Bob Blosl's Heritage Large Fowl Thread

[kathyinmo]

The rooster crowed THREE TIMES BEFORE PETER DENIED HIM who was sinless and died for the sins of the world even mine and yours. Peter was so eaten up with guilt that for years he was humbled before the Lord and men.

Mark 14:30
30 And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice.

 

[ocap]

here is my 2 cents, a lot of people call all peafowl peacocks
I will try and drop my incorrect vocabulary, thanks for all the information

 

[NYREDS]

This time you posted before me while I was typing. We weren't even throwing furniture yet, but it has run it's course.

w.

Apparently it hasn't

 

[NYREDS]

The rooster crowed THREE TIMES BEFORE PETER DENIED HIM who was sinless and died for the sins of the world even mine and yours. Peter was so eaten up with guilt that for years he was humbled before the Lord and men.

Depends on which translation you use. As an Old Guy I still favor the King James version.

 

[winniem13]

As someone who is a proud 4-H alumni, and has done a lot of work with the youth in the past, I ask please teach the correct terms.  It's no different than any other animal (similar to dog's actually, where the correct terminology now has negative implications to an overly sensitive society, but is nonetheless important to know) and it's very important to know the correct names even if they aren't used all the time.  Also creates a lot less confusion when the kids hopefully continue on in poultry.  The next generation is the most vital part of this fancy and always has been (which you obviously know). 

That being said, THANK YOU for volunteering your time to work with today's youth and bring them into the world of poultry!

As someone who is a proud 4-H alumni, and has done a lot of work with the youth in the past, I ask please teach the correct terms.  It's no different than any other animal (similar to dog's actually, where the correct terminology now has negative implications to an overly sensitive society, but is nonetheless important to know) and it's very important to know the correct names even if they aren't used all the time.  Also creates a lot less confusion when the kids hopefully continue on in poultry.  The next generation is the most vital part of this fancy and always has been (which you obviously know). 

That being said, THANK YOU for volunteering your time to work with today's youth and bring them into the world of poultry!

Have no fear!!! They are being taught correctly. We are just selective with what we say. But yes, they are all aware. We are having a blast this year and really focusing on show quality and showmanship. Everyone on this thread would be so proud of our little group in eastern nc!!!

 

[BGMatt]

So, Heritage Large Fowl thread, I seek input and opinions. When I made the decision a couple months ago to return to chickens, poultry breeding, the whole shebang I thought I knew what breeds I wanted to work with...but I find after researching, and seeing the passion some have for some of the true heritage breeds, and realizing my own tastes have changed over the years I've been gone I am reconsidering my breed selection. With the facilities already built or nearly done I can support one serious breed starting this year, and 5-6 breeds that would be side projects or trial runs to see what I enjoy working with the most (the others, well at least they'll have a year or two of improvement and be passed on to someone else to continue the work).

Since this thread seems to be breed neutral, I ask here, what breeds and varieties are in the most need of help? I have recently been looking at RC Rhode Island Reds, SC Buff Leghorns, SC Dark Brown Leghorns, Silver Pencilled Plymouth Rocks, Silver Laced Wyandottes, Redcaps, Dark Cornish , Blue Langshans (probably not quite "heritage fowl" but I don't like that term anyway, I prefer Standard bred) and Partridge Plymouth Rocks, but I'm open to other breeds. As mentioned looking for one primary breed, and then a secondary different breed (like if my main breed was a leghorn or other pure egg layer I'd want a dual purpose fowl for secondary) and some tertiary breeds. As my mentor said when asked what their favorite breed was "A good one." I truly love all forms of standard fowl, but must limit myself to a few, I plan to expand facilities every year as much as feasible.

My 3 goals coming back are: 1) Provide eggs and meat for myself (which is why I want a primary and secondary breed, one of which is dual purpose). 2) To give back to a hobby I've enjoyed for 2/3 of my life by breeding to SOP fowl that are being left by the wayside and not seen as much anymore, promote them to the public though work and shows. 3) To enjoy life, what is better in life than spending time working in our poultry yards?

Anyway, I find myself in need of advice and counsel, and I'm hoping to get some well thought out responses that might help me narrow my focus. The goal is one serious breed now and then some to test the waters and see if they're ones I want to commit to. The problem is left to my own devices I'd choose around 20 test breeds and I just can't do that time, facility, or economy wise right now so I'm opening up to help narrowing it down.

 

[BGMatt]

Have no fear!!! They are being taught correctly. We are just selective with what we say. But yes, they are all aware. We are having a blast this year and really focusing on show quality and showmanship. Everyone on this thread would be so proud of our little group in eastern nc!!!

