Bob Blosl's Heritage Large Fowl Thread

[kathyinmo]

It looks pretty normal. How does it walk? It even looks healthy. It will be interesting to see if it goes all the way into adulthood. I have never had a chicken do this, but I have had ducks do it and they never made it past 9-10 months. They didn't look this healthy though. His head may be the giveaway that he is a cretin.

Walt

It walks fine. It seems to be healthy. Hmmm, interesting. Awww, what's one more rooster.... I'll just keep him around for awhile and see how he turns out.

 

[mississippifarmboy]

BTW: I don't know of anyone who goes to a poultry show to lose.....

Walt

Thanks Walt.

BTW: I never meant I'd never be going to a show to win... just that my first few shows are more to learn what the heck I'm doing than with any expectation of winning.


Once I learn what I'm doing?



Oh yeah... I'm going to win.

I'll do it too someday. I'm a persistent old cuss. lol

 

[fowlman01]

Thanks Walt.

BTW: I never meant I'd never be going to a show to win... just that my first few shows are more to learn what the heck I'm doing than with any expectation of winning.


Once I learn what I'm doing?



Oh yeah... I'm going to win.

I'll do it too someday. I'm a persistent old cuss. lol

Thats kind of how I got into this hobby. I thought I had these great birds that would beat anything I saw in the local Sonoma County fair here. Next year I entered and that is when I found out that a pretty face does not win a poultry show. At that time I thought my birds were beautiful...wrong! Once you see them next to another bird that is put together well, you see how far off you may be. I agree...it is a great place to compare your birds side by side with what wins and ask questions to help understand what to look for in a bird...and most people understand that you don't just go int a show and beat up on the people who have done it for years. It is a satisfying feeling to have a judge, but more importantly you peers, agree with the direction you are taking your birds. These days I just go to meet the girls.

Walt

 

[ChooksChick]

I know Larry, Bob. ...maybe forty years or so and we were on the APA Board together. I have a whole pen of stuff I could hang a name on........but is as already been done and done and done........a little inside tip here about names. If you ever think you want a breed in the APA Standard ........don't name it Showgirl, Sizzle or use three names. Can anyone tell me if there is a Showboy? Sex specific names don't fly.

I get discouraged too Bob. My evaluations at the university always said I was a good communicator, but I must be doing something wrong here. You and I don't know everything about chickens, so how is it that all these other people do? Bob......we should learn this chicken stuff online cuz it seems all these folks have learned much more than you and I combined in just a very short time. Maybe we need to watch some youtube videos or something.

I figure there are plenty of lurkers and that audience can make their decisions based on what we say verses what the experts say. For those that don't know this.....you don't necessarily have to know much about chickens to have "Educator" under your name.

There is one thread here I just can't visit anymore.........every time I do I think my head is going to explode. I'll keep posting as long as I think someone wants to learn. I had a lot of help from people when I started and I will never forget that. I'm learning as fast as I can.

Walt

I think that's the beauty of this site- we can peruse at will and read and learn and share...and everyone has an opinion we look at and can weigh for our own response.

I'm the one with the Konza Prairie Rangers, and it's a name I gave them to distinguish them from my other 17 or 18 projects and heritage breeds. I apologize if I chose a name too lengthy!! Sheesh!! I am living on the Konza Prairie right here in Kansas, and these birds are raised to feed themselves- i.e. RANGERS...oy!

I have put this project together using cherished heritage breeds and SPECIFICALLY because of the wonderful qualities one can only get from those old, well-worked lines. This year I even drove out to Wichita to buy refrigerated eggs from a health-food store because Good Shepherd farm sells fresh eggs to the shop...I was praying I'd find some Rock chicks in there, but I got a lot of red stuff from my hatch...who knows what they are yet?

I have Barred Rocks, from Kathy and a few others. I have Orps, which I've excruciatingly culled according to my 100+ y/o SOP and some old State of Kansas Dept. of Ag. books with lots of Orp and Rock pics from 1906-1911. I'm in LOVE with the sentimentality and utility of the old lines and impart that into a line of my own that has my favorite qualities of choice. I wonder if there was once a breed that someone made back in American History that didn't fit my needs? The Buckeye is close, but not quite right.

I have been multiple times to the American Poultry Museum in Bonner Springs to comb through some of the old catalogs and posters there. It's wonderful to see your pics of the birds that you guys have (Bob, Walt, etc.) which appear to have stepped out of the pages of these old texts.

