German New Hampshire

[desertmarcy]

Well, I am fairly new to the Germans, Do they have to have the ticking? I rather like the pretty color without the ticking in some of mine. I do not have a sop.

If you are breeding to the SOP, the females should have ticking.

 

[crazyhen]

Thank you for that. Actually both are pretty. I do have some of both.

 

[sgribble]

Yes but she had gotten two different trios from him, one set was pure German the other set were German/American crosses he had crossed up. I often wonder what the American line he used was?

Matts from Doug were all pure German if my memory serves correct.

Jeff

I think Matt may know what the American line was but most now probably have a small portion of American in them.
Did Kathy keep hers separate when she raised from them and does anyone know which line they got from her???

 

[Matt1616]

Yes but she had gotten two different trios from him, one set was pure German the other set were German/American crosses he had crossed up. I often wonder what the American line he used was?

Matts from Doug were all pure German if my memory serves correct.

Jeff

Jeff, I got some of both from Doug...I got more crosses than I did pures but probably have about the same amount of each now. I also have exchanged birds with Doug since then and added another male last year that came from Joe Jefferson.
The American line that Doug used was Buddy Hudson's line which as far as I know was the old Halbach line.

 

[catdaddyfro]

I think Matt may know what the American line was but most now probably have a small portion of American in them.
Did Kathy keep hers separate when she raised from them and does anyone know which line they got from her???

I don't know on that one Steve but I imagine as you said: most do probly have little bit of American blood in them now(actually I think they needed it) the pure Germans were on the samll side and as Geroge said a lot of prettyness not much substance good layers though, I like all of them, not particular as long as they are as a NH is supposed to be,IMO.<REPRESENT is what I was going for here>

Jeff

 

[catdaddyfro]

Jeff, I got some of both from Doug...I got more crosses than I did pures but probably have about the same amount of each now. I also have exchanged birds with Doug since then and added another male last year that came from Joe Jefferson.
The American line that Doug used was Buddy Hudson's line which as far as I know was the old Halbach line.

OK thanks for the info and correction Matt LOL sometimes my memory serves me up some stuff that I'm really not sure where it got it,LOL

Jeff

 

[gjensen]

I have Germans that have nothing added, and I still prefer them. Everyone knows that I am a fan of this breed, and if I had nothing else, I would have New Hampshires.
I have no concerns with their fleshing as adults. They eventually fill out to be nice big heavy birds. I have a male that was near 9.5lbs when he was weighed last. He might be a bit heavier now. Really could not say.
One thing I have wanted to improve was how and when they fleshed out. My concern is not that they are all feather. Mine are not. It is that they "put the feather on first", so to speak. I believe in keeping with the idea that New Hampshires should make good early fryers. I want mine to flesh out early. It is my opinion that how and when a bird fleshes out has as much or more to do with them being a good meat bird as what size they ultimately get.
As much as I like the German Strain, I do want to improve their utility. For me, that is keeping with the intent of the breed. I do intend to experiment with Jeremy's cross on the side. I like how and when they flesh out. I realize that vigor has had it's part in that, but there is more in this cross than vigor. Theoretically the couple males that I kept are 50/50. I expect to cross them on some of the pure Germans that I got from Jefferson, and go for there. I may continue with them at that point, or I may breed back to the Germans again. Maybe experiment with both.
Regardless, I intend to move forward with the Germans as they were imported. I hope that a few others will as well. I will need a bird at some point. I still like these birds.

 

[desertmarcy]

I have Germans that have nothing added, and I still prefer them. Everyone knows that I am a fan of this breed, and if I had nothing else, I would have New Hampshires.
I have no concerns with their fleshing as adults. They eventually fill out to be nice big heavy birds. I have a male that was near 9.5lbs when he was weighed last. He might be a bit heavier now. Really could not say.
One thing I have wanted to improve was how and when they fleshed out. My concern is not that they are all feather. Mine are not. It is that they "put the feather on first", so to speak. I believe in keeping with the idea that New Hampshires should make good early fryers. I want mine to flesh out early. It is my opinion that how and when a bird fleshes out has as much or more to do with them being a good meat bird as what size they ultimately get.
As much as I like the German Strain, I do want to improve their utility. For me, that is keeping with the intent of the breed. I do intend to experiment with Jeremy's cross on the side. I like how and when they flesh out. I realize that vigor has had it's part in that, but there is more in this cross than vigor. Theoretically the couple males that I kept are 50/50. I expect to cross them on some of the pure Germans that I got from Jefferson, and go for there. I may continue with them at that point, or I may breed back to the Germans again. Maybe experiment with both.
Regardless, I intend to move forward with the Germans as they were imported. I hope that a few others will as well. I will need a bird at some point. I still like these birds.

