Bob Blosl's Heritage Large Fowl Thread

[Wisher1000]

I didn't remember you ever saying anything about Oriental Fowl, but I thought I would ask.

 

[Robert Blosl]

Most people wing band right away.

And you're welcome for the advise. Like the others who do this (and most much better than I) the whole goal is setting people who want to be successful up to be successful. The reality is that we need more breeders of better birds, which means we need more people willing to specialize. In order to specialize one must have a mentor, or rather mentors, because one is in truth learning an old-fashioned profession that, although no longer as remunerative as in by-gone days, still requires the exigencies of a profession if top-notch results are to be had, i.e. if high-quality stock is to move forward into the future.

I was looking at your progress with your birds Joseph and most of all your White Dockings. If people only knew how many chicks you had to hatch over a five year or more period that would be shocked to get a few pure white birds to work with each year. Joseph the old timers I knew would be very pleased and impressed with your progress and methods of toe punching wing banding and rearing your fowl to adult hood.

I was thinking yesterday as I was resting in bed what would the Hall of Fame Master Breeders of HERITAGE birds think of what we are trying to do today. Would they subscribe to our logic of back yard chicken thinking? Would they just laugh and say I seen this before.? What did they do different than many of us want to do? Remember these mostly men and few women did this for thirty to forty years and are considered pioneers in the area of their breeds which some of the blood lines we have today though people like Mr. Urch who bought their stock before they died.

How many family lines did they have. How many chicks did they raise themselves per year? Did they sell eggs or day old chicks to beginners?

HERE IS A KICKER: Did they show their birds or just stay at home and say I don't show chickens?

Did they Own a Standard of Perfection and used it? Did they subscribe to the Poultry Press or Advertise in it?

What where there feeding habits. Did they feed dry feed or did they have some super method we never heard of before in those old days?

Did they use artificial light to help get chicks out in Jan or Feb or used natural light only like some think is better today more natural?

Did they have any methods of Line Breeding to keep their birds from getting Inbreed.

How many times in ten years did they outcross new strains into their famous lines?

Just questions I was thinking about. I interviewed at least 40 master breeders in my life time and they where students of at least 20 super star master breeders or even yet HALL OF FAME members of their favorite breed. So they must have done something right.

The question is should we follow their methods they used for their success in the old days if we want to be like them or some of the commercial ideas or backyard methods that we use today.Something to think about.

 

[fowlman01]

Thanks Walt. The other Dragon Lady. I thought it was too soon for those shows to be published.

Not the other Dragon Lady.....THE Dragon Lady...........hahahaha I can't wait until you two meet. She is going to the APA National in Springfield Mass. Suzann is about half your height.

w.

 

[Yellow House Farm]

I will be at the Springfield Mass APA National, but I have a conflict with the OH date.

I have been so busy arguing with people on byc that I haven't had a chance to tell you what a good job you have done with the Ancona's and Dorkings. Those are both breeds I have had (s/c Ancona and SG Dorkings) so I know what it takes to get them to the quality you have in your flock. Lots of work and lots of dedication. I am hoping that you show some at the APA National.

Walt

Thanks a lot, Walt! It has been a lot of work, but one that has taught me a lot. It's nice to see things beginning to pan out. The Anconas are closer than the Dorkings, but they're both a lot closer than they used to be.

I certainly will be at the Congress. I'll be clerking. I think there will be a bunch of folks there, and I look forward to meeting everyone. Saturday evening after the show and dinner there's usually a lot of chicken talk at the hotel bar. It's a very good time. One laughs a lot, but one also learns a lot.

I hope to have birds at the show, but I'm not sure what shape they'll be in. The difficulty is of course that I hatched so early that it's hard to keep up show condition. The pullets will all have broken tails. The good part, though, will just be putting them on display. I just showed the Dorkings for the first time, and although they can't touch Dan Castle's Australorps, everyone enjoyed seeing them. There's a lot of handling of the birds, and folks were commenting on their fleshing. On the other hand, we took champion and reserve Mediterranean against a nice looking class of SC Lgt Brn Leghorns. It was a good win.

 

[Pathfinders]

Today I put together the line of pullets to complement the cockerels. In the background one can see another pen of 40 pullets that I'll look at in another few weeks.

I just spent about an hour and a half this afternoon evaluating pullets in the big range pen, and kept thinking of this photo. I certainly wish I had done this. I don't know how many cages I have stacked up in the barn, but the next time my younger is home from college we're doing this for sure. It would make things so much easier!

I sat in a chair with a pad, pencil and a pair of binoculars (the range pen is about 3/4 of an acre and I needed them for leg band numbers) and made notes as I sat. Using cages like this would be so much more thorough. Thank you again for posting this.

 

[Apdeb]

I am showing my two buckeyes for first time and the two Barnevelders i had at orange fair at Little Rhody!!! Hope to see some of you there!

 

[Yellow House Farm]

I was looking at your progress with your birds Joseph and most of all your White Dockings. If people only knew how many chicks you had to hatch over a five year or more period that would be shocked to get a few pure white birds to work with each year. Joseph the old timers I knew would be very pleased and impressed with your progress and methods of toe punching wing banding and rearing your fowl to adult hood.

