _ 
boiled, broken into small pieces, andl 
put through his bone-cutter. As a result 
of this treatment there was hardly anys 
cessation of laying. i 
No one system of treatment will be — 
sufficient for all classes of fowls, or for 
fowls that are kopt in various climates. 
Therefore the moulting period must be 5 
helped by the intelligence and thought- : 
Let him — 
bear in mind that the strain on the 
constitution, and the waste of the bird’s 
resources have tv be relieved and — 
renovated. T’nis may be done by generous 
feeding, or, as suggested by one of the 
authorities quoted, the stoppage of egg- 
production. In all meal foods, again 
some assistance may be given to the 
moulting, and the renewai of feathers, by _ 
adding trequently boiled linseed, or 
linseed meal and flowers of sulphur, Then 
the fowls will in most cases discard their. 
old clothes with ease, and © renew 
their new suits without necessary delay. 
Yearling hens will moult earlier and — 
fulness of the poultry-keeper. 
gradual in some fowls than- with others; 
moulting fowls are benefited by a change 
of ground, anda run where green food 
and insects are obtainable; where insects. 
are scarce, meat food in so.ne for is an 
essential Every effort should be made 
to have all fowls well and newly garbed 
before the frosts of early winter putin an 
appearance, ‘ 
