Bob Blosl's Heritage Large Fowl Thread

[Marengoite]

I'm not trying to tell everybody the need to go show their stock. I just see the youth as a way to promote these old heritage breeds. I have students that raise broilers and they see that side of it I wish they could see this side of poultry as well.

I can tell you that last year was the first year I agreed to let my son raise chickens for 4-H precisely because the only thing I'd seen shown at the fair were broilers. IMO, they were slugs with feathers. Sure, there were fancy poultry penned, but most of them were bantams and i wasn't interested in having bantams on the place. Still not. But once I understood that the SOP and "the fancy" were also about utility - If I understand the SOP correctly, the conformation an standards were not just for looks, but also to enhance production qualities as well - and so I agreed to expand our poultry from market turkeys to encompass chickens as well. And then I discovered this thread on BYC and have learned a LOT. Still not ready to jump into the deep end of the pool yet, but I think we can do well at the county fair next year.

 

[HallFamilyFarm]

Here is thedragonlady's flock of "Heritage" Buff Orpingtons. Proud to say some of her SOP pullets were from us. Wished our flock was this big. Would have been, but..... Anyway, here they are:

She posted these at https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/259995/post-pics-of-orps-orpingtons-here/8170#post_10153864

 

[Marengoite]

RE: difficulties buying birds. I would guess that most of the people "turned off" here have never tried to buy a bird from a breeder. A lot of this is folklore perpetuated here on BYC and not based on anyone's actual experience with real breeders. Breeders may be difficult to find, but we have mentioned how to do that.

Walt

With all due respect, Walt, the folklore may be perpetuated by this thread even. I recall reading a post not too far back. Well, on THIS thread it's quite a ways back because it's pretty active. But the point being a breeder of show quality fowl stated that he wouldn't sell birds to just anyone. It had to be someone serious about the breed. So if people are posting that they will only sell to serious people, what other impression would you expect for them to get?

rick

 

[Marengoite]

This explains the stupidity in the definition as it now stands best I think, 'the "heritage" definition would be any large fowl breed recognized by the APA by the mid-twentieth century.'

Let's take the oldest documented breed in the world: the Asil. It was not included in the Standard until the 1980s, thus doesn't meet the definition of 'heritage' as here formulated.

Yet, there is documented evidence that the Asil was in North America by the 1820s at the latest. Which means it was in the States before many of the breeds labeled as 'heritage' even existed!

Call it what you like folks, but I'm educated enough to know that that doesn't make sense.

Thank you so much for stating this, Saladin.

I find it equally ironic that the Delaware Blue Hen, a breed of American game fowl older than our country's founding, is not a "heritage" bird according to ALBC definition because it's not recognized by the APA. Meanwhile the Delaware, a breed created in the 1940's, IS a "heritage" breed. Doesn't take much education to know it doesn't make sense if someone as new to the fancy as I am can figure it out.

rick

 

[Lacy Blues]

I was looking for some pictures of a breed that a new friend is trying to locate a buttercup which is the second picture on the bottom left. Found this picture thought I would post it.

Who rasies Buttercups on this web site that are worth getting into for a beginner? I have no clue.

Nice looking heads on these birds. What breeds do the Cushion Comb have. That has not been discussed much on this thread. So many old breeds just hard what to choose.

Bob, I know a woman in California who raises Buttercups. I'll send you a PM.

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Im wrong, not sure why I thought they had a cushion comb. I think I was confusing them with Malays for a second, which have the same genetic comb as a cushion comb. Silkies also have the same comb genetically
Quote:
Silkies (in North America) are supposed to have the walnut comb. It is a bit plumper, more enlarged, and more upright than the cushion comb in the ideal world, I believe, and the perfect walnut comb has dividing line across the middle. No idea how the genetics compare on the two combs.

 

[BarnGoddess01]

The Chantecler is a large chicken that lays respectably well and is a good meat producer. Roosters weigh around 9 pounds (3.9 kilos), and hens are 6.5-7.5 pounds (3-3.4 kilos).The breed possess yellow skin and beaks, and lay brown eggs. With plumage that lies tight against the body but has a good deal of fluff, and an exceptionally small cushion comb and wattles, the Chantecler is one of the most cold hardy chickens. They are gentle birds amenable to taming, but can be temperamental in confinement.[2]

This should be a great breed for those in frigged climates.

Glad the Butter Cup did that well that shows someone out there has some good wins to win that high up at a show like this.

I often wonder what breeds are at the top right now and what breeds are in trouble.

Wouldn't it be nice if we had a scale of one to four. Two meaning marginal not worthy of a blue ribbon at a show and a number three for pretty good true to breed but needs much help then a four a breed that is in the top for its shape and color.

My wife said this mourning it seems that most of the breeds that people want you to look for are meat breeds or dual purpose breeds. Not many want Leghorns, Miniorcas, Silver Spangled Hamburgs ect. Not many want Brahma or Wyandotte large fowl why would this be?

Many of the new converts coming over from the hatchery side of the table are wanting breeds that are flamboyant in color and then when they pick a breed for me to locate for them I have never heard of them or not many have them anymore or they are more of a two out of a scale of four on a rating list.

One person got really bent out of shape because I could not find them any super duper Silver Grey Dorkings. I cant help it but boy he sure was upset why there aren't any great strains out there. You wonder what his goals are in getting such a breed. Does he just want to look at them. Does he intend to breed them to improve them or what. People are funny sometimes in their demands.

So I would love to find the top three butter cup breeders in the USA.

Well, dang! Those Leghorns tend to be flighty, full fledged hysterical nuts even under the best of circumstances!!!

(I had to feed some at a recent fair and nearly took my life AND theirs in my hands just opening their cages!)

As a newbie, I appreciate the dual purpose breeds. It makes it SO much easier to shuffle them off to the layer coop or cull to the freezer as I experiment my way up the ladder.

That sentiment does NOT explain why I'm working with Ameraucanas.

 

[Yellow House Farm]

The Buttercups have a club. That would be a good place, I'd think.

 

[Little Ameraucana Mom]

was looking for some pictures of a breed that a new friend is trying to locate a buttercup which is the second picture on the bottom left. Found this picture thought I would post it.

Who rasies Buttercups on this web site that are worth getting into for a beginner? I have no clue.

Jana Wilson( I believe she is or was the President of the Buttercup Association ..) in Indiana raises Butter cups (LF) I'm not sure if she has bantams, but Joe Villimil (Sp) has bantams. If anyone is interested, I can give you contact info on either one if you pm me.

 

[imtrying]

This is quite possibly the truth. Americans have a love affair with things that are currently in vogue. Trouble is, when the current vogue changes which it surely will then Americans will change too. They are chaff driven by the wind.

i don't think it has to do with being in "vogue". i think it has to do with a fondness of a time most feel has gone; a sense of nostalgia; a longing for being more independent and less commercial. there is an entire movement with this "rewinding the clock" at its center. look at the organic movement, as an example. that isn't about "vogue", it's about getting back to the roots; stopping industry.

it much larger than "vogue". it's much larger than chickens.

in the real world, i am the only person in my immediate circle (close friends, family, co-workers, etc) who knows anything, or has any desire to know anything, about poultry. it certainly isn't mainstream to be cleaning chicken poo on a friday night.

imo.