Palm Beach County POULTRY FANCIERS Association

News From The South Florida Fair

by Lee Salmon, President Greetings, Poultry Fanciers! This edition will feature a double report. One on the Christmas party and one on the Fair. Our December Christmas party was one of the best we ever had. We all enjoyed the Yankee Swap and the food was great. Remember the bird house everyone wanted that I ended up with? I painted and decorated it. Wait until you see it, all painted pastel and covered in Ivy. We got a lot of work done and tied up a lot of loose ends. Time to move on to the big Event—the 2001 Poultry Fair report; We had a full house of nearly 750 birds, our biggest show in many years. I am pleased to announce that everything went well. Everyone did their job and we managed to have some fun.

2001 South Florida Fair “Best Waterfowl, Youth Show” White Call Ducks by Ashley Robinson (Full Show results on page 3) [Photo Courtesy Pam Marietta]

In spite of the ban on chick sales we got orders for 100 and sold all of the ones we hatched on the last day. The bread sale was very successful and exceeded my expectations. Egg sales were up and we’ll wait to find out about the raffle. We owe a lot of thanks to David, Mike and Richard for all the great cook outs. Joe and Cleo were the major hit inside the tent. I want to thank Rose for helping me tabulate the results of our show and making out the checks. Andrea Sisson, Nancy Martin, Linda Macdonald were there early every morning to feed and help open up. Thanks to Dennis for ordering our chicks and to Pam Marrietta for solving our hose problems. Lourelle, Jeanette, Rose and Ashley for cutting up a ton of bread and being such good sports we owe you a bunch. I just want to add my thanks to all of you who worked so hard to make this such a good year. A HUGE Thanks to our friend Bob Brown for bringing up the bread idea from Broward. See you at the February meeting, rest up and have a good month.

Mediterranean's Gift ~ The Minorca! By L.A. Stahmer, Poultry Artist & Judge Reprinted with permission from Feather Fancier Subscribe at www.feather fancier.on.ca 5739 Telfer Rd, Sarnia, Ontario, N7T7H2

White Minorcas were admitted to the American Standard of Perfection in 1888. In reality, they are a far older breed than the Barred Plymouth Rocks or any other American breed of poultry. Under the name of White Spanish, they were known as far back as the middle of the 1800s. In old pictures, we notice that their faces are red instead of white like the black variety pictured with them. Black Minorcas were imported to England during 1834–35 from the Minorca islands. They were brought to a great state of perfection there. Whether White Minorcas are sports of the black variety is not known, although chances are that they are not, since there were plenty of other white breeds in existence which could have entered into their make-up. White Minorcas were first brought to America by Francis A. Mortimer of Pottstown, Pennsylvania in 1885, and shortly after its introduction to America, it enjoyed a boom.

White Minorcas are splendid layers of large white-shelled eggs. They will lay as many as any other breed. Minorcas have a characteristic shape, different from all other Standard breeds. Because they are loose-feathered, they are considerably heavier than they appear to be. The shape of their body is a rectangle, and there is an abundance of fine grained meat on the frame work. Their stately carriage, broad prominent breast and massive body surmounted by an intelligent head, attracts attention everywhere. Their legs are long and of a strong construction. Minorcas mature early for their size, and it is not uncommon for them to begin to lay at the age of 4 1/2 months. They are the largest “non-sitting” breed in the Standard.

Years before the Leghorns and Plymouth Rocks became the favorites, the old time White-faced Black Spanish breed was considered the finest all-around breed for the farmer. They were used in crossing many other breeds principally for the size of their eggs and for their vigorous constitution. But times and fashions change, and when the feather-legged breeds had their innings, the old timers had to go into retirement for a while, to be resurrected again.

At the present, the smooth legged breeds are again occupying the stage, and our old friends, the Minorcas, still having their old shape and the same old qualities, are once more in the limelight. It’s true that there are a few refinements: the coarse combs and faces are no longer wanted, and the shape of their body is perhaps a little longer than that of the birds of by-gone days but, on the whole, no radical changes have been made since they were “good enough from the beginning.”

The desired standard weight of the White Minorcas is 8 lbs. for the cock, 6 1/2 lbs. for cockerel, 6 1/2 lbs. for hen and 5 1/2 lbs. for pullet. Their legs should be pinkish white in color, not slate like the black variety. Their skin is white. One of the most distinguishing points of the Minorcas is their head. It should be rather large and longer than high, nicely rounded in front and back. The comb should be large compared with other breeds. It should have a strong base in the male to keep it straight. In the female the comb should lop, making a fold or loop over the beak. The texture of the comb and face should be velvety to the touch, but not absolutely smooth, as such a surface in the face offers an easier foothold for ‘permanent white.’ The earlobes should be almond shaped, of good size and texture, sharply set off and defined, enamel-like and as white as possible. Early white breeds were troubled with ‘brassiness.’ This defect has been bred out. The most common defects of the breed are about the same as we find on other large breeds: coarse type, short in body (Fig. 3-male). Flat in breast, narrow, shallow bodies (Fig. 2-male ). Flat in breast (Fig. 5-male). Legs too short (Fig. 4-female). Curved back (Fig. 4). Tail carried high (Fig. 3-male). Scanty plumaged tails (Fig. 4-male). Leghorn type (Fig. 1). Pinched tails (Fig. 5-female). Knock-knees, hens bagged down behind (Fig. 3). Legs set back too far (Fig. 2-female). Too many or irregular serrations in comb (Fig. 4-male). Rear of comb turning in male (Fig. 2). Other defects are side sprigs and thumb marks, birds of small size, red in earlobes, white in face, off colored feathers in plumage, stubs, wrinkled faces & wattles, & brassiness.

Minorca Defects

Poultry Show Results 2001 South Florida Fair West Palm Beach, FL

Grey Toulouse Goose - “Mooch” Exhibited at the 2001 South Florida Fair by Laurall Gullotti first-time exhibitor from St Lucie County. (Photo Courtesy of Pam Marietta)

NEWSLETTER ARTICLES, PICTURES,
SUGGESTIONS NEEDED!

Please send any of the above to Mike Schmidt, 1170 NE Town Terrace, Jensen Beach, FL 34957.
Email: schmidtmj1 AT aol.com). Thanks!

Copyright 2001 Palm Beach County Poultry Fanciers Association.
All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized duplication prohibited.

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