Club Contacts. Patron: Dr. James Harris. President Deanne Lance. Mobile: Secretary Jill Weaver

Transcription

1

2 Club Contacts Patron: Dr. James Harris President Deanne Lance Mobile: Secretary Jill Weaver Publicity Officer Judi Walker Exchange Steward & Website Officer Isaac Walker Mobile: Club Website

3 Article Contributions We would love for members of the club with spare time and knowledge to impart, to write an article or articles for the Rare Breeds club newsletter and website. So if you have some experience or knowledge that you would like to share, send an to the Publicity Officer with your article (and any photos you wish to include) attached. The address to use is Additionally the newsletter is now running a new section. Strange tales is a section in the newsletter and on the club website where people can share their strange or cute experiences with poultry. The article A Mixed Bag in this edition of the newsletter is the inaugural article for strange tales. Please send your contribution for this section to the Publicity Officer, bring it to one of our meetings, or mail it to Skye Farm, Lower Longley, 7109 Tas. Club Patron Dr. James Harris is an expert vet, specialising in avian medicine. He practiced veterinary medicine in America for many years before moving to Tasmania in 2001 and opening Mayfair Veterinary Clinic in Sandy Bay and has owned and run several animal hospitals and veterinary clinics in both America and Australia. He is currently the President of the Association of Avian Veterinarians and the President of the Australian committee of that same organization. The Tasmanian Rare Breeds Poultry Club is honoured to have him as their Patron for 2012.

4 Next Meeting The next club general meeting will be held on Sunday, the 1st of April, starting at 10:00 AM. It will be held at the usual location, the Poultry Pavilion at the Royal Hobart Showgrounds, in Glenorchy. All are invited; we hope you will attend. Address and Website URL Just to note, the club website can now be found at and the new club address is Both the old addresses redirect to the new locations, so there will be zero disruption in traffic to the website and in us receiving your s. Annual Show and Auction The date for the clubs annual show and auction weekend has been confirmed as the 25th and 26th of August. Judges are confirmed as top mainland judges Graeme Hoph and Ray Hall, both from New South Wales. More information and show and auction schedules will become available closer to the date.

5 The Aims and Objectives of the Club The aims and objectives of the Tasmanian Rare Breeds Poultry Club are: To promote rare breeds of poultry to the general public and to encourage those that keep poultry to consider keeping pure bred rare breeds. To increase the number of rare breeds exhibited at poultry shows through the sponsorship of rare breed classes and provision of trophies and awards. To increase the number of junior fanciers exhibiting rare breeds at poultry shows through the sponsorship of junior trophies and awards for rare breeds. To increase interest in rare breeds and discussion among existing poultry breeders by distributing a regular newsletter to interested poultry clubs, members and other organisations. To make rare breeds easier to obtain by maintaining a registry of birds wanted and for sale through a designated exchange steward. To assist in maintaining the genetic diversity of domestic poultry for future generations To provide a pathway for new and existing rare breeds to be recognised in the Australian Poultry Standards. James M. Harris, B.S. D.V.M Mayfair Veterinary Clinic 2 Russell Crescent Sandy Bay 7005 Phone: Birds Reptiles Exotics Pocket Pets Aviary consultations Wildlife rehabilitations

6 The Leghorn By Jerrod Oliver A brown Leghorn hen The Leghorn breed is classified as a softfeather variety, a light breed of fowl, a white egg layer and a non-broody. The breed takes its name from the Mediterranean port of Leghorn in Northern Italy. It has been the breed of ages and has been the most popular breed in Italy. They were imported into America and developed as a superior egg layer for the American white egg production. Records dating as far back as 1845 show that Mr. Ward of New York received from Italy some Brown Leghorn fowls. The white Leghorn variety was imported from America and arrived in England around 1870, followed by the Brown Leghorn into England about A white Leghorn bantam hen In Australia, around the 1900`s white Leghorns won many of the egg-laying competitions and went on to became the most common pure breed of fowl around of that time.

