Bob Blosl's Heritage Large Fowl Thread

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I've been wondering too. No contact and no Rock newsletter this last month either. Sure hope he's ok.

Yup, got worried when the tornadoes hit, and haven't heard from him. Hope he's alright
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" In some cases the only alternative is to buy from a hatchery and try to make it better."

The above is a quote from an earlier post Fowlman01 I think. Anyway, reading this thread has been very educational. My wife and I want to get into breeding some heritage chickens, but we don't know anyone (yet) in our area to get any from. But after seeing the quote above, I am wondering how feasible is it to take hatchery stock and breed it to standard? If so, would it then be considered a heritage breed?

The only thing I have now that isn't mixed up is barred rocks, but they are young and not old enough to breed yet. The roosters look pretty good, and a couple of the hens do too, but that isn't saying they are even close to the standard. The rest of the BR's don't look as good. So if I were to start breeding the best looking ones and keep at it over time, would it work out?
 
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I wouldn't say it is not possible but you are going to go down a loooooooong road. I think there would be some critical things missing that would be hard to get without having a good bird to breed into your line. I have gotten started with some really great lines of birds by doing my research on breeders(there are a lot right here on byc who have good birds) and getting some hatching eggs to get a good start. If you are not comfortable with hatching or shipping eggs have someone hatch you some chicks. They may be more expensive right off the bat but will save you thousands over the years of trying to achieve a similar outcome. Just my 2 cents!
 
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I wouldn't say it is not possible but you are going to go down a loooooooong road. I think there would be some critical things missing that would be hard to get without having a good bird to breed into your line. I have gotten started with some really great lines of birds by doing my research on breeders(there are a lot right here on byc who have good birds) and getting some hatching eggs to get a good start. If you are not comfortable with hatching or shipping eggs have someone hatch you some chicks. They may be more expensive right off the bat but will save you thousands over the years of trying to achieve a similar outcome. Just my 2 cents!

Thousands of years not required even when starting from crap. Twenty or thirty year maybe. Starting with at least some "quality" would speed process markedly.
 
It is worth tracking down good breeders! Join the APA, SPPA, ABLC, etc. Google...attend shows...make connections. Then you have to find someone willing to part with some of their stock or at least eggs....then maybe within 5 years you'll be well on your way....if you resort to hatchery crap--it may be 20 years and thousands of chicks before you even get close to having birds that look the way they should.
 
Point taken, and I sure do appreciate the information! I'd be dead before I got anywhere. HA!

I am getting ready to build some more coops, and when I get them done will get serious about finding some good stock. I still have to figure out what I like best to go with, but would like to go with two types of breeds. I'd say barred rocks will be one of them. I'm thinking Australorp or Sussex for the second, but my wife really wants the Silver Laced Wyandottes. So many choices to decide on. Isn't it awful?
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X2Farm, Bob is doing fine...I talk to him often as he lives right down the road from me. He has been busy at work and hasn't visited BYC in a while. We live a pretty good way from where the tornadoes hit in central and northern Alabama. I will tell him that you were asking about him...
 
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