That's fantastic. Our leader was an APA judge, and I will be eternally grateful that most of what we were taught about poultry came directly from the Standard of Perfection. A phrase I heard a lot, and one that was repeated to me before my first non-sanctioned judging assignment (many of our club members would judge fairs all over the NW if they were not APA sanctioned after graduating, I desperately wish I had continued on and gotten my license) "As long as you stick to what the standard says in black and white, you can never be wrong."

Edit: Of course the best piece of advice, and the most 4-H and LIFE relevant thing we learned was Mr. Owen's favorite phrase "I'm a winner because I did my best." I still have one of the hats that he would wear to every show he was at or judged with that embroidered on it.

 

[ronott1]

Bob, let me know if you start collecting butterflies. My 8 year old has been collecting them since he was 4. He has an extensive collection and knows all the correct terminology. He would be glad to share it with you so you don't get in trouble with the people over on BYB.

Ron

Check this out--It is on the UCD Campus. I work in the English Department on the UCD Campus.

http://bohart.ucdavis.edu/

 

[Laingcroft]

Hi BGMatt -- I'm not a poultryman, just a hobbyist so others here may have more valuable input on the breeds you've listed, but I'll add my two cents on the breeds close to my heart.

Over the past dozen years of raising chickens, I've developed a list of desirable qualities: 1) Temperament must be stable. No aggressive males (or females) particularly with small children, 2) Egg laying - they must produce sufficient quantities of eggs during the appropriate times of year. A winter hiatus is acceptable though we select for late and early season layers, 3) Hardiness. I don't pamper my poultry. They must be willing and able to forage for at least 50% of their diet (no parking in front of the feeder), have predator savy, be able to thrive in our climate of wet winter cold and high summer heat/humidity, and last, but not least, with all the work involved raising chickens, I have to enjoy them - watching them, working around them and handling them. As for aesthetics, I personally like crests, patterns, rich coloration and unique characteristics. And like you, I want to put my efforts into preserving the uncommon or perhaps unpopular.

One of my favorite breeds is the Houdan. They really need help. So few people are working with them, and truly, with the limited (mainly hatchery) gene pool, it may not even be possible to bring them back to what they were without the hassles and expense of importing new stock from France. I was lucky enough to get some from Mr. Urch who doesn't breed many of them and doesn't even list them as availble. It's a real shame, they are such a great chicken. My Houdi (rooster/cock bird) would have been named Charlie Chaplin if his original place holder name hadn't stuck. He is such a comedian. Coming home at the end of a hard day at work to see him up to his antics with the girls just puts a smile on my face. I'm trying to do my part to make sure this breed doesn't disappear altogether.

I also raise Langshan, one of the breeds on your list. I like the Black and the White, Blue is fairly recent (per APA acceptance.) I haven't eaten any yet as I'm still growing my flock and working on type, but egg production is pretty good. They also do great here in Virginia. While all of the other chickens were huddled on any non-snow covered surface they could find on a 16 degree winter day (thankfully not too common here) the Langshan were out there foraging in the snow like it was just some minor annoyance in their search for tasty grub. In summer, they are smart enough to seek shady areas to rest during the day. They are also (to my eyes) a handsome and regal looking chicken.

I too have been doing some research on the Rose Comb Rhode Island Reds but can't offer much input other than I WANT SOME! Stunning looking birds, and they too seem to need preservation.

 

[Pozees]

Hi Pozees,
Good to hear from you! I never had Marchs' chicks under brooder lights. They hatched under her Feb. 23,24 in the depth of winter out here. All I keep in the 4x6 coop is one 65 watt light. Just enough to keep combs from freezing. All their warmth came from March. It's been below freezing at night here almost every night. With snowstorms, severe windchill and lots of rain. March keeps them warm and now they are almost all feathered. I wouldn't have believed it if I didn't see it myself. March and the chicks have been inside since hatch. I know wind rain, and sun can really mess with feathers and coloring on Light Sussex. So work hard to protect them from it. Junior has stayed inside most all the winter except for sunny , calm days above freezing. You should see his tail. It is magnifcent!
Best,
Karen
( Incubators are good, but hens do it best!)

Sorry Karen, I wasn't very clear - I only mentioned the 4 weeks of age = no heat in response to your option of raising the chicks inside for 6 weeks. I followed your broody adventure both here and on the old fashioned broody hen hatch thread, and have thoroughly enjoyed hearing how successful March was/is raising her chicks. Your weather has been frightful from the sounds of it! Here it has been a very strange late winter/early spring, just last weekend we were down in the single digits overnight again for 3 or 4 nights in a row - the last few years by mid-March we were running irrigation lines and watering grass.