Bob Blosl's Heritage Large Fowl Thread

[C Bar C Ranch]

Greetings, all!
I was scanning through the pages of this thread and became curious. What are your favorite books on heritage poultry? I have seen "Poultry Culture" and the "Call of the Hen" mentioned, but would like to hear more opinions on books concerning the breeding and husbandry of heritage fowl.
Regards,
Cal

 

[gjensen]

You can take this for what it is worth, but I like the old books by gamecock breeders. They knew their birds, and they have taught us a lot.
I have read nothing that has put as much emphasis on individual birds, ever. They knew how to breed, condition, etc. Thousands of years of experience keeping poultry amounts to something, regardless how our view of it might be. They knew their birds, and a lot of what we know comes from them.

 

[thedragonlady]

You can take this for what it is worth, but I like the old books by gamecock breeders. They knew their birds, and they have taught us a lot.
I have read nothing that has put as much emphasis on individual birds, ever. They knew how to breed, condition, etc. Thousands of years of experience keeping poultry amounts to something, regardless how our view of it might be. They knew their birds, and a lot of what we know comes from them.

You're right on George. I had a neighbor in Georgia who had a famous line of games. He generally kept 250 stags on tethers. This man never fought his birds, but boy did he condition them, and sell them to people who did. You could start dickering with him at $1000, and go up from there !

Stags were weighed weekly, and their diets adjusted accordingly. Lots of red meat and fish were fed to produce a lean , mean, fighting machine.Really hard feathering was a must . I was allowed to handle those birds, and I can tell you that the only bird I have ever handled that has the same amount of muscle is a flying Canadian Goose.Fortunately the stags were not human aggressive. They were a gorgeous sight in the sunshine too, with those hard feathers glinting over sheer muscle. I learned a lot.

 

[fowlman01]

You can take this for what it is worth, but I like the old books by gamecock breeders. They knew their birds, and they have taught us a lot.
I have read nothing that has put as much emphasis on individual birds, ever. They knew how to breed, condition, etc. Thousands of years of experience keeping poultry amounts to something, regardless how our view of it might be. They knew their birds, and a lot of what we know comes from them.

Gamebird breeders and pigeon breeders are the best conditioners of chickens.

Walt

 

[Robert Blosl]

http://bloslspoutlryfarm.tripod.com/id37.html

This is how I get my books I want to read. Also, many are on line to read and you type in the name or the aurthor ie. John Robinson and the books will pop up. The APA Wyandotte and Rock Standards from the 1930s have great articles on how to breed for color. The last Plymouth Rock internet Yearbook also has all the colors and how to breed them.

There is a magazine we get called Poultry Press and their is a fellow who writes a article each month and he is a game type fellow.

He has a book for sale and I have read his articles and I think it should be in your library. You can not help but learn some tips from him.

However, as newbies KISS. Don't get to caught up in the Poultry 104 reading. You can put your self in a stressful tail spin go over board and be out of chickens in a heart beat.

I talked to a friend of mine last night who has so many chickens he cant feed them all. He hatched a big lot of Barred Rock Large Fowl from say three females. That's all you need three super killer excellent females, one great male and a back up like him. Five birds hatch 50 to 80 chicks. Keep maybe two to three females better than their mothers and two males better than their sires and move forward. KISS

is the secret.

 

[cbnovick]

Thought I'd post a few photos I took this morning with my iphone....

LF Buff Rocks & Sunflowers on a Sunday

Hey these are "Heritage Sunflowers" afterall....

 

[cbnovick]

Anybody catch that Bee hanging out in one of the photos??

He gave me permission to be photographed

 

[fowlman01]

Anybody catch that Bee hanging out in one of the photos??

He gave me permission to be photographed

It looks as if you will have good color on the chickens....don't know how the bee will turn out.

w.

 

[catdaddyfro]

Thought I'd post a few photos I took this morning with my iphone....

LF Buff Rocks & Sunflowers on a Sunday

Hey these are "Heritage Sunflowers" afterall....

Glad you had such a good result from your Buff Rock project, keep us on tab with progression and goings ons reports, will be tuned in for them.

Jeff

 

[cluck-cluck]

Anybody catch that Bee hanging out in one of the photos??

He gave me permission to be photographed

That's so awesome! I think we were late planting our sunflowers as only one is growing!!?? Wow, that iphone does a good job taking photographs! I'm impressed!