Chickens for 10-20 years or more? Pull up a rockin' chair and lay some wisdom on us!

[fowlman01]

Sorry...just had to post a gratuitous rooster pic so that we wouldn't have a silky up there in the corner of the page as I'm viewing the OT page. It's an offense to my chicken sensibilities.

Whatever you are doing in the culling is right on. They all have strong heads, tight wings and excellent condition. The real breeders of SOP chickens don't just want a bag of feathers either. Better not get any cuz you can see what is happening to Fred.

Walt

 

[Fred's Hens]

You know what I notice about the breeder versions of the hatchery mutts we have, besides the superior size and conformation? The extremely fine barring on the feathers of the BRs and on Kathy's Delawares with their beautiful barring at the neck. The deep mahogany of the RIRs and even the deeper red of the NHs, compared to hatchery stock. The hatchery stock all look like very bad copies of the original...sort of like monopoly money compared to the real thing.

Bingo!!! The birds are said to "represent" the breed. In other words, kinda, sorta, like the breed. The have just enough of the breed in them to "represent". The fact is, a keen eye can see that many of these hatchery birds only vary from another hatchery "breed" by coloration. Body type is blah, blah blah, virtually the same light weight, similarity. I see folks post photos of their BR or RIR or NH and I can clearly see the same shape. Boring. They aren't supposed to be the same, mediocre shape. They all lay too much as well, feather too fast, and enter POL too early, never reaching the size their breed calls for. I can see Leghorn blood in most of them, to be blunt.

Again, I don't mean to appear anti industrial/commercial/utility bird. That's not what I'm saying. I just saying another 40 years of this trend and all these "breeds" will all be the same bird, virtually, only coming in different decorator colors. Sad thing is that even those colors are boring. Rant over.

 

[galanie]

Sorry...just had to post a gratuitous rooster pic so that we wouldn't have a silky up there in the corner of the page as I'm viewing the OT page.  It's an offense to my chicken sensibilities. 

Ohhhh Ok that was a silkie in the previous pic ????, I thought it looked like the shoe brush I misplaced cause i lost my brown one.

You know, you could have been more unkind. But not without meeting the features that make this a nice board.

 

[Beekissed]

Don't encourage him!!!

 

[Fred's Hens]

Whatever you are doing in the culling is right on. They all have strong heads, tight wings and excellent condition. The real breeders of SOP chickens don't just want a bag of feathers either. Better not get any cuz you can see what is happening to Fred.

Walt

Walt, good one!

Truth is that I remember better birds 50 years ago. The more time has passed, the more mediocre so many of these typical birds have become. I'm at the stage in life where I'm retiring, slowing down, and just like my coffee, I want a quality cup, or just forget it. I cannot drink bad coffee anymore. Kinda like that.

 

[galanie]

Whatever you are doing in the culling is right on. They all have strong heads, tight wings and excellent condition. The real breeders of SOP chickens don't just want a bag of feathers either. Better not get any cuz you can see what is happening to Fred.

Walt

Walt, good one!

Truth is that I remember better birds 50 years ago.  The more time has passed, the more mediocre so many of these typical birds have become.  I'm at the stage in life where I'm retiring, slowing down, and just like my coffee, I want a quality cup, or just forget it.  I cannot drink bad coffee anymore.  Kinda like that.

In the words of the newbie that I am, it's Egg Laying. Everyone wants eggs. Nothing else. It has ruined our breeds. Or has it? Please disagree and tell me why.

 

[Beekissed]

Walt, good one!

Truth is that I remember better birds 50 years ago. The more time has passed, the more mediocre so many of these typical birds have become. I'm at the stage in life where I'm retiring, slowing down, and just like my coffee, I want a quality cup, or just forget it. I cannot drink bad coffee anymore. Kinda like that.

Yes! Grandma's chickens looked nothing like the chickens I see today. Whole 'nother breed of cat.

Galanie, I agree. Greed took over agriculture and the new wave of chicken owners are trying to "grow their own foods", which is the biggest joke in the world when they have 3 hens in a dollhouse...or worse, 100 meaties in a 10x10 tractor that they move once a day and come on here talking about how 15% mortality rate is "expected" when growing out these birds.

 

[fowlman01]

Walt, good one!

Truth is that I remember better birds 50 years ago. The more time has passed, the more mediocre so many of these typical birds have become. I'm at the stage in life where I'm retiring, slowing down, and just like my coffee, I want a quality cup, or just forget it. I cannot drink bad coffee anymore. Kinda like that.

you probably remember when people raised Leghorns to eat.....not just lay eggs. You wouldn't have much to eat with a commercial leghorn as most are designed to just lay eggs until they burn out now.

Walt

 

[Fred's Hens]

In the words of the newbie that I am, it's Egg Laying. Everyone wants eggs. Nothing else. It has ruined our breeds. Or has it? Please disagree and tell me why.

This is why I'm not opposed to commercial strains. Yup, for certain, if it is eggs you're after? Get them. They'll lay 320 egg their pullet year. They reach POL at 16 weeks and never stop. (until they blow out around their second moult) Similar to the CX for meat? Nothing else touches them. These are dedicated birds for a purpose.

 

[Fred's Hens]

you probably remember when people raised Leghorns to eat.....not just lay eggs. You wouldn't have much to eat with a commercial leghorn as most are designed to just lay eggs until they burn out now.

Walt

You mean like this? That's part of my first flock, circa 1958 or 59