Video - My hen houses

After a long silence, a new post to have a look at my hen houses! The video it's in italian... but I hope that however the images will speak clearly. Ciao!

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Suggested readings

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The Boffa or Paduan Bearded Hen, an almost extinct breed that we are trying to save from oblivion

A new adventure. Yes, this can be considered true.
Whoever follows me will already know that my commitment and my passion are directed towards the conservation of biodiversity, both in natural and livestock. This led me, over and over again, to research and document the wealth of chicken breeds that once roamed my country, and in particular those in my region, the Veneto. Just follow this passion I have been a few years ago to pursue the traces of an endangered breed which I found very fascinating and deplored the loss of which, the ancient race Boffa. These animals, the result of the intersection of crested chickens (Polverara Padovana Great Tuft) and the largest local hens of the countryside of Padua, was known by the second half of the nineteenth century. Its most distinctive feature was the thick tufts of feathers that crowned the beak, like a beard and favorites. Slowly disappeared from rural farmyards, ended with the disappearance of all in the second half of last century.

But after long unsuccessful searches on the territory of Padua, to see if there were still survivors of these breed, some year ago I found in a poultry forum a picture that showed some chickens that was very similar to the ancient Boffa. Thanks to my friend Marco Bindocci, it was found that a flock of this breed, although not genetically selected, survived by an elderly farmer in central Italy, which has bred this poultry for 50 years, gift from an aunt who married an emigrant to the Venetian which had brought them from their land.

So, in 2009, december, a tiny group of  has arrived in my chicken coop, and in February the first chicks have begun to emerge. I would like to signal you my project: the website:

GallinaBoffa.com

with news, articles, projects strictly related to the rescue of this beautiful breed. With the website I've started also the pubblication of a blog, as "news dispenser":

GallinaBoffa.blogspot.com

Soon came a book and other news. Meanwhile, the chicks are born and grow, and they will more than anything else to shape the future of this breed. I sincerely hope you want to follow me a little 'in this adventure. See you soon!

Red eyes (Sleeping )

June 2006. Evening. The fields are almost sleeping. I'm walking near some willow trees, and a scared common owl (Asio otus) escape near me. It stop his flight for a moment, standing on a branch not far away, nailed with its huge red eyes wide open. I try to photograph it, but ... Naaaa. He runs away again. Few step further, and I see another pair of red eyes that nailed me. Much smaller, but also less scared ... probably already asleep. Click. Goodnight!

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Ectophasia crassipennis is a small parasitic fly whose larvae feeds on bugs.

Poultry - The Rovigo Ermine Turkey

Among the many breeds of Italian turkeys, The Rovigo Ermine Turkey is one of the few that is well known outside its home region, the Veneto. Either for the beautiful livery and for good production skills and the instinct for breeding, the breed has spread quite well among fans, but is still rather common.
Was Prof. Raffaello Quilici, Institute of Experimental Poultry Rovigo, in 1958, which starts from common bronzed turkeys and inserting Narragansett (one of the finest American turkey breeds) got to a point mutation of the selection by a small livery heads a group of ermine, on which to continue efforts to standardize the production characteristics and size.

The breed is characterized by flesh-colored legs, white skin, an ermine livery that resembles that of the German race Crollwitzer, and a medium size, with females who stood about 5 Kg and males 11 Kg. These birds are very rustic and precocious, fast feathering, also suitable for farming in the mountains. The females are excellent brooders, perfect to complete broods of many poultry, also because of their size is not excessive. Unfortunately, the lack of uniformity of somatic characteristics often leads to think that we can improve the characteristics of the livery by crossing with other breeds. In truth, the mere effort of the farmers should be more selective than enough to maximize the uniformity of the livery of this breed.The animals pictured here belonging to my friend Marco Bindocci, they become from the flock of the University of Perugia, I also had the pleasure of seeing an equally beautiful and very uniform flock, well characterized, near a farmer in Casalserugo (PD), which was obtained by a pure breed male had by Institute of St. Benedict of Padua and a group of bronze female with a right size. It 'goes without saying that in this case, that should be taken as an example, were the stubbornness and the assiduous selection made by these farmers to enable such an outcome. Should serve as inspiration and reference for every farmer, especially in these times when the word "selection" seems to scare the fans more than many others.

