Bob Blosl's Heritage Large Fowl Thread

[cluck-cluck]

one more question for Bob, you said Henry K Miller from Pennsulvania? was "a famous old time sting man". What is a sting man? Also, when do you think Urch likely got those birds? Or maybe I should ask when Mr. Miller died? Thanks for painting a cool picture of the times for me!

 

[MagicChicken]

You are all so truly wonderful! Such great comments. Your first review of what I am looking to do is exactly what I figured I'd have to do Yellow House Farm.. I had a slightly different breeding system in mind, but will have to study what you said and see if that won't fit better!

Bob, You might be right. I know there is no money to be made here, so that's not an issue, I'm totally hobby oriented and need a project I can do that requires a bit of a challenge.. However, if you are correct and if it is possible to pull those good qualities from Urch's lines, that makes it a viable option again. I've just given up on that idea..

It's actually easier for me to take care of culling chicks, but the older birds will have to be processed by a butcher even so it will cost more. I don't need to start a feud with my neighbors!. Well, I am definitely going to take more time planning. I need to build more infrastructure which will keep me busy. I'll decide in January if I'll buy some of Urch stock,and / or exop's stock which is from the same lines.

If you can get an order of Crevecours from Mr. Urch you might be pleasantly surprised. I got 25 Black Java chicks from him about six months ago. The birds need a lot of work but as they mature I can see that virtually all of the traits I am looking for are present in this one small flock. The building blocks are there. I just have to figure out how to put the birds together so more good traits are concentrated in each bird in every generation.

Good luck with your project, whichever way you decide to go.

Sarah

 

[Lacy Blues]

one more question for Bob, you said Henry K Miller from Pennsulvania? was "a famous old time sting man". What is a sting man? Also, when do you think Urch likely got those birds? Or maybe I should ask when Mr. Miller died? Thanks for painting a cool picture of the times for me!

What he meant was "string man".

I believe a string man was someone who would buy the best birds he could find and show them everywhere he could afford to go and then sell them and buy some more. I'm sure that if I'm wrong, someone will say so.

 

[fowlman01]

What he meant was "string man".

I believe a string man was someone who would buy the best birds he could find and show them everywhere he could afford to go and then sell them and buy some more. I'm sure that if I'm wrong, someone will say so.

You are correct!



w.

 

[Lacy Blues]

 

[cluck-cluck]

Does that mean he really didn't breed them?

 

[Pathfinders]

Really like the wording, this is probably why so many new comers and less skilled/educated breeders are so stubborn against crossing even different strains of the same breed. If you know your standard, know what end result you want, and have either the natural eye or a really good trained one, its not some big scary thing to outcross a bit. I'll echo one of my poultry heroes, "we breed chickens, not people."

The other side is exactly what you said in other post but is so important I want to reword it and restate it, only keep and breed from birds that have the qualities you want. Not the relatives of that bird that don't have the qualities.

I know some people are really quite against crossing strains, and I understand that, I do. And I think in many instances, that's a good tack to take.

However, I will quote what Shelby Harrington said to me as I sat in his house here in KY (he moved here about two years before he died, a terrible loss to the fancy.) When I told him I was looking to get into a new breed of bird I didn't have any of at the time, he said to me "Be sure to get birds from at least three different breeders. Then cross them together, hatch as many as you can, and cull hard until you get what you want."

Of course, he meant that I should work with the Standard too, that was a given. But I took his advice very much to heart, and it has worked well for me. I miss him a lot, when he had his heart attack and died, a ton of knowledge went with him...

 

[thedragonlady]

I know some people are really quite against crossing strains, and I understand that, I do. And I think in many instances, that's a good tack to take.

However, I will quote what Shelby Harrington said to me as I sat in his house here in KY (he moved here about two years before he died, a terrible loss to the fancy.) When I told him I was looking to get into a new breed of bird I didn't have any of at the time, he said to me "Be sure to get birds from at least three different breeders. Then cross them together, hatch as many as you can, and cull hard until you get what you want."

Of course, he meant that I should work with the Standard too, that was a given. But I took his advice very much to heart, and it has worked well for me. I miss him a lot, when he had his heart attack and died, a ton of knowledge went with him...

Breeding good birds always comes back to your interpretation of the Standard. Everyone's interpretation is a bit different. I believe the most important thing is to produce a bird that is built for the job intended, whether it be for laying, meat , or dual purpose. Only then can you have fun making them pretty !

There are lots of "pretty" mutts out there. BYC pages are full of them , but most can not do what a good standard bred bird can do for a long time. The well built Standard bred birds will out perform, and outlast, the mutts every time. I put a great value on 4-6 year old hens . They have paid their dues, and those are the ones I like to breed from.

 

[Pathfinders]

Breeding good birds always comes back to your interpretation of the Standard. Everyone's interpretation is a bit different. I believe the most important thing is to produce a bird that is built for the job intended, whether it be for laying, meat , or dual purpose. Only then can you have fun making them pretty !

There are lots of "pretty" mutts out there. BYC pages are full of them , but most can not do what a good standard bred bird can do for a long time. The well built Standard bred birds will out perform, and outlast, the mutts every time. I put a great value on 4-6 year old hens . They have paid their dues, and those are the ones I like to breed from.

Totally agree.

For me, breeding to the Standard includes keeping good production values. A hen who does not lay well isn't going to reproduce herself. I like to use the ALBC assessment guides when going through birds and culling. Birds that have good production values and represent the Standard visually are the best keepers there are! If they show well too (as they show), that's a bonus.

It's part of why I am reluctant to raise breeds that must be AI'd. It makes me uncomfortable to think a given cock bird can't do his job without help. IMO, if they can't, they shouldn't be breeding. I know there are those who disagree with that, but it's my feeling on it.

 

[Wynette]

It's part of why I am reluctant to raise breeds that must be AI'd. It makes me uncomfortable to think a given cock bird can't do his job without help. IMO, if they can't, they shouldn't be breeding. I know there are those who disagree with that, but it's my feeling on it.

AMEN!