CSU - Chicken State University- Large Fowl SOP

[OSUman]

Walt what do you think about the color of some of the American lines of New Hampshires? I think almost all of the birds posted are more German Line. There are a few of Frank Reeses New Hampshires in this picture http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...2104049.-2207520000.1357879275&type=3&theater

I have some problems talking about proper color when we are all seeing slightly different colors on our monitors. The New Hamps that I posted to show color differences in sun and shade are probably a good representation of a female NH color.

Champions usually take a bit of growth to ID. It would be pretty hard to spot a champion if it was a young bird.

Fred........move on or stay here for a bit. It doesn't matter to me. Many of the things I will talk abut will be applicable to many breeds. I find that questions seem to spur me on. I will be gone from tomorrow morning to Sunday night. Another show..........

Walt

 

[thatbethchick]

So, what's your pleasure, y'all?

Ready to move on with another breed? Continue to try and get discussion on the New Hamps? Declare this whole idea a bust? What?

Please please keep the thread going. It is so informative already and I do not even "do" New Hamps. I only found the thread today... 1/10/13. I betcha that lots more members with interest in this subject will find the thread and really it's very good. Thank You so much for this thread.

 

[fowlman01]

Walt what do you think about the color of some of the American lines of New Hampshires? I think almost all of the birds posted are more German Line. There are a few of Frank Reeses New Hampshires in this picture http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...2104049.-2207520000.1357879275&type=3&theater

I used to thnimnk that the German lines were to brown and some are, but some aren't. I have some brownish NH's here, but others are like the NH'd of old. Teh pictures of Franks birds look brown in this picture, but they are probably the medium chestnut the females should be in real life.....I don't know.

w.

 

[OSUman]

What about the males, the german line seem to have a lot more different and lighter colors

I used to thnimnk that the German lines were to brown and some are, but some aren't. I have some brownish NH's here, but others are like the NH'd of old. Teh pictures of Franks birds look brown in this picture, but they are probably the medium chestnut the females should be in real life.....I don't know.

w.

 

[Fred's Hens]

How interesting. Any idea why some breeds are to have the "tent" and others are to have a "semi-circle" of feathers?

I would try hard to understand what the SOP calls for in the breed I would be working with. I'd note carefully what I saw in other's birds that rank high at shows, but I'd still concentrate on what the SOP calls out. Shows can be faddish, generationally and regionally, it seems to me. The makers of the breed, way back when, had a vision for that bird, and some differences spring from the differing foundation stock used to create it. Also, the original makers of the breed were after a complete package on their creation. Some breeds were simply intended to look a certain way and the look is a complete package. When too many individual pieces and parts aren't "right" the symmetry intended, of the whole, gets be-fuddled. Again, just a old farmer talking here.

Do you see these (width, curve) at hatch, or wait until they are a certain age to look for them?

This depends somewhat on the way your strain matures. That said, The overall cranium shape isn't that likely to change a whole lot. The eye becomes accustomed and the longer you work with a particular strain, the more likely one is to "see" what's there earlier on. Once you notice that your particular strain does this at this age, and does that at that age, you wait for it. That's the positive side. However, you also come to see, I think, that some negatives, such as a head that doesn't make a nice arch in profile, or is too narrow doesn't go away in time, perhaps. Knowing your breed, over time, is key.

If this "pattern" of feature maturity happens over and over, you'll get so you can see the good/bad/so-so pretty early on. Hope that helps.

 

[thedragonlady]

Here's what I look for on the head. Looking down from above, I like to see width. A wider skull just suggests intelligence and dignity to me. Second, I don't like to see a flat top haircut look, like the old guys used have their barber cut their hair back in the day. I want to see the curve be smooth and continuous, making a pleasing and full arch. I've only got Rock photos that sort of demonstrate what I'm saying, so I'll not pollute the space here. But folks with NHs might be able to use the photos up to point out a good, regal head. I hate a crow's head look on any bird. Again, I've only read the SOP to death on the Rocks, so I've got that burned into my brain and my fixed memories and mental images from long, long ago.

I was discusing combs with Walt. I have always preferred a "rocker" comb that is attached at least to the back of the eye on an Orp.This sort of comb seems to go with the nice arched skull too. I've never seen one on a crow headed bird.Especially in males, there is generally a nice arch to the outline of the head from tip of beak to the back of the skull , in a good breeding bird. Combine that with skull width, and a bold eye, and I'm happy.

 

[ChickChickChicky]

For those of us who are visual learners, does anyone have pictures/drawings of good and bad heads?

 

[capayvalleychick]

For those of us who are visual learners, does anyone have pictures/drawings of good and bad heads?

Or maybe point out the photos which have birds with the best heads. I have seen the illustrations of crow headed in the SOP. I'm still trying to tell what that looks like on an actual bird. Are there two categories or three? Do birds have either a crow head or good head? Or do some birds fall somewhere in the middle?

 

[gjensen]

One of my pet peeves is a poorly shaped eye. I hate a poorly shaped eye. The rest of the bird could be perfect, and it would still bug me. I do not like eyes that do not fill the socket either.

 

[Mumsy]

When I think of a Crow shaped head I think narrow skull. Narrow skull to me means low vitality, narrow skeleton, poor egg or meat bird. A medium wide to large skull seems to indicate good grower.