Bob Blosl's Heritage Large Fowl Thread

[Jwhip]

Looking at some Dorking cockerels this morning:

Which one are you going to send to me?

 

[Canieldonrad]

Ohio National is only one month away, which breeds and how many of them do you plan to take? I'm looking to bring 14 Buckeyes and pick up 2 La Flèche(which will have coops in the show).

 

[Pathfinders]

Bless your heart, you're washing 14 LF Buckeyes? I'm not bringing more than six (my stupid cock birds have both dropped their tails, doubt they'll be ready by then.) And of course picking up my Lakenvelder trio from Mr. Urch (which I will put in show coops as well.)

Is Chris coming to the OH National for sure?

 

[Wisher1000]

ONLY a month! Part of me says, "That LONG?" and part of me says, "Wait! I'm not ready!" I will be getting some Silver Campines from Duane Urch and picking up something else. I have not arranged to get anything else, but I must be, because I will have extra coop space (I have to build it between now and then, yikes!) and I'm taking extra crates, so there must be something I have to get.

 

[Canieldonrad]

I plan on bringing some Buckeyes to get rid of

I am unsure I will wash all of them thoroughly. Some I do not expect to do as well as others. They will be spot cleaned to cut back on poo and the sort. A few will get a good washing ahead of time, some will be just before the show. I know which ones I like the most, they will get the best care at the best time. But in no way am I up to washing 14 birds in one day.

All of the birds look great, although young. But I really only want to take so many to increase numbers for the show. No reason not to.

 

[Robert Blosl]

It should be a great event and lots of good birds to be purchased. However, you want to get there on the Friday as I think half of all birds will be gone the first day. When you show up on sat am you may be disappointed unless you have made plans to pick up birds from a breeders.

Sometimes they may part with some birds in the show coops ask the breeders to mate them up for you their skills will be much better than yours. Even a good breeding pair is a great find.

Also, this will give you a good chance to look at the different rare breeds for the future or you can remember these breeds and help a beginner next year who wants a breed that we can not figure out who has them.

I often wonder how many of you who got started might get the urge or courage to start showing. Its a great time and fun event and a monster challenge for a back yard former chicken owner to take on. However, many do and its a blessing to our hobby when they just at least attend a show and see how much fun and how others will help them if they just ask.

However, if you have no desire to go to a show but just own a Standard of Perfection and try to keep you head above water with favorite breed that's a accomplishment from what you started. Its a hobby we want to have fun and not make it into a job. If that happens and you end up with to many chickens then you start to slip form having fun to getting out of the hobby. Does this happen? All the time.

Keep up the good work this tread has been very successful with some great looking fowl.

 

[capayvalleychick]

Looking at some Dorking cockerels this morning:

Wow, he's close to perfect!

 

[cbnovick]

It should be a great event and lots of good birds to be purchased. However, you want to get there on the Friday as I think half of all birds will be gone the first day. When you show up on sat am you may be disappointed unless you have made plans to pick up birds from a breeders.

Sometimes they may part with some birds in the show coops ask the breeders to mate them up for you their skills will be much better than yours. Even a good breeding pair is a great find.

Also, this will give you a good chance to look at the different rare breeds for the future or you can remember these breeds and help a beginner next year who wants a breed that we can not figure out who has them.

I often wonder how many of you who got started might get the urge or courage to start showing. Its a great time and fun event and a monster challenge for a back yard former chicken owner to take on. However, many do and its a blessing to our hobby when they just at least attend a show and see how much fun and how others will help them if they just ask.

However, if you have no desire to go to a show but just own a Standard of Perfection and try to keep you head above water with favorite breed that's a accomplishment from what you started. Its a hobby we want to have fun and not make it into a job. If that happens and you end up with to many chickens then you start to slip form having fun to getting out of the hobby. Does this happen? All the time.

Keep up the good work this tread has been very successful with some great looking fowl.

Well... I will be taking the exhibition 'plunge' on entering some young birds in my first show come late November at the Tucson show in AZ...reportedly a nice show with 1000+ birds from surrounding states as well. My Keipper cages should arrive this week...I will use them for a host of things...but at this point they will be for conditioning/training starting a few weeks before the show on 11/23 and 11/24.

I am a 'backyarder' (albeit a large backyard) but doing the best I can with staying as involved as I can in the hobby despite my 2 biggest limitations---bit less than half acre of land & not zoned for "Roosters". I have several breeder/hobbyists that live within a few hour radius that I have either given, shared or sold stock that I have hatched over the past year. I keep a few very nice pullets of the 3 breeds I've become passionate about after experiencing/trying them for a bit: #1-NH's, #2-Buff Orps, #3 Rocks (ringlets/buffs) There are 2 small sets of breeder stock for the Buff Rocks---both are BYCers here in AZ and follow this thread. I have a friend who has 2 NH males and 4 females that I hatched from XW/Jwhip eggs.She is a relative 'newbie' but very dedicated and meticulous with the birds...she follows my husbandry regimen in detail too. She lives on an acreage and has a excellent, secure setup. I have another dear friend who has a bit over an acre for her backyard and is zoned for "Roosters" despite being in a suburban setting. Again, she follows my husbandry regimen and has a nice, secure setup .She will keep a nice breeding pair of Buff Orps for me.
At this point, I can hatch and grow out...help cull according to SOP...and show a few times a year. I can maintain a few of the nicest females and hatch via single mating them in Dec/Jan/Feb. Basically, I can get my females covered and work on my own 'sublines' of birds because of networking the males/small flocks.
This is enough to keep me going until one day when I can get back to living on an acreage outside of town. Believe me, it's been an adjustment and exercise in patience and creativity. LOL.
I really am appreciative of the fine SOP breeders in this hobby who have 'taken a chance' on me...trusting me with their eggs/stock....even though I am just a backyarder right now. I am so thankful for this and other good threads/forums..so many of you have been so great in sharing your wisdom etc.
I am in this for the long haul. I am passionate about this hobby. I am hoping to become more involved with volunteering help toward a few local clubs and to breeder clubs in the next few years. I hope to clerk one day for a few shows too. I hope to get my 5 year old son involved with a poultry project in 4-H like I did with my now 16 year old daughter.

So much to learn and experience and share.

 

[Pathfinders]

I plan on bringing some Buckeyes to get rid of

I am unsure I will wash all of them thoroughly. Some I do not expect to do as well as others. They will be spot cleaned to cut back on poo and the sort. A few will get a good washing ahead of time, some will be just before the show. I know which ones I like the most, they will get the best care at the best time. But in no way am I up to washing 14 birds in one day.

All of the birds look great, although young. But I really only want to take so many to increase numbers for the show. No reason not to.

Sounds good to me. I will likely take two of each C K H P, assuming the Cs get their tails back. I want to take the one cock bird anyway, just to see how he does compared to winning BB last year for Chris.

Are you SURE you don't want me to bring the truck?

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

Evening all

Who out here has experience with "split tails". Before the rain got here today, I was overlooking the 4 Ks I held back and my #1 choice has suddenly got me worried. He's 10 months old, seems to be lacking his main sickle feathers still, but his tail suddenly looks "parted"

Will this change as those mail sickles come in? I HOPE!!??

Would really be a bummer at this point, BUT, don'r want to introduce a problem either

Thanks

I'll try to get pix tomorrow after the rain from this tropical storm lets up