Bob Blosl's Heritage Large Fowl Thread

[Robert Blosl]

Standard Breed Large Fowl List 2011

By Robert Blosl

Silverhill Alabama

[email protected]

Ancona
Andalusian Blue Ohio 1.
Ameraucanas
Araucanas
Aseels
Australorp Black Arkansas 1.
Barnvelder
Brahma Light Minn 1. Arkansas 2
Buckeye Kentucky 1. Arkansas 2.
Campine
Catalana Buff
Crevecoeur
Chantecler
Cochin Buff Virginia 1.
Cornish Virgina 1.
Cubalaya
Delaware Mo. 1.
Dominique New York 1;
Dorking
Faverolles
Frizzle
Hamburg Silver Penciled Georgia 1.
Holland Barred
Houdan Motted Minn 1
Games Modern Pyle Indiana 1.
Java
Jersey Giant Arkansas 1.
La Fleche
Lakenvelder
Lamona White
Langshan Wahington State 1.
Leghorn Buff New York 1.
Leghorn Dark Brown Oklahoma 1.
Malay
Minorca Iowa 1. Minn 1
Naked Neck
New Hampshire Mo. 1. Arkansas 1.
Old English Games
Orpington Buff Arkansas 1 Indiana 1. Ohio 1.
Orpington White Ohio 1.*
Orpington Black Washington 1. Ohio 1.
Plymouth Rock Barred North Carolina 1. Nebraska1. Mo 1. Calif 4.
Plymouth Rock Silver Penciled Minn1.

Plymouth Rock White Fla 1. Washington 1. Iowa 1.
Plymouth Rock Buff Iowa 1. Virginia 2.
Plymouth Rock Columbian Georgia 1.*
Plymouth Rock Partridge Fla. 1. Minnesota 2. Virginian 1
Polish White Crested Minn 1.
Redcap
S C Rhode Island Rhode Island 1. Arkansas 2. Ohio 3. Georgia 4. Illinois 5.
Sicilian Buttercup
White Face Black Spanish Tenn. 1. North Carolina 1.
Sultan White
Sumatra Black Indiana 1.
Sussex Speckled Ohio 4
Wellsumer
Wyandotte Columbian Ky 1.
Wyandotte White Minn 1.
Wyandotte Buff Minn 1.
Wyandotte Silver Penciled 1.
Wyandotte Silver Partridge 1.

I started my list of rare large fowl based on what I think is rare and from what people have asked me to find for them. In my head which has hundreds of breeders names in them I put down a list of the state and a number by their state. This then will be a breeders list which will have the state the name and address phone number and email address and web site if they have one.

Example New Hampshire’s Mo.1 Kathy in Mo.

Barred Plymouth Rocks Iowa Jeremy in Nebraska with the Frank Reese line

Blue Plymouth Rocks Fla.1 Halo who has been breeding this rare variety for a year or so.

Black Orpingtons Arkansas Roy Autrey who has about twenty breeds

Wyandotte’s Buff Minn1. Duane Urch who has about 100 breeds

Just getting started *


This is just a start. As we go along you may see a breed on this list and you can say hay I have this breed. I want my name and email address on this list, Or you may say I know a lady who breeds this breed in Washington State her handle is Chick Lady and then I can track her down and find out she has a few Rhode Island Whites. This list does not mean the breeders will ship eggs or chicks. Some might some may say only adult birds in the fall. If you just want Standard Breed birds and don’t want to breed them to the standard or show them you should go to a person who is a minor hatchery like Roy Autry or Duane Urch or in Joel Gilman Virginian.

These breeders will at least send you 25 chicks or more in a shipping and you can at least get started with good quality birds and you can breed them up as years go buy. Its silly in my book to spend a lot of money on a breed and you don’t want to show them unless you live close to the breeder and can pick up a trio or if you’re lucky latter in the spring just before they stop putting eggs in the incubator buy some eggs from them and then drive to thier home and get the eggs and put them in your incubator.
I did this one time I drove 300 miles from Wisconsin to a breeders home in Illinois and picked up five dozen Rhode Island Red large fowl eggs. I hatched 35 chicks and was off to the races. I also got to see his birds and pump his brains out on how to breed them. So this is only a guide and if a breed is not on this list don’t get up set. I am getting old and cant remember a lot of these rare breeds. Remember I only see RED other chickens don’t get me excited. Well a good Light Brahma like Charlie’s does or a nice New Hampshire like Kathy has. STOP. I like all chickens but R I Reds the old fashion ones is my favorite.