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Places: the Old Botanical Garden of Padua

Walking through the Botanical Garden of Padua, one of oldest university botanical garden still existing in Italy, is like taking a little trip through space and time. Exotic species are flanked by a humble native seedlings, flowers bright glimmer of a tangle of thorns, clusters of berries improbable colors are complemented by antique statues. Walking in the core, going from old doors, and being among flower beds and tubs from the perfect geometry is like going back in an old hortus conclusus of a medieval monastery. Groups of aromatic plants, water lilies, fruit trees, all arranged in strict symmetry, take shelter under the auspices of the old gingko tree, which looks like a cascade of golden fans in autumn, or in the imposing palm Goethe; the hidden rotonda, sorrounded by Taxus and bamboo, resembles a small green room, ready to accommodate a married couple, and greenhouses delicate Ficus and impressive Monstera build huge green walls throbbing with life.

I put here some pictures taken in October between its avenues, the garden well worth a visit even in seasons like autumn and winter, which certainly does not shine for its abundance of bloom and lushness. For any information, this is the Botanical Garden website.

Poultry - The Bionda Piemontese hen, inheritance from to mother to daughter

Bionda Piemontese rooster - Alessandria type. Breeder and photo: Emilio Briganti.

The Italian breeds should always be discovered and exploited in our country, particularly in the areas that have seen the birth.
It 's why today I want to talk about a really great race, which comes directly from the Piedmont: the Bionda Piemontese (Piedmont Blonde).
Formerly known with various names (Bionda di Villanova, B. di Cuneo, la Rossa delle Crivelle, Nostralino) the Bionda Piemontese is a chicken with the typical characteristics of  Mediterranean breeds, common in the Piedmont area since time immemorial; first references for these magnificent animals, however, are known only by from 1938, the year in which the Director of the Torino Sperimental Poultry Center, Vittorino Vezzani, decided to create a draft selection of the breed. Sure, these chickens were so popular that apparently were inherited from mother to daughter as a "dowry" means, in practice, when a daughter gets married, she received from her family a group of chickens to start their own flock. It seems that the jealousy of their strains induced as the housewives never giving fertilized eggs outside the household.

In any case, despite the collapse of the 60's of last century (due to new methods of agricultural and livestock), handed down from generation to generation, this race has come down to this day and since 1999 is the subject of a restoration project as well as have become Slow Food garrison.

Physically, the blonde looks like a fawn, black-tailed chicken; some selections have blue or white tail. Males can reach 2.5 to 2.7 kg, females stood, however, between 2 and 2.3 kg. Skin, legs and beak are yellow, the comb tends to curl up in hens. There are two main types: the Alexandria Blonde, with white - yellow earlobes, and the Cuneo Blonde, with red earlobes that result from crosses with New Hampshire. They can produce from 180 to 200 white or light pink eggs, weighing close to 60 grams. The deposition started at the 6 th - 7 th month of life. Rustic and sturdy, they are good egglayers also in winter; there are perfect for free range breeding.

In short, this is a fantastic breed with a really fascinating history and many qualities that deserve to be further considered by the Italian breeders (especially from the Piedmont!), as well as other local race, the White Saluzzo.

Important Note: all animals are bred shown by Emilio Briganti, whom I thank for the willingness to provide the pictures and congratulations for his commitment to the Italian breeds. If you wish to contact us,  click here to send him an E-mail.

Bionda Piemontese hens - Alessandria type. Breeder and photo: Emilio Briganti.

THANKS! Thanks to you, the blog now has new eyes!

La nuova videocameraSamsung HMX H200

Some time ago, I appealed to readers because it helps me give a new camera to the blog, to haver the chance to offer some quality movies to all. Well, after a few weeks,our goal has been achieved! Thanks to the generosity of some of you, especially Michael and Ida, the blog now has new eyes with which to watch the world!

