Bob Blosl's Heritage Large Fowl Thread

[Robert Blosl]

Can someone here tell me what the ' "mushroom" feathering' term means?

I read Kens statement and i think what he is talking about is the shape of the feather. It is round and full or of good width. He is saying at this age they are really feathered or fully feathered. I was looking out my bath room window of two large fowl white Plymouth Rock chicks in a pen with a white leghorn chick and I was looking at there rate of feathering at such a young age. Fast feathering early development is in their genes. Ken did the same thing on his New Hampshire's as they where the breed that killed the popularity of Rhode Island Reds on the farm. I visited Ken on the phone 18 years ago for one month on Saturday for one hour. He was one of my many mentors. If you read his history of how he got started you will see that he took the breed from the ashes to greatness. He sold chicks to thousands of people back then as he had a commerical hatchery on his farm. He also invented from scratch the new Hampshire Bantam. It was Ken who helped me start the Mohawk red bantam using the methods that he used to make the New Hampshire Bantam. I hope this helps you. bob

 

[fowlman01]

Tasted just like chicken.

I plucked a several thousand of those fryers...probably more. I could do 4 at a time on the machine. Two in each hand.

Walt

 

[kathyinmo]

This history talk makes me wonder -
The war with Germany was - if I remember correctly - in like 1941 or 42 until 1945. Something like that. Anyway, it is said, as part of the reconstruction effort, after the war, the United States sent chickens to Germany - AmRocks and New Hampshires. I read that during the war the soldiers (both sides) and Germans literally ate up all the poultry.

I wonder if it was Ken Bowles New Hampshires that went to Germany.

Just a thought. Of course, we will never know, will we.......

 

[catdaddyfro]

I haven't heard anyone mention leghorn fryers since the 50's. No one eats leghorns now.....lol

Walt

I say not so much there Walt, LOL. There's not much to todays "leghorns" as compared to the stock back in the 40's&50's what with all the "commercialism" of the breed. My neighbor(cousins hubby) he is in his 60's, talks of the era when they butchered the Male white-leghorns out of 200-250 strt. run ordered on the farm yearly, for eating back in the day, and kept the pullets as layers then butchered them as stew hens as they laid-out. Surely something not commonly practiced in this current era.

Jeff

P.s. just wanted to add I do know you know this Mr. Leonard and probly quite few of the other regulars here. I was merely pointing out the differences between yesterdays heritage type leghorns and todays egg spitting factory types.

 

[NotAFarm]

Can someone here tell me what the ' "mushroom" feathering' term means?

I read Kens statement and i think what he is talking about is the shape of the feather. It is round and full or of good width. He is saying at this age they are really feathered or fully feathered. I was looking out my bath room window of two large fowl white Plymouth Rock chicks in a pen with a white leghorn chick and I was looking at there rate of feathering at such a young age. Fast feathering early development is in their genes. Ken did the same thing on his New Hampshire's as they where the breed that killed the popularity of Rhode Island Reds on the farm. I visited Ken on the phone 18 years ago for one month on Saturday for one hour. He was one of my many mentors. If you read his history of how he got started you will see that he took the breed from the ashes to greatness. He sold chicks to thousands of people back then as he had a commerical hatchery on his farm. He also invented from scratch the new Hampshire Bantam. It was Ken who helped me start the Mohawk red bantam using the methods that he used to make the New Hampshire Bantam. I hope this helps you. bob

Quote: Thank you for your responses. I have some 8 week old New Hampshires from Kathy and will be watching for these traits in them.

I am really enjoying this thread and the "Old Timers" one too!

 

[fowlman01]

This history talk makes me wonder -
The war with Germany was - if I remember correctly - in like 1941 or 42 until 1945. Something like that. Anyway, it is said, as part of the reconstruction effort, after the war, the United States sent chickens to Germany - AmRocks and New Hampshires. I read that during the war the soldiers (both sides) and Germans literally ate up all the poultry.

I wonder if it was Ken Bowles New Hampshires that went to Germany.

Just a thought. Of course, we will never know, will we.......

I have a McGraw Hill book published by the WAR DEPARTMENT Jan 1944 entitled Successful Poultry Management by Morley A. Jull. It shows the same kinds of housing that are being posted here now. Interesting book that has many cool facts of the time. Things like: The State Of Oklahoma required school districts to put on one poultry show a year or they would lose their funding from the government. Raising poultry was a serious matter during the war.

It has a very good section on sexing chicks and to my surprise the chick sexing is written by one of my mentors Jimmy MacLlreath of the Ontario Canada Agricultural College. Jimmy moved to Sonoma and went to work for Nicholas Turkey farms as their head geneticist. He was one of the few geneticists I have met that could use genetics to actually accomplish something. Jimmy "invented" bantam turkeys. Real bantams, not the stuff people are trying to palm off as bantams now.

This book is one of the best...IMO.....books on poultry around.

Find it online and rip it off Kathy.

Walt

 

[fowlman01]

I say not so much there Walt, LOL. There's not much to todays "leghorns" as compared to the stock back in the 40's&50's what with all the "commercialism" of the breed. My neighbor(cousins hubby) he is in his 60's, talks of the era when they butchered the Male white-leghorns out of 200-250 strt. run ordered on the farm yearly, for eating back in the day, and kept the pullets as layers then butchered them as stew hens as they laid-out. Surely something not commonly practiced in this current era.

Jeff

P.s. just wanted to add I do know you know this Mr. Leonard and probly quite few of the other regulars here. I was merely pointing out the differences between yesterdays heritage type leghorns and todays egg spitting factory types.

You know....until I posted this I forgot that there was a tremendous difference in commercial Leghorns in those days compared to the egg machines now. Good thing you called me Mr. Leonard Jeff cuz I got my eye on you. BTW: is the fro in your sig name hair..cuz I had a massive afro in the 60's.......lol

Walt

 

[catdaddyfro]

You know....until I posted this I forgot that there was a tremendous difference in commercial Leghorns in those days compared to the egg machines now. Good thing you called me Mr. Leonard Jeff cuz I got my eye on you. BTW: is the fro in your sig name hair..cuz I had a massive afro in the 60's.......lol

Walt

Oh yes I have seen a photo of you back in the day, you were rocking a deffinate 'fro' No, no fro here my hair is straight and fine and bad thing its getting so fine it has absolutely disappeared in some areas LOL
I'm glad somebodies watching out for me I need a wheel alignment ever so often to keep me in-line with things, I sometimes veer off onto rabbit trails and such on occasion. LOL

I hope you and Bob and the other master breeders and knowledgeable ones keep on doling out such good, need to know info, here for all to learn from.

Jeff

PS The call name is a combo of "nick"names I have acquired through the years, fro is shortened form of Jeffro, catdaddy just something I got stuck with back in my bar-hopping, boot scooting, women chasing days esp. after a few shots of Jose' CuerrvoTequila (un-huh) Jekyll and Hyde effect LOL

 

[Chris09]

Cat,
Now you when't got Shelly West's song stuck in my head.

Click


Chris

 

[kathyinmo]

Cat,
Now you when't got Shelly West stuck in my head.

Click


Chris

Me too ! !