CLUB NEWS & SHOW RESULTS
Poultry Club of Great Britain
National Championship Show
2018
Held at the Telford International Centre
Judge – Arlene Morrison
Steward – Martin Anderson
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Male 1st E. Hancock
Female 1st D. Melland 2nd C. Taylor 3rd D. Melland 4th E. Hancock
Cockerel 1st C. Taylor (Best Derbyshire Redcap) 2nd E. Hancock 3rd C. Taylor 4th D. Melland
Pullet 1st E. Hancock 2nd C. Taylor 3rd D. Melland 4th D. Melland
Bantam Male/Female 1st C. Taylor (Best opposite size) 2nd D. Melland 3rd E. Hancock 4th D. Melland
Federation Championship Show
2018
Held at The County Showground,
Stafford
Judge – Dan Melland
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Cock 1st E. Hancock
Hen 1st B. Wager 2nd A. Morrison
Cockerel 1st B. Wager (Best Derbyshire Redcap)
Bantam Cock 1st E. Hancock
Bantam Hen 1st E. Hancock
Selston Poultry Fanciers Show
January 2019
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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 2019
Held at Bakewell Agricultural Centre
Judge – Harold Oven
Steward – Naomi Verdicchio
February 2019
(Redcap Club Show)
Cock 1st B. Wager 2nd A. Morrison 3rd F. Parker
Hen 1st E. Hancock (Best of Opposite Size) 2nd C. Taylor 3rd D. Melland
Cockerel 1st C. Taylor 2nd B. Wager 3rd E. Hancock
Pullet 1st B. Wager 2nd E. Hancock 3rd C. Taylor
Bantam Male 1st F. Parker (Best Derbyshire Redcap/Best Bantam) 2nd E. Hancock 3rd D. Melland
Bantam Female 1st C. Taylor 2nd D. Melland 3rd D. Melland
Junior Male/Female (large or bantam) 1st E. Hancock
3 Large Eggs 1st E. Hancock 2nd C. Taylor
1 Large Egg 1st E. Hancock
3 Bantam Eggs 1st D. Melland (Best Derbyshire Redcap Eggs) 2nd E. Hancock 3rd E. Hancock
1 Bantam Egg 1st E. Hancock
Derbyshire County Show:
The Showground, Elvaston Country Park, Borrowash Road, Elvaston, Derby. DE72 3EP
23rd June 2019
Judge – Ewan Jones
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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
Derbyshire County Show - 2020 - held at The Showground, Borrowash Road, Elvaston, Derby DE72 3EP https://derbyshirecountyshow.org.uk
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Redcap Club AGM The George Hotel, Alport Lane, Youlgrave, Bakewell, Derbyshire DE45 1UW – 15th October 2019 at 7.30pm
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Poultry Club of Great Britain Show - 30th November and 1st December 2019 - held at Telford International Centre, St Quentin Gate, Telford TF3 4JH
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National Federation of Poultry Clubs Show - 21st and 22nd December 2019 - held at The County Showground, Stafford, ST18 0BD
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High Peak Poultry Club’s Derbyshire Championship Poultry Show (Club Show) - 1st February 2020 – 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:-
Breeder Fertility Hatch of Fertile Eggs Hatch of Eggs Set Avg Weight
A 42% 100% 42% 35.1g
B 80% 88% 70% 33..7g
C 50% 86% 43% 31.5g
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 03 October 2019)