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(http://www.afn.org/~poultry)
July 2001 |
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(http://www.afn.org/~poultry)
July 2001 |
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In This Issue:
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NEXT MEETING:8:00 PM SHARP Friday, July 27 at the Pavilion in the garden behind the Mounts Building located at 531 N. Military Trail, West Palm Beach - directly across from Palm Beach International Airport approximately 1/4 mile north of Southern Blvd. |
Hello out there in Poultry Land! This month's newsletter is full of good news.
Our Poultry Seminar is really shaping up. I talked to Cindy Kinard and she has some great ideas. There will be lots of information for 4-Hers and adults just starting out in Poultry projects. However, on the program, we are going to include some more advanced material for those of us with higher degrees of skill.
These programs will include "Artificial Insemination" and other useful procedures. The date of our Seminar will be August 11th. This was the only available date in August. The time 10:00 to 4:00 for the actual classes. We should plan on 9:00 to 5:00 to allow an hour on each end for set up and clean up. It will be held at the Exhibit Hall in the Clayton Hutchenson complex just behind where we have our monthly meetings. The address is 531 N. Military Trail. Everyone in the club should know where it is.
Bridgett will notify all the 4-H clubs and see if one of them would like to serve lunch as a fund raiser. We also need to contact the local Purina rep to see if they want to set up a table. Everyone will register and sign at the door. This way we will have a mailing list.
In addition to all this they will be bringing some very rare birds to sell: Large Breeds Blue and Black Sumatras, Cubalayas, BB Reds, Light Brown Leghorns, Cornish, and Aseels (Asil). Bantam Breeds Cochins, Black. Wyandottes, Rhode Island Reds, Malays, Old English-Black, Blue And Brassy Back.
Danny Padgett has some world-class water fowl. He will bring some down if he has orders for them. He has Large Rouens, White Aylesburys, Magpies and show Muscovies. This is a GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY for us to get some very rare and little seen birds. I put my order in for some Aseels and Malays. I will have a more complete list at the meeting.
Also we will have an up date on our Showmanship event and "Getting ready for the show" and proper show ethics. If any one wants a certain breed she will try to get it here for us. The Clausing Family will be bringing a complete line of poultry products for sale and they have things we all need. This can be one of our BEST seminars!!!!! We all need to SUPPORT this in a Big Way. I know I can count on all the Poultry Fanciers. I am really looking forward to this. SEE YOU SOON. Lee
4-H Talks at May Meeting
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"We Are Crowing For YOU!"
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Dominiques America's Oldest BreedBy Mark Fields
Used by permission from Dominique Club of America |
As an admirer of exhibition poultry, you are invited to consider the Dominique, (or "Dominecker").
Dominiques have many advantages besides their handsome appearance. They are hardy, do well on open range and in confinement, are generally calm by nature and are easy to work with and show. They hatch well, feather early, mature young, and are of moderate size. As indicated in the Standard, cocks run 7 pounds; cockerels, 6 pounds; hens, 5 pounds; and pullets, 4 pounds. The females are good mothers, reasonably good layers of light to dark brown eggs, and show less tendency toward broodiness than many other exhibition breeds. For those of an even more practical turn of mind, Dominiques are good meat birds. There are both large and bantam Dominiques.
Although for many years Dominiques were very rare, they are no longer a "lost breed." There has recently been a revival of interest in them, which has placed them in a unique category: They are uncommon enough to be interesting not just another "me, too" breed - but breeding stock is available at reasonable prices.
Dominiques are characterized by their rose combs and their barred pattern, which comes from feathers crossed throughout their entire length by irregular slate and light bars. The males are particularly striking, being characterized by the bright red comb, face, wattles and ear lobes and by the long, sweeping tail, which is the highest of the American breeds. The females are usually a few shades darker than the males and are smaller, usually plump, full breasted and have high tails.
No later than 1750, barred chickens of relatively small size and usually with rose combs were common in some eastern parts of what is now the United States. With the later development of interest in poultry breeding, these barred chickens received increased attention and were bred to possess improved uniformity of type and size, although they still possessed either rose or single combs. Early writers tell us that they were plentiful on farms in the United States in the early 1800s. About the time of the first poultry show (Boston, 1849) those with rose combs came to be referred to as Dominiques, and as such were admitted to the Standard of Perfection in 1874.
The breed was improved and became quite popular as a farm bird during the mid to late 1800s. However, as new breeds became popular, the Dominique large fowl became less common on farms. Writings from the turn of the century and after refer to their decline in popularity. Other writers subsequently stated that there were few Dominiques in the whole United States and predicted that soon there would be none. Only theories and speculation exist on the source of the original barred chickens of the 1750s.
With the revival of interest in Dominiques, both large and bantam Dominiques are found in competition at a majority of the larger poultry shows, and frequently at smaller shows and fairs. There are plenty of opportunities for Dominique fanciers to enjoy meaningful competition and recognition with their birds.
To increase interest in and to help preserve Dominique large and bantam chickens, the Dominique Club of America was founded in early November, 1973. Since then the Club has grown well and the number of people keeping, breeding and showing Dominiques has increased significantly. Dominique Club activities include publishing the Dominique News four times a year, offering awards for Dominique winners at shows and holding an annual meet, at which friendly competition, fellowship and an exchange of ideas and suggestions are encouraged.
The Club also provides a central point for information on sources of Dominiques for new members as well as for breeding stock for those working on their own strains. The Club provides tangible recognition, including a Member of the Year Award, for the member making the most notable contribution to Dominiques in that year; and a Dominique Breeders Hall of Fame, for those who have made a significant contribution toward preserving the Dominique breed. It also offers a Master Breeder Award, which members can earn by successful breeding and showing of large or bantam Dominiques.
The annual dues are $6.00. These dues along with generous donations make possible the club awards, publications and correspondence. Contact Mark Fields at:
Dominique Club of America
5000 Driskel Road
Columbia, MO 65202
(mfields AT mbsbooks.com)
"We Are Crowing For YOU!"
will host a
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POULTRY SEMINAR |
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Saturday, August 11, 2001 · 10am - 4pm
| Classes: | Basic Poultry Anatomy & Terminology Chick Care Adult Bird Care Working With Aggressive Birds Diseases & Parasites Conditioning For Show Bathing Showmanship Question/Answer Session |
| Advanced Classes: |
Dubbing Artificial Insemination |
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From North: Take I-95 South to Belvedere Rd. Exit west to Military Trail. South on Military to Golf Rd. on right (across from Hess Station)
From South: |
Classes taught by representatives of
the American Poultry Association
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Clayton Hutchenson Exhibit Hall |
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"We Are Crowing For YOU!"
Newsletter Editor Mike Schmidt
Webmaster Dennis Hawkins
© Copyright 2001 Palm Beach County Poultry Fanciers Association All rights reserved. Unauthorized duplication prohibited.
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