A Heritage of Perfection: Standard-bred Large Fowl

[3riverschick]

US Coast Guard Training Station Petaluma is ok. My son, Owen, is there
as a trainee. Heard from a couple of Coastie Moms who spoke with folk
on the base. Quake woke them up but everyone is ok. Petaluma sits
on a granite foundation which is real deep. It was one of the few
communities still standing after the 1906 Frisco quake. Much of the relief
efforts were stationed in Petaluma back then. I would guess the kids may
not get the honey ham on the menu for dinner tonight. Time will tell. I am
sure I will get a phone call from Owen later when he has time. I sure hope
the new computer he was building didn't fall over.
Best,
Karen

 

[LindaB220]

US Coast Guard Training Station Petaluma is ok. My son, Owen, is there
as a trainee. Heard from a couple of Coastie Moms who spoke with folk
on the base. Quake woke them up but everyone is ok. Petaluma sits
on a granite foundation which is real deep. It was one of the few
communities still standing after the 1906 Frisco quake. Much of the relief
efforts were stationed in Petaluma back then. I would guess the kids may
not get the honey ham on the menu for dinner tonight. Time will tell. I am
sure I will get a phone call from Owen later when he has time. I sure hope
the new computer he was building didn't fall over.
Best,
Karen

That's good. A safe place in Cal.

 

[3riverschick]

Petaluma is about 25 miles, as the crow flies from the epicenter in a town called American Canyon.
Yeah, and the Oceanside, Carlsbad, Escondido triangle in San Diego North County is on a single rock. My Dad was in the nuclear industry for many years. He knew the San Onofre Nuclear Reactor very well. It was he who explained that North San Diego County used to be the floor of the sea. Then it became dry land. This whole triangle sits on one gigantic rock. When earthquakes hit this part of southern Calif. , the rest of the ground quakes but this triangle of rock gently rolls on its bed of earth. Like a rubber ducky rolling gently in a bath tub. That's why folk in the triangle feel "rollers" when folk out in 29 Palms and other communities feel shaking. It's a great place to buy a house if you like the area but don't want the shaking quakes.
Best,
Karen ( formerly, Carlsbad, Oceanside and Vista, Calif.)

 

[NanaKat]

glad to hear BYC friends are safe. Continuing to keep you in thoughts and prayers.
Sister is in San Carlos. She has kept us informed.

 

[Yellow House Farm]

Redtractoranch!

Good to read your ideas. Personally, I would touch anything not already in the Standard; it's a wonderful road to nowhere and to failure. Neither would I grab anything overly rare. It sounds like you're going to have certain limitations but that you could still do something powerful.

Have you ever eaten spatchcocked cockerels? It's a fun and easy way to slaughter cockerels, and they're delicious.

Mediterraneans might be ideal for you. If so, I'd recommend either our Anconas or Don Schrider's Brown Leghorns. Walt's idea for NH's is a good one, and Jeremy Woeppel has some nice stock. Honestly, I can't imagine that one of these doesn't fit the bill.

Why the White Dorkings?

1. I wanted a larger meat breed.

2. I wanted meat of high quality.

3. I am a history buff, and the White Dorking is the oldest Dorking and therefore the oldest "dual-purpose" breed that we know of.

4, The rose comb meets our climatic limitations.

5. Anyone who's actually seen a flock, which most people haven't, of well-bred white chickens knows they're actually stunning as all get-out to see on range.


Walt, I'm glad you're safe. 6.0? No thank you!

 

[chambe94]

I haven't gotten much response in the Jersey thread, so I thought I would try here. These are two jersey cockerels I picked up through a friend who does APA, I believe he said these came from a guy in OH who had good jerseys. I originally got them for my son to show at small local stuff. But now I'm hooked. Are these reasonable enough quality to start breeding with if I eventually want competitive birds? Is it worth taking these to APA shows to get feedback ( do you get specific feedback at shows?)

Pauly D on left Vinnie on right

Vinnie

Pauly D

And the pullets
Snookie

JWow (not a very useful pic, I know)

Obviously I will be getting my friend's in-person opinion as well, but I like to hear other people's thoughts as well

 

[NeilsHamburgs]

Snapped this picture on my morning walk around. He is around 5 months old.

 

[Yellow House Farm]

I haven't gotten much response in the Jersey thread, so I thought I would try here. These are two jersey cockerels I picked up through a friend who does APA, I believe he said these came from a guy in OH who had good jerseys. I originally got them for my son to show at small local stuff. But now I'm hooked. Are these reasonable enough quality to start breeding with if I eventually want competitive birds? Is it worth taking these to APA shows to get feedback ( do you get specific feedback at shows?)

Pauly D on left Vinnie on right
Vinnie

Pauly D


And the pullets
Snookie

JWow (not a very useful pic, I know)


Obviously I will be getting my friend's in-person opinion as well, but I like to hear other people's thoughts as well

Yes, indeed. Take them to a show. they're not done yet. they still need time. If you find that you want to pursue them, you MIGHT get some of the West Coast Jersey Giants, which are reputed to be the best in the nation. But these aren't done yet, so it's hard telling yet if anything is needed out side of breeding, selecting, and culling.

A word to the wise, if you do decide on them, I'd recommend getting rid of the "bars". You won't have the infrastructure to waste on them. You'll want to fill it up with Giants!

 

[Yellow House Farm]

Snapped this picture on my morning walk around. He is around 5 months old.

When did you start working with these?

 

[Yellow House Farm]

Some Silver Spangled Hamburg cockerels we have coming up. It disturbed me that there were no Hamburgs at the Ohio National last year. This is one of our oldest fowl. All six varieties were in the original Standard of Excellence. They were being actively standard-bred before there was even a written standard to breed to. Instead of silly imports with naught but a crumb of history, it is these noble breeds that merit our attentions.