This is the "Official" discussion thread for the Lamona Chicken Fanciers. Breed club business will be handled more privately on the yahoo group. But all discussions concerning this lovely breed and breeding will be conducted on this thread. Please try to stay on topic and pleasent. We do not want this thread locked or deleted. If you know of anyone with Lamonas, large fowl or bantam, please direct them to this thread. It was believed that the Lamona large fowl was exstinct; howewver, a single flock has been discovered nd is believed to be Lamonas by an APA judge. That information must remain confidential.
Lamona hatching eggs are enroute to us in Arkansas. If all goes well and they mature to be Lamoans, we will offer a limited amount of hatching eggs in the Spring of 2012. No waiting list will be started at this time. Can't count your chicks before they hatch.
From: http://www.albc-usa.org/cpl/lamona.html
Lamona Chicken
While senior poultryman for the Beltsville, Maryland, government station, Harry M. Lamon conceived the idea of a new general-purpose breed of fowl to be developed by blending the egg and meat producing characteristics from three established breeds Silver-Gray Dorkings, White Plymouth Rocks, and White Leghorns. Several qualities were of utmost importance in this new breed. First, the bird should be a prolific producer of large, white-shelled eggs and command top prices as a table fowl with fine meat qualities even after egg production slacked off. At maturity roosters reach 8 pounds and hens 6 1/2 pounds. These birds should also have early development, fast growth, and good foraging skills.
Mr. Lamon wanted to create a breed to be distinctive in type and able to justify the pride of a true poultry fancier. The aim was to develop a fowl with white plumage, yellow skin, yellow beak and legs, but at the same time have a larger body than a Leghorn and a red earlobe so as not to be confused with larger type Leghorns. Original breeding stock was selected from outstanding flocks at that time: Silver-Gray Dorkings from Watson Westfall, White Plymouth Rocks from Frank Davey, and White Leghorns from Dan Young. After sixteen years, the ultimate goal was reached. The end result of these crosses was the production of a fine, general purpose fowl with a well-rounded body, yellow skin and legs, a single comb, four toes, and red earlobes. The Department of Agriculture regarded the development of this new breed as noteworthy achievement of one man Harry M. Lamon who had made all matings connected with this project. Therefore, the Secretary of Agriculture, Henry Wallace, approved the recommendation, on April 23, 1921, that the new breed be named Lamona, in honor of its originator. The Lamona was admitted to the Standard of Perfection in 1933.
These birds are fine producers of large white-shelled eggs. The Lamonas had trapnest records of 268 eggs per year! Despite their qualities however, Lamona populations declined up until the 1980s when the breed was thought to have gone extinct. With the assistance of the American Poultry Association, and with input from the Society for Preservation of Poultry Antiquities, the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy discovered the existence of one and possibly two flocks of Lamona chickens in 2005. The owners of each of these flocks request to remain anonymous as yet; neither being prepared to offer any stock at this time.
Status: Study
Breed clubs and associations:
The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, Box 477, Pittsboro, NC 27312, (919) 542-5704, email [email protected], www.albc-usa.org
American Poultry Association, PO Box 306, Burgettstown, PA15021, email [email protected], www.amerpoultryassn.com
Society for the Preservation of Poultry Antiquities, Dr. Charles R.H. Everett, Secretary, 122 Magnolia Lane, Lugoff, SC, 29078, email [email protected]
Lamona Chicken Fanciers, Jim A. Hall, Moderator, http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/LamonaChickenFanciers
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