Yesterday in fact the Epiphany in early (or late Santa Claus you enjoy better), led to Oryctes.com a new camera: a Samsung HMX H200. Why this choice? This is an entry level HD camcorder that records onto SD ticket in MP4 format, which makes it very convenient to pour everything into the computer. The H200 has a CMOS sensor 1/4,1 "to 3.32 MP, timelapse function with the click of a frame every 1, 3, or 5 seconds, 34 mm filter, 20X optical zoom ... In short, she seems to have all the characteristics to be an excellent traveling companion for our blog. Some users have reported a slight buzz if you zoom in conditions of silence, that mean? For the purposes for which will be used by the blog, I don't think this will give any problem. She has also an excellent value for money. Already, the price: how much? In electronics stores in this area the price ranged between 260 and 330 €, if the H200 stimulate your desire to get a new HD camera entry-level here you will find also links to Amazon's store, which offers some to a competitive price.

Waiting to put online the first video shot with it, I leave you a series of tests found video on YouTube. I think they are useful. Here then also link to a discussion about H200. To me, it definitely served to orient myself toward this purchase.

Thanks to all again!

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Samsung HMX H200

Poultry - The Polverara Hen, the ancient glory of Padua region.



My Polverara rooster, Pippo. A true war machine! Photo Andrea Mangoni



Many centuries ago, the Padua region was very famous in all Italy - and also in all Europe - for an incredible breed of fowls, the Polverara hen, that was the biggest hen in Italy. A fantastic bird, with a great feathered crest at top of the head, a crown-like comb, excellent producer of white eggs and dark meat. She was so famous that many writers talk about her, and she was part of the tribute that the Republic of Venice was obligated to pay to Mohammed II, Sultan of Costantinoples. It was the XV century.

She was selected and breed almost only in a little village near Padua, named Polverara, and she reached also 4, 5 or - in exceptional way - 6 Kg in weight. Really a giant, if compared with the medium-little sized mediterranean fowl present in the countries of Italy. She was a special dish on the table of Galileo Galilei, and she was exported in many european region - Brabante, Normandy, etc... and she was probably the ancestor of breeds like Brabanter, Crèvecoeur, etc..

Young Polverara hen. Photo Andrea Mangoni.

For centuries this breed was called "Paduan", in Italy and Europe. But at the end of XVII century, in France, another breed change it's name in "Padouan": the Polish breed. What the reason? Impossible to know. In the meantime, in Italy, the Polverara become more and more rare. At the coming of XX century and at the end of 50', for 2 times, she risks the extinction. At the end, only a paduan breeder, Mr. Bruno Rossetto, continued to keeping and breeding the Polverara hen in all Italy. Another farmer, Mr. Antonio Fernando Trivellato, obtained some eggs from Mr. Rossetto and start to improve the breed; thanks his work, now in italy we have some houndreds of Polverara hens, but the breed it's still rare. Also, Mr. Trivellato utilize many crosses for avoid imbreeding, and the breed start to miss some of her features.


The Polverara hen in an old print (Catalogo Lion, beginning XX century).

 The Polverara hen exists in 2 colours: black and white. Some breeders are attempting to establish the blue and other varieties; personally I'm working on cuckoo colour. The crest is one of characteristics of this bearded breed; she has also withe earlobes, a "V" comb like Crèvecoeur, white skin, greenish legs. He can now join 2,8 kg (males) and 2 Kg (females). The female, generally non-sitter, pound 50gr white eggs.



White Polverara rooster. Photo Andrea Mangoni



In 2007, I was able to contact Mr. Rossetto, now more than eighty, and he give me all his remaining animals: 6 higly imbreeded hens and a rooster. It was very difficult work with this flock, also because I was very unfortunate: at first, the old, great rooster died for an heart attack; more, his son was killed by a rat; at least I had only a male chicken... that now it's my breeder, the  white rooster of the pictures. Now this flock is not  more so endangered, I was able to give more youg pairs to some friends of mine, but it's alwais very rare. An extraordinary pearl of biodiversity in that rare necklace that is the Polverara breed.

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See also:

http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGP/Polverara/BRKPolver.html

http://poultrybookstore.blogspot.com/2008/11/thanksgiving.html

http://poultrybookstore.blogspot.com/2008/12/polverara.html

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Video about my Polverara:

Insects - Papilio machaon, the european swallowtail... my childhood friend.

