Bob Blosl's Heritage Large Fowl Thread

[fowlman01]

There is a Sussex Breeder in Ohio I think, may be a retired Minister and Poultry Judge. This fellow knows this breed he has the Speckled I think. New York Reds or Walt may know who he is. He will tell you what they should be. I hope you wont confuse or cloudy the issue of feather quality with what goes on in England or here in the USA. When we try to preserve the old breeds in the USA and Canada we are breeding this way. Take the English standard and put in in the fire place. It has no place in breeding old Heritage Fowl in the USA in my view.

If you want to go that route that is fine, but we will not send future breeders to your door step for stock.

One way to get a good grade of feather or a Sussex or Orpington is push for high egg production. This is a lost art but so easy to learn and do. If you do it right you wont have to pull the feathers from the vents of your breeders like so many have to do to get chicks to hatch. Feather quality in a large fowl is Paramount and today we dont see breeders or chicken collectors working on this trait. They are happy with a big large fluffy bird and they think bigger is better. Heck they dont even weigh their birds anymore and I would love to know when is the last time you so a digital scale at a poultry show. I have never seen one and if you brought one you may not get out alive. bob

Would that be the Rev Rohmig Bob?

Walt

 

[7961]

There is a Sussex Breeder in Ohio I think, may be a retired Minister and Poultry Judge. This fellow knows this breed he has the Speckled I think.

Are you speaking of Gary Overton? I do not know if he was a minister.

 

[flitter]

Nice to read that you're working with redcaps. Check out the ALBC. Their educational materials are quite good. Consider reading Hogan's The Call of the Hen. Both the redcaps and the Dominique should be sound layers.

Thank you. I'll do that.

 

[7961]

I did show that White Wyandotte cockerel (posted a pic a few weeks back) at a show last weekend and he ended up winning Reserve American. I was very pleased. He is back in the breeding pen for the rest of the spring.

 

[Matt1616]

Gary Overton does have some good Speckled Sussex and he is in Ohio but I don't know that Bob was speaking of him.

 

[Fred's Hens]

I know it somewhat late in the breeding season, but if anyone can point me to a source for high quality White Rocks, I would be most appreciative.

 

[3riverschick]

Are you speaking of Gary Overton? I do not know if he was a minister.

I think he was thinking of Rev. Ashbrook. Yes I know him and Gary also.
Let's spray a bit of coollant on the keyboards and think about this a minute. I agree texture of plumage is important and needs improving for all the reasons you stated, Robert. It was a point I was trying to make but I must have done it clumsily, sorry about that. Second, I don't see how the Aussie Sussex Standard is relevant to all this. They have a different set of genes Down Under and a different set of parameters they use in breeding than either UK or US. I am familiar with these differences and they don't enter into my breeding calculations at all. I will not be using any Aussie Sussex genetics because the phenotype differences are too great between their stock and US / UK stock.
"All the great ones look alike". A fine and worthy motto for animal breeders. There will be great genetic variation in the middle of the bell curve of a breed's total population. But of the top several percent, "All the great ones look alike".
The actual historic Sussex Standard has changed very little, I think. I don't see any DQ reasons why the APA and BPC Sandards cannot live in the same room. Yes, there is the one question I posed Walt about color of hackle in the Light Sussex but it is a trivial matter and not of genetic consequence. What people have bred in spite of the Standards in both countries is an entirely different matter . I am not interested in what they have bred unless it conforms to the historic Standard. Fads don't interest me in the least. Neither do extremes. The Sussex is a breed of balanced symmetry which allows it to excell as a dual-purpose fowl. I apologize if my writings have somehow confused the 2 matters. Yet, I seriously believe that with adhering to the historic Standard as counseled by the great Sussex authors on both sides of the pond, it is possible to take pure true-to-historic-type stock from the UK and cross them with non-Aussie influenced US stock and and breed a better US Light Sussex fowl .
Best Regards,
Karen in western PA

 

[Yellow House Farm]

Would that be the Rev Rohmig Bob?

Walt

The way I heard it was that Ashbrook had them developed to a strong quality, but that Overton took them over. The gentleman telling me the tale implied that perhaps they had not faired as well under Overton's care. I cannot say, though, because I've not seen them myself.

 

[fowlman01]

I think it's Gary Overton.

I don't think he is a minister.....maybe Bob is thinking of two different people. Gary is well known for his SS.

Walt.

 

[3riverschick]

The way I heard it was that Ashbrook had them developed to a strong quality, but that Overton took them over. The gentleman telling me the tale implied that perhaps they had not faired as well under Overton's care. I cannot say, though, because I've not seen them myself.

-------------------------------
Mr. Overton? Judge Overton's more popular name is "Mr. Sussex". The world of SQ Speckled Sussex would be in a world of hurt if it were not for the dedicated efforts of Mr. Sussex, Rev. Ashbrook, Tony Albritton and other dedicated breeders like them. I cannot state strongly enough how replusive
I find the above statements. I absolutely oppose any efforts to taint Judge Overton's reputation with "tale(s)" and "Implie (cation)" ! These statements
are so wrong on a couple of levels, esp. being written by one who states they actually "cannot say" because they have "not seen it myself".
I spit in disgust on the statements the author made above.
Very Sincerely,
Karen Tewart