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

[qball53]

Just to remind anyone who doesn't recall, one of the BYC rules is

That was me that was busted rule 14 .... didn't know the rule. Won't intentionally break it again but strongly believe we are in such sad shape in this country exactly becasue of this PC attitude. We let all the minority groups dictate to the rest of us what we can and cannot say.....funny though you cannot keep them from expressing their views. If this gets me kicked off wel then bye y'all.

 

[Beekissed]

That was me that was busted rule 14 .... didn't know the rule. Won't intentionally break it again but strongly believe we are in such sad shape in this country exactly becasue of this PC attitude. We let all the minority groups dictate to the rest of us what we can and cannot say.....funny though you cannot keep them from expressing their views. If this gets me kicked off wel then bye y'all.

It's also against the rules to question moderation or reintroduce a subject that has gotten you a warning.

Many of us agree with you on this matter, though, and would like you to stick around and participate in the thread!

 

[Fred's Hens]

I've spent the last year or two reading Bob Blosi's writings, both here on BYC and on his own blog. I've listened VERY carefully every time Al or Walt post something. I watch very carefully what NYReds (Bill) posts. I'm no spring chicken, but similar to MississippiFarmBoy, we're at the place in our lives where we want to keep growing, keep learning and take on new challenges with birds and we have the time now, we didn't have earlier in our lives. He and I have been keeping them all of our lives, but this thing is new. While MFB wants to enter the competitive show arena, as whereas I have zip interest in that aspect, yet I find within me a real burning desire to keep alive some heritage fowl and mentor some younger folks in the art of chicken husbandry. That is what I am doing and I love it.

I cannot ever see ridding our family's farms of our hatchery based, production birds. We have years and years of breeding into them and we adore their productivity and we are edging ever closer to producing birds that really please us and fit a real need in our lives. Yes, it is horribly utilitarian, but there it is. Some folks have no use for utilitarian chickens, but we do.

I don't say much about it, but I do not find the whole hatching, spawning, chick mill, propagating of lousy birds palatable, but I bite my tongue and move on without comment.

It sorely disappoints me in that 95% of folks unknowingly and wittingly buy such lousy birds from such folks in parking lots, at meet ups, auctions and swaps. That people pay money, in some cases pretty good money, to get such poor birds from the "hatchers" is soberingly disappointing, but then, they don't know what they don't know. Caveat emptor.

 

[HallFamilyFarm]

Quote: Thank you! I can't have a bunch of roosters, will 1-2 be enough? I don't plan on churning out a bunch of chicks, I was thinking I'd grow out and keep a new rooster one year, then new hens the next, switch in new ones from the same line when neccessary? Will I be able to have an ok line/show prospects with a couple trios as my main breeders?
I sent in the forms to be NPIP back in May,Missouri kind of sucks at getting back to you for it.

Its always best to keep 2 roosters of each breed you plan on breeding. Anything can happen.

Each breeder does their program different. Whatever works for you. We hatch and save both cockerels and pullets each season, if they quality to keep.

Stay on your NPIP in your state.

 

[fowlman01]

I've spent the last year or two reading Bob Blosi's writings, both here on BYC and on his own blog. I've listened VERY carefully every time Al or Walt post something. I watch very carefully what NYReds (Bill) posts. I'm no spring chicken, but similar to MississippiFarmBoy, we're at the place in our lives where we want to keep growing, keep learning and take on new challenges with birds and we have the time now, we didn't have earlier in our lives. He and I have been keeping them all of our lives, but this thing is new. While MFB wants to enter the competitive show arena, as whereas I have zip interest in that aspect, yet I find within me a real burning desire to keep alive some heritage fowl and mentor some younger folks in the art of chicken husbandry. That is what I am doing and I love it.

I cannot ever see ridding our family's farms of our hatchery based, production birds. We have years and years of breeding into them and we adore their productivity and we are edging ever closer to producing birds that really please us and fit a real need in our lives. Yes, it is horribly utilitarian, but there it is. Some folks have no use for utilitarian chickens, but we do.

I don't say much about it, but I do not find the whole hatching, spawning, chick mill, propagating of lousy birds palatable, but I bite my tongue and move on without comment.

It sorely disappoints me in that 95% of folks unknowingly and wittingly buy such lousy birds from such folks in parking lots, at meet ups, auctions and swaps. That people pay money, in some cases pretty good money, to get such poor birds from the "hatchers" is soberingly disappointing, but then, they don't know what they don't know. Caveat emptor.

