mostin Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 (edited) I've never written in to a magazine before but I read Captain Chickenzies page in the Practical Poultry magazine that just arrived and it just made me see red . I just found it soooooo offensive, I have just rattled off a letter to the editor. Maybe I am just being hormonal , has anybody else read it? here is a copy of what I sent I gave it the title "and you wonder why newbies and women give in?" I normally read P.P. cover to cover avidly but I must admit to usually speed reading the Captain Chickenzie column as I find it a bit vague and wasn't it better in the days of yore etc. This month the subtitle caught my attention as it mentioned internet auction sites and selling hatching eggs, so I read with interest, and then truly felt as if I had been slapped around the face with a wet fish! I did not expect to read such a bitter and at times offensive piece against women and novice chicken keepers. I can not believe that this article was not edited before publication, were you intending to give offense and provoke a reaction? Of course there are naive soles out there, is "Ooops, word censored!"ody allowed to be a begginer at anything anymore? And how polite of the writer to point out that it's "typically a woman". Do you people in the inner circles have any idea what it is like trying to get into your hobby? You moan and complain about fading blood lines and dying breeds and then shun and mock newbies for not having 50 years of knowledge and experience. Lots of people taking up your hobby have 2 XX chromosomes so I think you had better get used to the idea. And the other phrase used "They bought their learning, and learning doesn't come cheap". Your right it doesn't come cheap, I travel hundreds of miles to shows and auctions, I'm in the Poultry club, the Sussex club, I have joined my local Poultry club, I try and talk to experienced people wherever I go and I am a member of 3 internet chicken forums. I do all of this and make all this effort so my birds don't suffer, so that I know what I am doing, but guess what, I still haven't learnt everything in 2 years that all of you know from a lifetime of experience, so please, talk to us and don't mock us. What if the lady in the article does sell the hatching eggs from her less than perfect Orpingtons on ebay? It's the fault of the buyers not her, as far as I'm concerned you should always see the parent birds, you are bound to get ripped off over the internet unless you know the seller personally and have seen their birds before. There are far worse things sold, such as Light Sussex as Chocolate Orpintons. I have met some truly lovely people in the chicken world over the last 2 years but there are definately some of the old guard who don't like the new breed of chicken keepers. Well I'm here to stay for a long time fellas. I have plastic chicken houses, I name my chickens, I cuddle them, I have ex-batts and hybrids, I cry when each chicken dies. But I also have some wooden houses, I have pure breeds and breed and show them, I can cull my own birds when I need to, I can eat the excess cockerels. I am a chimera of old and new, and there are many more like me, don't you want to include us? Edited March 29, 2010 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 good for you Mozzer! I have to admit that I usually miss that column as it can be a bit yawnworthy, but I will dig out my mag and have a good read... how very dare he?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 Blimey you go girl! what did the article say that got you so fired up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falkor Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 Well said Mostin! I have not read my copy yet but will do when I get home! I feel a strongly worded letter coming on myself! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 oooh I like that reply!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 Well done! I don't buy P P anymore - is there a link? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperwife Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 (edited) wow *note to self - dont upset Mostin* great reply Edited March 4, 2010 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mostin Posted March 4, 2010 Author Share Posted March 4, 2010 The article was supposed to be about the dangers of buying eggs on the internet. The only reason I read it as I normally skip his drivel. Then he starts going on about how he gets so cross when I find "A Naive sole, typically a woman, and new to poultry, has spent a fortune for the latest faddy colour" and how these newbies just hatch out a couple of "miserable mongrels" A Lady who hatched some orpingtons with 5 toes told him that she still wanted to breed from them and he referred to her as a "silly ###". If she wants to sell eggs on ebay from Orps with the wrong number of toes, I'm sure somebody would still love them as pets, she obviously still does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mostin Posted March 4, 2010 Author Share Posted March 4, 2010 wow *note to self - dont upset Mostin* great reply oooo I'm all puffed up like a broody orp myself now . I wonder If I can scan the article so we can all see it mmmmmm, I'll go see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 @ being Orplike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 I get a subscription to P P as a present from a friend, but I do get a bit irritated sometimes both at the poor standard of journalism and at the rather fuddy-duddy approach. I think 'Captain Chickenzie' is deliberately intended to hark back to the old days and set up a sort of counter to modern attitudes, but I don't think they realise that a lot of their readers now are people like us keeping a few back-garden hens. Good for you, Mostin! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mostin Posted March 4, 2010 Author Share Posted March 4, 2010 Well I've managed to scan the article but I can't work out how to get an adobe acrobat file to show up on here . Sorry folks technology 1-0 Mostin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 Go girl! Note to self......don't pick a fight with mostin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 oooo I'm all puffed up like a broody orp myself now . *Chelsea goes off to find broody cage for Mostin to cool down in* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kinsk Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 A Lady who hatched some orpingtons with 5 toes told him that she still wanted to breed from them and he referred to her as a "silly ###". If she wants to sell eggs on ebay from Orps with the wrong number of toes, I'm sure somebody would still love them as pets, she obviously still does. I can see your point but have to disagree really. Yes a lot of people love the less than perfect, often more because, but really for breeding stock surely you shouldn't actively encourage a deformity/fault to be passed on? I am completley new to the chicken world but do have experience of breeding with dogs, horses and rare breed pigs. With the rare breed pigs especially we are still trying to water down the faults inherant due to bad breeding choices/practices. I have seen many a horse suffer from all sorts of confirmation defects, not just cosmetically but physically due to excess strain on legs etc. because someone has had a mare who can't do what she was bought for so 'may as well breed from her' It's a personal opinion but I think it's the wrong aproach to breeding, surely picking the best examples to breed from gives everything the best chance of survival/health/sucess. There will never be 100% perfection and it's just as wrong to strive for that, but why set out knowing there is something wrong? