CLUB NEWS & SHOW RESULTS
Poultry Club of Great Britain - National Championship Show 2019
held at the Telford International Centre on 30th November/1st December 2019
Judge – Edward Boothman
Male 1st C. F. Taylor 2nd E. S. Hancock
Female 1st D. P. Melland 2nd E. S. Hancock 3rd D.P. Melland
Cockerel 1st C. F. Taylor (Best Derbyshire Redcap) 2nd E.S.Hancock
Pullet 1st P. A. Morrison 2nd E. S. Hancock 3rd E.S. Hancock
Bantam Male 1st D. P.Melland (Best opposite size) 2nd C. F. Taylor 3rd E. S. Hancock
Bantam Female 1st C. F. Taylor 2nd P. A. Morrison 3rd D. P. Melland
Report of judging at the National 2019
It was a privilege to judge the Redcaps at the National and I enjoyed it very much. I love judging and giving my reasons for how I've placed them. Everybody's opinions are different but the best, no matter what; should always prevail.
Class 351 Redcap Male
1064 1st Clean bird and well feathered
1066 2nd Not in peak condition.
Class 352 Redcap Female
1069 1st Beautiful bird but lob sided comb
1070 2nd Nice bird but not peak condition
1071 3rd Dark bird but lacking condition
1068 4th Older bird but too light in colour
Class 353 Redcap Cockerel
1075 1st A beautiful bird and 12 o clock on day - Best of Breed
1073 2nd Too light in colour.
Class 354 Redcap Pullet
1079 1st Lovely bird but too light
1076 2nd Nice bird but not just as good as 1st
1078 3rd Not in condition
1077 4th Not far from 3rd
The bantam class I split into Male and Female.
Class 355 Redcap Bantams
Male
1083 1st Lovely Cockerel and Best Opposite Size.
1082 2nd Not far from 1st.
1081 3rd Another nice bird but not as good as 1st.
Female
1088 1st Lovely bird
1085 2nd Again not far from 1st
1086 3rd Too light in colour
Some bantams were overweight.
(Thanks to Edward)
National Federation of Poultry Clubs - Federation Championship Show 2019
held at the Stafford County Showground on 21st/22nd December 2019
Judge – Mark Carson
Cock 1st C. F Taylor 2nd E. S. Hancock
Hen 1st M. Johnson (Best Derbyshire Redcap) 2nd D.P. Melland 3rd D. P. Melland
Cockerel 1st C. F. Taylor 2nd M. Johnson 3rd E. S. Hancock
Pullet 1st A. Morrison 2nd C. F. Taylor 3rd E. S. Hancock
Bantam Male 1st C. F. Taylor (Best Opposite Size) 2nd D. P. Melland 3rd E. S. Hancock
Bantam Female 1st C. F. Taylor 2nd A. Morrison 3rd D. P. Melland
Selston Poultry Fanciers Show
January 2020
Large Male/Female 1st E. Hancock (Best Derbyshire Redcap) 2nd A. Morrison 3rd A. Morrison
Bantam Male/Female 1st E. Hancock 2nd D. Melland 3rd D. Melland
High Peak Poultry Club - The Derbyshire Championship Poultry Show 2020
held at the Bakewewll Agricultural Centre on 1st February 2020
Judge – L. Blanchon
CLUB SHOW
Cock 1st C. F. Taylor 2nd D. P. Melland
Hen 1st D. P. Melland 2nd D. P. Melland 3rd E. S. Hancock
Cockerel 1st C. F. Taylor (Best Derbyshire Redcap) 2nd M. Johnson 3rd F. Parker
Pullet 1st M. Johnson (Best Derbyshire Redcap entered by a Novice) 2nd J. and J. Wilson 3rd C. F. Taylor
Bantam Male 1st F. Parker 2nd C. F. Taylor 3rd D. Melland
Bantam Female 1st C. F. Taylor (Best Derbyshire Redcap Bantam) (Best Derbyshire Redcap Opposite Sex) 2nd D. P. Melland 3rd E. S. Hancock
Junior Male/Female (large or bantam) 1st N. Verdicchio (Best Junior) 2nd E. S. Hancock
Derbyshire Redcap Club Egg Classes
3 Large Fowl 1st E. S. Hancock 2nd D. P. Melland
1 Large Fowl 1st D. P. Melland 2nd D. Melland 3rd E. S. Hancock
3 Bantam 1st D. Melland (Best Derbyshire Redcap Eggs) 2nd D. P. Melland 3rd E. S. Hancock
1 Bantam 1st D. P. Melland 2nd D. P. Melland 3rd E. S. Hancock
Derbyshire County Show
held at the Showground, Elvaston Country Park, Borrowash Road, Elvaston, Derby. DE72 3EP
23rd June 2019
Judge – Ewan Jones
Cock 1st C. F. Taylor (Best Derbyshire Redcap) 2nd D. Melland
Hen 1st C. F. Taylor 2nd D. Melland 3rd D. Melland
Manifold Show
10th August 2019
Judge – Peter Ward
Male/Female 1st B. Wager (Best Derbyshire Redcap) 2nd B. Wager 3rd B. Wager
DIARY DATES
Redcap Club AGM: The Duke of York, Pomeroy, Flagg, Buxton. Derbyshire. SK17 9QG – 20th October 2020 at 7.30pm
******************NOTE CHANGE OF VENUE************
(PLEASE NOTE - 2020 AGM CANCELLED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE - MEMBERS PLEASE SEE AUTUMN NEWSLETTER)
THE FOLLOWING SHOWS ARE ALL SUBJECT TO CANCELLATION ( CV19 RESTRICTIONS)
PLEASE SEE LATEST INFORMATION ON INDIVIDUAL WEBSITES.
