Bob Blosl's Heritage Large Fowl Thread

[lildinkem]

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I have traded a few PM's on another site with an APA licensed judge. He likes to see a seamless Orpington look. Meaning, he thinks the excessively fluffy Orp birds have like a fender skirt which sticks out. Thus not a seamless look. And he would DQ them for excessive fluff. These Buff cockerels I am showing are more the traditional look. Like this guy says, when you look at these birds there is little fluff hiding their type and size. I have been asked to incorporate more of the Akers Buff line into them. I think that may be in the future. But, for now I plan on taking the better two Buff cockerels to their sisters to keep this look alive. Then bring in some of the other lines. I call these my $6 Buff flock. And have more fun with them and working this line then the others I bought and paid for. And those lines I really can not screw up with too fast. Their idiot proof lines. Here I can play breeder and truelly work a flock from the ground up.

The one cockerel against the fence is the young one. I was always told the young ones who grow out slow & grow out longer are usually some of the better birds to keep.

 

[kathyinmo]

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Wynette,
You should post some pictures of those beautiful Silver Penciled Rocks of yours!

 

[kathyinmo]

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Marty, Your flock looks just beautiful!

 

[Chook-A-Holic]

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Marty, Your flock looks just beautiful!

Thank you. I had to call Pine Grove(yet again)the other night to let him know how tickled I still am to have these birds. It's hard to believe that they are 6mos. old.

 

[Robert Blosl]

http://www.mgbca.org/

"Blue Feathered Fowl Breeding by Herbert Price" From the 1958 ABA Yearbook***NEW***



Interesting article on breeding blue color on the Modern Game club web site from years ago. Hit the blue area with the web site adress then look on the home page for articles then when you get to this page hit the article on Blue Feathered Fowl Breeding. It may pertain to say Blue Laced Wyandotte’s ect. And it may not but it will give you an idea on how complicated this blue color pattern. It is not for the beginner who is just getting into chickens to start playing with if you want Standard Heritage type birds. One of the classic Heritage breeds is Blue Andalusia’s. I think there have only been maybe five great breeders who have ever produced this color pattern of this chicken in say a hundred years. You have to be more than a master breeder to take on this color pattern. You have to be a super star master breeder. You really have to be someone who loves this old breed and pay a lot for feed to just get a few good birds to show and breed from.
Hope this may help some of you who are interested in the blue colored chickens. They look great in the catalogs with the artist’s pictures but to breed one good is another story. Of course if you just want to have some blue type chickens for your own personnel use to look at and don’t care about breeding them to the standard that is another issue. Not many people are dedicated breeders to the Standard only about five percent in the hobby of back yard poultry so if that is your desire then don’t worry about it. This thread is for the five percent who want to try to preserve the rare breeds and I just don’t want you to waist a lot of money and time on a breed that is super hard to reproduce. Be leave it or not when you get started you should start out with an all white breed learn how to master breeding this breed for type. Once you get the hang of it then start on say a barred rock or buff rock or a Rhode Island Red and learn from there. You got to master breeding for type first and learn how to hatch and raise them before you can get off the ground with the more difficult colored breeds. Bob

 

[Wynette]

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Wynette,
You should post some pictures of those beautiful Silver Penciled Rocks of yours!

Kathy, just noticed your new avatar - you crack me up, woman!

I don't know the lineage of my Silver Penciled Rocks; thus, they wouldn't be considered heritage since I can't confirm their lineage...correct?

 

[Robert Blosl]

I don't know the lineage of my Silver Penciled Rocks; thus, they wouldn't be considered heritage since I can't confirm their lineage...correct?

Your strain of Silver Pencilled Plymouth Rocks are truly a Heritage Strain and Breed. They are some of the best in the country right now. So if a beginner wants this color pattern you will not disapoint them one bit. I only know of two other strains in the coutnry and its very hard to help beginners find this color pattern of Plymouth Rocks. I am putting together a list of Plymouth Rock Breeders in a data base as I have been swamped with new beggniners who want our Breed of old Fashion Heritage Plymouth Rocks as well as the old Style Rhode Island Reds. If any of you have the old style Plymouth Rocks and Rhode Island Reds let me have your name and I can ad it to my list. You do not have to show our birds. Beginners who want them for their personel use just want to help keep the gene pools going on the most part. Only maybe one or two of these folks out of a hundred will get into the game of showing them. Thanks for your help on this list I am putting togeather I have added about ten new names from this web site. Bob Blosl Secetary Plymouth Rock Fanciers Club of America

http://www.showbirdbid.com/joomla/rockclub/

 

[kathyinmo]

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You don't need to know the lineage to qualify as Heritage. Here is the ALBC definition of Heritage that most people refer to: http://www.albc-usa.org/heritagechicken/definition.html

Definition:

Heritage Chicken must adhere to all the following:

1. APA Standard Breed. Heritage Chicken must be from parent and grandparent stock of breeds recognized by the American Poultry Association (APA) prior to the mid-20th century; whose genetic line can be traced back multiple generations; and with traits that meet the APA Standard of Perfection guidelines for the breed. Heritage Chicken must be produced and sired by an APA Standard breed. Heritage eggs must be laid by an APA Standard breed.
2. Naturally mating. Heritage Chicken must be reproduced and genetically maintained through natural mating. Chickens marketed as Heritage must be the result of naturally mating pairs of both grandparent and parent stock.
3. Long, productive outdoor lifespan. Heritage Chicken must have the genetic ability to live a long, vigorous life and thrive in the rigors of pasture-based, outdoor production systems. Breeding hens should be productive for 5-7 years and roosters for 3-5 years.
4. Slow growth rate. Heritage Chicken must have a moderate to slow rate of growth, reaching appropriate market weight for the breed in no less than 16 weeks. This gives the chicken time to develop strong skeletal structure and healthy organs prior to building muscle mass.

Chickens marketed as Heritage must include the variety and breed name on the label.

Terms like “heirloom,” “antique,” “old-fashioned,” and “old timey” imply Heritage and are understood to be synonymous with the definition provided here.

Abbreviated Definition: A Heritage Egg can only be produced by an American Poultry Association Standard breed. A Heritage Chicken is hatched from a heritage egg sired by an American Poultry Association Standard breed established prior to the mid-20th century, is slow growing, naturally mated with a long productive outdoor life.

The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy has over 30 years of experience, knowledge, and understanding of endangered breeds, genetic conservation, and breeder networks.​

 

[Wynette]

WOW, Bob - thanks so much for the comment, it is truly appreciated!

Kathy - #1 is what I was referring to: "...whose genetic line can be traced back multiple generations; ..."

I tried in vain to find out the breeder of my line, and all I could find out was that the breeder was from Illinois, and they are not a hatchery strain. I hung onto them because I find them to be quite a handsome bird, but had no idea they could actually ever be considered heritage, due to #1. Am I wrong on this?

 

[kathyinmo]

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I think that means that the breed can be traced back multiple generations .... meaning it is not a "new breed."