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mostin Posted March 4, 2010 Author Share Posted March 4, 2010 oooo I'm all puffed up like a broody orp myself now . *Chelsea goes off to find broody cage for Mostin to cool down in* Sitting in broody cage, sat on and ice pack now . A Lady who hatched some orpingtons with 5 toes told him that she still wanted to breed from them and he referred to her as a "silly ###". If she wants to sell eggs on ebay from Orps with the wrong number of toes, I'm sure somebody would still love them as pets, she obviously still does. I can see your point but have to disagree really. Yes a lot of people love the less than perfect, often more because, but really for breeding stock surely you shouldn't actively encourage a deformity/fault to be passed on? I am completley new to the chicken world but do have experience of breeding with dogs, horses and rare breed pigs. With the rare breed pigs especially we are still trying to water down the faults inherant due to bad breeding choices/practices. I have seen many a horse suffer from all sorts of confirmation defects, not just cosmetically but physically due to excess strain on legs etc. because someone has had a mare who can't do what she was bought for so 'may as well breed from her' It's a personal opinion but I think it's the wrong aproach to breeding, surely picking the best examples to breed from gives everything the best chance of survival/health/sucess. There will never be 100% perfection and it's just as wrong to strive for that, but why set out knowing there is something wrong? I see your point too kinsk, I would not purposefully breed from a chook with the wrong number of toes, but they crop up from time to time and they potter around perfectly happily. And if I accidentally incubated one of their eggs instead of someone else's I would keep the chick as a pet quite happily. There are more than enough people breeding perfectly show worthy Orps all over the country. I probably didn't make my point very well as I was still ranting, but anybody buying hatching eggs should be asking for pictures of the parents so if people are worried about bloodlines she won't sell any eggs anyway and she'll get a bad rep for not being open about the toes on the parent birds beforehand. She's obviously still very green though, so should have been gently guided by the writer and maybe encouraged gently in other directions, not outed in a national publication and called a "silly ###" . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurmurf Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 i am so delighted you wrote that because I read the article this morning and choked on my cornflakes.... I was STEAMING! Misogynistic rubbish that I sadly PAY FOR! well done, mostin, I'll be writing too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mostin Posted March 4, 2010 Author Share Posted March 4, 2010 i am so delighted you wrote that because I read the article this morning and choked on my cornflakes.... I was STEAMING! Misogynistic "rubbish" that I sadly PAY FOR! well done, mostin, I'll be writing too! I'm so glad you reacted that way too as you read it, I swear I just sat there with mouth opening and closing like a goldfish for a few minutes at first read through . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 The trouble is that I don't normally buy it, but now I want to..... but don't want them to think that circulation is going up.... Tricia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mostin Posted March 4, 2010 Author Share Posted March 4, 2010 If you pm your email address I can send you the article as an attachment, I just can't get it to show on here . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken Shirl Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 Well done Mostin. Go girl. Love the idea of the broody cage, poor you, hope you cool down soon. It's the broody cage thing, just can't help laughing. I have to agree though that it is not a good idea to breed from deformed birds. I speak I'm sure for most of us, we would keep a deformed chick and rear it as a pet, but would not breed from it. I do however think that he could have been kinder to the lady, and missed a great opportunity to point her in the right direction rather than calling her names. We are all learning every day, by, as you say, asking questions. Wouldn't be keen on asking this guy anything..............Need to make sure that my less than perfect "Bitsas" don't get hold of that artical. Stay Mostin.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom123 Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 (edited) Go Mostin I have scanned it in for anyone who hasn't read it... **link removed** I agree about breeding from deformed birds, you shoudln't encourage a bad trait in a line or strain by breeding from birds like that. Like most of you have said, it would have been better for CC to point her in the right direction not call her names Edited March 5, 2010 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mostin Posted March 4, 2010 Author Share Posted March 4, 2010 Thanks for sucessfully scanning it tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krysia Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 Hi everyone i dont ave much time to come on here much these days but saw you facebook thread and had to take a look. Well, what an arrogant so and so! well done! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Treekeeper Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 Well I am a male chicken keeper yes I do have a plastic cube yes I do buy chooks I like the look of and guess what? I take most of my advice from 2 extremely experienced Ladies one who shows and breeds and sells and one who just breeds and sells. I wouldn't bother about a silly article. I for one am very grateful for all the ladies on here who haven't been judgemental when I was new and gave good advice even if I was asking some loony questions, even though I've kept chooks since 07 I still come on and check things out even if I'm pretty sure of the answers. As far as I am concerned the more people who come into the hobby the better. I will never be a breeder just a back garden chook keeper the old guard may be stuck in the mud but they are going to have to wake up and smell the humus! I will read his article but I will probably treat it the way I treat anything Jeremy Clarkson says. Large pinch of salt & tongue in cheek, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
