Bob Blosl's Heritage Large Fowl Thread

[snowbird]

Yes, but they are hard to find if they were done a couple montth ahead of time. You can suspect it, but not prove it.

w.

Walt, One of the oldtimers told me to run my finger nail across any area in question .

 

[Wynette]

A friend told me she was at a show this past summer where a longtime breeder was instructing a young person on ways to hide things in his show birds. She slyly watched from a row away as the man showed how to shave off a side sprig, trim the points of the comb so they matched, pluck an unwanted stub from a shank, etc. OH, there was even a comment about some sort of gel to put on a single comb that was flopped over to make it stand upright. There were other things, but I don't recall them all. I have to say, I was a bit surprised to hear it, but I can be naiive on things like this. I'd rather be honestly placed, personally.

 

[Wynette]

Walt, One of the oldtimers told me to run my finger nail across any area in question .

Even if they are shaved, per post above, the longtime breeder told the young person that it leaves a shiny spot after it is healed. I'm unsure whether that's true or not...

 

[winniem13]

Does anyone have any knowledge of (or know of) Mr.Dick Hortsman of Pennsylvania? He ships chicks and has some stsndards and bantams I am considering for the spring. He has pictures of his birds and can tell you where they came from (no hatcheries). Just curious if anyone has dealt with him or seen his birds in person. He seems nice to talk with on the phone (he has a website but days he hasnt updated it in a while and wont answer emails.) Thanks, and Mr. Hortsman if you're reading this, "Hi!"

 

[Chloe77]

Think she's talking about painting up that plain white van...

This could work with a trailer.

That looks AWESOME!

 

[3riverschick]

Would anyone be interested in obtaining Lamonas?

Dick Horstman was asking me about if any were around a while back. He sounded interested.
Best,
Karen

 

[3riverschick]

Um ... directed at me? Not sure. If so, I definitely don't think you (or anyone for that matter) is sounding like a know-it-all. As for esoteric, yeah, some of your stuff is a little esoteric for the likes of me. I can only speak for me. And I've always been under the impression that the word esoteric doesn't carry any insult with it. So, pax.

Hi Spangles, I was just speaking to the world in general.
Pax,
Karen

 

[Lacy Blues]

I have heard the tale that turkeys carry a weak strain of Mareks to which they are immune and if their litter is scattered in chicken brooders, it will help confer resistance on chicks. (This is part of the joy of being an "expert" here on BYC - passing on rumor and hearsay as if it were fact.) However, I have found no documentation in respected literature that advocates this practice. I would think if it were true, the commercial operations would be lining up to buy used litter from the turkey ranchers. Don't see folks in my neck of the woods lining up to do that.

So, it is entirely possible, that Walt has resistant individuals that show no symptoms and the ones that do get sick need to be culled as they will get picked on by the healthy chickens any way.

However, I do believe your question has merit. Just not sure it's worth the trouble. Just wondering.

I am the one, or at least one of them, that talked about running turkeys with chickens for Marek's immunity. I have tried it, it works. The year I started, I lost a whole hatch to Mareks. After that, I acquired some turkey droppings/litter from a 4H family and scattered it around all my pens. I haven't had Marek's since. To me, that is proof enough.

A friend told me she was at a show this past summer where a longtime breeder was instructing a young person on ways to hide things in his show birds. She slyly watched from a row away as the man showed how to shave off a side sprig, trim the points of the comb so they matched, pluck an unwanted stub from a shank, etc. OH, there was even a comment about some sort of gel to put on a single comb that was flopped over to make it stand upright. There were other things, but I don't recall them all. I have to say, I was a bit surprised to hear it, but I can be naiive on things like this. I'd rather be honestly placed, personally.

I can believe this. The first Crossroads show... I watched as a man sat down in plain open sight with one of his light brown leghorn pullets and painted her primary feathers with a black marker, waited a bit and then wiped off the residue! I was shocked and appalled.

 

[Wynette]

I am the one, or at least one of them, that talked about running turkeys with chickens for Marek's immunity. I have tried it, it works. The year I started, I lost a whole hatch to Mareks. After that, I acquired some turkey droppings/litter from a 4H family and scattered it around all my pens. I haven't had Marek's since. To me, that is proof enough.

I can believe this. The first Crossroads show... I watched as a man sat down in plain open sight with one of his light brown leghorn pullets and painted her primary feathers with a black marker, waited a bit and then wiped off the residue! I was shocked and appalled.

I don't get how you feel good about a placing after doing something like that.

Winnie (my grandmother used to call me that!) Dick Horstman is a BYC member, though he doesn't post often; he's been breeding fowl for many, many years and has nice stock, overall, IMHO.

 

[fowlman01]

I am the one, or at least one of them, that talked about running turkeys with chickens for Marek's immunity. I have tried it, it works. The year I started, I lost a whole hatch to Mareks. After that, I acquired some turkey droppings/litter from a 4H family and scattered it around all my pens. I haven't had Marek's since. To me, that is proof enough.
I can believe this. The first Crossroads show... I watched as a man sat down in plain open sight with one of his light brown leghorn pullets and painted her primary feathers with a black marker, waited a bit and then wiped off the residue! I was shocked and appalled.

That was pretty brazen. If you are caught now, ALL of your birds are DQ'd. If someone uses a magic marker to color wing tips, I'm going to catch them. I hold the wings of Marans, Polish and other breeds I know that are prone to white wing tips up to the light...if they have colored them it is plain to see each stroke of the pen......they don't seem to know that. Judges should know where to look for faking. I don't think you can see where a sprig was taken off if you use a razor blade. Look at Moderns and OE's that have to be dubbed. If done right you can't tell they ever had wattles.

Walt