Genetic Hackle Fowl Chat

[Dovemaiden]

Oh, I used to have English Trumpeters, Ice Pigeons, and some Frills. I enjoyed them tremendously. Pigeons are so often over-looked by poultry fanciers, and yet are one of the most fascinating creatures you can raise. They are far more intelligent and innovative at getting what they want & need than people give them credit for, and their style of raising offspring is unique as well.

Oops, I didn’t explain about Toys, that’s what they call the fancier breeds like Trumpeters, Swallows, Jacobins, Owls, etc. At least, from what I remember. It’s been many years now since I had them. I still have several books on raising them,and showing all the different breeds.
When I was a kid, Strombergs had the most amazing catalog ( back in the 60’s) that you could order and it had about four pages worth of photo after photo of every breed of pigeon you could imagine! I sure wish I still had one of those old catalogs, what a treasure it would be. A real collector’s item of a bygone era. They even sold( if you can believe it) Red Tailed Hawks( for 35.00 each, I recall, that was a lot of money the !) other types of raptors; all breeds of rabbits, guinea pigs, ferrets, squirrels(!), wild cottontails as well, (I remember thinking,” Why would you buy a cottontail, you can just catch one and raise it?”) raccoons, other animals. Looking through that catalog was amazing. I have no idea how they shipped the animals.
But they had chicks, of course, and you could purchase show quality for a slightly higher amount than the regular chicks. But the pigeon pages were my absolute favorite. It must have been fairly expensive, even at that time, for them to put out that detailed a catalog.

 

[dheltzel]

I am sure I am not the only person on this forum that has been helped in this fashion through their birds. I am certainly very grateful to have the birds and the challenge of raising & continuing their genetics.

My day job is with computers and has the potential to be both stressful and suck you down a rabbit hole of endless tech. But every day, regardless of the weather and how I might feel, I MUST go take care of the animals. Their dependence on me pulls me out of whatever is also going on and gets be outdoors where I can have my spirit refreshed. I grumble on the very hot or very cold and icy days, but I do it anyway and am better for it.
I started when I was a young boy. My parents would only do my chores if I was very sick, never for bad weather (or bad attitude). I really feel that made me a responsible adult and parent, a sense of responsibility for others does transfer.

 

[Dovemaiden]

Oh, I used to have English Trumpeters, Ice Pigeons, and some Frills. I enjoyed them tremendously. Pigeons are so often over-looked by poultry fanciers, and yet are one of the most fascinating creatures you can raise. They are far more intelligent and innovative at getting what they want & need than people give them credit for, and their style of raising offspring is unique as well.

If you look up”pigeonpedia” here is the Definition of Toy pigeons( I copied it).’
“

• Color Pigeons – mostly bred in Germany, they are sometimes known as German Toys. There’s a wide variety with a wide variety of markings and color characteristics. Breeds include the Ice Pigeon, Archangel, Saxon Field Pigeon, pale-vented pigeon, pink-necked green pigeon and the very rare Nicobar pigeon.” You don’t hear the term much any more,

 

[Dovemaiden]

If you look up”pigeonpedia” here is the Definition of Toy pigeons( I copied it).’
“

• Color Pigeons – mostly bred in Germany, they are sometimes known as German Toys. There’s a wide variety with a wide variety of markings and color characteristics. Breeds include the Ice Pigeon, Archangel, Saxon Field Pigeon, pale-vented pigeon, pink-necked green pigeon and the very rare Nicobar pigeon.” You don’t hear the term much any more,

Here is a photo of Dr. Tom Whiting with one of his birds.

 

[Dovemaiden]

Here is a photo of Dr. Tom Whiting with one of his birds.

I will add a few more photos of Whiting’s chickens. You can see the tremendous length on not only the saddles, but the neck as well. Earlier, he used to have birds with marginal tails, but now they appear much more balanced .

 

[Dovemaiden]

Another stock photoe wattles seem longer on his newer birds

 

[Dovemaiden]

He also has much longer capes

 

[Dovemaiden]

These are a couple from one of his lines. The wattles are not as exaggerated on these.

 

[Dovemaiden]

Here is another photo: do you see how the tails are longer and more in balance with the body structure than early Hackle Fowl? I will find a couple photos of the older style ones. This bird has a tremendously long cape. Whiting is selecting simultaneously for long capes and saddles now.

 

[Dovemaiden]

Here is an interesting article: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.fieldandstream.com/perfect-feathers-for-fly-tiers/?amp