BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[jbkirk]

I feel for your loss. I lost three out of four last year ... two were to old age (13 and 15) but the 11yo was due to her stubborn cussedness. She died doing something she loved: destroying something of ours while in the process of misbehaving. I found her body the morning we drove up to pick up a gift car from BiL. Triumph and tragedy rolled up into one. We call it "living life uncensored" and the wheel keeps turning. It has been a cold winter without my pile of kitties on me ... but this made it easier to become acquainted with the youngest one, who previously stuck to hubby like glue (and I assumed the older ones guarded me jealously).

$150 for one game of golf ... I can't help but wonder how many chick tractors I could put on a golf course.

I LOVE that Idea
EDIT: where was this new forum?

 

[gjensen]

I agree...and often the quality of the stock falls because those getting into the new fad on the block don't have the dedication it takes to keep or improve the breed's qualities. You get folks wanting to cross it with this or that to make an interesting looking bird, or designer bird, to sell.

I find them a beautiful bird and worthy of preserving but I'm glad the breed that interests me no longer draws the fan crowds and the fad followers, if it ever did...it would be hard to watch it being marketed and shared about like a party favor.

There is a lot of truth in that last statement. Usually a breed is better off without too much attention. How many dog breeds have been hurt like this?

Here is an example. I asked if I could share this photo, and was given permission. This is a rare breed that has an established history in our country. There are not many breeding them, but those that are, really are. They know what they are doing, and it shows. They are better off not being a fad. They may not be popular, but they are well bred, and in good shape. Anyone that knows what they are looking at, can see that they are in good shape. A nice uniform flock that is equipped to do what they were intended to. They have great capacity. I love their length and depth. You cannot get anything this well bred out of Joe's backyard, and the hatchery version does not even look like the same breed. These have the capacity to lay big eggs, like they were intended to do.

 

[jbkirk]

There is a lot of truth in that last statement. Usually a breed is better off without too much attention. How many dog breeds have been hurt like this?

Here is an example. I asked if I could share this photo, and was given permission. This is a rare breed that has an established history in our country. There are not many breeding them, but those that are, really are. They know what they are doing, and it shows. They are better off not being a fad. They may not be popular, but they are well bred, and in good shape. Anyone that knows what they are looking at, can see that they are in good shape. A nice uniform flock that is equipped to do what they were intended to. They have great capacity. I love their length and depth. You cannot get anything this well bred out of Joe's backyard, and the hatchery version does not even look like the same breed. These have the capacity to lay big eggs, like they were intended to do.

Yes and I wish that the hatchery's would get their eyes off of Marans!!!!

 

[Beekissed]

I'm glad to be in love with a plain jane breed and the white variety, to boot. I've been told that folks "don't want just plain white chickens" and it makes me breathe a sigh of relief.

I'll keep takin' that plain, fat girl to the prom...may even marry her, 'cause she makes a great partner in making eggs and meat at my place and that's what I love.

 

[gjensen]

Yes and I wish that the hatchery's would get their eyes off of Marans!!!!

That is what non selection does to them.

 

[southernmomma]

Thanks for taking the time to get permission and post this photo. These birds are beautiful. I'm sure they are a sight to behold on a green pasture.

M

 

[gjensen]

I'm glad to be in love with a plain jane breed and the white variety, to boot. I've been told that folks "don't want just plain white chickens" and it makes me breathe a sigh of relief.

I'll keep takin' that plain, fat girl to the prom...may even marry her, 'cause she makes a great partner in making eggs and meat at my place and that's what I love.

The White Rock has a good history, and a beautiful breed when they are right. A flock of well bred birds on green pasture is nice to look at. White on a well bred flock speaks to me of usefulness. There is something practically attractive about them. They do not look plain to me until it is on a haphazard poorly conditioned flock.

 

[Beer can]

I'm glad to be in love with a plain jane breed and the white variety, to boot.  I've been told that folks "don't want just plain white chickens" and it makes me breathe a sigh of relief.    I'll keep takin' that plain, fat girl to the prom...may even marry her, 'cause she makes a great partner in making eggs and meat at my place and that's what I love. 

I always hear people say they don't want white birds because of predators. News for them, the coyotes, fox, coons around here will eat them no matter the color they don't have a preference Lol!

 

[Beekissed]

I always hear people say they don't want white birds because of predators. News for them, the coyotes, fox, coons around here will eat them no matter the color they don't have a preference Lol!

Amen! You have NO idea how often I've heard that stated as fact...even from my own family, who should know better.

We used to raise leghorns and RIR when I was growing up, with a mix of other mixed breeds but mostly leghorns. I've had white birds in every single flock I've ever raised and even very high percentages of whites....and I've free ranged 99% of those flocks in a meadow in the middle of thousands of acres of woodland~in other words, predator central. I've never had a white bird taken by a pred.

Just this last fall I made the first and last time mistake of having chicks in the late fall...right smack in the middle of hawk migration~in almost 40 yrs of keeping chickens, these were the first I had lost to hawks. I lost 4 of those half grown chicks to fly by attacks...I had 4 white birds and 8 barred birds in that hatch and the four snatched were barred chicks. One was snatched and came back to the farm a week later...we don't know how or where it was all that time but it wandered back in a week later, no visible wounds...didn't even have a feather ruffled.

The only other aerial kill I had was years ago by a GHO that caught a barred pullet sleeping out of the coop, roosting in the hay loft.

Just because we would pick the easy and visible prey does not mean the predators do...from what I've read or seen, they usually nab the more natural looking prey or the obvious loners that are far from the flock.

 

[Beekissed]

The White Rock has a good history, and a beautiful breed when they are right. A flock of well bred birds on green pasture is nice to look at. White on a well bred flock speaks to me of usefulness. There is something practically attractive about them. They do not look plain to me until it is on a haphazard poorly conditioned flock.

That's how I feel too. There was once a time when a white bird was more attractive due to having less visible hairs and pin feathers on the finished carcass, for the use of the feathers in pillows, mattresses, etc. and people just wanted to eat a white bird...had some perception of them being more clean and wholesome, I guess. Those old timers would gag if they saw folks breeding chickens with black meat!

To me they are the height of practicality and versatility so that makes them attractive to me. The White Rocks have a way of moving across the land that is less a walk and more of a glide, like royalty pacing down the middle of a red carpet...they don't get in a hurry, but they get there. They have a calm, regal air about them that I admire and they back it up with gaining weight on little feed, keeping good weights on little feed, performing well in the cold weather and even in the hot, they work hard at foraging and laying and their meat has a density and fine texture that I've found no equal for just yet. Their eggs are extra large and uniform and, if you get the right line, they will lay like crazy and through the winter. I've had many breeds but none with the fineness of feather of the WRs...pure light silk in texture.

And you are right...when ill bred, they look common, when done right they look beautiful! They bring a smile to my face and I guess that's what everyone feels when they look at their special, chosen breed...that warmth and kinship between flock owner and flock.