I think it's unfortunate that we CAN'T see your creations, even to know why you chose the qualities and features you've chosen over time, and the reasons why. You should share those with us- on the appropriate thread, of course...I want to know all about your "Fish River Cherry Egger Reds." If it wasn't for feature selection that someone made for their own reasons, we'd never have had the Buckeye, etc!

Why shouldn't you share your flavors, name them, etc?

I have contemplated going into preservation of the Columbian or Partridge Rocks multiple times...but can't take on anything new because the well is dry and I'm hauling water...the cost of feed is going through the roof any second...I'm staying with what I'm in right now, for now.

Just don't knock folks who DO make their own and name them! It's not to say we are looking to get into APA, or that we're NOT respecting the heritage flocks. It's just something we're doing.

Quote:


Why the heck do you think I have a billion projects??

https://www.backyardchickens.com/gallery/album/view/id/6164041/user_id/74675

Found a new sourse for blue rocks. My wife just loves blue rocks.

Kathy need to get some of these I wonder what strain of Barred Rocks he used. Just a Thought.

SparkyCrows is a local breeder near my town who has been managing a lot of the care of my birds this summer while I'm getting my butt kicked in my day job. Her Rocks are from a line she'd worked on for a couple of years using a back-cross for color, then heavy culling for Standard. She's brought in an excellent Heritage BR roo from a hatch I got from Kathyinmo and is pulling out the various colors in different breeding pens. They look great!


That being said, I haven't been on the thread in months and months until just now...does anyone on here have a good idea of where I could get Partridge Chanteclers besides John Blehm? Are there any other LF breeders in the US who haven't gotten theirs from him? He and I agree that his line is SOOOOOOOOOOO broody. They are wonderfully affectionate, excellent foragers, great dressed out, and exceptional layers, but they want to brood twice a year at minimum.

 

[capayvalleychick]

I'll keep posting as long as I think someone wants to learn. I had a lot of help from people when I started and I will never forget that. I'm learning as fast as I can.

Walt

I truly appreciate your knowledge and especially your kindness, Walt. Thank you to Bob, also, for being so helpful. Bob was on that other forum, the one with all the judges and experienced show people. I went there to try to learn more, from the pros. I thought that would be a good place to get information from people who know what they are talking about. They are downright mean and enjoy putting people down over there. They aren't interested in helping any newbies. I tried to be very careful to not sound stupid and to be respectful when I asked questions. They made it clear that I wasn't worth helping because my breeds aren't ever going to be worth showing. Bob was one of the few nice people on that forum and he left. I gave up trying to ask questions there.
At the Stockton show, I introduced myself to one of the judges from that forum. I waited for him to be finished judging and asked in a polite way if he had a moment to talk. He actually sneered at me, told me to go talk to someone else. He made me feel like I wasn't good enough to deserve to speak to him.
I also tried to talk to Walt that day. He was always surrounded by people talking to him. He emailed me later and apologized for not having a chance to talk and offered to help me find some birds. I had only met him once before, but he was so nice, willing to share his expertise, and he didn't treat me like a subordinate. Such a difference from my interaction with the other judge!
I'm one of many who are very grateful to have someone like you around, who is willing to teach us what you know.

Kim

 

[ashandvine]

Just to throw some more non RIR in the mix, I am going to try out a few more breeds, like Dorkings to go with the Delawares that are here and a few silly birds like the Favorelles, but mostly meaty birds. None of my birds get names... well, not from me. I do have kids and they are determined sometimes. I try to discourage it without being mean. There's only a few of those here, thank goodness. To get back to the point, when I first started in this thread I came with some little chicken history but Bob in particular was very encouraging about trying things out and then getting back to him about what I might like to focus on. A few of you have had some good directions and support to sneak in in private and that has not been lost on me. I am going to try a few more breeds because I am learning. In the mean time I keep trying to do well with what I have and love the idea that at least in here chickens are not pretty pets or lawn ornaments. They have a purpose here, even those foofy ones with names. I discovered the truth of 'dual purpose' this year in a concrete way when the Delawares and Welsummers outgrew the other breeds in weeks. I want big chickens in my yard. I want big meat in the pot. And its got to lay eggs regular if not often. There is way more to learn than I am ever going to get to so I am appreciative of this thread and its contributors. Thanks all for keeping chickens out of purses.

