Bob Blosl's Heritage Large Fowl Thread

[Pozees]

There are no dumb or silly questions when you're trying to learn. Heck, if others didn't ask questions before I got a chance to pose them, I'd be asking a lot more.

I like to have a book in my hand rather than on the computer. I just can't stand to look at a computer screen that long and I can't bookmark the page and it just seems more overwhelming to me that way. A book is something that in my opinion, cannot be replaced. It's really nice that they're online now so hopefully I can get some of them printed out for my own use.

I agree, it is nice to have the physical book in hand. The copy I have of Call of the Hen is basically a photocopy and the pictures are just about useless, so I read the text over and over again to try and understand what Mr. Hogan meant. His writing style is very entertaining. He has one goal in mind only, and that is increasing the egg laying ability of a flock, which I think is extremely useful when that is a/the missing piece in a breeding program. As do many authors of poultry instruction as well as our fellow forum members with years/decades of experience, Hogan reminds the reader that vigor comes first.

 

[catdaddyfro]

Back to pinched tails: I just want to ask if anyone has run across a hen like one I had. She had a beautiful tail. Perfect Teepee shape from the back, very wide, no pinching or crowding of feathers when viewed from the side. So far, so good. This indicates she has the space. Great.

BUT - she wasn't a good layer. Average maybe. I picked her up and even when she was laying, she had only about 2 fingers worth of space between the pelvic bones. Thus I'm thinking the tails are a good indicator, but physical checking is still called for rather than depend on that.

I understand though that the reason to breed out a pinched tail is what you were talking about, and I'm not arguing with that at all. Just wondering if I'm right or if you guys just think I'm nuts.

Your right, and about being nuts?IDK about that!

LOL J/K


I think this is just a classic case of a poor producer and yes you are correct that it(tail shape) is not the only factor but it is a factor in the desired shape/type for a bird though. If you look at 99.9% of the hatchery/factory hens(Leghorns,Pro reds GSLs/hybrids) they will almost always have pinched tails they lay 300+ eggs a year and most of these will have the desired 2-3 & 3-4 finger spacings and betwixt both the pelvic meas.and the pelvic to keel meas..But heres the kicker how long is the life expactancy of these birds(2 to 4 years) (I have rarely had a GSL live past 4 years old myself)IDK as most will get ground up into dog/cat food or chicken nuggets at age 2 because after that they will start suffering heath issues(blow outs,peritonitis, ect). + they are just about "layed out" any way. They are worn out and their health has dwindled down to nothing because of over stimulation and pushed to maximum yield all in a a body that can't/couldn't handle the stress.

Most(good ones) hens with a correct body type will start out laying 180-200 eggs a year and can probly keep this average for about the first 4 years or so then will drop some but you can expect to still get some eggs from them well on up to 8 to 10 years cause they will simply live that long. This is the difference in picking out for a good nice bodied bird compared to the other type. It all depends on what a person wants/needs I reckon.

I'm done :LOL
good day
Jeff

 

[Lacy Blues]

I don't remember the name of the author but in the book "Call of the Hen" the author recommends checking your cockerels/cock birds which you plan to use to breed. Check their spacing as well as the hens. Find space between the pubic bones and also between those and the end of the breast bone.

I have one rooster which turned out to be my biggest boy... anyway, his first year I was going to sell him but the day I went to the auction, he didn't look as though he felt very well, so I kept him back. Boy am I glad that happened! A couple days later I picked him up and checked him all over and he had my full middle finger's width between his pubic bones. This doesn't sound like anything at all but let me explain... normally on my boys I cannot even get my index finger between them going the skinny way! He had good spacing between the pubic bones and breast bone too. So, I kept him.

I'd been trying to find the right hen to put with him and last year I think I found her. I have a pullet from that cross that has two full finger widths between the pubic bones and I had to spread my fingers apart a little bit between each to fill the space between her pubic bones and breast bone. I'm really excited about her and guess another thing... she hasn't even started to lay yet!

