Bob Blosl's Heritage Large Fowl Thread

[X2Farm]

Good question Scott...

I've already got my own answers to that, but I'm very interested to see what others say.

 

[Robert Blosl]

My wife said why dont you send a message to Scott on his email today on fowl pox. I am on the couch with the lap top so I will send the message on what I do. or did for the past 22 years.

There first three females I got at dry creek farm was a six year old hen the Mohawk hen another hen with great feather quaility then Anna comes up and says bob we got a great female here but she lost one of her eyes to fowl pox. I looked at here and said thank you very much. She had type and color that made me fall to my knees. I was a rookie but what the hell I am a rookie breeder. I could care less if I show her. Next year her two daughters where first and second at the show. The both looked like two peas in a pod and the first pullet one champion large fowl of the show and her second place sister won Res. and fifth best bird of the show.
Did not or ever seen a second place bird win and get on champion row but the judge said they was so close he had to take them out in the sun and the first place female just had a little darker undercolor than the other pullet. Wow. These where the Mohawk E W Reese R I Red Large Fowl.

I will never forget this that was over 20 years ago.

So what about fowl pox in the deep south. Once the birds get bit by the little bug. They are self enoculated with the virus. I never gave my birds fowl pox shots after that. I did have about threeyears latter another hit with infected eyes and faces from the bug but never gave them a shot for fowl pox. Should you. You can but I staid with the first law of breeding. The law of the fit of the fittest priniciple. If they can not live on their own they dont need to be in the breeding pen.

Mr. Reese told meI dont dope up my birds. So I never did either.

Scott. If they live throught this they will be fine. I told you befor these are birds from other parts of the USA and Canada. When you put them in heat and humitidy of the deep south they strong will survie and the weaker ones will die. Out of 20 chicks if 8 will live breed from the top five or six and better times will come the next year.

Its is my view that when you get birds from some one from another part of the country it will take three years for these birds to survive and make it in your back yard.

If I moved back to Centralia Washington I woud have so much problems with my birds it would take three years for them to get use to this climate.

I have retired for one month. I have been working out side six hours a day. My body is killing me so dried out from dehydration. My plan is to keep working out and in about six months I will get use to it. I have spent 10 hours each day in air conditioning working as a nurse. MY body is just not use to this heat.

Same goes for your chickens. They will be fine. The fit of the Fittest Priniclple law number one of breeding will win out.

Bob

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

Well....'nuff said!!

Thanks Bob!

Just so y'all know Bob is the ONLY reason I have a decent start with Columbian rocks in LF (see the new Plymouth Rock Fanciers Club Newsletter if you want details)!!! And he knows I would die trying to make sure that the flock he helped me start doesn't meet an untimely demise in the US. For now I have no interest in showing, just to rebuild the CR LF flock back in the US with decent birds that are as close to SOP as possible

Fortunately, all the CRs are ok. The fowl pox seems to have only gotten my BRs so far (those are Reece and Hardy line birds). Over 2 glasses of GOOD wine and a camera I got a lot of pix tonight (around 40) of the BRs and a small group of 3 month old CRs feeding in the clover field tonight. Will sort them out and post some in the AM. BRs are looking especially nice....too soon to tell on the CRs

I hope everyones 2011 hatches went well and the birds are lookin' good!

Hot here but expecting a little relief this weekend

Take care and BOB, thanks again!!!!!!

 

[cpartist]

I am in FL and had the Fowl Pox make it's way through my flocks late in the fall and early spring.
Apparently here it is often more prevalent in the cooler months as the skeeters are
more likely to seek the coop for warmth. The poultry experts at UF (and they are some of the
best in the country) do not recommend the vaccine. Most of the time it will just be the dry form
and benign, and once they have gotten it, they are immune for life as Bob says.

I believe you are not supposed to vaccinate if they are showing signs, so it may be to late
to give them the shot once you notice the signs. In my case most just had a few comb
lesions. I had a couple that had more lesions that looked to be spreading toward the eyes and mouth
I applied iodine to....read here that this will check the spread and dry the pox.

None of my grow outs/juvies got this only my older birds.

It is my understanding that there are several stains of the pox, and if you vaccinate you may or may not
inoculate them to the specific strain in your area. The vaccine must be kept cold and is only viable for a few
hours...if you have lots of birds to treat this is daunting.

I had NO LOSSES from this. If I did I would assume that any succumbing would be non hardy and resistant
birds I would not want to breed forward anyway.

I agree with everything Bob has said on this...and BTW Bob, glad to see you back on the forum.
From a newbie to an oldie (I am an oldie in age, but a newbie to poultry)...thanks so much for
sharing your knowledge. I look forward to any and all of your postings.

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

Here is a link to some of the BRs and CRs I have growing out (lots of pix!!). All BRs for this year are in this album, but only 6 of the young CRs were in the clover field last night. I have another 50+/- of them that were in the fenced pen. The BRs in this are from Reece (Good Shepard) line and Hardy lines

Just click on the first pix and the program will then allow you to view it as an album

https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=76b0...#cid=76B0B01228A61131&id=76B0B01228A61131!317

 

[Robert Blosl]

Scott very nice pictures and this is what Standard Breed Large Fowl should look like. The barring on the young birds are very clean and I can see many great looking birds. Also, nice shots of the Col. Rocks.

For those who are concerned about fowl pox you have a choice. Give your chicks the pox rx or let nature do their own thing. I just choose this method. Fowl Fox Vac is cheap so if you want to do this please do.

I never wormed my birds befor, but may start this year. Do they need it I dont know but what do I have to loose.

bob

 

[Gallusfarm]

Yard full o' rocks :

Here is a link to some of the BRs and CRs I have growing out (lots of pix!!). All BRs for this year are in this album, but only 6 of the young CRs were in the clover field last night. I have another 50+/- of them that were in the fenced pen. The BRs in this are from Reece (Good Shepard) line and Hardy lines

Just click on the first pix and the program will then allow you to view it as an album

https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=76b0...#cid=76B0B01228A61131&id=76B0B01228A61131!317

Enjoyed the photos. They are great birds.​

 

[te dave]

very nice birds, really wish i had them there woods next to my house!!! been lurking here for a while, and have finally gotten fed up with the meat qualities of the hatchery birds (ordered welsummers this past spring, are starting to lay well, but nothing but skin and bones)

, anyway, took the plunge and ordered some buckeyes from a reputable breeder in ohio (in fact he is on the breed club board), hope these will finally be what i've been looking for.

 

[oshun55555]

How are Light Brahmas for meat? This is my first year raising them and was thinking of butchering the 13 roos at 4-5 months, but not sure if that is too soon for this bird? Anyone here have experience with using Light Brahmas for meat and what was your age of butcher?

 

[punky rooster]

Quote:
Brahma's are a heavy meat producing breed.
Quote:
This should be a good age, depending on where you got them from. Standard-bred Brahmas should make a good weight by that time, while hatchery birds are a different matter. Many hatchery Brahmas are smaller than they should be, so I can't tell you what to expect from them.
Mitch