An old female swallowtail (Papilio machaon) on Buddleja. Photo Andrea Mangoni.

Punctual as every year, in june, the childhood friend will come back.

Every summer, in fact, the big privet bush (bush? Tree!) in my garden become the canteen for the european swallowtail (Papilio machaon).

Cildhood friend because, since childhood, she seems to me the queen of the butterflies; and because his colored caterpillars were a prize for my research on insects in the garden, and sometimes ended up running away from the furniture, and after a while the beautiful butterfly suddenly appeared in my room, attracted by the light of the window.

Now, unfortunately, the swallowtail has become quite rare in my region. The decrease in the family garden plots may have contributed to its depletion. The larvae, in fact, grow on the Umbelliferae, and found abundant food on carrots (Daucus carota) and fennel (Foeniculum vulgare). The caterpillar becomes a beautiful adult butterfly in the spring from pupae that have overwintered, and then (at our latitude) there is a first generation, with adults who are flickering in the summer and give birth to a second generation, whose larvae become pupae spend the winter in diapause, with their silk belt attached to a twig or a wall.

Papilio machaon caterpillar. Photo Andrea Mangoni

Years ago I remember that I'd sown in the country along the shore, the carrots, the aim was only to help these beautiful butterflies to find adequate food for their offspring. Try it you too, perhaps leaving in the garden until late autumn these plants with their beautiful green foliage vaguely reminiscent ferns and don't forget to plant privet and Buddleja: especially the second, in summer, becomes a well-stocked "bar " for this butterfly and many other species. With a little luck, even your garden can accommodate this beautiful insect.

Papilio machaon. Photo Andrea Mangoni.

Poultry - A little gallery about poor know Italian Turkey breeds

In this post I will include a series of shots of various italian local Turkeys breeds and flocks, selected from those who in recent years have more impressed me. 


This is a simple invitation to look closely at the poultry biodiversity that surrounds us, and maybe watch the farm animals with different eyes. The fact that some of these strains are extinct or nearly so, should make us reflect on the wealth of valuable genes that the current generation of poultry farmers are leaving behind.

 EUGANEI HILLS BRONZED

Light bronzed breed. This flock come from the Duca degli Abruzzi Institut of Padoua.

EUGANEI HILLS WHITE

A totally withe flock that was coming from the bronzed one, selected by the paduan breeder Bruno Rossetto. Actually almost extinct.

ROSSETTO'S LIGHT BLUE

Very similar to the ancient breed Corticella Lilac, but similar in size to the Euganei Hills Bronzed. Selected by Mr. Bruno Rossetto, actually near extinct. Very few specimens are kept by paduan Association "La Fattoria in Città"; a female actually present in my breeding stock. Picture from 1996 - thanks to Mr. Bruno Rossetto.

LESSINI HILLS BRONZED

Light flock very similar to the Euganei Hills Bronzed, but with yellow skin. Kept by very few families  from Lessini hills and mantova region.

BROWN-LILAC (CAMPONOGARA - VENICE)

Local flock from Camponogara, very few families still kept this turkeys, medium in size.

BLACK (FIGLINE VALDARNO - FLORENCE)

Black local flock, impossible to determine its origins. May be from the Nero d'Italia breed, may be from american breeds.

Athene noctua - European Little Owl

Athene noctua. Photo Andrea Mangoni.

Athene noctua. Photo Andrea Mangoni.

Athene noctua. Photo Andrea Mangoni.

We go!

Now, this is a very strange adventure for me. Yes, the 2011 it's coming and I'll try to do an English version of my blog, Oryctesblog. I hope that you will find something interesting here, I (mostly) hope that my horrible comprehension of Shakespeare language will not discourage you to continue the reading. I hope this will be for me - and for you, also - the start of a new journey into italian way to natural gardening and wilde life, poultry biodiversity, and much more. Thanks for your patience. Ciao!

A Polverara rooster crowding. Photo Andrea Mangoni

Epipactis helleborine, an italian wild orchid. Photo Andrea Mangoni