A friend of mine says to people when he looks at their birds he says. Do you like them. The person says yes. Then he says that’s all the counts. Then I ask him what did you think of them and he said their to BIG THEY GOT WHITE FEET and BEAKS they are culls. Yet they win. IF you are happy with your birds that’s all that counts in my book. I just like to breed them up and make them look better.

Nothing wrong with that. Look over the list and add a name to it for me such as a friend our yourself so I can put on the list. This is a rough draft so it won’t be done for about a month but at least it will give me something to send the person when they email me or send me a personnel message. Bob

Ralph thank you for being there for all of us. You have helped so many people over the years even me. This thread will be 90 days old tomorrow. We have come a long way. 221 pages bob

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll2/cjribbeck/scan0001.jpg

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll2/cjribbeck/scan.jpg

 

[punky rooster]

Hey Bob could you ad Urch of MN & Bob Rhodes of MA to your list of buckeye breeders they have both had their line of buckeyes for 50+ years!?

 

[halo]

Bob, you've contributed an amazing amount of information, and time, in this thread. I thank you!

 

[cowboygourmet]

Quote:
Just a note to let you know that we will be selling quality Exibition Orpington chicks and hatching eggs within a couple of weeks or so. Buffs, Blacks, blues will be available so get on our waiting list now. We already have approximately 3o people on the waiting list for black orpingtons as of yesterday.
thanks

Roy
www.AFFPoultry.com
home of the 'awesome Orps and the robust Reds"

Thankyou Roy. I'd like to be on your waiting list for buffs only please. I'd prefer chicks if you ship. Could you email me a price list please? My email is [email protected]

I would be happy to put you on our waiting list for chicks! We have some really awesome birds and you will like them.
thanks
Roy J. Autrey
www.AFFPoultry.com
home of the "awesome Orps and the robust Reds"

 

[punky rooster]

Quote:
X2

You have already taught me so much in only 25 minutes on the phone!

we are so lucky to have someone like you here!

 

[Robert Blosl]

If you ever watch the Out Door Channel on TV has a show Primos Hunting Calls
saying and the show called THE TRUTH.

Telling the truth is all I and others who have been around are trying to do for you. We want this hobby to go on for ever and we need more than anything BREEDERS.

Do you here me BREEDERS. If we dont pass on these secrets to you guys they will be lost. At least alot of the secrets have written down and on the internet.

What I am working on right now is how to breed for type and color for this spring on Plymouth Rocks and Reds. You just can not through a bunch of chickens in a pen and get improvement. What I will be teaching will work just as well for Cornish , Leghorns or Brahmas. Just take out Reds or Rocks and put in your faorite breed.

It is a art and a science this breeding thing of livestock . We will make it simple 8th grade level but its the Truth and you will either subcribe to our suggestions or you wont.

Remember what I said the other day.
Many are Called But Few are Chosen.

You who carry the feed bucket can make it or just be another chicken collector.

I only need 1% of you so the others who read this Tread dont get up set if this is not your cup of tea. You either have it or you dont.

The first secret to being a good breeder is PASSION.

Pucky Rooster as young as you are you got the fire in your belly to be a good breeder . I thought of myself when I was young when I finished our phone yesterday I was just like you when I was your age hungry for the truth and how to do it. The problem is it takes a life time to reach.

Well got to go outside between rains and check on the ducks and chickens. bob

 

[X2Farm]

Quote:
Yes, he sure has!!! Bob, THANK YOU for taking the time!!! And Thanks to all the others with all the information and help!!

 

[punky rooster]

Quote:
Thanks BOb this means so much to me! I really can't wait to really start breeding this year I hope to set my first batch in two or three weeks so thank you it has been a honor to have the time to talk to great breeders like you I know I have alot to learn but I think I am putting myself in a great position
Thanks
Punky

 

[lildinkem]

I am lucky to have had Dan Homour forward me this literature via email. I hope I do not offend anyone if I periodically go thru his collection of articles from some gauranteed to be great breeders of the past. Just to start. I want to again thank Dan for his hard work on gathering and compiling all these types of articles. And I hope to ad a little with sharing them.
I am starting at the beginning of Dan Honour's book.

THANK YOU DAN!!!

