Bob Blosl's Heritage Large Fowl Thread

[ashandvine]

...unless they are hatchery Asils........in which case they aren't Asils anyway. They are not like anything you have dealt with before. I have to separate the males at about 3-4 weeks or they will tear each other up.

Walt

I have heard this before. Mr Walt, do you mean that Asils from a hatchery are not 'real' like AmerIcaunas from hatcheries are not 'real'? Would you mind taking a minute to clarify the distinction? I personally have no desire to keep them but I am coming to respect and admire them more since having MET one and touched it and talked to its owner. Pictures really do not do any kind of justice to the presence they have. I am interested in improving what I have for Orloffs though, and maybe trying to diversify the colors. Keep your stones. If I go this route then I will likely be giving up on other breeds to work exclusively with the Orloff. For now I am trying to get the 'lay of the land' first.

 

[Chris09]

I have heard this before. Mr Walt, do you mean that Asils from a hatchery are not 'real' like AmerIcaunas from hatcheries are not 'real'? Would you mind taking a minute to clarify the distinction? I personally have no desire to keep them but I am coming to respect and admire them more since having MET one and touched it and talked to its owner. Pictures really do not do any kind of justice to the presence they have. I am interested in improving what I have for Orloffs though, and maybe trying to diversify the colors. Keep your stones. If I go this route then I will likely be giving up on other breeds to work exclusively with the Orloff. For now I am trying to get the 'lay of the land' first.

Most hatcheries sell Large Fowl chickens that are crosses.
They feather sex most of there Large Fowl breeds and in order to do that they have cross them.


Chris

 

[Narragansett]

If not crosses, they are of such poor quality as to only superficially resemble the breed, to those who don't know any better.

 

[Pozees]

I think this link was posted before but here it is again. I was able to tell what he was about in almost all the photos here. Also, if you need to enlarge them try control +, that should make the whole page bigger for you. https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=DiJDAAAAIAAJ

Thank you for posting this, the pictures are much clearer!

 

[Pozees]

The hens are a huge threat. I have to be careful when I put older females in with younger males....the hens will fight them. I have a hen that was almost killed by a male........I use her now to straighten out young males. She has been down that road, so she will jump on a young male right away. They don't expect that, so it gives them a healthier attitude towards females. Asils are not a good bird for a beginner, unless they are hatchery Asils........in which case they aren't Asils anyway. They are not like anything you have dealt with before. I have to separate the males at about 3-4 weeks or they will tear each other up.


note short beak, little or no wattles etc.

Walt

Wow, 3-4 weeks, whew! I have this picture that you posted burned into my memory. All the details you describe add to the reasons the possibility of having this breed, for me, is a loooong way off, the day may never arrive. For now I will have to experience them vicariously through you and the few others who have them. Do you know what their status is in terms of healthy breeding populations? Do you have chicks often, and if so do you have trouble locating people interested in the chicks? It must take quite a bit of question and answer for you to feel convinced those interested are capable of properly caring for them.

You are truly a dedicated poultry keeper, protector, and educator. I appreciate your willingness to share your knowledge. Words cannot adequately describe how much.

 

[bbsnooks]

You need way more ventilation. Seriously, check out the book fresh air poultry houses.
Also, you may want to read thus article.
http://www.backyardpoultrymag.com/issues/6/6-5/want_healthy_birds_give_them_fresh_air.html

Hello..gallorojo and others..

Thanks for posting the magazine article. I had not seen that. I've read some of the book and really liked it.. It made sence to me.
I'll be building my first big coop in a month or so.. and planning to use the ideas here.

I have read several places about the "draft" issue.. here and on other sites too. I googled " draft chicken coop" and there is a full page of NO no's. the coop must be draft free.. they say.. so how can you have great ventaliation and draft free too.

I wonder if that is some how an idea or need - that was intended for chicks born in winter with out a mother hen - that has been transfered to the needs of an adult bird. (any one heard the joke about the Christmas ham? new husband asks .. honey why do we cut the end of the ham off..)
Or if there's some thing im missing?

I have recently seen several of the old style open coops.. and the floor was 5' off the ground had mostly chicken wire for the floor and a 3 wall cubby hole along the back with a light above one area. ( this part did have a floor). and still had an open end for fresh air on this part. These were very open structures.. just as described in the book.

debra..

 

[3riverschick]

Hi Karen!

