Bob Blosl's Heritage Large Fowl Thread

[fowlman01]

On BYC I have found lots of negative comments about the APA. Most come people that are not members of the APA and really have no idea what the club does or what it can do for you. The first thing you receive as a member is a yearbook. With that yearbook you can find people who raise the breed you may be looking for along with other breed info. It contains a lot of information that shows who has the highest quality birds. That info is in show results. While show results do not show every APA member (some do not show) it does show who has the best birds. It is the responsibility of the individual to use the information provided to track down the birds. There are lists of judges and other people that could be very helpful if approached.

Finding some of these older breeds is not easy as there are few specimens available other than the junk some hatcheries sell. In some cases the only alternative is to buy from a hatchery and try to make it better. This isn't the fault of the APA. The APA is currently working on Heritage breeds. They have formed a Committee to study the situation and that Committee will bring forward the position of the APA as it relates to Heritage chickens. I doubt if that will include a placing service for Heritage chickens.

When I started I had some of the same frustration I read here, so I became active in the APA/ABA and in doing that it became very evident that I had wonderful resources available. If you are not a member some APA member is not going to seek you out and say "I heard that you are looking for xxx and while I am a very busy person I will take the time to do the legwork for you". You have a responsibility to do that yourself. There are some very resourceful people on this site and they have found ways to find the birds they want. Some have asked me (an APA rep) to help them and I have.

All of us have the responsibility to use existing resources. One of those resources is the APA and it's membership. Keep in mind that some of these breeds are just not available and if they are, it is in small numbers. That is not the APA's fault, nor is the purpose of the APA to find birds for you. The membership will help you if you are a member. I am on this site as a member of the APA who wants to help new people get started. That is how it works. The APA is made up of volunteers so it is only as good as it's membership.

Walt Leonard

 

[fowlman01]

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This is the right way to get something done. You make me proud grasshopper!

Walt

 

[joletabey]

Thanks, Walt!

 

[thechickonthehill]

I would like to become a member of the APA. I was wondering though, when is the renewal date? Is it in January or a specific month or do you get a year of membership from the time you activate your membership? I found no info on their website about this.

 

[fowlman01]

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There are indications that this will happen. There is a huge amount of interest in rare breeds and the back yard chicken movement grows daily.

Walt

 

[fowlman01]

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The renewal date is July 15th. I am not sure if it is prorated, but it is so close now, it would not make much difference. The new yearbook (2009) will be out in a month.
I know that one member here just joined and received the 2008 yearbook, so she will end up with both.

Walt

 

[cybercat]

Living in the country one thing I have notice with chickens. If the person raising them is not showing then the chickens loose body type. I think many older chickens owner/breeders that do not show have old lines but not working on a breeding plan. Most just have them in a pen all together and let them breed then sell chicks. These birds are much smaller and hardly resemble the breed any more. But they are from old stock that has passed thru families for years. It is a shame for this could be new blood for those that need it but with type and color so far gone is it worth it? Most people in the country do not have internet and many do not go to shows or livestock sales. These are rare and hard to find folks but the genetics they hold are pricless. For those that want a quick fix this would not be worth it but for those of us that love a challange it is something to consider to get more genitcs in the breed. But again time is a factor and this would be a long road on breeding. But these are true heritage chickens still being breed just not too SOP.


On the Orloff it is my understanding that the Russian are the same they just had a name change due to the cold war. Just like the German Shepherd dog went from that to Alsation and then back in name after the war.

 

[fowlman01]

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It only takes two years to start going backwards in a breeding program if you don't pay attention and keep meticulous records. Showing is not for everyone and I don't think everyone should show. They should go to show though. That is the only way they can tell how a proper specimens should look. The true test however is when the super bird you thought you had is next to an outstanding specimen that makes it look like it came from another planet. That is how I started showing. I KNEW I had the best birds and could go to some fair and beat up on everyone. Hahahah.....it did not work out that way. My birds looked horrible compared to the other entries.

Walt

 

[Katy]

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True of some people I'm sure, but not all of us. I don't show, but am very picky about what I keep in my breeding pens.

Again that may be true of some areas of the country, but even in my very rural community most people have internet access.

 

[fowlman01]

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True of some people I'm sure, but not all of us. I don't show, but am very picky about what I keep in my breeding pens.

Again that may be true of some areas of the country, but even in my very rural community most people have internet access.

You have kept your birds at a very high quality. You apparently have a good eye and a knack for breeding birds..

Walt