Bob Blosl's Heritage Large Fowl Thread

[har]

Quote:
Beautiful building and birds. Say HI to my sister in Hutchinson when your up there.

 

[lildinkem]

Dan Honour forwarded me these pics the other day. These are taken in Russia, and made me feel like, how did that Gov of PA say?
Wussies for complaining about our weather.
Try raising chickens where these folks live.
I bet everyone now wants to move there don't ya think?
Makes me wanna move there.

 

[NotAFarm]

WOW, that's all I can say!!

 

[cybercat]

Charlie you can keep your snow. I do not want to see anymore this year.

Lildinkem those are some scary shots. All but that sign that is neat.

Our temps were so low last night I lost eggs. One even cracked before I got back to the house this morning.

 

[lildinkem]

Quote:
I am finding myself as part of my new Arctic routine going out and checking in on my 9 month old Buff pullets to see if they laid an egg at midnite. Those girls like to squeeze them out before bedtime and I awake to ruined and cracked eggs like yours. I have collected 6 in the past 4 days and half were ruined by this weather. I have a very sweet wife who totally understands what we're up against and she allowed me to bring some of the Blacks inside and my two White Orps to free range the basement, breezeway and a third bedroom till we get to near freezin. It sux!

 

[Wynette]

Quote:
I am finding myself as part of my new Arctic routine going out and checking in on my 9 month old Buff pullets to see if they laid an egg at midnite. Those girls like to squeeze them out before bedtime and I awake to ruined and cracked eggs like yours. I have collected 6 in the past 4 days and half were ruined by this weather. I have a very sweet wife who totally understands what we're up against and she allowed me to bring some of the Blacks inside and my two White Orps to free range the basement, breezeway and a third bedroom till we get to near freezin. It sux!

Cyber, I was going to say the same thing - that sign is actually quite beautiful! Those pics make me want to never complain about our weather here in Michigan again. It's actually not THAT bad.....but I'm getting tired of shoveling snow so my chickens have a space to get out. I have a few pens of birds that go out EVERY single day, and my silver penciled rocks are one of them. I shoveled them a small spot & threw them some straw to play with the other day...

ETA: Okay, so that sign was beautiful, but that "hand icicle" was plain creepy.

 

[punky rooster]

Quote:
I am finding myself as part of my new Arctic routine going out and checking in on my 9 month old Buff pullets to see if they laid an egg at midnite. Those girls like to squeeze them out before bedtime and I awake to ruined and cracked eggs like yours. I have collected 6 in the past 4 days and half were ruined by this weather. I have a very sweet wife who totally understands what we're up against and she allowed me to bring some of the Blacks inside and my two White Orps to free range the basement, breezeway and a third bedroom till we get to near freezin. It sux!

Cyber, I was going to say the same thing - that sign is actually quite beautiful! Those pics make me want to never complain about our weather here in Michigan again. It's actually not THAT bad.....but I'm getting tired of shoveling snow so my chickens have a space to get out. I have a few pens of birds that go out EVERY single day, and my silver penciled rocks are one of them. I shoveled them a small spot & threw them some straw to play with the other day...

http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff66/Wadamson/winter2011.jpg

ETA: Okay, so that sign was beautiful, but that "hand icicle" was plain creepy.

Nice!
that first pic that lildinkem posted looks like a dall house to me LOL
Here are some nice LF reds on a site I found

 

[CharlieVoda]

Quote:
Yes at this stage of the poultry game if I had the room I would grab any large fowl that scored 92 and breed them. I think people should be flexible as to what birds they are willing to breed given the state of current bloodlines in the country if they can fit them into their overall program. This would be especially true in my mind if the other breeder lived fairly close by to share birds with.

My dark brahma have good color and type so I will be working on size, fertility and vigor. The lights need a little help in the fertility and vigor departments. Both should be a fairly easy fix over the next three years or so. My overall plans are to raise egg production a bit as well as rate of growth. I would like to see a seven pound dressed bird at about 28 weeks instead of 30 to 32.

Thanks for the compliment Bob. I set a guy up with those Coulter White Orpington sports he will be getting them at the Crossroads show this fall. I also gave the contact info to a guy in AL. Should be a good deal for the White Orps and breeders out there.

I may have some birds to share this fall but have already promised to give 4 doz eggs to 4 people that want brahma large fowl. Hope the girls are in a layin mood. It will always be a numbers game. I don't think you can really get a start with a dozen eggs myself. That is like going to a casino to double your money the odds are against you from the start. Some people do get lucky though.

I have lived in MN all my life and enjoy the 4 seasons. We have had double the amount of snow that we usually get this winter and more severe cold. That means a late hatch up here but I ain't complaining.

Good luck with the birds
Charlie

 

[CharlieVoda]

Nice birds Wynette. Very nice.

I have always loved the silver penciled pattern.

Good luck with the birds
Charlie

 

[Wynette]

Thanks, Charlie - it's not a great pic, I was more trying to show how deep the snow is. Poor things all felt like they had to stand on the flake of straw. I do feel badly for them this time of year, but spring is just around the corner! I actually just got my first SPPR egg of the season, and (with Bob's help), my partner and I will be putting some hard work into these SPPRs. They have a ways to go, but we're in it for the long haul.