A Heritage of Perfection: Standard-bred Large Fowl

[NeilsHamburgs]

I

I haven't "started" with them yet. I've been sifting through them for 3 years and finally have a couple worth doing something with .

And I'm really jealous of those cockerels. I've been trying to get a couple of his birds for 2 years now.

 

[Yellow House Farm]

I
I haven't "started" with them yet. I've been sifting through them for 3 years and finally have a couple worth doing something with .

And I'm really jealous of those cockerels. I've been trying to get a couple of his birds for 2 years now.

Whereabouts are you located.Neil?

 

[NeilsHamburgs]

KY.

 

[Yellow House Farm]

Are you coming to Columbus?

 

[Redtractorranch]

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and I am glad that there were no problems with the earthquakes!

Thanks to everyone who responded to my request for suggestions on selecting my new breed. I am looking into NH's and already have a trio of Anconas to play with.

I started this process by ordering 100 assorted chicks from Duane Urch this spring. I thought they would give me an idea if I liked a breed and by getting the assortment, I would get birds that I would never normally choose--thus giving me a wider exposure to breeds. How a bird looks in the show pen is so different from how they are to live with, I didn't want to just choose something "pretty".

I am culling heavily based on "do I like this breed" as opposed to "is this show quality". By the time Jan. shows start I should have weeded out enough that I can begin looking for a few trios of better quality stock in a couple of breeds that I decided I like or finding a pair of a breed that I don't have yet (like the NH).

Quote:
Yellowhouse, why do you suggest I not get an overly rare breed? I totally understand about a non-standard breed, but I was thinking that I might be best able to contribute to the fancy by working with one of the rare ones. Two of the breeds that I am most drawn to in the assortment are the La Fleche and the golden Campine. Or would I just be bashing my head against the wall trying to work with something like them?
On the Anconas, how hard is it to get the mottling correct? I always assumed that mottled feathers would be as hard to get right as a laced feather and have been a little wary.

Thank you all again for your suggestions, and if you think of anything else let me know!

Oh, and thanks Yellowhouse for the suggestion for spatchcocked cockerels, we will be having that for dinner tonight!

 

[3riverschick]

Yellowhouse, why do you suggest I not get an overly rare breed? I totally understand about a non-standard breed, but I was thinking that I might be best able to contribute to the fancy by working with one of the rare ones. Two of the breeds that I am most drawn to in the assortment are the La Fleche and the golden Campine. Or would I just be bashing my head against the wall trying to work with something like them?
On the Anconas, how hard is it to get the mottling correct? I always assumed that mottled feathers would be as hard to get right as a laced feather and have been a little wary.

Thank you all again for your suggestions, and if you think of anything else let me know!

Oh, I know, I know! ( waving hand from back of the class!) . They are rare for a reason.
Lack of proper quality gene pool. Too complicated to breed the color. Lack of diversity
in the gene pool. Lack of interest and enough breeders willing to breed the number of
birds to move the breed forward. Lack of a literary heritage or expert breeders to counsel
other breeders. Better to take a breed which has an underpinng and help the other
breeders move it forward. Better to help those be strong than have a plethora of breeds
which are all struggling.
Best Regards,
Karen
( been there, done that with the "rare" breed. It's all true. Now I have Light Sussex with a proper gene pool which
needs breeders to further uplift it, has a rich literary heritage in English, etc, etc. )

 

[bnjrob]

Oh, I know, I know! ( waving hand from back of the class!) . They are rare for a reason.
Lack of proper quality gene pool. Too complicated to breed the color. Lack of diversity
in the gene pool. Lack of interest and enough breeders willing to breed the number of
birds to move the breed forward. Lack of a literary heritage or expert breeders to counsel
other breeders. Better to take a breed which has an underpinng and help the other
breeders move it forward. Better to help those be strong than have a plethora of breeds
which are all struggling.
Best Regards,
Karen
( been there, done that with the "rare" breed. It's all true. Now I have Light Sussex with a proper gene pool which
needs breeders to further uplift it, has a rich literary heritage in English, etc, etc. )

LOL. I can't help myself though. I fell in love with my Javas and even though many don't think they are worth saving, I do. It's one of those things where people have to decide for themselves if the work to save them is worth it. But for people who are easily discouraged if they don't see lots of progress quickly, getting a breed that is not so "rare" is probably a better choice.

 

[Yellow House Farm]

Well, you mentioned certain limitations. One was being willing to raise a dozen cockerels to 6 months. That's an alright number from a certain point of view and a very thin number fro another point of view. The breed and variety you're working with defines your point of view.

On the other hand, your prior experience with breeding could give you a firm foundation to work with. If La Fleche are you're breed, there's something to say for that. In two years, I might be able to help you out with a project I have going on. That they are self-colored is to your advantage. On the other hand, their gene pool is thin, but that's what I'm working on. Given your raising restrictions, success with these would demand hatching heavy and culling young. You would focus on weight early on: weight, vigor, and comb set. The head is very important in a La Fleche. If plans go well, i might be able to supply you something in a season or two to promote the efforts.

Otherwise, Karen is completely correct!

 

[Redtractorranch]

I am not for sure that La Fleche are "the one". The male I have is mean as all get out, so that does dampen my enthusiasm for them. However, of the 150 chickens (of 40 different breeds) I have had running around here this spring, my eye is constantly drawn to them. I have other breeds that I enjoy and many that are crawl all over me friendly (Buckeyes and Cubalayas) but something about the La Fleches just stand out.

I do think that culling will be easier and will probably be able to be done sooner with the La Fleche than some of the other breeds. I have been weighing all my birds monthly to get an idea of development. Between weight and culling for combs, I should be able to put a fair number in the freezer before the cockerels start crowing and fighting. I had actually thought of looking into buttercups for similar reasons. So much emphasis is put on the combs, that culling early would be easier. However, I am not sure how easy the color pattern would be on them.

If I do go for La Fleches, does anybody have an idea where to get foundation stock?

 

[Yellow House Farm]

Try not to allow something like a moody cock color a breed for you. These elements are about breeding, like practically most other characteristics. Moody cocks exist in all breeds, where they're a fluke, they're a fluke. Where they're the rule, there's a lack of selection for correct temperament. A moody La Fleche cock is not a reflection of the La Fleche breed.

Indeed, much could be said about this. Many, many times, folks discuss individual birds as if they were to represent a breed. This is a false understanding. The only breed discussions that make any sort of sense are Standard-based conversations and breed-historical conversations. Every breed is exactly what breeders are, or aren't, doing with it NOW. With a little spit and polish--or via unfortunate neglect, the reality of NOW can/will change.

If the La Fleche have your eye, go for it.

There are very few breeders. Start with what you have, in a year or two, once you've got a handle on them, we can get you some more. They are generally in need of some serious work. We have a current project that may we part of a solution.

Best,

YHF