Chicken Breed Focus - Maline

[IamSamSam]

I did some fishing...I'm not 100% sure, but I don't think there are Malines in Australia. They did import some 7,000 + hatching eggs in 2013 from the United Kingdom though. This was to counteract a large salmonella problem where many birds were destroyed. Breeds were not stated.

Thanks for that. Reckon if I crossed bpr wth say langshan id get bars and feathers ? Mainly asking for assetic look

 

[Shellz]

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.

Yes, I felt the same way when researching the Malines. It is a fascinating breed. I'm no scientist, but once you've had a roast Malines, you'll see for yourself how the meat is slightly marbled in the thigh area. My favorite part actually. I've been researching Buckeyes as well. I know they don't like to see a lot of soft feathering in their breeds. They are following the breed standard though. What if they didn't, I wonder, and actually encouraged more soft feathering? I would think that one would have to try to ensure that most of the soft feathering is found beneath the bird. Could similar results with meat tenderness be obtained this way? Who knows? I've often thought of breeding a Buckeye rooster over Malines hens.

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

Thank you. I do love taking pics of them.

Thanks for that. Reckon if I crossed bpr wth say langshan id get bars and feathers ? Mainly asking for assetic look

I'm no geneticist, but that sounds like a recipe to make a copy. Would be interesting to see if it could be done that way. How about a Cuckoo Orpington X Langshan?

 

[JRNash]

Shelz,lol I'm a dark meat guy myself. Im thinking seriously along the lines of a cross with Barred Hollands. The heaviest bird ive found here in the states that lays white eggs,and has yellow skin to begin with. If I could get tthe meat characteristics from the maline...... Also to my uninformed way of thinking, if the malines do throw yellow skinned birds on occasion the trait CAN'T be buried that deeply. Am i wrong in thinking that the barred holland should make an easy "cross " to build upon? You allready have some of the traits im looking for. Id like to try it.

 

[Shellz]

Shelz,lol I'm a dark meat guy myself. Im thinking seriously along the lines of a cross with Barred Hollands. The heaviest bird ive found here in the states that lays white eggs,and has yellow skin to begin with. If I could get tthe meat characteristics from the maline...... Also to my uninformed way of thinking, if the malines do throw yellow skinned birds on occasion the trait CAN'T be buried that deeply. Am i wrong in thinking that the barred holland should make an easy "cross " to build upon? You allready have some of the traits im looking for. Id like to try it.

When (not if ) the time comes, give it a shot & see what happens.

It seems that the folks who are doing crosses with the Malines, are still in the early stages. It has been told to me by Bart, (first to import them into Canada around 2006) that one could create their own meat breed with the Malines.

Personally, living up here in Canada has seen its share of some really bad winter weather, and I'd like to see a bird crossed with the Malines that would do it justice. Some folks have chosen the Dark Cornish, but that means wintering over parent stock & Cornish birds (from what I've read) can't take the extreme cold we get sometimes. Buckeyes are notoriously winter-hardy with a pea comb. I wish I could take on a project such as this, but recently have had to downsize. Anyway...there are probably a good number of combinations one could make to the Malines which would make them more suitable to anyone's habitat or esthetics & add a good dose of vigor as well.

 

[JRNash]

I agree. We DON'T really have a winter to speak of but it gets unbearably hot and humid in Southeast Texas. Beings the malines have downy feathers,I'm wondering if it would be too hot for them.

 

[Our Roost]

JRNash,

Downy feathers-fat dispersal. Think game bird! Not positive but I believe the bruges game hen was used.

 

[Shellz]

JRNash, Downy feathers-fat dispersal. Think game bird! Not positive but I believe the bruges game hen was used.

I believe the Bruges game bird was used to create the turkey head Malines? Lol! Now I need to go check that. Right on about downy feathers = fat dispersal.

 

[Shellz]

There's a little gem here about it I just found. Just scroll down to page 6.

http://www.aviculture-europe.nl/nummers/10E05A03.pdf

 

[JRNash]

When they said Turkey head i was thinking naked neck. Hmmm. Think im fixing to order some barred hollands.

 

[Our Roost]

Shellz, darn I hate when your right! Dratted Turkey head. But that doesn't explain the fat dispursement in the malines. Had to be another game bird involved in its creation and I'm sure I read about it somewhere!