 

[fowlman01]

ChooksChick.....i don't have an ax to grind with your projects, they are your birds and if what you do pleases you, continue doing it. I was responding to a post that suggested they be included in the APA SOP. I know it is not realistic to expect people will feel like I do about preserving heritage birds and most will experiment etc. Thats up to the individual. It is extremely difficult to get a new breed into the SOP.....even breeds that have been around for.. ..well centuries in some cases.

I think the main problem was that the post was in the Heritage Fowl thread and new breeds are not what we are about here. There are plenty of other threads where that would be appropriate. IO'm not going to go back and look, but i don't think you even posted it.

There is an old outdated website that you can check to see some of my birds and I have posted tons of pics on this site. I have 500 birds here at the moment.

Walt

 

[mississippifarmboy]

Thats kind of how I got into this hobby. I thought I had these great birds that would beat anything I saw in the local Sonoma County fair here. Next year I entered and that is when I found out that a pretty face does not win a poultry show. At that time I thought my birds were beautiful...wrong! Once you see them next to another bird that is put together well, you see how far off you may be. I agree...it is a great place to compare your birds side by side with what wins and ask questions to help understand what to look for in a bird...and most people understand that you don't just go int a show and beat up on the people who have done it for years. It is a satisfying feeling to have a judge, but more importantly you peers, agree with the direction you are taking your birds. These days I just go to meet the girls.

Walt

Between meeting the girls, the hot rods and racing... I don't know how you find time for all those chickens or judging. Much less helping us newbies. lol


One thing I've been thinking about. I'll use myself as an example. It's been mentioned abut people buying birds, shipping them across the country and entering them in shows. I guess I'm odd and old fashioned, but where is the honor in that? If I entered the adult birds I have now and won... What have I won exactly? I didn't choose the parents, I wasn't the breeder. I would just feel like I had bought good stock, not that I was doing anything right myself. The bragging rights in my mind would go to the breeder and then a bit to Junior for doing a good job growing them out for me.

Now once a few generations pass, with ME picking the birds to pair up, culling to improve the breed, raising them, getting them finished and ready for the show... Yeah, then I'LL feel like I'm doing something right if I place or win something.

Just wondered what your thoughts were on that?

 

[7961]

That being said, I haven't been on the thread in months and months until just now...does anyone on here have a good idea of where I could get Partridge Chanteclers besides John Blehm? Are there any other LF breeders in the US who haven't gotten theirs from him? He and I agree that his line is SOOOOOOOOOOO broody. They are wonderfully affectionate, excellent foragers, great dressed out, and exceptional layers, but they want to brood twice a year at minimum.

http://redstagacres.webs.com/ This gentleman is in WI. I was tinkering with the idea of his Chantecler bantams for the past few years. The first time I saw them I was in amazement. He has very nice birds! That I will say! But the last thing I want to do is to get started with another breed.

 

[fowlman01]

Between meeting the girls, the hot rods and racing... I don't know how you find time for all those chickens or judging. Much less helping us newbies. lol


One thing I've been thinking about. I'll use myself as an example. It's been mentioned abut people buying birds, shipping them across the country and entering them in shows. I guess I'm odd and old fashioned, but where is the honor in that? If I entered the adult birds I have now and won... What have I won exactly? I didn't choose the parents, I wasn't the breeder. I would just feel like I had bought good stock, not that I was doing anything right myself. The bragging rights in my mind would go to the breeder and then a bit to Junior for doing a good job growing them out for me.

Now once a few generations pass, with ME picking the birds to pair up, culling to improve the breed, raising them, getting them finished and ready for the show... Yeah, then I'LL feel like I'm doing something right if I place or win something.

Just wondered what your thoughts were on that?

It is done more than I would like to see. Most of the time the shipping box is right under the coop where anyone could see it. I don't see any joy in doing that, but I suppose it is an ego thing. The thing is everyone knows the bird was a bought bird. The world of exhibition poultry is really small when it comes to that kind of info. The joy for me is to get my birds so good that no one can buy a bird to beat me....I find they only try twice. those kind of people don't stay in the hobby long as a rule. There are some exceptions. If it makes your ego feel good and you don't need a sense of accomplishment.that is what they do. and...they don't even thank you in plblic. If I sell a bird to that type now and I have, they are going to pay me enough money that they can say anything they want about the bird and I would have maybe even given it to someone else.. I just won the Cali state fair best of show with a leghorn that I'm giving to a kid.

Walt