INTRODUCTION:This is a collection of articles dealing with breeding practical and ornamental traits of poultry in general.In the breedingpen,a basic understanding is needed if breed improvement and balance is to be achieved. Danne J. Honour 2010



BREEDING NOTES



BY JOHN H. ROBINSON (1922)



SELECTION: A breeder’s work becomes increasingly difficult as the number of characters considered is increased and the breeder’s ideals of quality in stock advance. Ordinary breeding by selection is slow, but the appearance of a prepotent individual, and its power discovered, a breeder can make more progress than a long term of years by plain selection. A breeder of poultry has to give constant attention to selection of breeders, for a year without it will generally put him back 2 or 3 years. Within 2 or 3 years of relaxation of breeding efforts, will often make the stock worthless for breeding. With large numbers an abundance of material for selection is available, and with close attention year by year, the breeder will make progress.

Vigor if lacking in a bird used for breeding, is likely to produce offspring of poorer quality in all respects. Breeding from birds deficient in vigor will within a few generations show marked deterioration. Constitution not only affects the quality of all characteristics, but the NUMBERS produced, the losses of stock, loss of size and production, and indirectly the method of care.

Color, (even without close attention to the finer points of color) a line must be drawn between color faults which may be tolerated and those that ought to condemn a bird for breeding purposes.

Finish, (fine points of color and shape) makes individual specimens worth consideration for exhibition. (Finish affects the salable high price more than anything). The more rigid the selection, the smaller becomes the number that pass. To establish firmly as a breeder one must make the best possible use of the relatively small proportion of each year’s produce, combining a high degree of many good characters. Continued careful breeding reduces differences, but it also develops the breeder’s critical faculty and his ability to distinguish slight differences. The use of long drawn out charts for breeding seldom work out in practice. It is complicated for some, but mainly the results are too uncertain. The common form of line breeding is to MAINTAIN A MALE LINE INTACT, though occasional or even regular changes are made in the female line. If the head of a male line was an exceptional bird, and his female descendants used each generation resemble him closely, the type cannot fail to be strongly impressed on the stock even though females used were of somewhat different breeding occasionally.

PREPOTENCY & ELIMINATION OF FAULTS. Continuous mating for a definite result will eventually bring that result, if it is within the bounds of possibility. If a breeder selects prepotent individuals to breed from, he strengthens that quality in his stock. Prepotency is a normal result of good breeding and the best rule for developing prepotent birds is,” Mate for the best Standard type, both in the individual and in each and every character, rejecting for breeding purposes every individual that is distinctly inferior or defective in any Standard characteristic, and offsetting the minor faults and undesirable tendencies in one parent by superior excellence and strength in the corresponding characters of the other.” Varieties have been roughly made using stock or mixed breeding or crossbreeding, but to improve or perfect; be careful in selection of specimens nearest the type to reproduce it .This selection is made on the principle that the cumulative results of small variations can eventually bring about marked changes in characteristics.

To eliminate a fault a breeder must rigorously exclude from all matings every bird with the fault and even those that have. the least tendency to it. The first year he will get as much or more of the fault .The second year he will reduce it and the third year it will almost disappear. Later on it will give him little trouble, even though a few each generation will have the fault. In elimination of faults, the breeder must preserve. his stock’s good points he has established, at the same time.

CULLING: Breeders use too many hens in the breeding pen that are of low quality, hoping the male will stamp his quality on all the offspring. The result, a lot of culls which over-crowd the better chicks and prevent the good ones from developing into good birds. Good breeders. , breed only from the best of their good birds and not sacrificing quality to quantity Wisdom is in close culling. A breeder with limited room should not waste his valuable space on poor chicks. With better average breeding stock less crowded and better cared for stock, a breeder will rear more and better chicks without setting as many eggs. With limited space, severe culling at all ages is a must, to prevent over-crowding.

CONSTITUTION: In poultry this depends on racial vitality and present conditions of life but with the former in some respect, the stronger and more persistent factor. There it great variance between the individual, the flock and the strain, in hardiness, activity and vitality. Being exposed to the rigors of the weather the severe natural selection for hardiness develops races of great hardiness (also known as improved constitutional resistance to unfavorable climatic influence). Except as they possess superficial characters which render them especially susceptible to weather and climatic conditions all breeds are: capable of becoming very hardy. It is simply a matter of selection of the hardiest and providing conditions of life that build up strong constitutions. Failure to do these things quickly reduces the vitality of the hardiest races yet even in a degenerate state breeds show an ability to respond to treatment to restore vigor.

KNOWING BREED AND LINE A breed and variety are permanent. As long as there is any interest in either, the type will be preserved in at least recognizable form. The written descriptions of the STANDARD are not in all cases exact specification. On the contrary, many of them are rather vague, admitting of a variety of grades within the general limit of the descriptions. In actual application of Standards, the tendency is to limit the application as nearly as possible to only one recognizable grade at a time. There are changes of style within standard specifications but through all such changes the breed retains its identity. It is the quality, the precise grade, of a line that distinguishes it, and the line is recognizable as a line, and is useful to the breeder only as long as it is in some way superior to others.

