A VERY INTERESTING VISIT

By: Dirk de Jong.

On Sunday the 19th of July 2015 we had the opportunity to visit the Open Day of the Scientific Poultry Yard of the BDRG, the Poultry Federation of Germany, the Bruno-Dürigen Institute in Rommerskirchen. This Scientific Poultry Yard was offi-

cially established in 2004. The main goal of the institute is the achievement of

knowledge about the biology of traditional and fancy poultry breeds, through fundamental research as well as science-based animal welfare.

I have to admit I had never heard of this Institute before, and I will not be the only one, I think. (Although it eventually turned out that my destination was

quite worth visiting!) I went there together with the honourable chairman of the French Poultry Breeders Club in the Netherlands, Co Tersteeg. We arrived a bit early, but this gave us the opportunity to walk around and exchange thoughts

with the (mainly) young researchers that work there. Since the opening in 2004 they have already completed a lot of research. All of which is available on their

website; see the data under this article. Thus, studies have been done on the orientation of pigeons; how chickens and pigeons use space; the preference of chickens for colour; and more. We were amazed with the capabilities of the re-

sults.

As a fancier and writer, the current project of study appeals to me very much. Of

all German poultry breeds they are investigating the following subjects:

The average time of hatching Growth rate Weight

When birds reach sexual maturity How many eggs per year

Egg weight

How do they handle this research at the Bruno Durigen institute? Several top breeders of the specific breeds are asked to donate 20 eggs. These are all

hatched at the same time and reared at the institute. A lot of information is re-corded every day. Halfway rearing there is a first selection in breed characteris-

tics. Later, at an age of about 5 months, a group of judges, all specialists for the specific breeds, assess and select the (almost) adult chickens. A breeding pen will be formed for further research. The remaining chickens, if wished, go back to

the donors of the eggs; hereby everyone gets back his own birds. If there are still chickens left, they are sold to poultry lovers. Also eggs are for sale, to re-

coup some of the expenses. Left: Hatching eggs for sale, of

the Westfalische Totleger,

German Creeper, Augsburg

Buttercup…

Below: A Frankish pigeon

tower.

Below: Beautifully maintained and spacious

accommodation, these are of the Faverolles.

Below:

Geese and Waterfowl.

Left: Breeding pen of East-

Frisian Meeuw, they were for

sale today.

Below, left: Sundheimer Fowl.

Below: Cornelia Krogmann,

one of the passionate employ-

ees.

Below: There was

much interest in the

discussion of the

various topics.

Below: Sundheimer Fowl, all roosters.

Below: Faverolles, German type. Left are all roosters, right are hens.

Because we are both board members of

the Dutch Club for French poultry

breeds, the Faverolles had our special

attention. On the left photo CoTersteeg,

honourary president of the Club, is

admiring a few hens.

Fortunately we speak enough

German to understand all the

explanation and to discuss our

beautiful hobby with other

visitors during the lunch-

break.

I can think of quite a few more

things that can be investi-gated. The noise level of the

cocks; frequency of broodiness and whether the hens are reli-able mothers; the quality of

the egg shells; the weight and the shape of the eggs. It

would be wonderful if these studies took place in other countries, with their respective breeds! What a new source of data that would produce. We always say that we maintain old cultivars,

but do we still pay attention to the original breed characteristics? That, we should do much more, according to me.

More information can be found on their website. You should go there once to visit, alone or with a group of breeders. Highly recommended!

Wissenschaftlicher Geflügelhof van BDRG - Bruno-Dürigen Institute

Op Landwirtschaftsmusem 10

41.569 Rommerskirchen

Internet: www.wissenschaftlicher-pluimvee.de

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