Chicken Breed Focus - Maline

[Our Roost]

JRNash,

Hey! you were right and you did state "their" ad. If anyone needs to apologize, its me. Yep! its definitely a rare utility breed of sorts. Some that own it surely don't know the history behind it. That's what bugged me the most. This I an awesome bird but needs a lot of TLC to make it survive.

 

[JRNash]

I agree Our Roost. What bugs me is that i just CAN'T find the kind of information I'm wanting on this breed. Observations HISTORICAL DATA. Iwas allready planning a cross breed using barred hollands as my foundation. I want to retain the yellow skin color,white to cream eggs,and very heavy. I come across this breed.IT'S ALLREADY BEEN DONE. LOL for the most part.

 

[JRNash]

I really did over react.lol I'm bipolar and the doc has me on two new meds. Still working on dosage.
ANY how. If anyone has a link to historical data are information on the growth characteristics of this breed I'm dying to know MORE!!

 

[Shellz]

I really did over react.lol I'm bipolar and the doc has me on two new meds. Still working on dosage.
ANY how. If anyone has a link to historical data are information on the growth characteristics of this breed I'm dying to know MORE!!

No harm done.

There really isn't much in the way of historical data. I had a heck of a time finding all that I could too. I learned a lot about traits though, through googling images of Malines in other languages. Like coucou de Malines & mechelse koekoek. Interestingly enough, the Dutch & Germans have better pics overall than the French. Just an observation. Click on an image & check out their page. You can use google translate to get a better understanding. I'm only fluent in English. You can also try these keywords to find some good sites. There's a 'translate this page' option after most items in the list. I waded through a lot of stuff! It was just my luck that the only breeder in Ontario at the time, was just 2 1/2 hours away. I jumped at the chance in 2013 to pick up some hatching eggs. That fall, we had the onerous task of culling all the hatchery stock I had raised. They were pitiful as meat birds, although the Golden-laced Wyandotte cockerel was pretty good! Anyway...the rest is history & I could go on all day!

A couple of links below about history & such. There's also a news item I don't have the link for just now. The Special Club for Malines in Belgium entered into an agreement with the largest poultry abattoir, Belki, to supply them pure Malines for the finest restaurants & I believe fine markets as well.

http://users.telenet.be/jaak.rousseau/english version/grote_hoenders/mechels_hoen.htm
http://www.aviculture-europe.nl/nummers/06E01A07.pdf

Here are some pics of my current chicks at 5 1/2 & 6 1/2 weeks old. I only hatched 8 this year. Downsizing for personal reasons.

 

[JRNash]

I notice some are darker looking.Does this indicate sexing? They are beautiful.

 

[JRNash]

The link gave me alot of the info I was wondering about as to what really went into this breed

 

[Shellz]

I notice some are darker looking.Does this indicate sexing? They are beautiful.

Yes, the darker ones are pullets. Thank you, I really like this group too.
Glad I was able to help.

 

[Our Roost]

JRNash, just so's ya know, Shelley and I have been doing research on this bird for over 3 years now. Bits and pieces and some dead ends. As she stated most of the history is written in a foreign language. Learning which breeds were actually used to create this bird is very wishy washy as so many farmers and different origins had their hands in its creation. An old and bold picture shows a hen and rooster and describes it very well. Unlike other breeds, the malines has downy feathers that repel water well and they disperse fat throughout the body to give it a more juicy and flavorful meat. That alone began my search began to track down the birds. Because it is such a slow grower, it may do well to outcross it to increase productivity. The malines was used as a parent bird for the creation of many others. Might do well to choose one of them so as not to upset the genetics too awful much while retaining its meat value.

 

[JRNash]

The more I read the more fascinated I become. I read the link. Is there any ( I hate to ask) scientific backing of the fat dispersal being associated with downy feathers? I ask because if so its a trait that in my opinion one would want to encourage in other meat breeds I would really like to see some of these birds in SOP form I do appreciate all the information.

 

[N F C]

@Shellz , beautiful birds, thanks for sharing the pictures!