Bob Blosl's Heritage Large Fowl Thread

[Arielle]

Hello All,

Jim Hall posted our link and mentioned that we have "Some of the best stock in the USA is in Vermont at http://www.facebook.com/fayrehalechanteclers."

we have a few chicks left but they are too old to mail now.....

Thanks

THis is another breed that I have thought about. BEing developed in the cold climates of Canada and have a comb that also deals with frost bite. Would you be willing to share a little about the different varieties; or point me to a good book with the details. In general white is not a color that I can keep. We have plenty of hawks and free ranging white birds are easy prey, especially when the young hawks are learning to hunt and want easy prey. Do you have other varieties?

 

[Arielle]

Quote: I know both these ladies, will send them a PM.

 

[Arielle]

Thanks for all the input from so many people. Sorry, Bob, that it resulted in a little mayhem. Looks like there are a few breeds that may have some meat on them compared to others. If I missed any please let me know.

NH
chanceler
Buckeye
barred rock

I'm still willing to add to the list.

 

[Arielle]

Bob, I'm still reading thru an old book on the sussex, and one of it's features was as a good winter layer. Gave a head start on producing table fowl for the market. Now I haven't finished the book, so I may still find the answer there or not as the focus is on SQ.

8 months to market age is a long time in New ENgland. I do like slower growth to make use of the pastures etc and decrease the need to shove expensive grain under their nose. I have raised a few BBW turkeys--the amount of grain they eat in the last 4 weeks is stunning. A slower growing bird fed more on pasture would be more economical. SOI'm trying to apply this idea to chickens.

It is wonderful to support the old breeds for a number of reasons. One for me is that the commercial bird would not survive at my house! I can't sit their and monitor every pound they consume and remember to remove the feed pan every night because there growth rate it so remarkable. That is for the experts at the cornishX chicken houses. So breed choices put me in the realm of the heritage breeds of chickens.

Yes, I'm a newbie. Not sure I could ever breed a chicken well. I was hoping the utility traits of muscling was still important in the SOP for the dual purpose breeds and not just another pretty face. Feeling lost again.

 

[fowlman01]

Bob, I'm still reading thru an old book on the sussex, and one of it's features was as a good winter layer. Gave a head start on producing table fowl for the market. Now I haven't finished the book, so I may still find the answer there or not as the focus is on SQ.

8 months to market age is a long time in New ENgland. I do like slower growth to make use of the pastures etc and decrease the need to shove expensive grain under their nose. I have raised a few BBW turkeys--the amount of grain they eat in the last 4 weeks is stunning. A slower growing bird fed more on pasture would be more economical. SOI'm trying to apply this idea to chickens.

It is wonderful to support the old breeds for a number of reasons. One for me is that the commercial bird would not survive at my house! I can't sit their and monitor every pound they consume and remember to remove the feed pan every night because there growth rate it so remarkable. That is for the experts at the cornishX chicken houses. So breed choices put me in the realm of the heritage breeds of chickens.

Yes, I'm a newbie. Not sure I could ever breed a chicken well. I was hoping the utility traits of muscling was still important in the SOP for the dual purpose breeds and not just another pretty face. Feeling lost again.

Every bird is handled and examined. The structure of the bird is far more important than it's physical appearance. I can't tell you how many eggs it will lay in a year to fit in the dual purpose fowl category, but I can tell you if it is good enough to be called a meat bird. Not all doctors are good doctors and not all judges are good judges. Watch what the judges do with their hands. You should see the judge touch every part of the bird. He/she may be doing other things at the same time, but it is very evident if you run into something in the structure of the bird that is not right..so you look and check it out. For some reason many people think it is just fine to run two fingers along the breast bone to check for deformaties......no....incorrect. At some point you need to run your finger down the breast from the top of the keel bone. that way you catch dips in the keel which are as common as crooked keels.

Bottom line ...................it is important and should always be important.... or ...why have standards?

Walt

 

[kathyinmo]

I think some folks are under the impression that a bird bred to standard is "simply," a show bird. I have read many posts insinuating that. In general - if a bird is bred to standard, and is a good representation of it, then it should also be a good dual purpose bird (or whatever their purpose is). Anyway, that's what Walt taught me.

 

[Fred's Hens]

I think some folks are under the impression that a bird bred to standard is "simply," a show bird. I have read many posts insinuating that. In general - if a bird is bred to standard, and is a good representation of it, then it should also be a good dual purpose bird (or whatever their purpose is). Anyway, that's what Walt taught me.

I cannot begin to tell you the number of times that this misperception gets repeated. Every time someone extolls of virtues of a bird bred up to standards, the inevitable response is "I don't care about 'show' birds". The confusion comes in part from the idea that if a bird is bred up to its standard that one MUST intend it to be a 'show' bird and there is also, by inference, that a 'show' bird is all looks and thus some kind of fussy, non productive bird.

Bob, Walt (Fowlman01), Al, Bill (NYReds), Kathy and the others here have done such a good job of explaining that so many of these "type" features are essential to the breed's over all health and hardiness as well. I'm very grateful for Bob's patience with many of us who growing in leaps and bounds in both our understand and appreciation for the heritage large fowl. Thank you all.

 

[mississippifarmboy]

I think some folks are under the impression that a bird bred to standard is "simply," a show bird. I have read many posts insinuating that. In general - if a bird is bred to standard, and is a good representation of it, then it should also be a good dual purpose bird (or whatever their purpose is). Anyway, that's what Walt taught me.

I know my heritage RC RIRs are good meaty birds. I'm new to the SOP breeds, but I'm IMPRESSED! Just look at the width on this rooster!





I've only butchered a few young cockerels so far, but so far they have been twice as meaty as the production reds I always raised at the same age.

I think if you get the right stock... dual purpose means just that.

 

[NotAFarm]

Walt, I remember reading that to get birds with straight keels, they needed a broad roosting place instead of a narrow one. Have you, or any other breeders here, ever heard of or had experience with this? Do you keep roosts in your grow-out pens? Is a dip in the keel indicative of anything besides genetics?

 

[Arielle]

THanks for the input Walt, and Hi Kathy!

Kathy I'm not implying that a show bird is simply a show bird. I understand a LOT of effort went into breeding the birds and to prepare it for competition. ( I've shown dogs and I've shown horses a little bit.) And the SOP was very carefully considered when it was established.

Based on the two shows I went to and watched, I wouldn't buy stock just on show winnings. Not sure I'm making my point. The keel is checked for defects because it is the structure to hold the breast muscling. So the keel is very important. What I'm interested in knowing is: Is the amount of breast muscling evaluated?