Cluckin.net

18/05/2025

The Blue Laced Barnevelder is a visually stunning and practical breed of chicken, prised for its beautiful plumage, calm temperament, and reliable egg production.

The blue laced Barnevelder is a rare bird and good examples of the breed are rarer still. Unfortunately the Blue laced type almost never lays dark eggs any more. They are available in both large fowl and bantam sizes.

https://barnevelder.net/the-blue-laced-barnevelder-feathered-jewellery-for-your-garden

25/10/2024

During egg judging at a poultry show, judges evaluate eggs based on a variety of criteria designed to assess the quality and desirability of the eggs, which often correlates with the health and genetic quality of the hens that laid them. Here's a general overview of what happens during egg judging:

Collection of Eggs: Eggs are collected from the hens a day or two before the show or sometimes brought by exhibitors. These eggs are usually not more than a few days old to ensure freshness, which affects appearance and quality.
Initial Sorting:
Eggs might be sorted into categories based on breed, color, or specific class requirements before judging begins. This ensures apples-to-apples comparisons.
Physical Inspection:
Shape: The ideal egg is oval, with slight tapering at one end. Symmetry is valued.
Shell Quality: Judges look for a smooth, clean, and unblemished shell. The texture should be free from wrinkles, ridges, or sandiness.
Color: The color should be uniform if it's a colored egg (like those from Araucanas). For white eggs, whiteness and absence of stains are key.
Bloom: This is the natural protective coating on an egg. A good bloom indicates freshness.
Internal Quality Evaluation (often done through candling or breaking open):
Candling: Eggs are held up to a bright light to assess the internal contents without breaking the shell. This helps judge the yolk's centrality, the air cell size (which should be small for fresh eggs), and the albumen (egg white) quality (clear and firm).
Breaking: Sometimes, judges might break open an egg to check for:
Yolk Color: Should be a deep, rich orange or yellow, indicating good diet and health.
Yolk Firmness: A firm yolk that stands high is a sign of freshness.
Albumen Quality: It should be thick and not watery, with good height when viewed from the side.
Scoring: Each egg is scored based on these criteria. Points might be deducted for imperfections like irregular shape, thin shells, large air cells, or off-color yolks.
Presentation and Judging:
Eggs might be presented in egg cartons or special show trays. How they are displayed can also be part of the judging if the show specifies presentation standards.
Final Selection: After all eggs are judged, the best eggs in each category receive awards. This could be ribbons, certificates, or other forms of recognition.
Educational Aspect: Often, poultry shows with egg judging will have educational components where judges explain what they're looking for to both exhibitors and spectators, helping to educate on poultry health, genetics, and egg quality.

Egg judging might seem meticulous, but it's rooted in both tradition and practical poultry farming knowledge, aiming to promote the breeding of hens that lay high-quality eggs, which historically has been crucial for both commercial and home poultry keepers.

06/10/2024

Can't say I'm surprised. DEFRA getting their comeuppance for annoying backyard chicken keepers. As usual a half decent idea imposed in a cack-handed way by the government.

Any poultry in the UK now has to registered, even a single bird kept as a pet. Only exclusions are the parrot family if kept indoors!

11/09/2024

Gold laced barnevelder bantams. Other colours include:

Double-Laced Brown (Chestnut in the UK): This is the most popular variety, featuring reddish-brown hens with black double lacing on their feathers and black heads. Roosters have a simpler black plumage with red/brown highlights.
Double Laced Silver: Featuring silvery-Gray feathers with black lacing, creating a shimmering effect.
Double-Laced Blue: Similar to the brown, but with a blue-grey base instead of brown, creating a stunning blue and black lace appearance.
Black: A solid black variety for both hens and roosters, showcasing their elegant form and iridescent sheen.
White: Pure white with no markings, offering a clean and classic look.
Brown: Mostly found in Europe. I have never seen these in the UK
Silver-Blue Double Laced: Combines the black head and chest of the black variety with silver and black lacing on the body.
Blue Splash: A mix of black and white feathers with splashes of blue, resulting in a unique and eye-catching pattern.
Gold Laced: A single laced type with a deeper gold brown base colour.
Chamois: A rare variety with light brown to buff feathers and darker brown markings, resembling a fawn.
Partridge: Another rare variety with intricate brown, black, and cream feathering, mimicking the wild partridge bird.
Isabel: Another rare colour with cream to light brown feathers and some darker brown markings.
Autosexing Barred: This is a barred rather than laced type in which the offspring can be colour sexed upon hatching.

18/08/2024

https://the-secret-garden.net/i-tested-diatomaceous-earth-on-more-than-a-million-insects-and-here-is-the-results.html

When it comes to natural pest control, few substances are as revered as diatomaceous earth. I decided to put diatomaceous earth to the test against a variety of common insects. The results were eye-opening.

04/08/2024

I have noticed my chickens tend to ignore mushrooms and fungi growing wild on my land. Any mushroom that is poisonous to humans will have a similar effect on poultry.

As a rule of thumb, any mushroom that a human can eat is fine for chickens and they should ideally be cooked. This has more to do with inactivating the spores of the mushroom so they don.t begin to grow.

04/08/2024

Wyandottes got their name during the first meeting of the breed society in 1883:

In the Wyandotte breed standard book from the APA in 1919 the following is recounted:

But to F. A. Houdlette, Waltham, Massachusetts, belongs the honour of naming the new breed, and credit must be given to him as one of the originators, for as A. A. Howland of Worcester, Massachusetts, remarked in "The Poultry World" thirty years ago :

"To his earnest and intelligent labours, the Silver Wyandotte was largely indebted for its attractive qualities that finally led to its admission to the American Standard of Excellence at the meeting of the American Poultry Association held at Worcester, Massachusetts, February 1 and 2, 1883."

The name "Wyandotte" was suggested to Mr. Houdlette by the ship "Wyandotte" owned by his father, and not (as has generally been believed) given in honour of the American tribe of Wyandotte Indians.

03/08/2024

Will these make your skin crawl if you are a chicken keeper? Red poultry mites in close up.

02/08/2024

One of the elderly bantams I keep as a foster mum never fails to adopt anything in need.

23/07/2024

https://cluckin.net/i-tested-4446-eggs-from-backyard-chickens-and-this-is-what-i-found.html

16/09/2023

https://cluckin.net/poultry-keepers-survey-results.html

The results of our year long survey of poultry keepers.

20/03/2023

You can improve your egg yolk colour in just 30 days.

The colour of the yolk can vary depending on the chicken's diet and breed, and the way it is stored and cooked. If you want to achieve bright orange or golden yellow yolks that will make your dishes look and taste better, you need to learn how to improve egg yolk colour. I will share with you some t...