I was thinking yesterday as I was resting in bed what would the Hall of Fame Master Breeders of HERITAGE birds think of what we are trying to do today. Would they subscribe to our logic of back yard chicken thinking? Would they just laugh and say I seen this before.? What did they do different than many of us want to do? Remember these mostly men and few women did this for thirty to forty years and are considered pioneers in the area of their breeds which some of the blood lines we have today though people like Mr. Urch who bought their stock before they died.

How many family lines did they have. How many chicks did they raise themselves per year? Did they sell eggs or day old chicks to beginners?

HERE IS A KICKER: Did they show their birds or just stay at home and say I don't show chickens?

Did they Own a Standard of Perfection and used it? Did they subscribe to the Poultry Press or Advertise in it?

What where there feeding habits. Did they feed dry feed or did they have some super method we never heard of before in those old days?

Did they use artificial light to help get chicks out in Jan or Feb or used natural light only like some think is better today more natural?

Did they have any methods of Line Breeding to keep their birds from getting Inbreed.

How many times in ten years did they outcross new strains into their famous lines?

Just questions I was thinking about. I interviewed at least 40 master breeders in my life time and they where students of at least 20 super star master breeders or even yet HALL OF FAME members of their favorite breed. So they must have done something right.

The question is should we follow their methods they used for their success in the old days if we want to be like them or some of the commercial ideas or backyard methods that we use today.Something to think about.

You know, Bob, I've really come to understand that this "hobby" requires the same dedication that it always did in order to produce birds worthy of those Hall of Fame-ers. They were professionals, and we need to work professionally. We often call this a hobby because it's not a primary income or, perhaps, not an income at all, but these birds were produced by professionals and are maintained by professionals in the truest sense of what a profession is.

I was talking with a chicken buddy at the show this last weekend. He has amazing Australorps and Buff Brahma Bantams. He raises 100 Australorps a year in three families. They're mint. He took Ch Large Fowl and reserve Super Grand Ch. He can tell you the qualities of each family, each bird is identified, each one has a record. We do it the same way. Our buddy Brian Knox does it as well, and his Light Brahma Bantams and SL Wyandotte bantams show the results. Indeed, he's the one who really taught me how to keep the records, etc... He took Ch. Bantam and Super Grand Ch of the show.

I think our success begins when we begin to wonder in which way we are able to replicate the ways of the old masters, the truly good breeders. Those whose names are associated with the breed and variety in question. When we get honest about that, we are able to move into our potential. It really comes down to what we're able, willing , and can afford to raise. Are we in the under 50 birds a year group the 100-ish birds a year, or the 150 or more group. Then it's also about schedules and ability to follow all of the steps necessary per breed. Right now we have two breeds. I could do up to four breeds at 100 or more per year. I honestly don't think, though, that I could find the needed time to pen, review, and select four different breeds, butcher the culls, etc... Two is a lot. I'm considering either a bantam or, perhaps, Calls. Maybe, maybe not, it would need to be something fairly close to Standard that wouldn't need exorbitant attention. Right now 2 breeds at the 150 or more level is taking up the time. Still, for those able to discipline to one breed and variety, there are many good choices for the 50 and under crowd that would yield outstanding results. This does, however, limit the choices, but that's OK. We all have factors that impose limits. The damp lake air in the winter around our farm makes single combs out of the question, ergo, no Speckled Sussex, Buff Rocks, Minorcas, and that's a bummer. Still, I accepted these parameters and am now very happy with where I'm at.

I think that when people start moving toward the professionalism that their infrastructure, schedule, and finances allow, they'll be very excited with the results they achieve.

 

[fowlman01]

Thanks a lot, Walt! It has been a lot of work, but one that has taught me a lot. It's nice to see things beginning to pan out. The Anconas are closer than the Dorkings, but they're both a lot closer than they used to be.

I certainly will be at the Congress. I'll be clerking. I think there will be a bunch of folks there, and I look forward to meeting everyone. Saturday evening after the show and dinner there's usually a lot of chicken talk at the hotel bar. It's a very good time. One laughs a lot, but one also learns a lot.

I hope to have birds at the show, but I'm not sure what shape they'll be in. The difficulty is of course that I hatched so early that it's hard to keep up show condition. The pullets will all have broken tails. The good part, though, will just be putting them on display. I just showed the Dorkings for the first time, and although they can't touch Dan Castle's Australorps, everyone enjoyed seeing them. There's a lot of handling of the birds, and folks were commenting on their fleshing. On the other hand, we took champion and reserve Mediterranean against a nice looking class of SC Lgt Brn Leghorns. It was a good win.

The disadvantage with your breeds is that some judges don't look at them with class champion in mind and it is a risk if they don't know them well....so they will go with something they know. Not knocking judges, but this is human nature.

Yeah, I have been to those learning sessions. They are learning experiences in more ways than one....but truly worth while as a poultry learning experience.

Who are you clerking for? I'll have them keep you in line.
Walt

 

[Zanna]

As far as keeping track of lineage when breeding do you always single mate? Single mating would be more accurate but is it necessary after a certain point? With one of my breeds last year I single mated two hens and two pullets (both daughters of one of the hens) over a cock and a cockeral (Dad & Son, unrelated to the females), made improvements over the parents and did not have any DQ's show up in hatching 15 - 30 chicks from each pairing. All offspring are toe punched. Just trying to come up with a plan this year...... either only mate the best daughters back to fathers one at a time or have several daughters that have different Mothers in with Father at the same time. Thoughts?

 

[Wisher1000]