Barastoc Poultry Junior Scholarship Profile:

Breanna Carr

Breanna is a 22 year old poultry enthusiast from Beechworth, Victoria and is currently studying Veterinary Science.

Tell us about where you live

For most of the year, I live in Wagga Wagga where I attend Charles Sturt University. I make regular trips home to Beechworth on weekends to care for my poultry, which are looked after during the week by my parents and brother. The family property at Beechworth consists of 100 acres where we run cattle, horses and of course, my chickens.

Tell us a bit about yourself and what got you started in poultry

Poultry is my passion. I’ve been fascinated with poultry for 10 years now and that’s not going to wane any time soon! Whether in high school, university or at home in my local community, I’ve always found a way to incorporate poultry into my life and help others to get involved with keeping and showing birds. I started off with some hybrid layers which we kept for eggs, then one of my primary school friends introduced me to his Pekin Bantams and gave me two pullets in 2009. From that day on, I was hooked on chickens, obtaining Silkies, Plymouth Rocks, Hamburgs, Australorps and various other breeds. I still have some crossbreeds I use as broody hens today that carry that original Pekin bloodline 10 years on! I can’t explain exactly why I am so passionate about poultry, but I find chickens and breeding fascinating and love the different personalities and quirks of the individuals in my flock.

I attended Yanco Agricultural High School from 2012-2015 where I ran the Poultry Show Team and mentored younger students on preparing birds for show and breeding. I also put in a prospectus to the principal to build our own poultry shed, which was built in 2013/2014.

These days I’m involved in the Alpine and Wagga Wagga Poultry Clubs and run the poultry section at the Rutherglen Agricultural Show. I am passionate about involving and educating children and others in my local community about the fantastic experience of owning your own backyard poultry. Through my involvement in the Rutherglen Agricultural Show poultry section I implemented a ‘backyard’ category to allow those without purebred poultry to have a go at showing and encourage them to get involved. This has been received well, with the past two years both being won by primary school-age children who’d never shown before.

I attend approximately 6-12 poultry shows (mainly in Victoria) each year, and I love both exhibiting and helping to steward at these shows. I love the social side of poultry shows too, catching up with other breeders and talking chook. I have participated in the Sydney Royal Show’s junior poultry judging competitions and have competed with my birds and stewarded at the Royal Melbourne Poultry Show.
In 2017, it was the 200th anniversary of the Sebright becoming a recognised breed. That year the VPFA (Victorian Poultry Fanciers Association) offered an award for the most successful Sebright/Rosecomb exhibitor (selected through points accumulated at shows). I followed most of the show circuit and was lucky enough to take out this award against some top-level exhibitors, with my score being three times that of the runner up. This experience allowed me to broaden my contacts within the poultry showing community and make some brilliant friends whilst showcasing my poultry.

 

I have also published two articles in the Australasian Poultry Magazine over the past two years which were about preserving heritage breeds and production characteristics in poultry, and most recently on reducing stress and enriching the environment of poultry in preparation for the breeding season (August-October).

 

How many birds, and what breeds, do you have in your flock

After playing around with various breeds in my earlier years, I settled on putting my energy into breeding one or two breeds really well. I am currently breeding two purebreds, the Silver Sebright (a true bantam) and the Welsummer (large fowl). Both of these breeds were obtained from breeders who saw how keen I was to breed these fowl and selflessly gave me some fantastic breeding stock. These actions highlight the comradery and philanthropic nature of those in the showing world when it comes to encouraging and helping juniors. This is one of the reasons why I am so passionate about sharing my knowledge with others and enabling them to have the same amazing experience I have had.

I’ve been breeding Sliver Sebrights since 2011 and last year started breeding Welsummers, both of which are rare breeds within Australia. I have 40 breeding birds and 4 crossbreeds I use to hatch out eggs. When it comes to breeding, I wing band or leg band every fowl and keep thorough breed records on the parentage and genetics behind each bird, using genetics books and papers to predict outcomes and further improve each breed.

 

Tell us a bit about your backyard coop

I am very fortunate to have my family look after my poultry whilst I’m attending university during the week, with my mother manning the incubators and brooder boxes, my brother filling up feed and my father professionally constructing my pens for me. I have a row of 5 breeding pens plus 4 other larger runs constructed from steel/wood and mesh, 3 brooder boxes and grower pens, and 2 incubators.
My chickens are let out daily and have access to forage in our paddocks and lawn (the latter of which is green all year round). I pride myself on regular coop cleaning and providing enrichment for my poultry through hay, dust bathing and treats.

 

What are your poultry plans for the future?

My ultimate goal is to finish my veterinary science degree and then work in regional Victoria as a veterinarian with a specialisation in backyard poultry. I have a passion for educating people about keeping, raising and showing poultry and want to be in a position where I can work and achieve this.
I intend to qualify as a poultry judge within the next two years, prior to finishing university. Poultry judges can be difficult to find at times and this is another way I can give back to my local community.
I plan to keep breeding my two rarer breeds of chicken and improve my lines as it is vital to preserve these beautiful birds. I will continue to keep showing and being a part of the amazing world of poultry whilst promoting best practice chicken keeping to others in my local community.

 

How will the scholarship help you improve your poultry skills and knowledge?

Next year I am planning to undertake honours on a project that would be beneficial to the backyard and show poultry communities and provide insight into an aspect other than those covered by large industry research. I am currently discussing potential options with my supervisor which include disease surveillance and educating poultry enthusiasts using my research.
I am also going to enrol in further training next year through the University of Sydney’s CVE (Centre for Veterinary Education) online courses which cover the basics of poultry consultations and avian surgery and anaesthetics. I believe this would allow me to expand my knowledge of poultry and enable me to provide much needed veterinary expertise and experience to the backyard/show poultry communities in regional Victoria and NSW.

 

By Breanna Carr