AUSTRALIAN POULTRY FORUM™

TASMANIAN RARE BREEDS POULTRY CLUB
http://sites.google.com/site/tasrarepoultryclub/

Cochin Club
http://www.cochinclub.co.uk/

Christchurch Poultry, Bantam & Pigeon Club.

The Christchurch Club was established in 1867 and very little was recorded in the local papers of the early shows. The clubs first President was the first Mayor of Christchurch William Wilson. Ten pounds was raised in subscriptions and the clubs stated objectives were to improve the various breeds of poultry in the province. Membership fees were set at £5 Shillings and £10 shillings to serve on the Committee.

The practice of exhibiting poultry quickly became popular in Christchurch. The local shows in 1875 and 1880 received favorable reports in the weekly Press with good crowds attending. Over the years entries continued to increase. There were 758 entries in 1855 with birds coming from Melbourne, Auckland and Wellington and throughout the South Island which necessitated the move to a bigger hall. In 1890 entries increased to 843 and then in 1894 they received 1011 entries.

There were plenty of incentives for the working class to participate. For instance in 1885 the prize money for 1st, 2nd and 3rd was £15 Shillings, £10 Shillings and £5 Shillings while Special prizes were valued at £2 Pounds. The average weekly wage at that time was only £2 Pounds.

Meanwhile the Christchurch Clubs Annual Show was setting records. The 1900 Show was declared a Grand National Show. A win here the weekly Press declared was a breeders mark for the Colony. The show lasted 3 days, entries totaled 1,249 entries the second biggest show of its kind to that date. The biggest was 1,280 entries at the previous Christchurch Show in 1899.

At the Clubs 125th Jubilee Show in 2009 show entries were 2,000. In fact 2 of the most Senior Members of the club have been exhibiting for over 70 years and are still going strong.

http://www.poultryclub.co.nz/

Good to see more NZ clubs advertising on the big ozzie forum should help you guys

Dunedin Poultry, Pigeon & Cage Bird Club
Mr C. Wilson
5 Benfell Street,
Green Island,
DUNEDIN 9018

Taieri Poultry, Pigeon & Bird Club
Mr S. Bennett
399 Pine Hill Road,
DUNEDIN 9010

Christchurch Poultry, Bantam & Pigeon Club
Mrs B.S. Inwood
3/7 Peverel Street,
Riccarton,
CHRISTCHURCH 8011

New Zealand Oxford Old English Game Fowl Club
Secretary S Greenwood
email gandsgreenwood@xtra.co.nz
Mrs S. Greenwood
1409 Bealey Road
RD 1
DARFIELD 7571

Organic Chicken Farming is good reading http://www.organicfarmingsolutions.com/ ... arming.php

British Araucana Club
The British Araucana Poultry Club was founded more than 35 years ago. The origins of the British Araucana go back at least a hundred years and mentions of blue egg laying chickens appear in the 1700s. The Araucana breed wasn't officially named until the 1930s and prior to then, the breed was simply known as blue egg laying chickens. The precise historical moment of introduction to the British Isles is not known. There is popular public acceptance to certain events such as guano and spice laden tall ships returning from South America, regularly running aground on the rough atlantic coast of the UK, spilling their wares as being the source. The chickens fortunate enough to survive the wrecks mostly ended up on the dinner table. The few remaining birds were smuggled away and were kept for egg production. It is believed that the decendents from these solitary survivors are breed that we have today. There has been a huge amount of cross breeding with more modern varieties in the twentieth centuary. But an adopted modern standard now exists, which maintains the unique blue egg along with some additional fancy head "gear".The genetic source originated from Chile. Pockets of wild Araucana can still be seen in the Amazon Basin and in isolated areas in the high fincas of the Andes Range.
Tall ships plying the trade routes around the world. When the Spanish arrived in South America, bringing with them their poultry, they found that the Incas had their own ancient breeds which soon crossed with the imported stock. However in the High Andes there were many areas where the terrain made conquest impossible. Subsequently, the Arauca Indians of Old Northern Chile were never conquered so their poultry remained pure and led to the name Araucana. The Araucana breed standard in Britain was envisaged by George Malcolm who created the first true breeding lavender among other colours, in Scotland in the 1930s. The eggs are particularly strong shelled and unique in that the colour permeates throughout the shell. Blue and green eggs have been reported from South America from the mid-sixteenth century onwards.

http://www.araucana.org.uk/