Ancona Chicken Thread

[farmerChef]

I have a trio of anconas and I had a problem with them eating their eggs what can I do

you can get(or make) a roll out nest. The bottom is slanted so when a hen lays an egg, it rolls either to the front or back in a holding area where they cant reach them. There is a good thread on here on making them, it may be a "sticky" at the top of the coop building section(although I dont think you can see them if your on mobile).
Putting a few golf bags or wooden eggs may help, they will go to peck and them and get nothing.

 

[Rhinoman]

What happened? I just finished reading "A little Journey Among Anconas." by H. Cecil Sheppard. Joseph recommended the book. Mr Sheppard was world famous for his ANCONAS. They were THE bird in the early 1900's. One would believe that all the commercial egg producers would now be using Anconas. How did the leghorn ever outdo them? Why when anyone wants a backyard flock of egg layers are Ancona not the first bird to be recommended, especially in the cold north? Mr Sheppard's bird lay heavy into the forth year. He stated many of his best producers were four year hens.

 

[SanderB]

What happened? I just finished reading "A little Journey Among Anconas." by H. Cecil Sheppard. Joseph recommended the book. Mr Sheppard was world famous for his ANCONAS. They were THE bird in the early 1900's. One would believe that all the commercial egg producers would now be using Anconas. How did the leghorn ever outdo them? Why when anyone wants a backyard flock of egg layers are Ancona not the first bird to be recommended, especially in the cold north? Mr Sheppard's bird lay heavy into the forth year. He stated many of his best producers were four year hens.

There were a lot of wars and so on, a lot of breeds died during wars so they needed to be recreated. And this way some characteristics aren´t the same as hundred years ago.

Now they use isa browns and other commercial breeds for egg production.

 

[Yellow House Farm]

What happened? I just finished reading "A little Journey Among Anconas." by H. Cecil Sheppard. Joseph recommended the book. Mr Sheppard was world famous for his ANCONAS. They were THE bird in the early 1900's. One would believe that all the commercial egg producers would now be using Anconas. How did the leghorn ever outdo them? Why when anyone wants a backyard flock of egg layers are Ancona not the first bird to be recommended, especially in the cold north? Mr Sheppard's bird lay heavy into the forth year. He stated many of his best producers were four year hens.

They were amazing, but so were the White Leghorns of the day. When the consolidation to corporate agriculture was taking place the White Leghorns were preferred. I believe that they are actually the same thing, just different colors.

However, as to your question about why they are so frequently passed on, the reality is that the culture that supported all of our great breeds and brought them to the fore, went from being the staple to a specialty. We also notice that Sheppard, probably the single best breeder of Anconas to ever have lived, went to the shows in a serious way all the time. By not maintaining many different breeds and by hatching in number--with records--in a professional manner, he was able to select for stock that was both beautiful and productive. Those who continue to breed this way, maintain all sorts of breeds--or at least do their best--that have become neglected by industry and backyard culture.

Industry is easy. Why would they deal with multiple breeds? It divides their efforts. With everyone focusing on production-bred White Leghorns, it focuses all of their collective efforts on making them more and more powerful.

Backyarders have a rather different source of limitation. Firstly, their are more myths and half-truths running around then there are breeds and varieties of chicken. If one says, Anconas (or Minorcas, Hamburgs, etc...) one instantly thinks of "flighty" chickens. People are afraid of that and run for Orpingtons or Rocks. This is a great tragedy. Also, there's the notion that they can't be eaten, which is also a fallacy. Then one goes on line and reads all sorts of misinformation or reads modern poultry literature, which is often replete with misinformation.

Ultimately, there are two kinds of chickens, one of which is divided into two categories. There is corporate chicken, i.e. those breeds that are part of the modern food machine, and there are the APA breeds. This latter category is divided between those who are well-grounded in APA/ABA culture and who work for high ideals and those who are hatchery-based. These latter persist without the necessary information to resurrect, refresh, and revitalize the old breeds because they are removed from the knowledge base and culture that established them in the first place.

Ultimately, many breeds of excellent fowl have been rejected but could very well be reborn if they are embraced by folks who are willing to raise them with the heart of APA/ABA culture.

