Bob Blosl's Heritage Large Fowl Thread

[geebs]

Post the pix... Lots of window lickers here!!!

 

[joletabey]

Yes, Scott, please post pullet pics. Not only am I into alliteration, but I would like to learn lots about BR, even though I don't have any. Yet.

 

[math ace]

Nobody has posted to this thread in 9 hours - - - WOW - - - NEW RECORD.

So, I heard through the grapevine, that Delawares and Partridge Rocks are GREAT HEAT TOLERANT Egg layers - - -

Are there any heritage breeders of these breeds in the South East of the US ? ? ?

Do you have some pics you could post ? ?

I hear the Delawares are super friendly - - - how about the partridge rocks ? ?

I have 2 hatchery stock partridge rocks now. I have NOT found them to be a super friendly breed. Oh, and talk about DUMB - -- the partridge rocks I have seem to have the market on that trait. The two girls I have are named NOW and LATER. Go ahead and LAUGH, but let me explain. LATER would be late to her own funeral. She is ALWAYS the LAST bird out the gate, to the feed bin, or to come when I call. We take the same path every day to the free range area. I escort 20 birds from the coop to the free range - - - LATER is always LAST and USUALLY gets lost along the way. HOW hard is it to follow 19 other birds ? ? ? ? OK - - so, I think I got duds when I ordered my partridge rocks. . . . Does anybody have experience with this breed and HOW friendly are your partridge rocks.

 

[Lotsapaints]

my partridge rocks were a little skittish when chicks then at the ugly stage they were wild if you caught them they screamed and when the rooster was trying to tread them they screamed I hated them then as they came into lay they are my friends now the roo is standoffish but takes care of his women and knows I'm the boss they eat all kinds of weeds and bugs and eat less feed than some of my others and if I turned them loose they would take care of themselves pretty well mine are from Murray and I got some from Cackle the Murray ones are better looking right now and I have enough good ones to work on breeding my own they are beautiful and match the SOP very well have that gravy bowl shape some were pinched in the tail but I think that just happens there are enough hens that are nice I'm selling the culls they are great layers. I ate the extra roos and they dressed out nicer than I thought they would. I think show ones would maybe be bigger but they made weight.

 

[Illia]

. . . . Lurker here, still oogling and drooling over the Houdan hen that fowlman01 had a photo of.

If anyone knows of Houdans like that still around. . . .

. . . I want some!

 

[Robert Blosl]

http://cid-76b0b01228a61131.photos.live.com/browse.aspx/Barred%20rocks%20free%20ranging


For you who wonder what old fashion barred Rocks should look like these pictures are excellent. The third female in the group of pictures is a close

up view. Study the barring on her. Do you see how the barring his just about level. Some rocks are or have V shaped barring. The biggest thing you can tell from Heartage Plymouth Rocks in the color notice the nice blueish hue to the black and the clean white not smokey or dirty color. With Production Rocks you see what is called a Coo Co color muddy looking or durity. If you just learn one thing from this thread this is the difference between pedagree Barred Plymouth Rocks or Heartage Plymouth Rocks and the Hatchery birds. These are very nice and this is what you want in a Barred Rock Large Fowl. Thanks for posting the pictures and I hope you have learned something from his pictures.

Now what breeds do you wish for. Does anyone have old fashion Cochins or Light Brahmas large fowl? How about Silver Spangled Hamburgs? How about the old black Jersey Giants? White Face Black Polish. Campines? Well off for two days and have to wash some chickens for a show in a week.
In Partridge Plymouth Rock Large Fowl we have Dick Horstman from Penn. Joel Gilman with the Old Tommy Stannly line in Virginia , Butch Gunderson Butches Birds Wisconsin. Thats about all I know of off ot the top of my head. They are rare chickens.
Enjoy your coments and we have 32 pages. We have done well for the week. bob

 

[Gallusfarm]

Quote:
We have 2 roos and a hen of hatchery PRs, and I agree with you totally. We got them b/c they are just gorgeous... But they are not friendly, at all, even though we hand raised them. The one thing that kind of saved them is that the roos don't crow a lot... I've never heard one of them crow.

 

[Gallusfarm]

Quote:
I just saw Joel's Partridge Rocks at the VA state fair - and they are gorgeous - big and beautiful. I'm going back today - I'll ask if I can take a pic for ya'll...

 

[cubalaya]

the barring looks good on the barred rocks but they are too loose feathered. the barred rocks that i saw when i was a kid didn't look like that.

 

[joletabey]

My Delawares, who are from breeder stock, not hatchery, seem pretty heat tolerant- but upper 80's and 90 isn't anything like 100 degrees, so I can't say more than that. However, I can tell you they are super friendly, right from birth. They run TO you, not away from you, and like to hang out with you. I have several hens that will sit in my lap, and one young pullet that likes my shoulder better than any other place on earth. LOL! I have already posted pics here of my hens, and just got a new roo yesterday. I also hope to add more stock this fall or spring from another source. I am aiming for the standard.
BTW,even my skinniest hen lays pretty well - usually 6 out of 7 days a week, so I am impressed with that.