"Spent" Hen Enterprise

[PaulaMc]

SOP is short for Standard of Perfection. The breed standards for each breed as far as build, coloring, etc. Like a breed standard for dogs, horses, etc.


I believe the standard for Leghorn hens is a floppy comb. In the documentary...what was it called, about showing chicken.....the man who did Leghorns said the first two points are supposed to stand straight up, then it's to flop over to the side. That's the desired appearance. So, your hen is just fine. It's not like the Orca's floppy top fin, from confinement. She looks just how she's supposed to

Oh thanks so much for that

 

[PaulaMc]

You guys might be amused to know that in some of the old poultry husbandry books from 100 years ago, they spend almost as much time on genetics and breeding and what to select for as they did on feed, housing and other factors combined.

ying
As for the birds described as BO's (which I am assuming refers to Buff Orpingtons), most likely those are cross bred birds, aka, sex links, aka hybrids or a cross between two different breeds and not a cross between two strains of the same breed. Most likely not BO's but most probably a light colored hybrid sex link like Golden Comets, Cinnamon Queens, or one of several other names they go by. These are most likely the breed of bird they would put into a commercial house for brown eggs.

White egg layers in commercial houses are almost universally some strain of Leghorns. Do they have clipped beaks and combs? Most do to curtail the damage they do to each other when housed in such close confinement.

Both the sex links and leghorns have the highest daily egg laying rates, and as a consequence, they burn through the birds pretty fast.

Thanks for this as really interesting.

I have researched all my birds but in different countries they seem to have different names,

Obviously my ex batts are hybrids for excessive laying .

This site doesn't seem to be allowing my pics for some reason but will try upload for your expert advice if you don't mind?