Bob Blosl's Heritage Large Fowl Thread

[rodriguezpoultry]

I was out grilling in the 14" of snow yesterday - and it was still coming down. I never let a bit of snow slow me down!!

It's all fun and games until the 4 wheel drive stops working.


Give me tornadoes any day.

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Quote:
Only vehicle I have is a 2 wheel drive VW Jetta and I don't even put snow tires on it!!!

(I am NOT a fan of wind. You can keep your tornados!)

 

[Arielle]

Quote: I think I already ran this experiment last summer, on the first run of my homemade, I was getting a lot more cckls than I expected, of course this is weeks/ months after hatching, so I had a high number of boys. I upped the temp and got a better proportion of girls. This was by casual observation, not careful study methods. WHen I researched this, my understanding was that the death rates seemed to increase when the incubator temp was at either the hgh end or the low end of the typical range of hatching chicken eggs. One end favored one gender, the other end the other gender. Unfortunately, chicken eggs cannot change gender by incubating temp; would be nice if they WERE like 'gators!!

Maybe if you run the experiment a little more scientifically than I did you will have more concrete results.

 

[3riverschick]

I'm still playing catchup but had to respond to the discussion on starting a new thread for education on the different breeds. YIPPEE!!!! I can send pictures of Blue, Black or White Cochin; Columbian, Black or Blue Wyandottes and finally Australorp to be praised or picked apart. I would love the interaction with judges and those knowledgeable with all the breeds.
Hope everyone has a Wonderful and Prosperous New Year!
Now back to page 951....

I can send pics of Light Sussex; 1 yr. old rooster and POL pullet.
Best,
Karen

 

[Rachel'sFlock]

Greetings, Heritage Breeders!
I am a novice to heritage breeds, and have begun reading this thread to learn all I can (I am on page 99, after one night of reading).
I have hatchery mutt Black Australorps, and would like to replace my flock with some heritage stock. I see, according to the APA they were included as of 1960. Is this close enough to the middle of the 20th century to be considered a heritage breed?
In the first 100 pages I have seen brief mentions of BAs but no one who raises them having posted about them.
In the spring, I would like to obtain some of Duane Urch's BAs, and would like some expert opinions on this decision.
I am learning all I can about SOP heritage birds, not for showing purposes, but for raising hardy, self-sustaining DP birds for my own purposes.
Finding a BA club (or local breeder ) in the western states is not easy, but I will continue my quest.
Thank you for this thread, and for all the wisdom shared here.

 

[HallFamilyFarm]

Quote:
Here is the link to the Incubation Seminar that a poultry professor held this last January at our Arkansas Meetup. Dr. Bramwell talked in depth about egg storage and fertilization. He is one of (if not the) foremost authority on poultry incubation and genetics.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/656836/january-incubation-seminar-meetup-video

 

[Lacy Blues]

Greetings, Heritage Breeders!
I am a novice to heritage breeds, and have begun reading this thread to learn all I can (I am on page 99, after one night of reading).
I have hatchery mutt Black Australorps, and would like to replace my flock with some heritage stock. I see, according to the APA they were included as of 1960. Is this close enough to the middle of the 20th century to be considered a heritage breed?
In the first 100 pages I have seen brief mentions of BAs but no one who raises them having posted about them.
In the spring, I would like to obtain some of Duane Urch's BAs, and would like some expert opinions on this decision.
I am learning all I can about SOP heritage birds, not for showing purposes, but for raising hardy, self-sustaining DP birds for my own purposes.
Finding a BA club (or local breeder ) in the western states is not easy, but I will continue my quest.
Thank you for this thread, and for all the wisdom shared here.

I know a breeder on the west coast of some really nice black australorps. I can find his info if you'd like.

 

[Rachel'sFlock]

I know a breeder on the west coast of some really nice black australorps. I can find his info if you'd like.

I would love that! Thank you!!!
Am looking for nice, breeder-bred BAs. The shorter the shipping, the better. I live on the central OR coast.

 

[Lacy Blues]

If you could plan to come to the Pacific Poultry Breeders Association show held the end of January in Stockton, CA at the fairgounds, you could probably pick some up and not have to pay shipping. Of course, it wouldn't save you any money because you'd be making the trip yourself but it would be a lot of fun! I'm fairly certain he'll be at the show and if we can get a hold of him before that, we can possibly arrange for some birds for you.

 

[call ducks]

Quote: It has been studied a few times and eggs cockerel eggs(sounds wried) are able to stand higher tempatures better. so if you are getting 77% cockerels i would think that

a) turn the temp down might help
b) 77% of your hens lay eggs with a higher percent of being cockerels.

some more information on statement b for those that don't know.

In avian species it is the hen(or goose,duck you get the idea) that determines the sex of the offspring. Some ____(s) are more apt to produce eggs that have a higher change of being one sex. It's not allways a 50/50 when they say 50/50 raito these are with large numbers of chicks where factors such as hens being prone to producing one sex more than the other are essentially eliminated.



I have been doing a rather small study these past few years. I pre-incubate eggs before setting.

People say shipping hatches eggs is a gamble. I truly don't belive that. To me it would seem like them being wraped in a layers of plastic would not allow cells to breath and this could explain why majority of eggs do not hatch. Now with detached air cells or broken eggs this could not be used.

My theroy (before you say off topic just listen ) egg weight(g)/3.3g = hrs of preincubation. allowing for the internal mass of the egg to warm up and to give the cells a boost start. I have not yet shipped any eggs just done it in home. However i have been looking at storage times.

Eggs have been out of the same lot. devided in half, same incubator different trays. And in storage times < 1 week i have seen an incressed percentage hatched vs non pre incubated.

Now i got this idea after thinking about broody's they don't lay all there eggs at once and some times wait upwords of two weeks before setting i knew there was something i have had to miss. And i ploted the diferences and simulatires out. There are two differnces i have come across, storage length, storage temp.

We all know a broody hen (even one that is not setting yet) tipaclly stays on the nest longer than one whom just lays her egg. So assumeing that a hen lays 12 eggs than sets, the first egg could have been sat on for a total of 12 additional hours. Now 12 days is past the 7 day mark where 'fertillity drops quickly". The only conclusion i can draw is that the hen setting on the eggs after she lays them jolts there devlopment. but after she leaves they cool down. Preserving the embro in a sate that of suspend animation for lack of a better word.

Now this relates to hirtage poultry because in the past farmers had relided on these breeds to raise there own. And natural selection would have advanced these traits that maybe we don't see over time.

Anyways still have to this years study and hope somthing good comes out!