Bob Blosl's Heritage Large Fowl Thread

[Pozees]

Evening all....back from Canada and "back to work"...BTW, Canada is still DANG COLD this time of year (we had snow there Saturday night)...too cold for a Suthern bouy like me

Spent this evening separating my Columbian Rock cockerels and pullets from my 2013 hatches. I have 3 absolutely HUGE cockerels growing out...these 3 are at least a 1/3 larger than any of the other males that hatched at the same time. One of the 3 is showing exceptional color in his wing primaries which have been "smutty" at best in my cockerels to this point. This one has crisp black with a fine edging of white on the lower edge of the feather....hoping he grows into a real "keeper"

Seems my luck is very similar in my pullets with 2 standing out from the rest...much larger, VERY long backs, improved color (although undercolor has lightened up a bit)....too early to tell about the tails although the main tail feathers do have nice lacing.

Hope everyone is seeing success from your 2013 breedings....I will try to get a few pictures over the weekend if the weather will allow

We had snow here this morning. A year ago we had been watering grass a month already. I'm with Dragonlady, you brought it across the border with you!

 

[naillikwj82]

I have been observing and learning quite a bit from this forum, thank you all. In regards to the bio-security, awhile back I visited with an older poultryman to purchase a few of his LF Light Brahma's for our project. He has 40+ years of experience, with much show success. He is very strict about bio-security. You don't enter his poultry barns without first donning disposable boot covers (we had fresh scrubbed and disinfected boots with us) but still used the boot covers. When he took a bird to a show, win, or lose the birds were sold and not brought back to his farm because of his concerns for safety. Following his advise, his birds were quarantined for a month at our place.
Thanks again.

 

[cbnovick]

Evening all....back from Canada and "back to work"...BTW, Canada is still DANG COLD this time of year (we had snow there Saturday night)...too cold for a Suthern bouy like me

Spent this evening separating my Columbian Rock cockerels and pullets from my 2013 hatches. I have 3 absolutely HUGE cockerels growing out...these 3 are at least a 1/3 larger than any of the other males that hatched at the same time. One of the 3 is showing exceptional color in his wing primaries which have been "smutty" at best in my cockerels to this point. This one has crisp black with a fine edging of white on the lower edge of the feather....hoping he grows into a real "keeper"

Seems my luck is very similar in my pullets with 2 standing out from the rest...much larger, VERY long backs, improved color (although undercolor has lightened up a bit)....too early to tell about the tails although the main tail feathers do have nice lacing.

Hope everyone is seeing success from your 2013 breedings....I will try to get a few pictures over the weekend if the weather will allow

Would love to see photos if you get a chance! I stumbled across this real early rendition of the SOP on Columbians when I was browsing historical info. on Rocks...thought you (and others) may enjoy seeing it...Did not see a photo for the male though.

 

[Robert Blosl]

I have been observing and learning quite a bit from this forum, thank you all. In regards to the bio-security, awhile back I visited with an older poultryman to purchase a few of his LF Light Brahma's for our project. He has 40+ years of experience, with much show success. He is very strict about bio-security. You don't enter his poultry barns without first donning disposable boot covers (we had fresh scrubbed and disinfected boots with us) but still used the boot covers. When he took a bird to a show, win, or lose the birds were sold and not brought back to his farm because of his concerns for safety. Following his advise, his birds were quarantined for a month at our place.
Thanks again.

What state was this Brahma Breeder in? I know of one in Northern Calif who is tops. bob

 

[el pollo rey]

Its 40 degrees warmer here than we had in Canada.....I'm not complaining.

I do like the warm days and cool nights we are having right now...perfect "sleeping" weather

It's good for the maple trees too ummmm they are pumping out the sweet sweet juice can't wait to get the boiler going !

 

[1MrsMagoo]

This was posted on the Autralorp Thread:

Thanks for the welcome. My hatchery BAs were purchased from a private party. I took them to the fair and seen a huge difference in size, and conformation. The judge told me that he would not place them as they were poor hatchery quality. I purchased the grand champions and mine just became layers.

Nice friendly judges at shows make a big difference!

A friendly judge can be a great asset! I recently attended my first ever poultry show (entered three birds) and learned a lot from the few minutes I got to speak with the judge. The show was put on by a new club here in Louisiana and it was fairly small. The judge said he felt bad for the new exhibitors because 1/2 or more of the birds were hatchery quality. He said had it not been a new club and people new to showing he would have disqualified nearly half the birds there. Instead, he chose to write helpful comments on a lot of people's coop cards and left notes with his clerks since he had to leave directly after the judging was finished.
Overall, it was a great experience. Even if I hadn't done well (much better than I expected) I would have come home with a lot of good information!

 

[NYREDS]

I have been observing and learning quite a bit from this forum, thank you all. In regards to the bio-security, awhile back I visited with an older poultryman to purchase a few of his LF Light Brahma's for our project. He has 40+ years of experience, with much show success. He is very strict about bio-security. You don't enter his poultry barns without first donning disposable boot covers (we had fresh scrubbed and disinfected boots with us) but still used the boot covers. When he took a bird to a show, win, or lose the birds were sold and not brought back to his farm because of his concerns for safety. Following his advise, his birds were quarantined for a month at our place.
Thanks again.

On the other hand I've been around for awhile too & have never quarantined anything. When i come home from a show the birds go right back where they were when they left for the show. When I buy new birds they go right in with all the others. The only precaution I do take is hitting them all with some louse powder before they go back in the barn. Visitors are welcome to go where they want-no booties or anything else. This has been my practice for the last 50+ years & I've never had a bad outcome as a result. I think people get a little carried away with "bio-security".

 

[ronott1]

A friendly judge can be a great asset! I recently attended my first ever poultry show (entered three birds) and learned a lot from the few minutes I got to speak with the judge. The show was put on by a new club here in Louisiana and it was fairly small. The judge said he felt bad for the new exhibitors because 1/2 or more of the birds were hatchery quality. He said had it not been a new club and people new to showing he would have disqualified nearly half the birds there. Instead, he chose to write helpful comments on a lot of people's coop cards and left notes with his clerks since he had to leave directly after the judging was finished.
Overall, it was a great experience. Even if I hadn't done well (much better than I expected) I would have come home with a lot of good information!

I know some people, one friend in particular who have been greatly encouraged and helped by Walt as a Judge!

 

[BGMatt]

On the other hand I've been around for awhile too & have never quarantined anything. When i come home from a show the birds go right back where they were when they left for the show. When I buy new birds they go right in with all the others. The only precaution I do take is hitting them all with some louse powder before they go back in the barn. Visitors are welcome to go where they want-no booties or anything else. This has been my practice for the last 50+ years & I've never had a bad outcome as a result. I think people get a little carried away with "bio-security". 

This is the way I have been for 20 years now. I also have never had an issue.

 

[fowlman01]

I know some people, one friend in particular who have been greatly encouraged and helped by Walt as a Judge!

Thanks!

w.