Bob Blosl's Heritage Large Fowl Thread

[Fred's Hens]

I know which one I'd swipe... The second photo, K on the right

Vickie, I'd agree, like your choice, but again, at 7 months? These buggers can fool you if you place your bets too soon. LOL

 

[Extra Java]

Any illustrations/images for weak legs? Pinched pelvis? Is this what you are referring to? Width of stance? Or are you talking about fluid of movement?
Will these things be apparent in young growing chicks in that awkward stage?
I'm all about visuals.

 

[thedragonlady]

I am spending more and more time looking at the legs, and watching how a bird walks. I rid the flock of all structural deficiencies without apologies.

I found with big birds like that strain of Rocks, that the potential for weak legs can be greater. I also found that the same strain when raised more naturally, and fed a ration not quite as "hot", I had less birds reveal the weakness.

I had a Catalana cockerel that I had hopes for that had to go. Weak legs. Otherwise he had many improvements over my starter birds. I rid myself of the temptation. The solution is hatching more I guess. Can't have that in an already inbred strain.

I had a similar experience with those Rocks. If you can't give them a year or a little more, you cannot give them enough. The pullets did not require the same level of patience.

I'm horse, and dog people .....I watch constantly how birds move. If they do not move well as youngsters, they will never see their second year, here, at least. Right now I'm enjoying watching a trio of 12 week old Buff Orp Ks playing tag every day. The smaller, not by much, wider one, is a winner in the movement department. When his buddies go into the freezer, he will take off, and grow. He will end up a very large, sound cock bird.

 

[thedragonlady]

Vickie, I'd agree, like your choice, but again, at 7 months? These buggers can fool you if you place your bets too soon. LOL

Let's band him and see !

 

[Fred's Hens]

Any illustrations/images for weak legs? Pinched pelvis? Is this what you are referring to? Width of stance? Or are you talking about fluid of movement?
Will these things be apparent in young growing chicks in that awkward stage?
I'm all about visuals.

 

[Extra Java]

Thank You! I get it

 

[3riverschick]

Quote: I give up. Never mind.

 

[gjensen]

I give up. Never mind.

Do not get disgusted on my account. I am good at putting my foot in my mouth. I did not realize it was a sensitive subject.

 

[Lacy Blues]

I am spending more and more time looking at the legs, and watching how a bird walks. I rid the flock of all structural deficiencies without apologies.

I found with big birds like that strain of Rocks, that the potential for weak legs can be greater. I also found that the same strain when raised more naturally, and fed a ration not quite as "hot", I had less birds reveal the weakness.

I had a Catalana cockerel that I had hopes for that had to go. Weak legs. Otherwise he had many improvements over my starter birds. I rid myself of the temptation. The solution is hatching more I guess. Can't have that in an already inbred strain.

I had a similar experience with those Rocks. If you can't give them a year or a little more, you cannot give them enough. The pullets did not require the same level of patience.

George, could you please explain a little bit about this? What is in a ration that makes it "hot?" and what is the general effect that this feed has? Does it just show itself in leg weakness or other areas?

 

[Fred's Hens]

There are differences of opinion based on differences in experiences in feeding (H) Large Fowl from old lines. I will share what I do, as will others, and you draw upon those testimonies and you can try different approaches and come to your own conclusion for your flock.

Back when we kept those hybrid laying machines, we could actually rush them into point of lay. How? By feeding a continuous diet that was high in protein. Even the poultry genetics corporation, like Hubbard and ISA refer to this issue in their "owners manual" they print for the commercial layer industry. It was recommended to dial back the protein from weeks 12 - 16 weeks. This month on lower protein was preferred as it was said to slow the mass of the young bird and allow the skeletal development before the pullet entered egg production.

I bear witness that this worked. Feed them 20%-22% "hot feed" for the entire time and sure enough, they'd spring into point of lay at 17 weeks. Feed them a 14% grower instead for that month and POL would be delayed by two full weeks. I'm not guessing, I know because we raised flock after flock, year after year of these hybrid layers.

This post has gone on long enough, but you can see the point here. I will say this about the much larger, much slower developing Heritage type, old line birds we now raise. What a difference. Point of lay on the Rocks can be as much as 36 weeks. The birds are honestly twice as heavy and half again as big as those hybrid layers. We prefer to raise them on lots of grains and a healthy ration of GameBird with animal protein. That's what we do and we like the results. FWIW.