Bob Blosl's Heritage Large Fowl Thread

[neopolitancrazy]

http://www.bluebonnetclassic.com/#!__egg-show-galleries

thanks!

 

[punk-a-doodle]

Wow! I've been hearing talk of McGraw's mottled Java lines, but could never find photos. If I was on land and set up, AND could find someone to coach me, I'd take them in a second. They are gorgeous, and supposedly do quite well in hotter climates. So glad some have been located and will continue to be in capable hands. Someone of "the McGraw thread" mentioned they used to own his Javas. Maybe start there?

 

[cgmccary]

I was sending out emails to those who wanted to buy started Red and White Rock Chicks this spring and stumbled on this picture. of the trio of Mottled Javas that I am going to get this January. They are from the old Dr. Albert McGraw line of Alabama.

Hopefully, I will have ten to five teen bird ready to share with those who want to save this old breed and line next year.


Doing my part to keep the old Standard Breed Lines of Old Poultry going in the USA?

Hopefully, you will do the same just one breed that is all we ask. bob

Those are really something to see. How long was this line maintained?

 

[Lacy Blues]

5 eggs a day! I am switching to the 4H Poultry chain birds! (Bovan Brown)

My guess is they meant 5 eggs a week. When I have done showmanship, its all i can do to keep from laughing. Some kids juyst know everything (Jacob) and when they do not know the answer, they think of an answer. We do train these 4H members well, but there are some that just think they know it all! (Jacob, is on the right below).

However, here is Arkansas we do have a few youth that really do KNOW it all. They prove it with their winnings at the State Fair in the Open Show. (Will, Elizabeth, Bree, to name a few). I heard Walt has a youth out there in California that takes great joy in proving her grandfather wrong and in winning over him. And Jim Salee is a well known judge and former ABA president. Guess all the youth enjoy beating an adult!

I am no kid, and I can tell you from experience, it felt good to beat him!

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

LOL! Jim is a fun guy!

It's always fun to upsurp the old-timers!


I think I'll die a kid though...

 

[thedragonlady]

I was able to talk Katherine Plumer (the Rosecomb lady) into doing the illustrations again, but would be interested in seeing his work up close. We can never have too many good artists.

Off to judge a show..back Sunday.

Walt

Has anyone seen the 2012 ABA yearbook with the illustrations on the inside cover by Chris Jones ? I would kill for some Orps by him. I'm a retired art and antiques dealer. This guy is great. His work will stand the test of time. Incredibly beautiful.

 

[aveca]

Would love to see copy of that Vickie..

 

[Robert Blosl]

Wow! I've been hearing talk of McGraw's mottled Java lines, but could never find photos. If I was on land and set up, AND could find someone to coach me, I'd take them in a second. They are gorgeous, and supposedly do quite well in hotter climates. So glad some have been located and will continue to be in capable hands. Someone of "the McGraw thread" mentioned they used to own his Javas. Maybe start there?

They should do well in the heat as they have been in Alabama for many many years breed by him. This fellow has had them for about four years. He thinks they are inbreed and need new blood or crossed on Blacks. I dont like to cross strains or color to make a chicken unless its the end of the road for the breed like Kathy had to do.

Maybe just a change of climate, conditions good game bird feed will help me get ten chicks. Then from there I can reproduce more. Maybe I can find a couple of birds that came from his line some where else away from me and I can cross onto these birds. Will just to have to play it by ear on this project. All I am trying to do is save the strain. To many years went into this line by him to let it go down the toilet. That is what I think a Preservationist in Poultry is. Saving and Preserving some one Else's work that they did for say 30 to 50 years. Not crossing all kind of strains up and trying to reinvent the wheel.

Example: I got a message from a person who crossed some Rhode Island Reds from Mr. X and some from Mr. W. He also crossed some from a Mr W. and a Mr. X after two years he is aborting his total program. He said he is getting some birds that have been in the hands of some guy for 25 years he tells me. He thinks he will do well with this strain. We will see. I dont know anyone who has had Reds that long that has birds that would want me to have them. Like these Javas they are not at the level that Dr. McGraw had them. His son has flock mated them and they have gone backwards. However if you go gene hunting in five to ten years you can reproduce this flock to its original state of a good Standard Quality Bird.

Now to get back to my friend with his Reds. He would have been better off getting a strain form either Mr. X or Mr. W and hammer away with these birds as these fellows have been closed line breeding their Reds for over 20 years. Very much like Walt's White Leghorn strain he has breed all the kinks and bad traits out. Why not take advantage of their hard work. I told this to one frined and he said bot of Mr. X and Mr. W Rhode Island Reds are to small. I did not say anything but COMPAIRED to WHAT? Mr. R strain that are four pounds overweight? People are so funny. They say they are breeders and they follow a Standard of Perfection but if a Rhode Island Red Ckl weights 8 1/2 pounds at ten months why is he considered small HECK if he weights 7 1/2 pounds which the standard calls for hes dead on for the weight but they say THEY ARE TO SMALL. What are you going to do. However, its what I call here today gone tomorrow chicken breeders. Not many stick with them.

I use to think this was the way to go by a male from Mr. W and and two females from Mr. M and hammer away but you stirr up a hornets nest in defects even if they are the top two strains in the USA. I dont know of one breeder who has successfully crossed different strains in every five or eight years for new blood and is considered one of the top five breeders of their breed in the USA.

Well If you find some McGraw Mottled Javas please tell me. If you want some of these birds for breeders a year from now and want to preserve this old line let me know. I am not making any money on this venture just trying to carry on a tradition of Preservation of Standard Breed Fowl. Notice I did not use HERITAGE.. I really dont like that word but I have had to use it to get my points across sometimes. Shame on me. Steve Mr. Silkie wonders if you are still alive in Georgia?

 

[cgmccary]

Quote: These lines that have been bred and raised for years in the heat and humidity should be highly regarded & do better, as globally, we heat up.

 

[bnjrob]

They should do well in the heat as they have been in Alabama for many many years breed by him. This fellow has had them for about four years. He thinks they are inbreed and need new blood or crossed on Blacks. I dont like to cross strains or color to make a chicken unless its the end of the road for the breed like Kathy had to do.

I'm guessing he thinks that adding in new blood will help with the coloring, since they have too much white on them and have yellow legs. From what everyone has told me, getting rid of white in the tails of the cocks is nearly impossible. Although our mottled cockerels have less white in their tails than the photo of this cock seems to have, so getting the white toned down must be possible.

Our Javas have done well in the Texas heat and the sub-freezing temps we have had so far - although they prefer a really chilly day to a hot day. Ours came from a breeder that is farther south in TX where it stays hotter longer than we do and her chickens do well. That cock looks to have a larger than standard comb - like our cockerels do. Apparently some of the other southern Java breeders are seeing this - most likely as a compensation for hot temps. I know that our cockerels didn't show signs of being hot as quickly as the pullets did and those big ol' combs and wattles were hot as fire when you touched them on a hot day.