Derbyshire County Show: 28th June 2020 - held at The Showground, Borrowash Road, Elvaston, Derby DE72 3EP https://derbyshirecountyshow.org.uk
Poultry Club of Great Britain Show: - December 2020 - held at Telford International Centre, St Quentin Gate, Telford TF3 4JH
National Federation of Poultry Clubs Show: - December 2020 - held at The County Showground, Stafford, ST18 0BD
High Peak Poultry Club’s Derbyshire Championship Poultry Show: (Club Show) - February 2021 – held at the Bakewell Agricultural Centre, Bakewell, Derbyshire. DE45 1EH
FROM THE ARCHIVES:
Derbyshire Redcaps for Australia
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Back in 2011-2012, we began the exercise of finding 61 different pure breeds of chicken, mostly Large Fowl, for eventual export of hatching eggs to Australia.
Amongst the breeds they wanted were Derbyshire Redcaps and, after much searching and testing of the original breeding stock for freedom from Salmonella, we eventually obtained hatching eggs from three UK breeders (A, B & C).
The eggs were taken into a bio-secure quarantine premises into which no visitors were allowed and which had filtered air to exclude any poultry diseases from outside. The premises were many miles from any other poultry.
The eggs were set, together with 2,300 other breed eggs (one of 2.5 settings of this number) in a Bristol incubator.
At transfer to the hatching trays at 19 days, the various breeds and strains within breeds were subdivided into pedigree hatching baskets for identification to breeder.
The chicks were vaccinated against Mareks Disease, wing banded for future identification and weighed.
The results for the Derbyshire Redcaps were:-
From these we eventually selected, as near breed standard as possible, 22 females and 10 males for breeding
All birds/breeds were maintained indoors for the duration, under artificial light, with day length adjusted according to when we required maximum egg production for the export in Spring 2013.
Birds were kept in groups, mass-mated, but stocked at a generous 3 birds/square metre on absorbent cardboard litter, which proved very successful. Nest boxes and perches were provided, together with hanging bulk feeders and bell drinkers.
After the initial Mareks Disease vaccine, no other vaccines were given.
The birds were fed commercial chick, grower and layer rations initially, then moved onto a commercial breeder ration.
Eggs were collected at intervals and incubated in the Bristol incubator for 7 days and fertility assessed by candling or breakout.
In 4 such tests, fertility varied between 88% and 96%, which we considered satisfactory.
Prior to export, the birds were subjected to blood tests for Avian Influenza, Newcastle Disease, Avian Rhinotracheitis, Mycoplasma gallisepticum, Salmonella pullorum and Salmonella arizonae. They were negative to all tests, showing the filtered air and biosecurity measures had protected them.
The premises had also been registered with Defra under the Poultry Health scheme and thus had passed Salmonella environment tests every 3 weeks and Mycoplasma gallisepticum blood tests every 12 weeks.
Finally, the hatching eggs were collected, disinfected and packed in sealed containers for air shipment to Australia, a 2-day trip.
On arrival, they were again disinfected and then incubated in a Petersime incubator in the Torres Island Quarantine premises.
The Derbyshire Redcap eggs hatched at 74% of eggs set and yielded 70% first quality chick.
Because of an unfortunate breakdown in the quarantine system, the Redcaps, together with 4,500 other 10 week old chicks were destroyed, so the whole exercise had been an expensive and upsetting experience.
Luckily, the Australians formed a second, separate group, who wanted to carry on the project.
So, this year, in Spring 2014, a second, smaller, consignment of eggs, from fewer breeds, but still containing Derbyshire Redcaps, went to Spotswood Quarantine station.
Here the Redcap eggs were successfully hatched out at 74% of eggs set and have now been happily released from quarantine to start a new life and new line in Oz.
Many Thanks and well done UK Redcap breeders.
2300 eggs from various breeds in the setter ready for incubation
Derbyshire Redcap chicks in the hatch tray, next to Jersey Giants chicks.
Different coloured chicks were hatched next to each other to avoid any confusion by any hopping over before wing tagging
Acknowledgement for article: Dr. David Spackman - copyright 2014
(Last updated 07 September 2020)