The development of a breed is through the constant succession of improved lines. The style (the particular type within the general type) of a breed at any time, is set by the best breed lines in it that are exhibited at the leading shows.

MATING OF THE BREEDING PENS: Mating requires painstaking observation of all birds available. Thought, foresight, and consideration of the possible results of every mating must be regarded for improvement, when considering every bird for the mating pen.

The mating of breeding pens is a time consuming job, involving continued close concentration of the mind upon the characteristics and the relations of the large number of individuals and a great many characters. This work has fascination for all who have in them any of the instincts of the breeder of improved stocks. Even where the entire breeding stock consists of a few dozen birds, no sloppy work is permissible if all birds are to be used to the best advantage. The details of matings will be under consideration for many days and some matings may be changed several times before a breeder is satisfied with them.

In many cases it appears that the females in a flock run better in quality than the males, but this seldom is the case. This is because in so many characters a fault in the male is more conspicuous than the same degree of the fault in the female.

 

[lildinkem]

One more just for fun

BREEDING COMMENTS (1920)



R.J. BLUM writes. The average flock owner, who does not specialize in poultry, loses he had quality. Uniformity of size and color he loses faster than he gets it. In other words the farmer or small town flock owner does not have as good a flock, the second year as the first, and keeps getting worse due to the fact that he does not study to find the proper ideal. Then he depends upon new males purchased from local neighbors, instead of each year or two at least getting the very best that he can afford from a specialty breeder who is a leader in his variety. Good quality is so quickly lowered after a farmer or breeder gets good stock from a leading breeder too. A flock, of fowls will carry on, keeping up high egg production, uniform type, and color, but only by keeping everlastingly at it in careful culling and selection, and the use of the right kind of males each year. The males are half the flock, by all means see that you have good ones as they are the cheapest means by which you can not only keep what you have but to improve each year.



A.G. HAWKINS writes; Have a good looking bird in the field, run, and open ground. What you see in outside surface area is 90%, the other 10% is what you see after you dig into it or handle it. (Under color, stubs, crooked breast bone, etc.) Give us perfect under color, clean shanks and straight breasts and we still haven’t anything. We might also say, first have size, type and surface color, then go after the other 10% and get a wonderful specimen. Go for the best surface color, and then go after all the under color nature will supply with it.



E.B.THOMPSON writes; Color works out from generation to generation, and you get what you want on its way out. Every breeder knows the value of excess color.

ALFRED JEWETT writes; a bird of a white lobed variety should be kept sheltered from strong winds, as these will in almost all cases make a white lobe rough with a tendency to become red. Should white lobes become tinged with red they must be washed by a soft piece of sponge with pure soap in tepid water, after which it should be dried with soft towel and lightly smeared with oxide of zinc. White lobes may be improved by keeping the bird in a perfectly dark room for a week at a time; the lobes will not be creamy.



R.H. ANDERSON writes; If Minorcas get much over the Standard weights for S.C. Blacks, they are slower to mature and do not lay as large or as many eggs. On the other hand, smaller than Standard weight, you lose type and gradually drift into Leghorn type, particularly in the females. Stay away from the real long legged stilty birds, they are not as fertile breeders and are frequently knock—kneed. In mating I pay special attention to the size and length of females and to the type and head points of the males. Do not use birds with high tails, bad combs, or birds that do not stand firm on well spread legs.



Dr. E.D. GEIGER writes; a deep keel and wide full breast is desired in the male as well as sturdy well set legs, in Minorcas. A good-sized lobe should be sought after, but an extremely large lobe tends to produce white in the face of cockerels. A bit of red in lobes is better than white in the face of cockerels or pullets.



TRACY D.BROWN writes. There is only ONE type for Minorcas. There is no such thing as production type Minorcas and there is no difference in type between the different varieties of Minorcas. Once fixed in one’s mind, the elemental difference between Minorca type and that of other breeds is very distinct. We breeders should show the public more Minorcas with real Minorca type and heavier birds. Whenever we get away from true type we are only fooling ourselves, and we are going backwards, Carelessness or negligence in culling, mating and breeding, only causes a great injury to the breed, the buyers and the breeders.



Rev. F.W. STURGUS writes. The desire of all Minorca fanciers is to breed a large almond—shaped lobe of good texture. When two good specimens are mated together the resulting progeny are not large—lobed, but distinctly medium in size, and this is much more markedly the case where two strains are crossed. Experience shows that mating together the related medium—lobed progeny, throws the large lobe in a proportion of the next generation. This case shows that one who is always, bringing in new blood, rarely breeds large lobed specimens, while one who inbreeds gets them more readily.