So, the author is correct, and though I didn't doubt him, I had no practical experience for the subject.

Oops, I was wrong about that, checked this morning and she IS laying. There is another girl in with her that is almost identical who hasn't started yet and they are not sisters. We'll see how that one turns out as well.

 

[Yellow House Farm]

Here's a link to Hardy Poultry. The site has photos of Hamburgs more in keeping with the SOP. This might be a good source to upgrade. It would be excellent to see some more breeders working with high quality hamburgs.

 

[Arielle]

Here's a link to Hardy Poultry. The site has photos of Hamburgs more in keeping with the SOP. This might be a good source to upgrade. It would be excellent to see some more breeders working with high quality hamburgs.

Thank you YEllow House for posting this link. THere is something intriguing about the SSH. SO many other birds I can admire, but the SSH is one of those birds that grabs my attention.

 

[Yellow House Farm]

Thank you YEllow House for posting this link. THere is something intriguing about the SSH. SO many other birds I can admire, but the SSH is one of those birds that grabs my attention.

Arielle, APA judge Erik Nelson in Maine has been breeding SS Hamburgs for years. He might be another excellent source for seed stock. Erik has a wonderful, gentle way about him. He's a member of the Central Maine Poultry Fanciers. Hamburgs are exceptionally stylish fowl. Well bred hamburgs can stop you in your tracks. They also have fine practical qualities as well. This might be an excellent direction for you to head.

 

[3riverschick]

I agree, it is nice to have the physical book in hand. The copy I have of Call of the Hen is basically a photocopy and the pictures are just about useless,
====================
Is that the NABU Press edition? They admit they don't correct problems which happen when they do the optical scanning on books they publish. Many of their books can be found online for free at the following places.... However, hte books at http://www.archive.org have much higher quality. They have about 6 diffrent ways you can view the books. You can also download them.
Hathidigital Trust and Google Books also do a better job of the scanning. Kirtas makes the top rated scanner in the world. Sometimes i look for their name when I am checking out what equipment they use to scann the book. espeically if the book is very vintage.
Best,
karen

 

[Marengoite]

Here's a link to Hardy Poultry. The site has photos of Hamburgs more in keeping with the SOP. This might be a good source to upgrade. It would be excellent to see some more breeders working with high quality hamburgs.

If anybody can find any other pics of LF SSHs I'd like to see them. Would love to have some of his chicks, but due to job situation (as in I don't have one at the moment) I may be putting the brakes to some of my more ambitious side projects. But I really like my Hamburgs. They are fun, spunky little chickens. Just wish they were LF.

 

[ashandvine]

Arielle, APA judge Erik Nelson in Maine has been breeding SS Hamburgs for years. He might be another excellent source for seed stock. Erik has a wonderful, gentle way about him. He's a member of the Central Maine Poultry Fanciers. Hamburgs are exceptionally stylish fowl. Well bred hamburgs can stop you in your tracks. They also have fine practical qualities as well. This might be an excellent direction for you to head.

No, I don't think he has them any more. No Polish either, but he could tell you a few people who do. I see him again on the 17 so I can ask. And I agree fwiw. Erik Nelsen is a quiet symphony of poultry knowledge.

 

[RiddleMe]

Arielle, APA judge Erik Nelson in Maine has been breeding SS Hamburgs for years.  He might be another excellent source  for seed stock.  Erik has a wonderful, gentle way about him.  He's a member of the Central Maine Poultry Fanciers.  Hamburgs are exceptionally stylish fowl.  Well bred hamburgs can stop you in your tracks.  They also have fine practical qualities as well.  This might be an excellent direction for you to head.

No, I don't think he has them any more.  No Polish either, but he could tell you a few people who do.  I see him again on the 17 so I can ask.  And I agree fwiw.  Erik Nelsen is a quiet symphony of poultry knowledge.

He was still showing/winning with his SSH as late Nov '12... Has he just stopped breeding them?