Farming and Homesteading Heritage Poultry

[Yellow House Farm]

Quote:
Oh, I'm right there with you, I was simply not ruling out tightness or looseness of feather as having an impact because I've never read a study or experienced anything that made a decisive statement, and there is always the possibility of genetically linked traits. Like you, my gut instinct would be that it wouldn't be a factor. Ultimately, I imagine that looseness of feather is simply not a practical trait to deal with. Moreover, it might just be an aesthetic concern; on rare occasion I get a Dorking that has long, loose feathers, and they're just not as visually pleasing. Still, it could also be an indicator of something off. Perhaps, it is an indicator of thrift. Perhaps, they are too prone to being soiled; thus breeders where disinclined to maintain them.

 

[Beekissed]

I'm not stressing it too much.

I just want to honor the good birds I've been given by better, more experienced breeders and continue that excellence and forward movement, while still remaining true to my own ideal bird/flock, one that is earning its own keep and thriving under my methods.

I got no problems culling hard for that and can often spot the chicks I will be culling in the future while they are still young, though I keep them long enough to see if I'm on the right track. The most recent batch of chicks~only 4 of the WR hatched~ from a Blosl male and XW female are all pullets and there is only one that truly stands out right away. She's the one I have my eye on the most...she's slightly larger, has better~and quicker~ feathering, more width and depth of body~even if it is only by the eye one can measure any real difference. If she continues along this way she is likely the only one I will breed back to the sire, while the others will live out their life to lay..but if I find any of those that are exceptional layers, despite being less exceptional in appearance,they will get a chance to breed as well. Excellent laying is a trait I'm pushing and will see where it takes me.

 

[TheBanditQueen]

I think I just fell into a gold mine! Thanks to Joseph and George and you others who are handing out the nuggets. I will have to copy all of this into a document to make sure I don't forget any of it.

Second this!! Glad I'm not the only nugget snatcher.

 

[gjensen]

Oh, I'm right there with you, I was simply not ruling out tightness or looseness of feather as having an impact because I've never read a study or experienced anything that made a decisive statement, and there is always the possibility of genetically linked traits. Like you, my gut instinct would be that it wouldn't be a factor. Ultimately, I imagine that looseness of feather is simply not a practical trait to deal with. Moreover, it might just be an aesthetic concern; on rare occasion I get a Dorking that has long, loose feathers, and they're just not as visually pleasing. Still, it could also be an indicator of something off. Perhaps, it is an indicator of thrift. Perhaps, they are too prone to being soiled; thus breeders where disinclined to maintain them.

Functionally, I suppose that it applies to protection from the weather. Either cold air, or to shed rain, etc. It certainly offers better protection. It could be an indicator of thrift in some lines.

I appreciate a tight feathered bird, and find it pleasing to the eyes. I never gained an appreciation for loose feathered birds. Some of that is just personal preference. On the other hand, there is a lot of waste in excessively feathered birds. It isn't as if there is no protein required to maintain all of that feather. I am referring to extremes.

I would not discount the idea that in some strains the two are linked. My position is only that it is not necessarily linked. There have been too many examples otherwise.

I did not want to take away from the main point, and I suspect that I may have stirred confusion.

 

[LindaB220]

Quote: I do understand your love of Dorkings. I wanted Whites so bad. But with climate change getting worse and the scientists saying that the trend could last decades, I want to start with a bird that I know is safe. I plan to get Marraduna Basques because of this very same reason. They come from heat loving Spain and will adjust to my climate very well. Friendly, easy going. I hatched one a few months ago. It was the only one that pecked on the incubator glass and starred me in the eye. Laughed myself silly.

 

[Yellow House Farm]

I do understand your love of Dorkings. I wanted Whites so bad. But with climate change getting worse and the scientists saying that the trend could last decades, I want to start with a bird that I know is safe. I plan to get Marraduna Basques because of this very same reason. They come from heat loving Spain and will adjust to my climate very well. Friendly, easy going. I hatched one a few months ago. It was the only one that pecked on the incubator glass and starred me in the eye. Laughed myself silly.

Oh, no worries, there's no favoring of Dorkings on this level.

On the other hand, if one's worried about climate change and sustainable food, I wouldn't go running after Basques. From the Mediterranean class, it would be Leghorns, Anconas, or Minorcas. I wouldn't want anything as underdeveloped as a Basque. Basques are just sort of an internet sensation with very little in the way of a record to back them up.

If I were going to go for something more primitive in the name of survival, it would be Games without a shadow of a doubt.

 

[LindaB220]

Oh, no worries, there's no favoring of Dorkings on this level.

On the other hand, if one's worried about climate change and sustainable food, I wouldn't go running after Basques. From the Mediterranean class, it would be Leghorns, Anconas, or Minorcas. I wouldn't want anything as underdeveloped as a Basque. Basques are just sort of an internet sensation with very little in the way of a record to back them up.

If I were going to go for something more primitive in the name of survival, it would be Games without a shadow of a doubt.

Yeah, the problem with the Basques is that they all came from one bunch of imported birds to Canada. EVERYTHING after that is all from the one import. However, one lady Meg went to Spain and brought back eggs to hatch and has some very good colors. This is who I want to get in my flock.

 

[ronott1]

Oh, no worries, there's no favoring of Dorkings on this level.

On the other hand, if one's worried about climate change and sustainable food, I wouldn't go running after Basques. From the Mediterranean class, it would be Leghorns, Anconas, or Minorcas. I wouldn't want anything as underdeveloped as a Basque. Basques are just sort of an internet sensation with very little in the way of a record to back them up.

If I were going to go for something more primitive in the name of survival, it would be Games without a shadow of a doubt.

Basques are not any kind of sensation any more.

They are an established breed with a standard in Spain though. Sadly the ones that are here are from Canada and have been bred to Penedesencas. They do have a lot more utility than minoras and leghorns though.

Actually, they are much better for utility than most Dorkings, yours excepted of course.

I have experience with both Dorkings and Basque but that is limited to a limited sample. They do not die in the heat and lay a lot of eggs. Meat production is very good.

Quote:

 

[ronott1]

Yeah, the problem with the Basques is that they all came from one bunch of imported birds to Canada. EVERYTHING after that is all from the one import. However, one lady Meg went to Spain and brought back eggs to hatch and has some very good colors. This is who I want to get in my flock.

Yes, they are very nice too!

 

[Yellow House Farm]

Yeah, the problem with the Basques is that they all came from one bunch of imported birds to Canada. EVERYTHING after that is all from the one import. However, one lady Meg went to Spain and brought back eggs to hatch and has some very good colors. This is who I want to get in my flock.

I would say that the biggest problem with Basques is that they are a seriously underdeveloped bird. Of course if they're your cat's meow, there's very little to say there; everyone is certainly entitled to enjoy they're bird of choice, but the wouldn't be even neat my list of recommended breeds, which is sort of a strange segue to a phone conversation I just had.


Someone just asked me about some breeding ideas they're interested in trying, and the question came up as to which breeds I would want to work with for farming purposes. I came up with an initial list of imaginable possibilities:

Rocks, Wyandottes, Reds, NHs, Australorps, Dorkings, Sussex, Orpingtons, Faverolles, Langshans, Minorcas, Andalusians, Anconas and Leghorns.

It was just sort of a general list; so the question became what would I actually narrow it down to, which came to

Rocks, Reds, NHs, Dorkings, Sussex, Faverolles, Minorcas, Anconas, and Leghorns.

I can honestly say that I wouldn't go anywhere else.