Bob Blosl's Heritage Large Fowl Thread

[fowlman01]

Here is a bird that I had, that was duck footed. He was culled.

I see duckfoot when I am judging on occasion. It is overlooked many times.....especially in Cornish for some reason. I have never had it here, but the bird will be gone if I ever do see it.

Walt

 

[RiddleMe]

Here is a bird that I had, that was duck footed. He was culled.
Removed photo to reduce post size

I see duckfoot when I am judging on occasion. It is overlooked many times.....especially in Cornish for some reason. I have never had it here, but the bird will be gone if I ever do see it.

Walt

Is it typically genetic rather than environmental, ie "fixing it" with wraps, positioning, etc would just be a cosmetic fix that would still hide an underlying issue? Also, I've read the SOP description and illustration, which basically matched the posted photo, but I've also seen instances where the back toe just didn't "look right", it wasn't pointing forward but wasn't straight back either. How are situations like that handled at a show, is that a gray area/judges call?

 

[Canieldonrad]

I would probably not breed from it unless you really have no other option,

This is unfortunately the case. I have the idea of possibly mixing something else in to fix other issues along with the Duck Foot. But I am trying to see if it was a necessary measure for anyone else out there to breed with a Duck Foot. I guess this will be one to talk about in the future if I stick with the project.

 

[NYREDS]

My daughter had a campine cockerel a few years back that appeared to be duck footed. He was very nice in every other way. This is what we did...

Every night, when we went out to close up at night, we would find him on the perch and reach under him and pull that back toe so that it was on the back side of the perch instead of tucked up under his foot. You might try this with your bird and see if it fixes it. If I remember correctly, it only took about a week (he was already 4 to 6 months old at the time) before we noticed he had it poking out behind while he walked.

Since the question was about breeding "fixing" the duck-foot isn't a solution as it does nothing for the gene that caused it. My understanding is that duck-foot is difficult to breed out & is highly transmitable. My advice would be to cull the bird. IMO there's never a good reason for breeding a bird with a disqualification.

 

[thedragonlady]

Since the question was about breeding "fixing" the duck-foot isn't a solution as it does nothing for the gene that caused it. My understanding is that duck-foot is difficult to breed out & is highly transmitable. My advice would be to cull the bird. IMO there's never a good reason for breeding a bird with a disqualification.

Especially a SOUNDNESS DQ ! "No foot, no horse ".

 

[Yellow House Farm]

May I quote you on that?
VBG,
Karen

Certainly! It's the truth.

This is unfortunately the case. I have the idea of possibly mixing something else in to fix other issues along with the Duck Foot. But I am trying to see if it was a necessary measure for anyone else out there to breed with a Duck Foot. I guess this will be one to talk about in the future if I stick with the project.

Daniel, is your duck foot an Orloff? If your duck foot is more or less set in your stock, then I'd say cull them, and get something else. Orloffs? You might consider cutting yourself some slack. If it's the color, Speckled Sussex are an awesome homesteading fowl. Indeed, I probably could have included them on the list above. If it's the type, maybe try one of the Orientals. If you absolutely can't part with these and have no other course for stock. Then breed them, but a fault you allow in a breeder must not be allowed in progeny; otherwise, you're in a pickle. Duck foot is usually visible at the incubator door. Inspect each bird for very clearly positioned--unequivocally correct--toes. Cull immediately, and then watch those you reserve as they grow because sometimes toes shift a little, but don't suffer even a hint of it in your following season's breeders.

PS: It will persist for multiple years. The first year you will cull heavily, but then there will gradually be a decrescendo. Four or five years out, duck foot will be only occasional, but you'll probably inspect the toes for a decade.

 

[Pathfinders]

Daniel is close enough to me that he can help me with the Lakenvelders, if he's so inclined.

 

[Fentress]

Cant remember if it was this thread or another where someone asked for people to post pictures of their breed birds when butchered...
But here are some I did this morning and yesterday.
The three 7 month old cockerels on the 13 x 18 cookie sheet are left to right: Brahma (4 lb 2 0z) . Birchen Wyandotte (4 lb 4 oz) and Columbian Wyandotte (4 lb). before giblets tucked inside and bagging.


Here are their giblets...healthy and pink


Comparison: 4 lb Wyandotte cockerel next to a 6 lb Wyandotte rooster put up yesterday


I like to age the birds 24 hours in the refrigerator before I vacuum seal them for the freezer.

I also butchered an African gander yesterday that dressed out at 11 pounds.
The gander is going into a salt brine today and will brine for two days and then be roasted....

It was me! Thanks so much. 4 lbs at 7 months, that is longer than I thought. Appears to be similar to what I had last year if I had not culled at between 16 -19 weeks, mine came in at about 2 - 3 pounds tops and were hatchery birds and looked similar to yours, protruding breast bone, but some of mine were very lanky. Yours have an all around shape better than mine. At this age will they be tender enough to dry roast? I dry roasted a 19 week old sp. sussex last year that had a very savory short thigh! Anything in particular re: managment. Were they free ranged or kept in pens. High protein feed or layer feed?

Thanks again,

Mark

 

[Fentress]

This year I bit the bullet and set up a totally separate pen to grow out the Buckeye cockerels so I wouldn't have to cull them as early as I have in years past. Hoop house and electric poultry netting in the back yard, ah well, such is farm life. If I could I'd put them in one of the horse pastures, but DH won't have that...

I can't wait to see yours (when you cull) if you don't mind! I am assuming that you separate the cockerels, because they will be better behaved if there are no pullets/hens around? How far away do they need to be from the main flock (the girls). My birds will fly over the netting if sufficiently motivated. Do they need to be completely out of sight of the others? Chickens on grass, looks good to me!

Thanks

Mark

 

[Pathfinders]

Will try to remember to take some pics for you when we butcher. I don't do it (when we do it at home), my husband does, and he skins them, so they won't look quite the same as the ones above.

And yes, I try to separate out the genders as soon as I can distinguish them, because the males are much calmer when completely out of sight and sound of the pullets. Never had any of my Buckeyes fly over the netting, although the Leghorns will.