Chantecler Breeder and Owner Database Project

[ijon1]

I have a Chanlecter hen and one rooster. They are from a breeder in Birch Run Michigan. Chickhatchery.com

 

[HallFamilyFarm]

Quote:
The Buff variety is widely bred in the USA only. It is more difficult to find in Canada at present, but is increasing in numbers. I currently have 11 Buff flocks listed.

Thanks for the history. Seems that the Buff is close to the original cross to obtain the Chanteclers: Cornish, Wyandotte, Plymouth Rock. Mine should arrive either today or in the morning. Will post photos as soon as I can. Would like to see some photos of the Buffs. Have not seen any real good quality photos of them.

 

[HallFamilyFarm]

Question: How would you make a Buff Chantecler Bantam? The same as the large fowl, or use a LF small/young Buff and breed them down?

 

[TimG]

I'm curious about the distribution and makeup of these flocks. When will the information be published and might you give us a sneak peek?

 

[slc]

We are on the northern border of Wisconsin. We have buff and partridge flocks from Ideal Poultry. The buff are a stocky heavy breed and you can really see the cornish in ours. Roosters average 8.5 inches across (wing base to wing base) the backs and are about the size of our brahma rooster in height. The legs are very thick like a standard cornish. The combs from Ideal could use some improvement. 3 out of 4 had pea combs, however, the one that does have a cusion has a very smooth and tight barely-there comb and wattles. I will keep him for my next line and cull the other pea combs. I'm curious to see how they dress out for the table as a dual purpose breed. I think the buff have a good dual meat and egg potential as long as folks keep breeding for the utility features. They are very docile and calm. We can walk right up to them and pick them up. They do seam to mature slowly. One particular rooster is nearly a year old and we are yet to see him crow or mate.

The partridge strain seem to have a different personality than the buff. Ours are more skittish and a bit smaller in size to the buff. The rooster from Ideal has good color and comb. The hens are duller in color than I would like and seem to be a bit small. One particular hen lays very large eggs but possibly not a good trait for a small hen do to problems with egg binding.

I am very satisfied with the cold hardiness. Hens continue to lay right through the worst of our northern winters here. Our high low readings in our unheated house where down to negative numbers and there was no difference in their behavior. They fluff up their downy under coats and just keep doing their thing. Our Orpington roosters all lost their points this winter so I truly appreciate the chantecler's comb type.

From what I've read the original white strain is a better utility strain than the buff, and from my experience the buff are closer to a hardy dual purpose strain than the partridge. There are also experimental reds that are a buff x partridge cross.

I have missed my opportunity (for a second year in a row) to order the original white strain from Sand Hill. They sell out so fast each year. Does anyone know of any other source for eggs or chicks for the white chantecler?

Buff: 1 hen, 4 roosters
Partridge: 2 hens, 1 rooster

 

[Klorinth]

Rocky and slc,

I would suggest you ask Chantecler Fanciers International for a breeder near you. If you need contact information I can provide that via PM.

Good luck with your search.

 

[Klorinth]

Jim,

The only bantam Buff flock I know of is a work in progress. The breeder has created his own Buff line from scratch and is now breeding them down to get the bantams. It is a slow process that requires a lot of careful breeding and culling. It will be a while before any of them are made available to anyone.

Here are a couple Buff Chantecler that I am buying in a couple of weeks:

Hope you like them.

 

[corancher]

We have Partridge Chanteclers 2 hens (4 years old), 2 pullets, 1 rooster (9 months) from Sandhill.

 

[Klorinth]

Tim,

Due to the scope of this project and the difficulty of finding and contacting many of the "old timers", especially here in Canada, it will be a couple of months at least before we will be able to creat a preliminary publication.

I can say that it is going well. We have information on flocks from almost every province in Canada. So far only a few of the breeders in the USA have provided information. More work is needed to collect this information. I know there are at least a couple dozen flocks in the USA. Time will make a difference in that effort.

Thank you for your interest and help.

 

[Blackhorsehill]

I have Partridge Chanteclers that I just got last fall. I have chicks coming at the end of the month from John Blehm at chickhatchery.com, and am planning on hatching a few eggs from my trio soon. My birds are from Sandhill, hatched last summer, so not yet a year old.
I belong to Chantecler Fanciers International. I am a bit confused. Is this a project for them, or a private endeavor of yours? It is a good idea, just wondering if there is any sort of official purpose.
Someone asked about the whites, and I do know they are harder to find in the US, but there are apparently pockets of the original stock in Quebec and Nova Scotia.