Exotic birds, people get together

Vorwerk chicken

gets loose, flies

to rafters

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- Old friends and their favorite exotic birds and animals got together Saturday morning at the Brown County Coliseum for the Poultry and Pigeon Club's Swap and Sell Show.

The event was old hat for 88-year-old New Ulm chicken breeder Wilmar Vorwerk. He has been raising chickens for 70 years and attending the show for nearly as long.

He quickly sold a pair of his Vorwerk Bantam chickens at the show. One of his chickens got loose and flew to rafters above a light standard in the coliseum, a rare sight even to veteran chicken owners.

Vorwerk got the idea to create his own breed of chickens in 1966 when he noticed a photo of Vorwerk Bantams in a German magazine. He was so impressed with their rare brown and buff color and markings, he decided to do some chicken breeding of his own.

Combining Lackenvelder, Buff Wyandotte, Black-Tailed Buff Rosecomb, Blue Wyandotte and Buff Columbian Rosecomb Bantams he created his own Vorwerk Bantam breed after many years of culling. He described them as lively, inquisitive and beautiful with deep black markings and good, buff bodies. They've been sold throughout the Midwest and to East Coast breeders.

Vorwerk Bantams are a little smaller than most chickens but very distinctive looking. Their eggs are a little smaller than most but they produce often. The birds winter well, as long as they have plenty of water to drink and their feet stay dry.

Vorwerk -- who served as the Brown County Deputy Treasurer for 26 years -- still has 20 bantams in his yard on South Franklin Street and has no plans to stop. He said his neighbors don't mind the crowing they make, often early in the morning, but any time of the day for that matter.

"Once you get the fever (to raise chickens), you don't get rid of it," Vorwerk said. His 16-year-old grandson David is maintaining the family tradition of chicken raising with four Wyandotte Bantams of his own.

Wilmar predicts that once David owns his own place, he'll have lots of chickens.

A 900-bird show drawing people from throughout the Midwest will be held this October when a two-day fall poultry show will be held in the Coliseum.

The St. James Swap and Sell will be held from 8 a.m.-noon, Sunday, May 4 at the Watonwan County Fairgrounds.

The 100-member Brown County Poultry and Pigeon Club has been putting on bird shows for 96 years. For more information about exotic bird and animal swaps and sell days, contact Doug Grams at 354-6448, Trevor Nau at 375-4716 or Al Christle at 375-5596.