Bob Blosl's Heritage Large Fowl Thread

[BarnGoddess01]

Thank you everyone, all your information is so helpful. I apologize for my minor ranting, I was feeling very frustrated. I waited for a long time to start this project, practiced what seemed like forever on hatchery stock and tried to get the best birds I could find to start with only to have something uncommon pop up from the get go. I too am going to track the dark spot birds thoroughly. I would love to exchange notes with you Penny. Thank you again for all your advice and help. Have a wonderful blessed day everyone.
Nan

Minor rantings are perfectly acceptable. Just make sure you don't take it to major!!

 

[FOGELLY]

I believe in F A Hays' study he stated that chicks with the dark spotting/stripes grow to have darker coloring as adults. There was also research done by Byerly and Quinn back in the mid to late 30's regarding the dark pigmentation in RIR and NH. I believe the studies involved both commercial and standard lines. I wish I would have bookmarked all the info I had found on it, but I am keeping track of my own chicks with the dark spots/striping to see how they turn out.

Penny

I believe that the HRIR is a Columbian bird that has its color covered. Most of my HRIR chicks hatch with the dark stripe. I have been selecting birds that feather fastest as chicks each generation. This year I can really see the difference in consistent chick color.
Also since January, I have hatched 3 HRIR chicks that have an almost smokey appearance. By this I mean they are dark rusty undertone with blackish tips on the down. I am very excited to grow them out.

It is a color that has to be seen in person, it does not translate well in pictures.

Ron

 

[melroseladi]

Ron that sounds really exciting. I wonder how dark those smoky down chicks will feather out as adults. I am excited to follow my dark spot/line colored chicks to see if they do end up feathering out darker as adults. The 15 week old that had no black spot/line as a chick appears to be a half a shade lighter then the ones that had pigmentation but they are going through their molt so it might not actually be lighter. I am keeping an eye on it though.

Penny

 

[winniem13]

Ok. I finally have some heritage RIR chicks (1 week old tomorrow), and one has developed some sort of twisted neck, but not all the time. It will drop its head and hold it almost upside down for a long time and occasionally go down, but after a few minutes, it raises its head and continues as if nothing has happened. Should I be concerned?

 

[Fred's Hens]

Yes,

There are great threads here on the subject but in a nutshell, administer vitamins, but particularly Vitamin E. Break open an adult capsule and give via an eye dropper. Supposed to have selenium as well to help with the absorption of the Vitamin E.

It's a pain. It happens.

Crook neck, we call it, like a shepherd's crook. Again, this thread isn't the best place to get into a long discussion about it, but there are many, many threads on crook neck.

 

[winniem13]

Yes,

There are great threads here on the subject but in a nutshell, administer vitamins, but particularly Vitamin E.  Break open an adult capsule and give via an eye dropper.  Supposed to have selenium as well to help with the absorption of the Vitamin E.

It's a pain.  It happens.  

Crook neck, we call it, like a shepherd's crook.  Again, this thread isn't the best place to get into a long discussion about it, but there are many, many threads on crook neck.

thanks!

 

[Robert Blosl]

If your New Hamps are crossed with USA Hamps then you may have a var able in the chick coloring. Matt 1616 I think has stayed clear of the cross and is keeping them pure Ge man. I am not much of a fan of crossing lines as it opens up the back door for pesty faults than can drive you nuts. Why add some other line in on a all ready good line that some one has worked hard on for 20 years to clean up. Many do it most of the time its white birds but even then they get there share of head aches.

In regards to the smokey down color on large fowl reds there is a lost gene called the Mouse or Blue color down color. I have seen it on my bantams one time about 15 years ago. It goes back to a old line of Rose Comb Rhode Island Reds that Ernie Jones had and he sent a runt to a Perrion Johnson who crossed this dark small rose comb female onto his red bantams. This line showed up many times with the mouse blue color and many where killing the chicks but they where really the very dark birds coming back from this cross. They once said Ernie Jones had a flock of Rose Comb Large fowl that was so dark that a half hour after sun down the color on the feathers of his females almost had a blueish hue. There are no more like this line alive anymore but thought I would pass this history onto you Red Breeders.

 

[kathyinmo]

I just got home from Frank's. I got some more Barred Rocks, New Hampshires, and 6 turkeys (his first of the year). I am glad to be home. Yet again, I got lost and wasted 2 hours of time (and gas). I swear it is because I am old. I did not get the typical old age grey hair. My naturally red hair turned blonde. So, I guess now I am dumb blonde.

Like I said yesterday, the New Hampshire chicks do not have a consistent look, like the German chicks I have hatched do. I will get better pictures tomorrow to show you. Some are dark, some are light, some have "eye liner," etc.....

 

[3riverschick]

Hi Kathy,
That is some nice eyeliner on some of those chicks. I see a bunch of them
also have the dark stripe/line we have been discussing while you were gone.
Neat,
Karen

 

[3riverschick]

Hi,
The Light Sussex chicks Pi, Ping, and Pong are doing well. They are bigger at this age than the chicks I raised
last time in a brooder. (those were Marans). Still, I am impressed. Someone told me that broodie raised chicks are more
robust and am seeing that here. They are 9 and 10 days old today. Still can't get near them to feather-sex them.
I suppose I could create a ruckus and eventually catch them for that purpose, but why bother? Mama March is
doing a good job bringing them up. It's not like they are going to change sex on me. For what it is worth,
at this stage, their development is identical. So maybe I have three of the same sex. Hum...
Best,
Karen