The Newsletter of the Cotswold
Pheasant and Poultry Club
Issue 66 September 2024
Wednesday October 9th 2024
Annual General Meeting
Elect your committee.
Your chance to have your say.
Suggest future meetings.
Dear club members.
I need to start this edition of the quill with an important message for all club members.
On the 1st of October 2024 (fast approaching) it will become mandatory for everyone who keeps poultry, in fact all types of birds, in England and Wales to register with DEFRA. For all bird keepers it becomes compulsory to have a County Parish Holding Number commonly called a CPH number which is obtained from DEFRA (APHA).
Included in this issue of the quill is a much more detailed article about registering by our editor Ken.
Personally I applied for my CPH number about 3 months ago and I did it entirely over the phone, and I have to say that the DEFRA customer service operative could not have been more helpful. That said they are probably under a much greater work load now with the deadline only 3 weeks away.
The two main UK poultry shows are back this year for the first time in 4 years. The Federation show will be held at Stafford county show ground and is on the 21st and 22nd of September. This is not the ideal time of year for a poultry show but it is the best that the Federation could do given what has happened over the past 4 years. Entries for this show have already closed.
The Poultry club National show is at a slightly better time of the year being the 19th and 20th of October and is being held, for the first time at Lincolnshire show ground. There is still time to enter your birds in the National , the closing date for entries is 23rd of September.
I will be judging the Brahma section at the Federation show and I think I’m right in saying that Simon Harvey is judging the Rare Poultry classes. It would be interesting to know if any of our other members are involved in either of the two major shows, please let Ken know and we will include an article about it in a future edition of the quill.
The Poultry Club as you all probably know, is the governing body for keeping, showing and promoting the keeping of pure breed poultry in the United Kingdom. As I’m aware that not many of our club members are also members of the Poultry Club, I like to try to keep you updated on some of the latest news from the PC. A worrying consequence of these recent Covid and Avian Influenza times has meant that for 2 years in succession the election of new officials on to the PC board of trustees has not taken place, due to there being more positions to fill than candidates coming forward to fill them. I personally have been a member of the PC since the early/mid 1980s, I can’t remember the exact year I joined, but I cannot recall this ever happening before. Make of that what you will but in my view there seems to be a general lack of commitment, particularly among the age group that would be starting out in the world of poultry keeping, actually getting off their backsides and doing anything that doesn’t involve the use of a digital screen of some kind. Poultry keeping involves a bit of work and in the main it doesn’t turn a profit on the effort and the money we put into it. But that’s not why we do it! We do it because we like keeping these beautiful birds and the lovely eggs that they lay us and we do it to try to prevent these wonderful creatures from dying out. It’s conservation at the coalface. I think we would all agree that the lack of youth coming into poultry keeping is something we should be concerned about, after all, we do not own these breeds, we are just the custodians of them until a younger generation takes them on and continues to ensure their survival.
On a lighter note ~
Our September meeting will be a talk by our former chairman John Smith on the history of poultry keeping. John is a foremost authority on this subject and has accumulated years of study and research into it.
The October meeting is of course the club AGM. It is vital that all club members attend. This is the one meeting in the calendar year when we all get to have a say in how the club is run.
At this year’s November meeting for the first time in a few years we will be seeing the return of the box show. This is a great fun event and there’s a prize for the winner. Ken has managed to persuade Kevin Brown to judge this event so we need each member to bring along a bird to be judged.
Anyway that’s all for now folks.
Regards Jake
Registration for Poultry Keepers
Looking through the magazines of both the Rare Breed Survival Trust and the World Pheasant Association, I have become aware of the new regulations that we should all be following by 1st October. I have already registered that I have up to 50 birds but I haven’t personally received any notification of the new rules. Ed
The following paragraphs have been lifted directly from the Defra website.
This change to bird registration is required in order to protect the health of all poultry and other captive birds in GB and also public health.
Bird keepers will need to provide information, including their contact details, the location where birds are kept and details of the birds (species, number and what they are kept for).
In England and Wales keepers are encouraged to register their birds ahead of the legal deadline on 1 October 2024. In Scotland, keepers should register from 1 September 2024 when there will be a new Scottish Kept Bird Register in place.