People don't know that there is something else out there. They go online and no one I know advertises there, so they buy what they see....which on occasion is a picture from my website that a hatchery has ripped off and is using as an example of their birds.. IMO someone should continue these heritage breeds. Some are in dire need of resurrection, but most folks want to make some crazy hybrid that has already ween done a million times. What I really enjoy is breeding, watching the birds develop and then enjoy the finished product. Becasue I am competitive, I also like to show the birds to take care of that part of me. I really enjoy the people I have met through the years and the knowledge I have gained from these people. When I show I can also see what direction I am going ..forward or backward. Since I am a judge you would think I should know by looking, but at least for me I have a harder time judging my birds. Sometimes I have what is called barn blindness. all my birds look great!! lol Well they do until about two days before a show and after I start picking them apart they look like hatchery birds to me....well not quite, but I can really tear a bird apart in my mind. Once they are cooped in they start to look good again, because then I am tearing all the other birds apart in my mind. ahaha

I think it would be great if more people raised and preserved the heritage gene pool . They do that with seeds as well.

Walt

 

[JulieNKC]

I've spent the last year or two reading Bob Blosi's writings, both here on BYC and on his own blog. I've listened VERY carefully every time Al or Walt post something. I watch very carefully what NYReds (Bill) posts. I'm no spring chicken, but similar to MississippiFarmBoy, we're at the place in our lives where we want to keep growing, keep learning and take on new challenges with birds and we have the time now, we didn't have earlier in our lives. He and I have been keeping them all of our lives, but this thing is new. While MFB wants to enter the competitive show arena, as whereas I have zip interest in that aspect, yet I find within me a real burning desire to keep alive some heritage fowl and mentor some younger folks in the art of chicken husbandry. That is what I am doing and I love it.

I cannot ever see ridding our family's farms of our hatchery based, production birds. We have years and years of breeding into them and we adore their productivity and we are edging ever closer to producing birds that really please us and fit a real need in our lives. Yes, it is horribly utilitarian, but there it is. Some folks have no use for utilitarian chickens, but we do.

I don't say much about it, but I do not find the whole hatching, spawning, chick mill, propagating of lousy birds palatable, but I bite my tongue and move on without comment.

It sorely disappoints me in that 95% of folks unknowingly and wittingly buy such lousy birds from such folks in parking lots, at meet ups, auctions and swaps. That people pay money, in some cases pretty good money, to get such poor birds from the "hatchers" is soberingly disappointing, but then, they don't know what they don't know. Caveat emptor.

That is why I am trying to learn the standard/breed toward it/show/or at least have a goal in mind as far as my production birds. I don't want to be a backyard breeder.

There's always going to be a market for them though. Same as with dogs. There are always people who would rather pay $100 for a lousy backyard bred dog who may end up not looking like the breed at all or have genetic issues instead of seeking out something better. I just figure if I am going to own and hatch my birds I want to do the best I can with them.

Its always best to keep 2 roosters of each breed you plan on breeding. Anything can happen.

Each breeder does their program different. Whatever works for you. We hatch and save both cockerels and pullets each season, if they quality to keep.

Stay on your NPIP in your state.

I will be calling them next week to see if they "lost" my paperwork. It seems from the people I've talked to that happens quite a bit. I've just been waiting for the weather to cool down, I was told they won't test when it's hot because it causes to much stress on the birds. Probably on the people too, this summers been awful.

Reading about all the time/traveling/money etc I don't know that it'll be that realistic for me to start showing heavily anytime soon, since I have 3 small kids. I hope to get at least my oldest involved in 4h though, so I'd like good birds for her. And I plan on doing as much as possible, I might not be able to do national shows but would like to attend/show at the ones in the kansas/missouri area. At least get my foot in the door so to speak, so that once the kids are bigger and I have time I will be prepared.

 

[stonykill]

I just gave my experieince and stated that they may kill adult chickens in another location. Everyone likes crows and ravens, but here they will kill young birds....mine. I have more problems with my birds with crows than anything else.

Walt

I haven't had an issue and have around 40 chicks free ranging with their mothers. All the crows and ravens seem to eat here is the chicken food.

West coast and east coast crows don't look much alike. Perhaps they behave differently as well

 

[fowlman01]

I haven't had an issue and have around 40 chicks free ranging with their mothers. All the crows and ravens seem to eat here is the chicken food.

West coast and east coast crows don't look much alike. Perhaps they behave differently as well

I think they behave differently in flocks that are in the same area. They are very smart birds and pick up traits that are different to meet different needs. As an example about 5 miles from here the crows drop the walnuts on the street and wait for cars to run over them....they don't do that here. Here they wait for a chance to come down on a young bird, spear it and go away until it is safe to come back and eat the dead bird. They squack at my Coopers hawk, but they are not stupid enough to hassle it. A Coopers can take them out like a falcon in mid air. ..it is pretty cool to watch...they drive them right into the ground. The crows hassle the red tails though, but the red talis don't kill my birds anyway. There are a lot of different hawks and some will take a chicken.

Walt

 

[dgibson]

Well said Al

 

[Gargoyle]

We let all the minority groups dictate to the rest of us what we can and cannot say..

Just remember, every one of is is a minority if you look to the differences between people. Everyone of is is the majority if you look to our commonality. We all have a lot more in common than we have different, but we all have our own individual concerns and needs too.