Cream Legbar Club -- WWIT

[ChicKat]

For everyone who is interested in the Cream Legbar breed. For everyone who is diligently working on gathering the history and who is working on SOP----

this thread is for you. ;O)


At first I thought that club would go hand-in-glove with SOP, but now I'm thinking that although the club would "own" the SOP and develop it to completion and get the breed 'recognized' by the APA in the USA......

I'm wondering if a club couldn't be established...by those interested -- right now.

so my question for discussion for all y'all is 'what will it take' to establish a club. (WWIT).

Please share your thoughts here.... obstacles, discussion, people volunteering to do things.

Since we are scattered, and since Rinda has about (correct me if I am wrong) around 20-names and contact info---of people interested. I think we have a critical mass. I also think that we have to establish it as a virtual club. That means that we would meet online. There are some AMAZING and FREE apps out there now to do just that. It can be real-time. No one needs to travel etc. -- so that obstacle can be easily surmounted IMO.

Greenfire Farms has generously offered to partially fund a database. Greenfire Farms has also offered to load the database with their chicken information. As the Cream Legbar population increases in the USA, the database will be an excellent reference to track the bloodlines of these birds. For people who like to be pioneers, as we know of there isn't yet a breed database for chickens. The Cream Legbar Club could be the first. Also if we care about these birds, this is one way to insure their continued value and their good care.

Please - put your thougts and ideas here. (BTW....the Easter Eggers have already started a club on BYC. (sheesh those EE people-- and I love my EEs so don't get me wrong.))

I will link to this in the other threads discussing...and hope that we can get some things resolved.

Who likes a challenge....do you think we could get this accompliished (like before the world ends on 12/21/12 or some other reasonable deadline. Let me know. :O)

 

[faykokoWV]

As you know, I'm all in for starting a club. I think the first thing is deciding on a name for the club. how exciting that Greenfire Farms is going to help with the data base! I don't have a lot of free time, but if there's something I can help with just let me know

 

[GaryDean26]

When GFF made their offer on the data base a month ago my thoughts were that the CLB club should be in pace and ready to accept people's first year of membership by on the first of January 2012.

I have never been a part of a poultry club so I really don't know any the in's and out's, but I know that some of the things that other clubs do is have regional egg contest to promote the breed. Travel Table display kits that can be sent to people working club tables and poultry shows, news letters, annual meets etc.

I was invited to repeat the table display at the Fancy Feathers Poultry show in New Braunfels next March. I think that if we could get a half dozen CLB owner to commit to work the table and participate in an egg contest that would be a good location for the first CLB club meeting for the Texas group.

We probably need to get a website up, and club logo, and treasure, regional representatives, etc.

 

[nicalandia]

how exciting that Greenfire Farms is going to help with the data base!

I dont think they will like to hear that some(at least partially) of their stock are just not close to standards and exhibit some Heterozygosity

 

[lonnyandrinda]

Yes, I have a list about 30ish people long that have been participating in the other thread about SOP, but only about 15 who have sent me contact info as definite potential club members. I'm assuming some of those 30 just haven't gotten around to messaging me and some of them would rather watch the discussions from the periphery. Are we assuming they will see the links on the other threads and come here on their own or should I message those on the list?

I think a breed database is an excellent idea. A few potential sticking points come to mind though. The biggest one: someone obviously has to take charge of it- that will be very time consuming for them. I for one know I can not in good conscience offer myself for the job because I know I don't have the time to do it properly. Two, I have no experience or knowledge of database creation or what programs would be best suited. I'm hoping others with expertise in this area will chime in. Also, I understand how a breeding database works in general for other animals, but what do people do when data is disputed? It is much easier to know when X cow was placed with X bull, but chickens are... well you know. What happens if someone disputes the lineage of someone's stock? We almost would have to have one person or a committee with the authority and breed knowledge (with club approval) to make final decisions on declaring which stock is pure and can enter the database. This is a major point because we know we are going to have crosses cropping up and people trying to pass them off as pure.

Just some points to start the discussion rolling. No idea how long this would take- but to get it up and running I'm guessing 6 months to a year!

 

[RyeRanch]

I think having a club is a great idea. I still have a lot to learn about this breed, but would love to help in any way I can.

 

[ChicKat]

As you know, I'm all in for starting a club. I think the first thing is deciding on a name for the club. how exciting that Greenfire Farms is going to help with the data base! I don't have a lot of free time, but if there's something I can help with just let me know

Being a member...that's one thing. :O)

 

[ChicKat]

When GFF made their offer on the data base a month ago my thoughts were that the CLB club should be in pace and ready to accept people's first year of membership by on the first of January 2012.

Yes, I'm thinking you meant January 2013....and that is reasonable. Or maybe 'dues' due in Dec. and applicable for the next year. Pro-rated to people who join in June to 1/2 of the yearly cost and then re-up each Dec.

I have never been a part of a poultry club so I really don't know any the in's and out's, but I know that some of the things that other clubs do is have regional egg contest to promote the breed. Travel Table display kits that can be sent to people working club tables and poultry shows, news letters, annual meets etc.

I think newsletter will be very nice.....idea.

I was invited to repeat the table display at the Fancy Feathers Poultry show in New Braunfels next March. I think that if we could get a half dozen CLB owner to commit to work the table and participate in an egg contest that would be a good location for the first CLB club meeting for the Texas group.

If I am within 2-hours drive for March, I will come and assist.

We probably need to get a website up, and club logo, and treasure, regional representatives, etc.