I have not had any of the American lines of NHs, so I have nothing to compare to, but I agree with you on their size and fleshing out late. One of the other things that I think could use improving with the pure German line is egg size. Most of mine have laid only medium sized eggs and a couple of hens only lay small. I have not seen a large egg out of any of them, and I have 8 hens. Has this been other's experience as well? How do you go about increasing egg size? Can it be done without an outcross?

I do like the pure German New Hampshires. They are mild tempered, lay well, get to be a good size, and are beautiful. Perhaps down the road I will try what others are doing with crosses but for now, I have too much on my plate to contemplate it.

 

[catdaddyfro]

I have Germans that have nothing added, and I still prefer them. Everyone knows that I am a fan of this breed, and if I had nothing else, I would have New Hampshires.
I have no concerns with their fleshing as adults. They eventually fill out to be nice big heavy birds. I have a male that was near 9.5lbs when he was weighed last. He might be a bit heavier now. Really could not say.
One thing I have wanted to improve was how and when they fleshed out. My concern is not that they are all feather. Mine are not. It is that they "put the feather on first", so to speak. I believe in keeping with the idea that New Hampshires should make good early fryers. I want mine to flesh out early. It is my opinion that how and when a bird fleshes out has as much or more to do with them being a good meat bird as what size they ultimately get.
As much as I like the German Strain, I do want to improve their utility. For me, that is keeping with the intent of the breed. I do intend to experiment with Jeremy's cross on the side. I like how and when they flesh out. I realize that vigor has had it's part in that, but there is more in this cross than vigor. Theoretically the couple males that I kept are 50/50. I expect to cross them on some of the pure Germans that I got from Jefferson, and go for there. I may continue with them at that point, or I may breed back to the Germans again. Maybe experiment with both.
Regardless, I intend to move forward with the Germans as they were imported. I hope that a few others will as well. I will need a bird at some point. I still like these birds.

I get where you want to be with yours George you want them to represent what they are supposed be/bred to be in the 1940's, me too. I still think they are one of the most awesome and very easy on the eye utilitarian breeds myself. I think its awesome one can take a utility breed (these NHs)and take them to a show and win with them, that says something. Most show stock are not very, well.. "utility" in my opinion for what that's worth LOL

Now on the other hand I think there are a lot of folks that have these GNH type/line/strain (or what have you them to be LOL) that are thinking they have the pure strain, don't, and I venture to say there are a lot less of them pure than are pure. Unless like you George and very few others that got stock from the original importer of these birds they have been thru enough hands now that these NHs (like Steve said) "most have a wee bit of American blood in them now". I'm sure not many kept the pure birds separated and bred in small numbers, not the way they have exploded/been broadcasted in all directions in three years from sea to shining sea.

Good day

Jeff

 

[desertmarcy]

I get where you want to be with yours George you want them to represent what they are supposed be/bred to be in the 1940's, me too. I still think they are one of the most awesome and very easy on the eye utilitarian breeds myself. I think its awesome one can take a utility breed (these NHs)and take them to a show and win with them, that says something. Most show stock are not very, well.. "utility" in my opinion for what that's worth LOL

Now on the other hand I think there are a lot of folks that have these GNH type/line/strain (or what have you them to be LOL) that are thinking they have the pure strain, don't, and I venture to say there are a lot less of them pure than are pure. Unless like you George and very few others that got stock from the original importer of these birds they have been thru enough hands now that these NHs (like Steve said) "most have a wee bit of American blood in them now". I'm sure not many kept the pure birds separated and bred in small numbers, not the way they have exploded/been broadcasted in all directions in three years from sea to shining sea.

Good day

Jeff

That's where you have to have a trustworthy breeder and someone able to trace back where they got their birds.

As far as utility, one of the things I like about them is they seem to be "easy keepers". I have a number of different breeds and had a lot of trouble with feather picking, especially with the Marans, but also the Good Shepard Barred Rocks and Reese RIRs. I tried all sorts of things, upped the protein, mixed in fish meal, finally tried giving them red cell since a judge suggested that would help. During all that time of hassle, I never had any problems like that with the New Hampshires. They were being kept in the same size pens, same conditions, etc. They didn't even like the higher protein crumble and fine fish meal that I was mixing in with the layer pellets. They just went for the pellets and still did fine, so after a while, that's all I gave them.