|
|
|
Breeders' Profile
Stefan Spiker
|
I |
have been interested in chooks since I was a kid. My first birds were a trio of OEG bantams that I bought for 7/6 (for the young 75cents) from a backyard in the small Victorian town Tarnagulla. I remember these well as one hen laid and sat on 8 eggs and hatched 8 cockerels. The other didn’t do anything no eggs & no chickens.
That was a long time ago and a lot of water passed under the bridge before I had another flutter. This time I got some Indian Game large that didn’t do a lot for me either.
These were just a couple of my forays into breeding poultry among many others, some with some success and others not so successful. Over the years I have bred Large Sussex, Orpingtons and Indians and more recently - in the last 10 years or so - I have been able to develop my interests a lot more and get a bit more serious about the job.
I now have several colours in Wyandotte bantams – White, Columbian, Buff Columbian, Silver Pencilled PB & CB and Partridge PB & CB, as well as Sussex in 3 colours – light, buff & white, and Indian game in 3 colours – dark, blue & jubilee and Buff Orpingtons. And just in case I find a spare moment or two I also have bantam Saxony ducks and Buff Orpington ducks.
I have been showing seriously since 2000 or so and have had a few highlights in that time with a number of my birds. My first highlight was winning the best bird in show at the first Vic IG Club show I attended in 2002 with a dark bantam cockerel a feat I repeated last year with another cockerel. I have also been pretty successful with my Sussex (light) winning best Sussex in Show a few times and best exhibit at the Sussex Club show with a pullet last year.
Amongst all of these there have also been quite a few highlights with my Wyandotte bantams. My birds have performed pretty well in a number of the major Wyandotte shows – National at Albury, Central West NSW at Parkes, Vic Wyandotte Club, Central Vic at Bendigo and at both Adelaide and Melbourne Royal Shows, particularly with my Columbian, Buff Columbian and Silver Pencil PB birds. The highlight for 2006 was Best Coloured Wyandotte Bantam at both Adelaide and Melbourne with the same Columbian Cockerel.
None of this would have been possible if it hadn’t been for the generosity and help given to me by other breeders of all breeds. My occupation gives me the ability to meet a lot of chook breeders in lots of places and each and every one is only too willing to give some time to discuss our mutual interesting this great hobby. I think that all breeders would agree that the more you talk to others the more you are inspired to succeed in your efforts and if it doesn’t happen this year there is always the next. This is what I keep telling Heather as she puts up with all of this and tries to teach me how to turn the incubator off and use the axe.
I hope everyone has a good show season for 2007.