Well, we'd handle this situation in one of two ways:

1. If you're hen is incubating the eggs, then move her out of the coop. At night, transfer her into a broody coop. In her new home, put her in a nest box that you can cover up with something solid so that it stays dark for the entire following day. Just before sunset, as the sky is greying into night, remove the barrier, she should stay put into the night, getting up the following day for the feed and water you've put out. From there it takes care of itself. Move one hen to one box. Trying to get two hens to incubate together can go excellently or tragically; it's a flip of the coin. Were I to care about the eggs in question, I wouldn't gamble on

Well, I think I will go with option number one. I do have a heated small coop (the 7 1/2 sq. ft. batchelor quarters, currently empty) I can put March in. She started sitting first. Will leave May with the rooster. I don't have any dummy eggs. This small coop has a 6 foot high run. I can put in a hardwarecloth platform, level with the coop door...so the chicks don't have to walk down a ramp when she decides to take them outside weeks from now. Maybe the other pullet will decide to lay eggs and brood them . Maybe she is now, I haven't checked under them.
Thanks so much for your help. I am way out of my depth with broody hens. I had the scientific method all set up and now the chickens are telling m they don't need me.
Best,
Karen
Or.. I can put the rooster in the batchelor quarters and install another nest box at the far end of the 4x8 coop for the other hen so the 2 sisters who are 1/2 sisters can co-raise the chicks. Will the rooster accept the chicks if I do that?
==========================================================
2. Leave the hens where they are and replace the eggs with dummy eggs. Incubate 20 fertile eggs per hen in the incubater. When you move the eggs to the hatcher, put a few under the hens. The eggs will hatch, and the hens will have set for a long enough period of time. At night, on the eve before the hens are going to leave the nest with the chicks, go out and collect the chicks from your hens. Bring them in and mix them with the chicks from your hatcher. Toe-punch everyone first--of course. Make sure the eggs you put under the hens to hatch are all from the same toe-punch. Bring your bucket of toe-punched chicks out to the house and put them all under the hen(s). Staple a piece of chicken wire in fron of the hole so that everyone stays put and no one enters before you have a chance to get out there in the morning. The following morning go out and remove the wire. Move the hens to the broodying space. Put all the chicks into a vessel of sorts (I just use a 5gallon bucket or a small box) and bring them to the waiting hens. If you have two brooding spaces, you can divide the chicks between the two hens and this will keep everything calm and like clock-work.

 

[galanie]

Hello..gallorojo and others.. Thanks for posting the magazine article. I had not seen that. I've read some of the book and really liked it.. It made sence to me. I'll be building my first big coop in a month or so.. and planning to use the ideas here. I have read several places about the "draft" issue.. here and on other sites too. I googled " draft chicken coop" and there is a full page of NO no's. the coop must be draft free.. they say.. so how can you have great ventaliation and draft free too. I wonder if that is some how an idea or need - that was intended for chicks born in winter with out a mother hen - that has been transfered to the needs of an adult bird. (any one heard the joke about the Christmas ham? new husband asks .. honey why do we cut the end of the ham off..) Or if there's some thing im missing? I have recently seen several of the old style open coops.. and the floor was 5' off the ground had mostly chicken wire for the floor and a 3 wall cubby hole along the back with a light above one area. ( this part did have a floor). and still had an open end for fresh air on this part. These were very open structures.. just as described in the book. debra..

Regarding ventilation and draft: If it blows on the chickens where they are roosting or resting, it's a draft. Otherwise, it's "ventilation."

 

[mschlumb]

Hello- The following is something I posted in the Breeds forum, and it was suggested that I also post here to gather more info- Thanks, Chicknfun


Hello Chicken Lovers-

We are talking about starting a very small conservation project, maybe 3 or 4 breeds.

I am posting to try to get some ideas and info from the BYC community.

ANY ideas, thoughts, opinions, concerns are welcome, but I do have a few specific questions.....

* What breeds are most in need of conserving?

* To help spread the breed, would it be best to hatch and sell chicks, or sell hatching eggs?

* How many hens per rooster?

* Who would you go to to get the best breeding stock of any particular species? (In other words, who has the best breeding stock of specific endangered breeds?)

* Is there anything , in particular, different about keeping endangered chickens as opposed to keeping other types of chickens?

I want to say Thank You in advance for any responses.....After we gather info from this thread, we will decide if / how to proceed.

I know this question has been answered, the only thing i would add is that when you pick a breed do not pick the rarest breed in the standard. I know you may feel compelled to help save the really rare breeds but you will frustrate yourself when initially trying to find stock and trying to add new blood when the time comes. This is especailly true if you are new to breeding chickens.

You will be able to get more and better advice if you choose a breed that a decent number of people are already breeding. My advice would be to find a breed, raise it for a few years, then once you are comfortable with breeding strategies and and know the basics of selection and have learned more then you can add a little more rare of a breed. Its really easy to get carried away with wanting several breeds at once to save them. Again stick with one breed to start and preferably one with an easy color pattern

 

[Marengoite]

I was always told that silkies were better fryers than roasters,,,we'll have to wait for Bob to weigh in on this.

As soon as he gets done answering that one, I have some questions about the best wine to serve with seromas....