Bob Blosl's Heritage Large Fowl Thread

[fowlman01]

Walt are you judging or showing at the Stockton show?

Showing. I prefer showing to judging, so I don't usually judge in Calif. I still don't have that showing thing out of my system. We have 57 birds entered at Stockton. They will have close to 4000 birds at this show.

Walt

 

[Robert Blosl]

So glad to see you talking about rare breed chickens then Poultry Husbandry. Dont they have threads on here about that stuff? I dont go to only two or three on this site because I start getting ill and have to take medications again.

The are the Dr. Albert McGraw Mottled Javas. They are old three years old so I got to really pull every trick out of the book to hatch some chicks from these two pair. Based on some of the findings that I got Sand Hill Farm got their start from him many years ago. Many of the historians of the Java Club thought they where long gone dead. I liked the comments of suggestions that you posted on here on how you would go about getting them reproduced. Can you see doing this with other rare breeds that need foster parents to help get them to the general public.

This venture of Preservation can only be done by a few chosen dedicated few. You have to have the passion and the drive to want to do this. Most people do not have the RIGHT STUFF to do it.

I need about four people to help me with this project. I will have some adults to share at the Lake City Florida Show in Jan next year and the New nan Georgia Show next February. It will take me a year to get some adults going. I will keep about four or six birds and the parent stock. Then the following year I should be able to send out ten day old chicks. Dont ever ask me for eggs these eggs are to scare to take a chance in the post office system. THen in the third year I can share some of the older breeders to people. Then in five years I may have to give them up and let the new owners carry on this old line and breed. I am doing this for the late Dr. McGraw who I never met but was a classic Preservationist in Poutlry. Also, I am doing it for the Java Club as they have some super dedicated and pasionte breeders in this club. I hope many of these members who have the Mottled Javas will get some of this old blood line and cross it into their line. It is possable that thier line are desendents of Dr. McGraw and they would love to have a bird or two. Many have crosed the Black Java into their lines to get new blood but in my view it would be better to have the pure old line. One thing I think I learned last night talking to a new friend on the phone from this board is as they get older they will get more White in them. So the chicks this coming year might be on the money for overall black and white mixutre. I have no clue. I have never seen a Java in my life and I have to learn about this breed just like any beginner. Its History in the making and glad I could be part of it.

So there you have it. I will cut and past the suggestions latter and put them on my web site on how to start a rare breed like this so you can print or save the ideas in your computer. They are simply outstanding and you lurkers are lucky to have such sharp friends who are willing to post their thoughts on what they have learned on this thread and their own research and experience raising the H chicken.

If those are Buff Wyandottes what a nice male and they are in dear need of help. I have not seen a good one in years. Thanks Walt. Lets get back to helping folks get rare chickens this is the time of year they are interested in making a change from the Feed Store kind to the H kind. bob

 

[catdaddyfro]

Buff Wyndotte.....no cookie for you.

w.

I took DLady's answer as one of those tricks like Bob likes to pull just to see if the class has been listening/paying attention,

LOL

Jeff

 

[Lacy Blues]

Buff Wyndotte.....no cookie for you.

w.

So then, do I get the cookie? I'll look you up at Stockton.

 

[winniem13]

Ok. Promise no more husbantry questions. I am looking for a good light brahma rooster. The girls i have appear to be of good size and form, but their fluff is pure white (whitest I've ever seen). Should I be looking for a rooster with grayish fluff (supposing I can find one with good form and size), or does it matter in the standard? It seems that the winning light brahmas in the poultry press and what has been posted on here has that gray under fluff. Should I even try to worry with the hens at all if they have pure white underfluff or try to breed it into their offspring? Last time I read the standard, i was confused on gray Vs. White. Thanks for your help.
I will be joining a poyltry association this sunday, so *hopefully* I will find a good breeder or at least someone who knows a good breeder.

 

[Yellow House Farm]

Lot of great suggestions on breeding these birds.
I would add I think it's important to create 2 lines before one starts bro to sis matings to any great extent.
One line descending from each male. If it was me, I would: Just use the plan Judge Card describes in the chart here.
http://archive.org/stream/cu31924003158312#page/n17/mode/2up
If one wanted they could pair each male up with each of all the females, creating 6 lines to use with Judge Card's chart.
If several of the "lines" were moved 500 miles apart, even better for genetic diversity.
In other news, found the local 4H poultry leader and he is very excited about helping me find dedicated 4H kids with
which to place breeding trios this year per Walt's wishes. I think it's a great idea too
Best,
Karen

I'd simply avoid bro-sis matings. They're too risky, unless one has birds to spare such that one can trash a whole pairing and offspring to boot.

 

[Yellow House Farm]

double post. sorry.

 

[Robert Blosl]

Ok. Promise no more husbantry questions. I am looking for a good light brahma rooster. The girls i have appear to be of good size and form, but their fluff is pure white (whitest I've ever seen). Should I be looking for a rooster with grayish fluff (supposing I can find one with good form and size), or does it matter in the standard? It seems that the winning light brahmas in the poultry press and what has been posted on here has that gray under fluff. Should I even try to worry with the hens at all if they have pure white underfluff or try to breed it into their offspring? Last time I read the standard, i was confused on gray Vs. White. Thanks for your help.
I will be joining a poyltry association this sunday, so *hopefully* I will find a good breeder or at least someone who knows a good breeder.

I dont know what strain of Light Brahmas you have but consider this. In the long run you need to get a good strain that has maybe 20 years of breeding behind it. Like Mark Peterson line in Minn.

There are a few other lines. It is not a easy color pattern to fool with. Having a female from Mr. Jones and getting a male from Mrs. Smith what are you going to have. ? A genetic mess.

If you are a back yard chicken person who is use to hatchery type Light Brahmas who cares they dont. But if you want to have a nice string or line of Light Brahmas try to get a good start. I would ask my Friend Charlie Voda in Minn for where to get some. Getting eggs and chicks in this breed is hard. Not many have them and the good breeders dont sell such items only adult birds. There is a show coming up in New Nan Georgia. There may be someone at that show who would have a bird to sell. Any advice out there who has the top Light Brahmas or has bought some and can help a beginner?

 

[BarnGoddess01]

I'd simply avoid bro-sis matings. They're too risky, unless one has birds to spare such that one can trash a whole pairing and offspring to boot.

Was definitely not what my mentor told me. Brother/sister breedings can let you know in a hurry, the good, the bad, and the ugly. Especially when working with birds that you don't know really well. Besides, what have you got to lose? The original parent birds are still free to do their thing.

 

[Lacy Blues]

Was definitely not what my mentor told me. Brother/sister breedings can let you know in a hurry, the good, the bad, and the ugly. Especially when working with birds that you don't know really well. Besides, what have you got to lose? The original parent birds are still free to do their thing.

I have always avoided bro/sis matings. If I was to try it, how would one go about choosing which to breed, same as normal just making sure they are bro/sis?