The new rules cover owners of backyard flocks, birds of prey and pigeon fanciers, but do not affect caged pet birds (excluding any poultry species) kept entirely inside a domestic dwelling, such as a parrot, canary or budgie, which never leaves the property other than to visit a vet or another short-term period.The requirements will be set out in legislation shortly and keepers will also be legally required to update their information on an annual basis. Further information on the registration of birds can be found on GOV.UK, gov.scot and gov.wales.
Jake registered by phone 0300 0200 0301.
All this begs a few questions, for example: there must be thousands of poultry keepers throughout the British Isles that are not members of a poultry club that will have no idea about these proposals as there has been little or no publicity produced on the regular media. Also, the second last paragraph states that legislation will be set out shortly. Left it a bit late haven’t they, as in Scotland poultry keepers and commercial poultry farms should have registered by 1st September.
Avian influenza
The situation regarding this has appeared to ease with no cases reported recently. We will wait with baited breath to see what happens this coming winter. However, please be careful and practice good Bio-security at all times.
.Seasonal Reminder
This is bit of an old chestnut but it is timely to remind members, especially those that are new to poultry keeping to keep a sharp lookout for the tiny Red Mite that can have a devastating effect on the health of the birds.
They tend not to live on the birds during daylight hours but hide away in dark crevices, in perch sockets and around the door surround. They are pin-head tiny and are grey until they have fed on the bird’s blood, after which they turn deep red. I tend to zap them with a gas blow-lamp taking great care not to burn house or bedding and then spray the infected area with Mite-kill from a spray can. Then dust the birds around the vent, under the wings and around the neck withy a powder such as Barrier or Ruby Louse powder.
Editorial ramblings
As Neil will remind us later in “From the President’s Perch” another club year has passed by, another year where our hands are tied preventing us from holding exhibitions and our Annual Club Show. We held our Egg Show in May and I heard that Vanessa Collins held it all together and did an eggcellent job in my absence. (pun intended) Ed. Unfortunately I had an appointment in the late afternoon at the eye department in Cheltenham Hospital, which involved having eye drops to dilate my pupils. My vision was blurred well into the evening so I was unable to drive.
Since the last AGM the weather has been atrocious with a very wet winter and spring followed by almost drought conditions in late spring and the early summer growing season. Since then it has been a very mixed bag making forward planning for days out and events difficult. We are probably stuck with changeable weather from now on due to climate change but I hope the coming winter is actually a winter. You will read in “The President’s Perch that I wish to stand down as Show Secretary this year but will carry on as a committee member and Cotswold Quill Editor. Of course I will give any help required to the new Show Secretary.
Seasonal
Recipe
Apple & Mint Jelly.
Ingredients
2lbs Bramley cooking apples
Granulated sugar or preserving sugar. (See stage 4 under method)
3 tbsp chopped fresh mint
Method
Use small jars ( sterilized)
1. Chopthe apples roughly & put them in preserving pan
2. Add enough water to cover. Simmer until the fruit is soft.
3. Pour through a jelly bag, allowing it to drip overnight. Do not squeeze the bag or the jelly will become cloudy.
4. Measure the amount of juice. To every 1 pint of juice add 11/4 lb of sugar.
5. Place the juice & sugar in a large pan & heat gently. Dissolve the sugar &then bring to the rapid boil.
Test for setting by pouring about 1 tbsp into a saucer, leaving to cool slightly. If a wrinkle forms on the surface when pushed with a fingertip, the jelly will set. Leave to cool slightly & then put a few spots of green colouring in for mint jelly or a spot of red for apple jelly. Put into jars.
Margaret GardnerHere we are again, another year down the line and not much advancement on the last few years and it looks as if the next few years we will be bogged down with more red tape. It is looking like that most of us will have to register as bird keepers so that they can keep tabs on us in case Avian Flu rears its head again. “The Club” has managed to keep going by reverting back to what we started with going back to relying on our meetings and not being able to put on exhibitions in the summer months as we have done for many years. I know this has upset some show promoters but our hands have been tied by the Rules. I for one do not want to be the one accused of ignoring them and I trust you are thinking the same.
