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Vermont Bird Fanciers’ Swap Susan Orzell-Rantanen

from Rutland Magazine Spring 2020

by Rutland Magazine

from Rutland Magazine Spring 2020, page 88

Article from: Rutland Magazine Spring 2020

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VERMONT POULTRY FANCIERS' SWAP A BIRD (OR TWO) IN THE HAND

BY SUSAN ORZELL-RANTANEN PHOTO BY TIM SINK

Spring 2020 A CACOPHONY OF FOWL LAN- GUAGE GREETS THE VISITOR TO THE VERMONT BIRD FANCIERS SWAP, HELD IN LATE APRIL IN THE PARKING LOT AT TRACTOR SUPPLY ON ROUTE 7 SOUTH IN RUTLAND. Chicks peeping, hens clucking and roosters crowing form an incidental temporary flock. Poul- try enthusiasts are looking to buy, sell, or trade fertile eggs, young birds or breeding adults. Onlookers and passersby, especially those who like agriculture, are just drawn to the fun. And fun it is, although the members of the Vermont Bird Fanciers Club chime in to say education is the real purpose of their association. Displaying his birds on the tail- gate of his pickup truck is Art Usher of Tinmouth, one of the founding members of the Vermont Bird Fanci- ers Club organized back in 2000 to provide, he explains, education and camaraderie for people who enjoy raising poultry. He looks at the crowd spilling out of the spacious parking lot and proclaims it a “good showing.” The Club has grown to about 180 dues-paying members and hosts seven poultry swaps from spring through autumn each year.

Club members are positioned expectantly behind cages upon cages

of avian livestock or striding around purposefully looking for birds to add to their flock, in the form of eggs to incubate, barely feathered-out pullets to raise, or purebred roosters to sire the next generation. Visitors wander in to look at the birds and chat with the owners, who have brought breeds ranging from the unusual, such as Appenzeller Spitzhaubens, to the common, such as Rhode Island Reds. The club members are eager to talk about their birds and answer any questions about their hobby.

The current president, Jeff Fortin of Hinesburg, underlines that the education of adults and children about poultry forms the mission statement of the group. Along with daily care and handling, there are aspects that beginners don't always consider, such as the humane butchering of meat birds at the end of the growing season. The legal handling of predators such as weasels and coyotes in accordance with Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department laws is another important topic in dealing with home flocks. Fortin's own long experience with chickens is evident as he manages to tenderly hold three pullets in two hands.

The current Vice President, Faith Hunt of White River Junction, speaks enthusiastically of the Club's active youth program. A poultry judge at the Orleans County Fair in Barton, Hunt coaches everyone from beginners (surprised to learn that hens don't need roosters to produce eggs) to experts (showing their birds at fairs and competitions). “We want future farmers,” she emphasizes. “Any child at least five years old can sign up, with parental approval, for six free chicks.” Hands-on husbandry discourages children from thinking that eggs originate in coolers at the local supermarket, she adds.

Wayne Marcelle of New Haven, one of 15 board members guiding the club, agrees “Youth are our future. Whatever breed they want is fine, but we encourage them to get heavy production breeds.” These include Rhode Island Reds, Buff Orpingtons and Barred Plymouth Rocks, representatives of which fill cages lining the pavement. In addition to many breeds of chickens, Marcelle himself offers pigeons, ducks and geese.

Swap days, which run from 10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., are also a chance to tend to organizational business. A meeting held at 1:00 allows every member a voice and a vote in the direction of the Club. Another event at the busy swap is the silent auction, held at the end of the meet and a great relief to swappers whose birds to sell or trade are still around at the end of the day. “Anything you don't want to go home with you can be put in the auction,” explains Hunt. This is particularly important to the owners of small flocks with limited space.

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Darryl Kuehne of Benson, an employee of the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, sits at a makeshift medical lab with an outraged rooster on his lap. The protesting bird is one of the 80 or more that he has handled in about two hours in what is a free service from the State. He is after a drop of blood which he will test, on the spot, for both typhoid and influenza. Without a clean bill of health, no bird over 20 weeks of age can be sold. The geese, ducks, and pigeons occupying cages on the grounds...it is, after all, a swap meet for those who fancy birds of all types...are exempt.

A visitor with a discerning ear may hear the bleat of a goat or the grunt of a pig amid the cackling. This goes hand-in-glove with the Club's stated mission of helping to support a healthy agricultural economy. Poultry, which are agreeable to handle, easy to care for and require little space, can be an entry-level experience to the gratifying experience of raising livestock in a society increasingly concerned about pure food.

Tractor Supply, which sells agricultural products of all sorts, including food and equipment for raising poultry, enjoys a symbiotic relationship with such swaps. Club members and other poultry enthusiasts drawn to the meet swell the number of regular store customers queuing up at the check-out.

Both parties strive toward the goal of a strong agricultural presence in

the state, which, if my readership will forgive the awful pun, is something to crow about.

Susan Orzell-Rantanen has worked as an editor and freelance writer in the Rutland area for the past 31 years. A seventh generation Vermonter, she holds degrees in animal husbandry and journalism. She lives in Rutland with her husband, a badly spoiled dog and an opinionated cat.