Bob Blosl's Heritage Large Fowl Thread

[fowlman01]

Walt - have you seen a lot comb variations due to influence of location/temperature/weather?

Yes. Light or lack of it will sometimes cause quite dramatic changes in both rose combs and single combs. The factors you mention influence the comb, but light is the most dramatic I have seen.

Walt

 

[fowlman01]

Kathyinmo SEZ:
Watch out - cuz I'm comin'...... one of these days!
I'll show my birds one day - when they are ready, and I am ready.

I will be looking forward to that. You could show that NH male I was going on about now and make some people cry. I think you would do well in any show with that male.

Walt

 

[3riverschick]

Yes. Light or lack of it will sometimes cause quite dramatic changes in both rose combs and single combs. The factors you mention influence the comb, but light is the most dramatic I have seen.

Walt

Is that why the old lit says a growing cock will grow a large single comb if one keeps it caged as opposed to letting it out on the ground? Does a difference in lighting have something to do with it?
Thanks,
karen

 

[3riverschick]

I am an extremely visual learner too, like 1/3 of the rest of the world. That's a big reason why I read so much of the old lit. They taught in word pictures back then because the art of breeding demanded it. I just struggle with the numerical teaching and theories in so many of the modern books. Found the book, "Upside-Down Brilliance: The Visual-Spatial Learner" DeLeon Publishing, 2002. Silverstein . What, what a revelation!
Best,
Karen

 

[Arielle]

Quote: I'm a visual learner AND I know how one person interprets the SOp can be different from another person. Important to have the same training in the interpretation of the SOP. ie what constitutes a long back; or a big single comb.

I am an extremely visual learner too, like 1/3 of the rest of the world. That's a big reason why I read so much of the old lit. They taught in word pictures back then because the art of breeding demanded it. I just struggle with the numerical teaching and theories in so many of the modern books. Found the book, "Upside-Down Brilliance: The Visual-Spatial Learner" DeLeon Publishing, 2002. Silverstein . What, what a revelation!
Best,
Karen

More reading!! Try having a few strokes effecting the frontal lobe-- words scramble so easily into other words. Sentences sure read funny sometimes.

I've been re-reading my advanced genetics book from college; I thought it was the only kind of selection. NOW I read it and better understand the one sentence that sums up the whole premise: modern selection. THe need to feed the world more economically. Full of formulas. Used to be able to calculate them too. LOL

 

[fowlman01]

Is that why the old lit says a growing cock will grow a large single comb if one keeps it caged as opposed to letting it out on the ground? Does a difference in lighting have something to do with it?
Thanks,
karen

If you take a chicken and put it somewhere where it does not get a normal amount of light during the day, it's comb will get bigger.

Walt

 

[flitter]

I am trying to get Redcaps established here. I got day olds from Ideal this summer. The Ideals will be a new, separate, second, breeding flock. Several of them have a single comb... my immediate response was "obvious cull". I remember reading somewhere /something about holding on to a few with that fault... can't remember why though... Does this sound like anything? Thought I'd ask before they are culled with the low weight cocks this week.

 

[HallFamilyFarm]

In Wyandottes, many breeders will use a single comb to increase fertility. It would be my thought that fertility from a hatchery flock would not be an issue. I would cull extremely heavy with extreme prejudice!

Dan Honour had a thought last year about ordering 100 Buff Leghorn pullets from ideal. Culling to the best 10. then mate a good Buff male to them. Cull each year to 10 best pullets and mate each generation back to the good males.

With such rare breeds it may be necessary to do what you are doing. A Red Cap is not really a Redcap without that huge rose comb. Good luck with your project and keep us informed.

 

[flitter]

Thank you! Fertility... that must have been what I read. Funny how you can read something and not pay much attention and later you half remember.

Unfortunately, the hatcheries are the only source of Redcaps that i have been able to find. I have been culling brutally and kinda like how things are starting to go. So I thought I'd try for another mini group and keep them separate (2 closed flocks?). The singles combs will not stay... Hopefully that won't pop up from the four (4 out of 30!) that I plan to keep to start the second mini flock.If it's going to appearI hope it will be right off... not 5 years from now.

 

[HallFamilyFarm]

Genetics are weird. In five years you could mate a cockerel to a pullet that are distant cousins and have all single combs hatch. If two birds are both carrying the same recessive genes they can show up. Asking questions and trial and error are both wonderful teachers. However, trial and error can be expensive!