7 When poultry farmers crossed them with Australorp females this cross became the most popular commercial egg layer of past times. The Leghorn Club of Australia was established in 1947 and was originally known as the Black Leghorn Club. The recognised colour varieties in Australia include: White, Black, Brown, Blue, Buff, Silver and Gold Duckwing, Pile, Cuckoo, Blue/Red, Exchequer, Mottled and Partridge. On the colour of the Brown Leghorns, which is something that leads to a lot of confusion; the exhibition female is referred to as the Pullet-Breeder variety. Personally I would like to refer to them as the Light- Brown variety. The exhibition Brown Leghorn male is referred to as the Cockerel- Breeder Brown variety. I would like to refer to them as the Dark-Brown variety. People get very confused about the two colours even though they are both Brown Leghorns they are split into Dark and Light Brown and should never be crossed together. I hope that this may help anyone that is not sure of the colours. The single comb in Leghorns is the most popular but they do come in rose comb, of which I have not seen many in Tasmania. All the large Leghorn colour varieties are now also bred in the bantam size and weight standards. All of the Leghorns that I have had in the past have been excellent egg layers and especially my bantam Leghorns, who lay a good sized egg for the size of the female. Being an active fowl the breed can be a bit flighty but with good care and handling, socialisation with kids, pets and visitors, they are fine. Judge Bob Folwer handling a brown Leghorn cockerel

8 A MIXED BAG By Jill Weaver Plymouth Rock hen with Ducklings and Keets. When my Plymouth rock hen decided to go broody, instead of making her go off the brood I decided to set some eggs under her. I had plenty of orders for guinea fowl and had recently discovered a couple of nests so there were plenty of eggs. I popped approximately sixteen eggs under her, marked the hatch date on the calendar, and left her be. In the meantime I had a duck that decided when the duck near by hatched her eggs she would come off and give her a helping hand rather than wait for her own little ducks to hatch. I gathered her eggs up and not really knowing their hatch date put them in an old incubator (with a dicky thermostat). Approximately two weeks later I glanced in the window of the old bator and much to my surprise there was an egg chipping. I checked the eggs and all bar three were over-cooked. I then went and checked the plymouth rock hen. She was overdue by two days and she had eggs chipping. Will I or won t I, that was the question. Yes I will, was the answer. I put the three duck eggs under the hen with the emerging keets (baby guinea fowl) and waited. Next morning there was proud mum out in the sun with her mixed bag. She was chuffed and so was I.

9 Rare Breeds Auction 2011 The Tasmanian Rare Breeds Poultry Club auction, held on Sunday the 28 th of August 2011, the day after the club s annual show, was a great success for buyers, sellers and the club, with 100 registered bidders who turned for a great day. There were 235 lots available for them to choose from, including rarely seen breeds such as Cochins and Oxford Game. Altogether, the birds available made a great line up and a good selection of poultry equipment on sale added to the variety. The club hopes that their next auction, to be held on the 26 th of August 2012, will turn out to be as much of a success. Rare Breeds Show 2011 The 2011 annual Tasmanian Rare Breeds show played host to a great turn out of rare breeds. Plaques and ribbons were sponsored by the Sebright Club of Australia, the Japanese Bantam Club of Australia and the National Pekin Club, along with cash prizes from the club and two breeders (Isaac Walker and Trevor Hunt); these encouraged exhibitors to turn out in the droves. 558 birds in total were exhibited, making the show the largest rare breed poultry show in Australia and the largest annual show in Tasmania. Champion Bird in Show went to junior Alister Bradley with a bantam Modern Game, who came down from Victoria for the show.

10

11 Colour In A... Hen.

12 Answers for December crossword

13 Spot the Difference - Chicken edition Find the five differences between images below.

14 TASMANIAN RARE BREEDS POULTRY CLUB INC. MEMBERSHIP FORM Thank you for applying to join the TRBPC Inc. Please complete this form and post it with your payment money order or cheque made out to Tasmanian Rare Breeds Poultry Club Inc. to 10 Ferny Bridge Road, Sprent 7315, TAS Name Address City, State, Postcode Country Phone Mobile Fax Age (Please tick box) Adult (16 years or older) Junior under 16 years old Junior date of birth Do you want your details registered on our TRBPC Breeders Register? Yes No (Please circle) This information can be given out to people who are looking for the particular breed you have. (Please circle what information you would like given out) Mobile Home Phone Address Address All Membership rates: Adult member $15 Junior member $4 Family/Non-for-profit $25 (Annual membership fees fall due on 30 June each year) Please find enclosed a cheque/money order for $ Donation $ What breeds do you currently keep? All members of the TRBPC Inc. are asked to actively support the clubs activities and objectives and follow the clubs constitution. I agree to abide by the club s constitution guidelines: Signed: Date: