Farming and Homesteading Heritage Poultry

[AletaG]

Aleta,
Please let us know how the HRIR temperament differs. For those with small children, this is #1

Don't take my word for it. Everyone I've chatted with about HRIR or other actual H. lines says the same thing. Fred's Hens hit it right on. But will report anyway when I can.

My RIR are very skittish but the males are 15 weeks and starting to put more meat on. I definitely will be sticking with my Black Jersey Giants they are fat and sassy and still have a good 6 months to maturity. My one Delaware roo is getting quite big too. I am willing to take my time and spend a bit more money for quality meat and happy birds.
I really didn't realize there was that much of a difference in temperament in hatchery birds. From my understanding heritage just means that they are naturally mated, slow growing, and long living. I can see where a breeder who specializes in a specific breed will focus on temperament more-so than a hatchery would.

I started that way, just because I could get them *now* and get laying hens locally *now*, whereas getting a Heritage line is a little harder where I live. Not for long, though! I'm gonna take over this town, I will! Bwahahaha! Ah hem. You will find that RIR (and I would think most any other hatchery 'layer') hatchery hens usually stop laying reliably after 2 max 4 years. IF they live a full 8 yrs, they will be the most un-useful birds around. This I CAN speak too...

Hatchery stock absolutely shows more temperament problems. When you flock breed 200 roosters in a pen with 2000 hens, who the heck is judging temperament? Or faults? Or lack of conformity to the SOP? Who is selecting? With a scene like that, which cock gets the most females? Why the hyper, dominate, aggressive one of course. Breed in this manner for a decade of two and guess which genes and temperament dominates that flock? No surprise. None at all.
When a Heritage, true to type, true to breed, true to standard breeder has kept a line going for 30 or 40 years, breeding maybe less than a hundred chicks per year, he/she knows every bird. Knows the temperament of the cock birds used intimately. Very often, has shown those birds to be judged, thus preventing barn blindness.
A difference? Oh my. Night and day. That's our experience.

 

[TaraBellaBirds]

So far I have ordered two batches from MurrayMcMurray. My first flock is 15 weeks old mostly RIR, BJGiants, with some Delawares, BO, and a couple white rocks. They are very flighty, but I had them with some other birds I was brooding for friends and it is difficult to handle 75 babies! My second batch are 8 weeks and much more friendly, with exception of the Hamburgs (which are flighty birds anyway). The Brahmas and the Ameraucanas I received are just the sweetest birds. Handling and love has a lot to do with it too. Like I said, once I have a feel for what breeds I like I will get better quality birds locally. Thank you so much for all of the input!

AletaG What are your favorite breeds?

 

[call ducks]

Why are heritage breeds associated so closely with APA standard? It's rather dumb. I suppose poultry are one of the only live stock you can in-breed and still call them an example of the breed.

Here is the definition I use for heritage breeds - " Heritage chickens are the types that were popular and common before modern commercial chickens took over all the meat and egg production." - Short and simple. Unlike the APA definition.

[FONT=Open Sans, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Standard of Perfection associations around the world have to much influence on chicken breeds. Every time I here the "It's only a heritage bird if it meats the SOP" I laugh. Because the concept of a pure bred chicken in NA is new (less than 100 years) with production abilities. [/FONT]


[FONT=Open Sans, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]this is just one breeders opinion [/FONT]

 

[AletaG]

So far I have ordered two batches from MurrayMcMurray. My first flock is 15 weeks old mostly RIR, BJGiants, with some Delawares, BO, and a couple white rocks. The Brahmas and the Ameraucanas I received are just the sweetest birds. Handling and love has a lot to do with it too. Like I said, once I have a feel for what breeds I like I will get better quality birds locally. Thank you so much for all of the input! AletaG What are your favorite breeds?

I have not settled on a favorite. If I could, I'd probably have some of everything. There was an old-style rhody on my aunt's farm growing up, all eight of us cousins would love on that poor hen... carry her around, hand her off... not sure how often her feet actually got dirty! Anyway, I have a soft spot for Rhode Islands. Then I discovered that the RIR hens I got about 10yrs ago were, well, dumb, rude, pushy. And they had to be traded up every couple of years. I only had one that had any personality. That seemed odd to me, and now I know why. Originally when people were breeding, just like when building (look at architecture and what we've lost...) not only did a bird have to serve a function - and generally more than one, hence dual purpose, they had to be easy to care for and easy on the eyes. Art is good for the soul. Why not living barnyard art? Anyway, an HRIR hen should lay well, live a long life and lay well the whole time, allow your children to cart her about like luggage, then dress out nicely for the table. The cockerel should dress out nicely at full size, and be an amiable tough-guy in the yard. And, the hatchery RIR are hit and miss at best. Look up BGMatt and Robert Blosl. Can't go wrong with good info.
Regarding our Canadian's friend scoffing at SOP. I agree, when the judges push color over meat carriage, that's a problem. When the Cornish are overbred to the point they can't reproduce naturally, that's a problem. When some of these OEGB 'toy' bantam breeds have feathers so big a large fowl would be docked, that seems odd, too. But anything can be misused. The SOP should be a touchstone. Improvements are improvements. If you get a Delaware to lay larger eggs more often, good. If by doing so they are now red and black instead of white and black, re-name it! LOL. Or, if like was done to the RIR, intelligence and useful lifespan are degraded, then, well, it's no longer a Delaware, either.
Ok, this post is going on WAY too long, but I will say that sight unseen, I'm falling in love with Delaware. Great dress-out weights, well behaved animals, gorgeous to look at, and useful in making a backyard cornish cross to fill the freezer.
G'nite.

 

[TheApproach]

I'm having trouble finding a heritage breeder in my area (Nashville, TN.) Most of the breeders I have found, require a minimum order. I only want 2-3 chickens. Any recommendations out there?

 

[3riverschick]

Quote:
Hi,

What breed do you want? Most breeds have a Parent Club. The Club website usually has a Breeder Directory. Check there for a breeder near you. TN has a ton of poultry breeders.

You can also check the poultry show results for shows in your area. They are often posted online. Use keywords to search like : poultry show results Tennessee :. Seek results for your breed. The search again using : exhibitor's name and breed and State. Very often that will pull up an obscure website for that breeder. Contact them and see if they have any started birds the want to sell. This is the time of year for it as the breeders are downsizing the Spring hatched birds for overwintering. You should be able to pick up what you want. Nice thing is, these will be better winter layers , having been hatched circa the month of March.

Best
Karen in westen PA

 

[Arielle]

I'm having trouble finding a heritage breeder in my area (Nashville, TN.) Most of the breeders I have found, require a minimum order. I only want 2-3 chickens. Any recommendations out there?

Depending on what you want DRippy is in TN. I can't vouch for her stock per se, but it is a starting point. I bought some project eggs and she was nice to work with.

 

[Fred's Hens]

The APA does not have a definition of Heritage AFAIK. They do have a committee working on the possibility of perhaps defining heritage flocks, but even that committee has yet to publish anything by way of guidelines.

The ALBC (American Breed and Livestock Conservatory) offers a definition, for what it is worth.

 

[TheApproach]

I haven't decided on a breed yet, but I would like to help preserve a heritage breed. I'm open for suggestions for a bird that is the best combo of friendly, beautiful, and a great egg layer. Everything in my garden is heirloom, so it only makes sense to choose a heritage breed of chicken. Suggestions welcome!

 

[3riverschick]

Quote: That's a great idea. DRippy (Donna Rippy) really knows her breeds. She has a bunch of high quality Heritage breeds.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/u/92428/dmrippy
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/dmrippys-member-page
Ameraucanas are not a heritage breed.
Best,
Karen