Bob Blosl's Heritage Large Fowl Thread

[NYREDS]

3riverschick, Take a look at the Silkie threads if you want to see mixed up, made up colors. I've tried to make a dent in that practice, but there are so many new pet silkie people who think their precious buff paint silkie with blue under fluff is a sure winner.The words, "Buy a Standard!!!" fall on a lot of deaf ears.

It should be the first thing you buy. Long before you buy a chicken.

 

[ashandvine]

Riiiight, because everyone is out to breed and to standards....

 

[NYREDS]

Riiiight, because everyone is out to breed and to standards....

I guess I assumed it would be clear that this applied to people talking about showing their "babies" but Apparently I needed not assume everyone reading it would be able to process the meaning.

 

[fowlman01]

Riiiight, because everyone is out to breed and to standards....

It has a lot of info you will never see anywhere else, so you don't have to breed to the SOP for it to be valuable.

Walt

 

[ashandvine]

I totally agree with you fowlman and it is on my list of Christmas must haves. IMO I think you should start with chickens and then get the SOP. How many times has Mr Bob said people he has helped don't stick with chickens, GOOD chickens? The book is wasted on those who aren't sure or who, like Mr Bob says again, don't know how to keep chickens so they are healthy. I figure if people who think they are into showing or chickens start with a bird and they learn then they are doing the future birds a favor by figuring a lot out before they begin trying to breed or show. I would guess the first book anyone actually should buy before they buy the SOP or a chicken is something like Chicken for Dummies.

Really this is just my opinion. I've been up for days with a sick baby so maybe that's all it is... me thinking that there are ways to learn and those people who are out there with frizzled pizzled whatever chickens that aren't SOP won't want the SOP anyway because that isn't what they are about. They are having fun with chickens, and that isn't bad either... I just need to stop now... I just think SOP is for people who have already made a lot of mistakes and are serious about SOP and their birds, not their 'babies' or whatever they have bred.

 

[thedragonlady]

Quote:
No anImated cursers today?? There are no words .......

 

[3riverschick]

The thing I like the best about the SOP is the elegant simplicity with which
everything is arranged and the prose set forth. It's obvious it's a labor of love
which hs been carefully arranged over the decades to make learning the easiest possible.
Karen

 

[WinklerFarms]

I think it is funny how some breeders look down their nose at others who do not breed birds to the SOP or breed for production. To me a chicken is a farm animal and is part of my livelihood. Here where I live production birds sell better. Yes people want a "pretty" bird but to most people a regular hatchery barred rock is perfect for them.

I also think it is funny that if you let show quality birds do their thing and let them breed by natural selection they won't look like what you call a standard. If they can't achieve this naturally why is it the standard? Please note: this is intended as an honest question, not to be an insult. I know squat about breeding!

All that being said I do want some show quality birds, particularly barred rocks. Mostly I want these as a side hobby to my actual farm.

 

[Bentley]

I think it is funny how some breeders look down their nose at others who do not breed birds to the SOP or breed for production. To me a chicken is a farm animal and is part of my livelihood. Here where I live production birds sell better. Yes people want a "pretty" bird but to most people a regular hatchery barred rock is perfect for them.
I also think it is funny that if you let show quality birds do their thing and let them breed by natural selection they won't look like what you call a standard. If they can't achieve this naturally why is it the standard? Please note: this is intended as an honest question, not to be an insult. I know squat about breeding!
All that being said I do want some show quality birds, particularly barred rocks. Mostly I want these as a side hobby to my actual farm.

Very true statements. Of course if you let dogs just breed naturally then eventually they would all look like the wild type canine, or a wolf, or coyote, or whatever. Dog breeds have standards and size to breed for just as chicken breeds have standards to breed for. I am sure if you let horses breed naturally then eventually you would lose the giants Morgans and the miniature horses too. Breeding chickens to meet a standard is no different. I know this is an extreme example and I do know what you really mean. If you let the largest LF breeds reproduce without selection they will all tend to drift towards a smaller weight bird, just like if you breed bantams and ignore weight they will all drift to the larger end of the spectrum. This is what usually happens at commercial hatcheries, they tend to look at visible characteristics, but ignore body weight because it takes more record keeping and effort.

 

[Lacy Blues]

Lacy Blue,
Try these two links, for genitics of poultry.
http://kippenjungle.nl/basisEN.htm
http://sellers.kippenjungle.nl/page0.html

Chris

Thank you Chris, I will add this to my growing list.

And just to let y'all know, I did go out and find that book this morning. Now... what else is there that I need to do rather than sit in a chair and study chromosomes?

No, really, I WILL do this. Maybe later than sooner, but I will get to it... like I said... winter is coming!