As I have already said the year is nearly gone and we are coming up to the A G M and time to think of next year, but before we do that I must thank the Committee for their hard work this year. Thanks must go to Jake for taking over the Chair and guiding us through this difficult year and also to April for organizing our new meeting hall. I think it has worked quite well. Well done to everybody.
Some of are Members have had health problems this years and I think most have come through them and I hope that they all continue to do so, it has been good tosee Judy back on her feet and being able to attend meetings again.
As for the next meeting, the A G M get your thinking heads on to think what “The Club” can do for this coming year, it is not going to be easy and I am afraid none of us are getting any younger. So this is where we appeal to the younger members to step forward and maybe help a little more PLEASE! Going on from that our present Show Manager would like to step down this time, Ken has done fine job for a few years now and would like to hand over to someone else. At the moment there is not a great deal going on. One Egg Show a year and if the rules allow A Club Show again. Anybody willing to have a go and I am sure that Ken will be willing to give a guiding hand.
Now this is a difficult thing for me to write. I know you have in the past elected me as your Life President but as the years pass on I cannot do what I want for “The Club”, I cannot attend as many meetings as I would like and because of this I feel that I should step back. If your feel that you would like me to step down I am willing to do this. If you would like me to carry on but not be as active in the general running of “The Club” I will honoured.
Looking forward to seeing you all at the A G M.
Neil..
Rare Poultry Society
Jane Freeman from the Rare Poultry Society gave the club a presentation in April. The Rare Poultry Society was formed in 1969 to be an umbrella club for all breeds not having there own specialist breed club. If all breeds had their own breed club the Rare Poultry Society would cease to exist. An example of success is the Croad Langshan that until 1979 was considered to be a rare breed until the breed club was formed. The Society was formed too late to save the Yorkshire Hornet the last known member of the breed is thought to have been owned by the late Andrew Sheppy.
The aims of the society are to exhibit at the major shows, such as The National, Federation Show, Scottish National and Welsh National shows; maintain healthy breeding programmes of the breeds they cover and to conserve breeds that are increasingly scarce such as Norfolk Grey, Andalusian and Marsh Daisy. The individual breeds each have a breed registrar.
There may be some members who are not aware that we are now using a new but slightly smaller venue.
Castle Eaton Village hall
SN6 6JZ
From the Spine Road junction on the A419 head towards Swindon. Pass the Cricklade junction and after the bridge and the petrol station on the left take the next left turn.
From Swindon the junction is trickier as you need to cross the dual carriageway by exiting on the slip road from the outside lane, so be very careful especially as you cross the southbound lane.
As you enter Castle Eaton village take the left turning, follow the road around to the right and the village hall is on the right just after a left turning and pub. There is a small car park but you may park on the road on the same side as the hall.
Our secretary, Margaret Gardner has produced a programme for 2023/24. However, the dates are all subject to the restrictions prevalent at the time for both Covid-19 and Avian Flu. Any changes to the programme outlined below will be notified by email or phone.
Wed 11th Sep – History of the Breeds
By John Smith
Wed 9th Oct – Annual General Meeting
Wed 13th Nov – Club Box Show.
Club subscriptions
Club subscriptions were due at the AGM. If you haven’t already paid please either send a cheque made out to “The Cotswold Pheasant and Poultry Club”, to Kathy Harrison, 185, North Home Road. Cirencester, Gloucestershire. GL7 1DY.
Alternatively online to the Club Bank account.
Account Name: The Cotswold Pheasant & Poultry Club.
Sort code: 30-98-41
Account number: 03190855
Editorial Deadline for next issue
1st December 2024
(01285) 656480
ken.cservenka@sky.com
The committee 2023-2024
President Neil Harvey
Chairman Jake Jacobs
Treasurer Kathleen Harrison
Secretary Margaret Gardner
Membership secretary April Hill
Show Secretary and
Editor Cotswold Quill Ken Cservenka
Trophy Steward Charlie Berry
Web master Sandy Vaughan
Committee Sandy Lee
Richard Burford
Sean Creed
Pam Bailey
Editor
(01285) 656480 ken.cservenka@sky.com