Bob Blosl's Heritage Large Fowl Thread

[Robert Blosl]

Bobby in North Carolina has been breeding German Shepard Dogs for years. These are not the pretty show kind that you see at the big dog shows these are the working dog Geraman Shepards that Police Department and Miltitry Cops want. He told me what the standards are in Germany for a good show dog has to be also a good working dog. He told me this was one of his best years with his dogs. Not every puppy will be the king of the hill for law informant or even in competation trials but he said there is no magic you just keep pounding away year after year.

When you go to a poultry show and see a real good say White Plymouth Rock Hen bantam like I saw a few weeks ago at our Pensacola Spring Show. She had faults. A half a point here and half there maybe one here. But she was a very true to like or standard in my book and if mated to one or two real good males you should be able to reproduce her traits on her off spring next year.

That is where intensive judicious line breeding comes in. This is what the old men talked about years ago in breeding. Hard to do and takes pain in record keeping but no Hodge podge breeding program.

I was at a show in February and spent way to much time in the large fowl and sales are. One of my hero's was at the show who shows bantams.

I had no idea he made the trip and I did not get a chance to meet him and talk to him about breeding.

I got my Poultry Press and Lord and behold he won Champion of the whole big show on a Dark Cornish Male. Normally he wins with his females.

This guy is intense from the time he collects the egg, hatches and toe punches the chick and then razing the chick to be in perfect condition so when he goes to a show they will be at least in perfect condition regardless of faults.

We have to try to do the same if we have the time and the mental capacity or drive to do this. You can hatch them raise them and go backwards in record time. Don't think it can happen? It happens most of the time. Only a hand full ever make it big and to the top. The secret is to study what they do and you then go do what they do.

 

[fowlman01]

When I showed Silkies I had a judge once who told me that he wished that Silkies showed more animation when being judged.I asked him what he thought Silkies were known for. Good setters, and mothers was the answer. I asked him if he really wanted an animated setting hen.The light dawned, as he envisioned scrambled eggs and tromped on chicks.

PM me the judges name when you have a chance......."more animated" is one of the crazier things I have heard a judge say about Silkies.

w.

 

[snowbird]

PM me the judges name when you have a chance......."more animated" is one of the crazier things I have heard a judge say about Silkies.

w.

Hey Walt, Do you remember several year ago a young Judge from texas I believe pulled out a set of scales and proceded to weigh all the fowl he was to judge. It basically ruined his judging career. His first name was Bruce. Very few have been around long enough to remember this but I think you might have been.

 

[BGMatt]

Hey Walt, Do you remember several year ago a young Judge from texas I believe pulled out a set of scales and proceded to weigh all the fowl he was to judge. It basically ruined his judging career. His first name was Bruce. Very few have been around long enough to remember this but I think you might have been.

That guy deserves a medal.

 

[Pathfinders]

The secret is to study what they do and you then go do what they do.

Or better yet, sit with them, talk to them, take notes. There are so many of the older poultry breeders who are leaving us, and taking with us so much knowledge that we'll never get back. Not enough young people have been taught to respect their elders these days, IMO. Several of my mentors are/were in their 80s, and I have learned so much from them! You can't replace 50+ years of experience, you just can't.

The other thing I encourage people to do is to clerk. Walking with the judges (most of them) and watching what they do can be very illuminating. Ask questions if they'll let you. I learned so much from Ralph Sheriff (RIP) when I clerked for him a number of times, he was very patient and talked through what he was doing as he did it, that man had so much poultry knowledge in his head he could have written several books, I was very sad when he passed.

Honor your elders folks, they have much to teach you.

 

[el pollo rey]

www.thedelclub.com heritage Delaware chicken fanciers and breeders club , have fun

 

[Lacy Blues]

Thank you Bob for your reply on breeding a hen who looks like a pullet. Do you look for the same thing in your cockerel/cock pens? I've been pondering these things.

I am thinking that if I am going to breed from hens and cocks that are in their second year, that I may just breed and hatch every other year. This year has taken its toll on me with breeding bantams twice a year! I'm getting tired of having so many chicks to find a place for til they're old enough to choose from. With my bantams, I've got 3 groups. I started with one bantam cockerel over a small hen from my Andalusian flock. I ended up keeping two cockerels (one small and one a bit larger) and 4 pullets. Last year's breeding of large fowl yielded one small cockerel which I put in with the bantam girls and then I put each of the cockerels in with a group of large fowl pullets. I don't have a count on how many I hatched but I have quite a variety in size from brothers/sisters.

Now I get to pick through them. For each group, I want to keep two cockerels and four pullets for the fall/late summer breeding.

So, anyway, do you look for a cock bird that looks like a cockerel or have you found at all that the cockerels lose their youthful look when they molt?

 

[fowlman01]

Hey Walt, Do you remember several year ago a young Judge from texas I believe pulled out a set of scales and proceded to weigh all the fowl he was to judge. It basically ruined his judging career. His first name was Bruce. Very few have been around long enough to remember this but I think you might have been.

I do. There have been times that birds were weighed before or after a show, but it did not affect the outcome. The weighing birds thing has been around forever. It is up to the people putting on the show, not the ABA/APA. I can't see it happening anytime soon though.

w.

 

[fowlman01]

Or better yet, sit with them, talk to them, take notes. There are so many of the older poultry breeders who are leaving us, and taking with us so much knowledge that we'll never get back. Not enough young people have been taught to respect their elders these days, IMO. Several of my mentors are/were in their 80s, and I have learned so much from them! You can't replace 50+ years of experience, you just can't.

The other thing I encourage people to do is to clerk. Walking with the judges (most of them) and watching what they do can be very illuminating. Ask questions if they'll let you. I learned so much from Ralph Sheriff (RIP) when I clerked for him a number of times, he was very patient and talked through what he was doing as he did it, that man had so much poultry knowledge in his head he could have written several books, I was very sad when he passed.

Honor your elders folks, they have much to teach you.

Yeah...we don't get no respect...hahah. Very good advice, that is what I did. I looked for the oldest person I could find that was not senile and picked their brain. One of my mentors was Ralph Sturgeon. I was the one who suggested he write a book which he did and my company published it. Another person I was fortunate to have mentor me was Jimmy Maclreath (spl?) He was a Canadian APA judge who at the time worked for Nicholas Turkey farms as a geneticist. He perfected the bantam turkey.....the real bantam turkey, not the stuff you see advertized as bantams now. If he was still around he could tell you all about the Chanticleers. Because some of these guys were quite and unassuming people didn't think they had much to offer. Now people will listen to the loudest blowhard they can find.......never could understand this. The proof is in the pudding.....look at what they have done/accomplished.... not everyone brags about what they have done.

Ralph was a very good guy and had lots to offer in the way of chicken advice........a true breeder of excellent chickens and a real gentleman. You were very fortunate to have him share his knowledge with you. I was able to visit with him at Lucasville right before his passing. ..so sad.

Walt

 

[cgmccary]

Speaking of collies and german shepherds, I have a mutt dog something of a mix (I think -- at least she looks like) between the two breeds. I free range my birds and my "mutt" is wonderful about keeping my birds safe; she seems to be naturally inclined to protecting the farm. I found her as a stray with a bunch of puppies- adopted out the puppies, spayed and kept her -- nothing that does not belong on my little farm ventures on the premises: