Keeping the flag flying for pure breeds of poultry

Grant Brereton gets breeders and owners together and considers eBay for hatching eggs

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INTRODUCING THE FIRST CHICKEN CHAT DAY

Village halls are great, aren't they! I was invited to give a talk on breeding and genetics for the Cochin Club back in 2019, at Crick Village Hall in Northampton. I recall thinking, 'what a lovely venue with adequate facilities for such events,' so I suppose the seed had been planted! Fast forward a while, with a few Christmas fairs and school plays under our belts, and I became increasingly convinced that our local hall would be ideal for 'something' chicken-related, I just didn't know what.

It would be at the late John Harrop MBE's funeral where the idea for some kind of chicken keeper's gathering would begin to ignite. As to be expected, the few fanciers who attended John's wake (in the nearby pub) would begin talking 'poultry' and the challenges we face in the current times. On a very sad day, I could only think of John and the impact his loss would have on the poultry fraternity. This gentleman has been breeding and showing large Minorcas and bantam Leghorns for decades. Not only have we lost his great spirit and 'can-do' approach, we've also lost his wealth of experience and breeding ability; ultimately one less much-valued breeder.

The weeks went by, and poultry keepers affected by the UK housing order were becoming increasingly anxious. Months of keeping birds indoors or in restricted conditions meant 'the end' for some people. Certain folk just aren't prepared to go through the enforced measures on an annual basis, which undoubtedly have a negative impact on birds and their owners. If we go back to this time last year, many of us believed that the shows would be given the green light to go ahead (once the housing order was lifted), but they weren't, so we've become very disenchanted by the whole thing.