California - Northern

[KernH]

Anyone else here at the UC Davis Chicken Workshop in Shingle Springs? I'm not exactly a beginner but I like to go to these events to participate in the community (and talk to any beginners who haven't had their questions answered by the speakers!) and because I'm sure we can all use a refresher course every so often, myself included!

So far we've had two speakers on. The first, Richard Blatchford, PhD, I really enjoyed - he covered the basics and was very good overall. Although he did call Easter Eggers "Americaunas" and only mentioned the difference between "Araucanas" and "Americanas", not Araucanas, Ameraucanas, and Easter Eggers like would have been technically correct. I'm probably being nit picky about this but misidentification of Araucanas --> Ameraucanas --> EEs is a pet peeve of mine.

The second (Ken Takeshita, DVM) I was not a fan of. He was certainly knowledgable, but he focused on the wrong diseases (AI and SE - mostly commercial operation issues) and approached the subject from a commercial point of view. Since most of the people here want 4-10 birds and won't be commercially producing, this information wasn't very applicable to say the least. He did mention Quaratine, but glossed over how important of an issue it is, and he didn't mention parasites (external or internal). He also hardly spoke of respiratory diseases or Marek's disease, despite them being two of the most common diseases seen in small flocks.

I'll report back later after lunch. We've got someone doing a lecture on Egg Handling coming up, then Richard Blatchford will be on again, and finally our very own avian veterinarian, Jeanne Smith, who is surprisingly going to be speaking about Predator Exclusion, rather than poultry health. I'm still excited to hear her speak, though, she's a very smart woman!

Sounds like something I would have loved to have attended.

The miss spelling and miss naming of Ameraucanas is something I think we should all try and stop.

Kern

 

[pjnbill22]

Hi PJ,

I hear you. Your Marans chicks should be sold as Backyard Pet Quality hatchery stock layers, as they do not have known breeder bloodlines, or how true they will breed. That said, perhaps try $5-7. each., and see if you can find some takers.

Marans as a whole haven't been in the US but a little more than a decade, so, there is much refining necessary, even on many well-established breeder lines. Buyers generally pay more for lines that have had some efforts put into them looking like Marans, especially if they come from very dark egg laying genes.

If you connect up with the FB Marans groups I mentioned you will see the efforts and steps people have made forwarding this breed. They aren't the easiest breed to get right. lol

Thank you!

 

[Hangtown Farms]

Anyone else here at the UC Davis Chicken Workshop in Shingle Springs? I'm not exactly a beginner but I like to go to these events to participate in the community (and talk to any beginners who haven't had their questions answered by the speakers!) and because I'm sure we can all use a refresher course every so often, myself included!

So far we've had two speakers on. The first, Richard Blatchford, PhD, I really enjoyed - he covered the basics and was very good overall. Although he did call Easter Eggers "Americaunas" and only mentioned the difference between "Araucanas" and "Americanas", not Araucanas, Ameraucanas, and Easter Eggers like would have been technically correct. I'm probably being nit picky about this but misidentification of Araucanas --> Ameraucanas --> EEs is a pet peeve of mine.

The second (Ken Takeshita, DVM) I was not a fan of. He was certainly knowledgable, but he focused on the wrong diseases (AI and SE - mostly commercial operation issues) and approached the subject from a commercial point of view. Since most of the people here want 4-10 birds and won't be commercially producing, this information wasn't very applicable to say the least. He did mention Quaratine, but glossed over how important of an issue it is, and he didn't mention parasites (external or internal). He also hardly spoke of respiratory diseases or Marek's disease, despite them being two of the most common diseases seen in small flocks.

I'll report back later after lunch. We've got someone doing a lecture on Egg Handling coming up, then Richard Blatchford will be on again, and finally our very own avian veterinarian, Jeanne Smith, who is surprisingly going to be speaking about Predator Exclusion, rather than poultry health. I'm still excited to hear her speak, though, she's a very smart woman!

in what reference was he miss speaking? hopefully not trying to inform people about them if they can not even id them correctly

 

[QueenMisha]

in what reference was he miss speaking? hopefully not trying to inform people about them if they can not even id them correctly 

Actually, very interesting context; he was referring to some surveys done by the university over the past few years regarding which breeds are becoming more common, and it was actually found that egg color plays a big part in which breeds people are choosing, as opposed to egg production (though that's been important too of course).

There wasn't a lot of mention done of breeds and types other than that though, and I get the idea he was much more into the husbandry of the birds than the breeding. He was otherwise very informative though.

 

[Honora]

I'm going to be attending a similar day-long workshop in Oakland on March 12th, sounds very interesting!

 

[Hangtown Farms]

Actually, very interesting context; he was referring to some surveys done by the university over the past few years regarding which breeds are becoming more common, and it was actually found that egg color plays a big part in which breeds people are choosing, as opposed to egg production (though that's been important too of course).

There wasn't a lot of mention done of breeds and types other than that though, and I get the idea he was much more into the husbandry of the birds than the breeding. He was otherwise very informative though.

I can see that . I get tons of requests for penedesenca on my website mostly do to the egg color . Also my brown red ameraucana are popular do to the blueish egg

 

[caychris]

I can see that . I get tons of requests for penedesenca on my website mostly do to the egg color . Also my brown red ameraucana are popular do to the blueish egg

Im trying to raise out some good blue egg layers for that reason. I need some Wellsumers too in the future. Im not so enamoured with olive or chocolate eggs.

 

[h2oratt]

That sounds like an interesting seminar. I love stuff like that. Did you find out about it on the up Davis website?

 

[SilkiesForEver]

Would there be anyone interested in a pair ( or possibly a trio) of nice quality black Rosecomb bantams? I may have one available soon, trying to decide who makes the cut and who needs to be rehomed.

 

[QueenMisha]

I'm going to be attending a similar day-long workshop in Oakland on March 12th, sounds very interesting!

Nice! Mind giving me the info on that one? I wouldn't mind attending too! I didn't get to talk with other folks as much as I would have liked to at the one yesterday, since my voice has decided to stop working... had a cold last week, and though it's gone now, I'm definitely still feeling the effects! Can't speak above a whisper.

I can see that . I get tons of requests for penedesenca on my website mostly do to the egg color . Also my brown red ameraucana are popular do to the blueish egg

Those are some nice breeds you got. How often do you sell the Ameraucanas? I've been meaning to pick up some true Ameraucanas for a while now. I've actually been wanting standard birds but man... a bantam blue egg sounds absolutely friggin ADORABLE.

That sounds like an interesting seminar. I love stuff like that. Did you find out about it on the up Davis website?

Actually the Davis folks came by my workplace, they wanted us to put up some of their posters.


Also, I forgot to finish up my write up on the rest of the seminar. I was dead tired when I got home and basically crashed at 6PM. I'll try to do a write up later today.