FRANK Mc GRANN writes; The Minorca is distinguished for length of bone, firmness of build and loftiness of carriage, which characteristics admit flesh without fatness and the true Minorca never appears fat. Its muscles conform to the shape f the frame, giving it an elegant form rather than clumsiness. The close—laying feathers give the Minorca more stylish appearance than other birds of equal size. They do not look as heavy as they are.



ARTHUR O. SCHILLING writes: It takes good healthy blood to grow the heavy comb and keep it well. Feather quality must have length and width enough to lie closely and firmly to the body. Extreme width of feather produces fluffiness, while narrow feathering causes the surface to appear rough and uneven, in males the saddles are inclined to be stringy and lesser sickles are apt to grow twisted. (Moderation in selection is ideal). Use birds that carry the wings up level and neatly folded against the body. Avoid long narrow shanks; they generally go with narrow skulls. When legs are set in back, it is natural for the specimen to raise its breast and shoulders to maintain equilibrium in order to move about naturally. You will have high shoulders and sloping backs and the angular break at the tail juncture. Sunken shanks are inclined to be knock—kneed and denote lack of vigor, which is detrimental to production or exhibition. High tails are looked down upon and are not pleasing to look at, and spoil type and balance (symmetry).



HERBERT V. TORMOHEEN writes; when buying, combs should be the last thing asked for, as there are plenty of good combs, but precious few perfect combs on good color and type birds. If you ask for a good comb, you are buying something you can produce yourself and sacrificing color; which you positively cannot produce out of inferior birds. Good combs can be produced from poor ones in a very few years, but color lost can never be regained from the same blood. Color must come from somewhere and if your birds do not have it you can never expect them to produce it.



G.M.HAZZARD writes; Stick to the Standard and do away with all freaks. The little spindle-legged, red-faced black chickens are not true Minorcas. The real big, clumsy, ungainly. Knock-kneed, non-laying, poor breeding, Giant black chickens are not true Minorcas. The Standard sized, vigorous, tight feathered, early maturing, good laying birds that lay big eggs, are true Minorcas.



GEORGE E. NORMAN writes Judging Minorcas, I walk up and down the Minorca aisle, try not to disturb them, just let them stand in their natural position. With notebook I jot the coop number of the bird that looks best from outside. I then examine each bird for disqualifications and take note of color. Now I have color, shape, and condition, so 1 now go to head points. I try to get nearest to Standard as possible on head points. After these things are in the notebook, I go over them again for width of feather, broad chest and a good back carried well to the tail. With these notes I can easily pick the best bird in the class and explain decisions to the owners. Shape, color and condition are always my strong points in my judging.



F.RAYMOND BENSON writes; the introduction of new blood has but one excuse and that is that there may be improvement. Introduction of new blood involves expense, bother, and risk. Many cases new blood is not needed to correct faults, just better breeding methods. With careful matings, the material needed to correct faults may be in birds already in your yards. Every mating should have this in mind, IMPROVEMENT. A flock does not stand still; it either improves or goes backward. Every mating is a move in one direction or the other. New blood is a great opportunity for improvement. Recklessness means ruin. Care and thought means steady advance. With opportunity comes responsibility and everyone should measure up to the opportunity and use his every ability so that his flock may be better for his having governed its course.



HARRY M. LAMON writes; a red-eyed male, even when mated to dark-eyed females will produce a majority of red-eyed cockerels and pullets. A dark-eyed male will get a majority of dark-eyed cockerels and pullets. Length or shanks in Minorcas add to breed character as long as birds are not too high and long-legged to cause knock-knees. A short-legged bird is more apt to show Leghorn features and appear too squatty. The Spanish differ from Minorcas in type; Spanish carry higher tails and with a sharper angle where back and tail join. The size is slightly smaller and combs are pointed. The female Spanish combs stand erect in front like the Leghorn. The top two feathers on the female’s tail should extend and curve a trifle. The white faces tend to become wrinkled and rough with age, more so in males. Faces will increase in length until birds are 2 years old. The face may become so wrinkled; puffy or rough, as to cover the eyes and obstruct sight, after which they are treated like Polish. Some report the young as being unhardy and need extra care up to 8-lO weeks, during coldness and dampness.




with a little encoragement I will be happy to cut & paste more writings fro great folks like these.

Again THANK YOU DAN H!!