Agreed - prior to a club to get officers elected, maybe we get a self-appointed board-of-directors or steering committee - and put the frame work together for a club to be formed and then elect their officers. For logo, I know Blackbirds13 has put together several that I would be proud of....and some other folks have mentioned they may perhaps submit one for the new club to enter in the voting. (yea blackbirds13). Some of the other clubs have divided the USA into regions....and perhaps those patterns would work for us to begin with.

Then....hang on there fellow cream-legbar owners...... if you are the only one in your region...you get to be the director of that region. (for all the shy people out there. (anyone listen to 'A prairie Home Companion'?)

for a name.... Here are some suggestions..PLEASE add your ideas everyone.

1. American Cream Legbar Club (I think this is what blackbirds13 was using in the logo designs.

2. THE Cream Legbar Club - (Isn't that royal though?) If we did go that route...we could perhaps open membership to other people...like some folks in other countries that are here on BYC.

 

[ChicKat]

I dont think they will like to hear that some(at least partially) of their stock are just not close to standards and exhibit some Heterozygosity

Could be....but we all will be breeding toward improvement....and the only pure cream legbars in the USA are from there....or derived from birds that are from there.... to the best of my knowledge.

Just a thought....if you are in Nicaragua.... you could become a member. How cool would it be to have an international club. (cool IMO)

 

[ChicKat]

Yes, I have a list about 30ish people long that have been participating in the other thread about SOP, but only about 15 who have sent me contact info as definite potential club members. I'm assuming some of those 30 just haven't gotten around to messaging me and some of them would rather watch the discussions from the periphery. Are we assuming they will see the links on the other threads and come here on their own or should I message those on the list?

My guess is it would be best to let people find their way here. I know some folks are very skittish about their personal info. being anywhere unknown. If we are a virtual club---everyone is in effect in cyber space.

I think a breed database is an excellent idea. A few potential sticking points come to mind though. The biggest one: someone obviously has to take charge of it- that will be very time consuming for them. I for one know I can not in good conscience offer myself for the job because I know I don't have the time to do it properly. Two, I have no experience or knowledge of database creation or what programs would be best suited. I'm hoping others with expertise in this area will chime in.

Glad you are bringing this up. There is an existing database that Greenfire Farms is involved with for Red Wattle Hogs. I'm thinking that they would have the structure of this database as the guidelines for the poultry database--and we and they and the web-database designer would all need to come to an understanding. Before Greenfire made their offer, some of us were looking into an online -free- database. The way it worked was that everyone entered his or her own 'registered' chickens. So the data entry work is distributed out to the people who know their chickens best --infor such as hatch date, parentage etc.

Also, I understand how a breeding database works in general for other animals, but what do people do when data is disputed? It is much easier to know when X cow was placed with X bull, but chickens are... well you know. What happens if someone disputes the lineage of someone's stock? We almost would have to have one person or a committee with the authority and breed knowledge (with club approval) to make final decisions on declaring which stock is pure and can enter the database. This is a major point because we know we are going to have crosses cropping up and people trying to pass them off as pure.

Such good points and concerns-- perhaps that is one of the reasons WHY there has not yet been a chicken database, as yet. Careful breeders, and showers I am pretty certain do keep their breeding pairs and flocks separate. Some of us are very small-time operators. I doubt that I will ever in my remaining lifetime have more than a single rooster active. If I did, I would have the roosters in separate pens. I may put other breeds of females with that rooster to relieve the breeding stress on the cream legbar hen, OR if I have a couple of cream legbar hens in that pen along with other chickens -- I would know for certain which clb hen laid which egg---so I would have a high degree of certainty about the parentage. For example -- a cream legbar, two plymouth rocks a couple of sexlinks for eggs....and the only blue or blue/green eggs would be the ones I would collect for hatching. Also-- I don't think we would want to register ALL the chickens -- because some of them (probably a lot of them as we work to improve the breed it will be important to cull hard) will be culled.

The breed database would have to kind of be on the honor system unless the data entry was filtered through a single point. That would be come very labor intensive for that filter point. So the questions you raise are really good. Cream Legbars would be either purchased from Greenfire, Purchased from someone who had obtained them from Greenfire, or raised in someones own flock. There are people on this board that I could comfortably trust 100% with the correct genetics. I think it a way too...it would be a bit like eBay.... where you get a reputation based upon honest transactions. If someone were to sell chicks or hatching eggs, and that new breeder/owner wanted to register their prize hen and cockerel -- they could put in the source---and ideally that source would trace back to Greenfire Farms. --- kind of like a family tree.

ETA for example if I bought hatching eggs from you or GaryDean, then I would put that as a source...and if you or he had never sold me hatching eggs, I would go in the penalty box. :O) It would be possible for you or he to sell me eggs, and me to screw up the subsequent generations -- if I was not in control of which roosters and hens bred...but like I said I am and will always be very 'small time'.

Just some points to start the discussion rolling. No idea how long this would take- but to get it up and running I'm guessing 6 months to a year!

Let's hear from everyone what pitfalls could come to mind...maybe we could get a nice list of questions about the database....and present them in a way that could be answered to everyone's satisfaction. If someone wanted to just 'cash in' on the rarity of this breed and NOT produce quality chickens...then I think it would come to the top more quickly with a database than without. It would kind of be a seal of approval of the quality of stock that someone is offering. IMO. I'm GLAD that you are seeing potential problems the more we get out there -- them more we can find ways to avoid.