 

[Rhinoman]

I guess, if no one had the wisdom to realize the merits of the heritage breeds then they wouldn't have been preserved, so there were those who saw their worth.

I have right now 23 hatchery birds and I am enjoying them but the reality is not the one I had imagined. The short productive period of the hatchery freaks is not as satisfying as the longer productive life of the heritage breeds. Furthermore, since so many who want backyard chickens want egg-laying-pets and do not wish to cull them at the end of their productive life, what better bird to serve their purposes than the true-SOP-bred heritage bird?

It is a poorly educated public that orders the hatchery "heritage" birds. I bought my "heritage" birds from MM hatchery believing I had purchased true heritage birds. Our baby was attacked (two scratches on his face) by our Black Jersey Giant rooster. When one inquires to the disposition of Jersey Giants they are informed the aforementioned is a gentle breed. However, when there is no discrimination in a breeding program than the outcome is chaos! As someone else stated somewhere on the forum (I believe in the Heritage Road Island Red thread) in a hatchery setting the most aggressive rooster mates the oftenest and hence produces the most offspring; complete with his aggressive nature. It is easy to imagine (and I bear witness to) the outcome of generations of this lack of consideration.

I for one am taking the plunge and look forward to my own journey among Anconas. The idea of helping, even if only in a tiny way, something return to it's former and rightful place in our culture; seems so noble a cause to me that I cannot resist. It is much more in line with what I imagined when I started this endeavor.

[I had purchased the rooster at my 14 year olds request, I had him kill it after it attacked; his little brother; which he did without objection.]

 

[TaraBellaBirds]

I guess, if no one had the wisdom to realize the merits of the heritage breeds then they wouldn't have been preserved, so there were those who saw their worth.

I have right now 23 hatchery birds and I am enjoying them but the reality is not the one I had imagined. The short productive period of the hatchery freaks is not as satisfying as the longer productive life of the heritage breeds. Furthermore, since so many who want backyard chickens want egg-laying-pets and do not wish to cull them at the end of their productive life, what better bird to serve their purposes than the true-SOP-bred heritage bird?

It is a poorly educated public that orders the hatchery "heritage" birds. I bought my "heritage" birds from MM hatchery believing I had purchased true heritage birds. Our baby was attacked (two scratches on his face) by our Black Jersey Giant rooster. When one inquires to the disposition of Jersey Giants they are informed the aforementioned is a gentle breed. However, when there is no discrimination in a breeding program than the outcome is chaos! As someone else stated somewhere on the forum (I believe in the Heritage Road Island Red thread) in a hatchery setting the most aggressive rooster mates the oftenest and hence produces the most offspring; complete with his aggressive nature. It is easy to imagine (and I bear witness to) the outcome of generations of this lack of consideration.

I for one am taking the plunge and look forward to my own journey among Anconas. The idea of helping, even if only in a tiny way, something return to it's former and rightful place in our culture; seems so noble a cause to me that I cannot resist. It is much more in line with what I imagined when I started this endeavor.

[I had purchased the rooster at my 14 year olds request, I had him kill it after it attacked; his little brother; which he did without objection.]

I had exactly the same issues. I ordered RIR and BJG straight runs from MM. What I got were some of the meanest most aggressive roos I've ever seen. My hens have become good layers and are as tame as one could expect, far from cuddly but I can get close enough to pick them up if need be. Even my beautiful BJG were too aggressive to keep. I had planned to keep two of the BJG roos for breeding, but my two year old was knocked down for a cookie he had sneaked past me

. My son was okay thank God but that was the end for me and my ideas of keeping hatchery roos. I kept my Brahma roo for breeding, he is a good bird!

These birds were a good start and good for learning but I know to order from a reputable breeder for flock roos! Now my problem is getting my boys to not be afraid of a rooster!

 

[goosegirl6]

Hi!
I looked at the reviews for the ancona and really like the sound of them. Would they do ok in super cold weather?

 

[Rhinoman]

Rose comb Anconas do great in cold weather! I'll be getting some this spring, I live in NH.

Central Alaska huh, I was stationed in Fairbanks for a couple of years.

 

[goosegirl6]

Are all anconas rose combed? Where can I get them?

 

[Alaskan]

Yellow house farms has marvelous ones, and they ship chicks.

http://www.yellowhousefarmnh.com/content/865