German New Hampshire

[Matt1616]

A New Hampshire Cockerel is suppose to weigh 7.5 pounds. That means that up to 1 year old they are with in the standard weighing 7.5 pounds. The Pure German line is definately with in that range. The Cockerel that I showed this past winter probably weighed 9.5-10 pounds at 10 months. He is not a huge looking bird to look at but when you pick him up he feels like a cinder block. My pure Germans fill out very quickly. I would say that even though they all go back to Joe Jeffersons Germans that at this point there are many lines out there that are quite a bit different. One other thing to remember is that the larger and quicker developing that you make these birds the less eggs they will lay.
Here is a picture of that Cockerel...

 

[cbnovick]

A New Hampshire Cockerel is suppose to weigh 7.5 pounds. That means that up to 1 year old they are with in the standard weighing 7.5 pounds. The Pure German line is definately with in that range. The Cockerel that I showed this past winter probably weighed 9.5-10 pounds at 10 months. He is not a huge looking bird to look at but when you pick him up he feels like a cinder block. My pure Germans fill out very quickly. I would say that even though they all go back to Joe Jeffersons Germans that at this point there are many lines out there that are quite a bit different. One other thing to remember is that the larger and quicker developing that you make these birds the less eggs they will lay.
Here is a picture of that Cockerel...

Matt, he is stunning!
Thank you for an example of a fine (german) NH male!

 

[gjensen]

Matt, that is a very good looking cockerel. I always appreciate seeing the pictures of your birds. I do not think that I have never seen one that I did not like. You have done well with all of your birds.
My "pure" Germans appear to fill out quickly. Until you pick them up and handle them. They do end up big meaty birds. They are just beyond stag stage before they "are there". It is not the size they reach. It is how they reach it. That is what I want to see improved in mine. I think if someone was here to handle my different birds at different ages, they would get what I am trying to say.
I do not want mine too large. I think it takes away from what they are. NHs are medium large birds. They are not Plymouth Rocks, but they should reach fryer weights before a Rock.
I do not believe that early maturity affects lay rate. The genetics are not related. Early maturity is part of what makes a NH a NH. If not for early fryer weights, and point of lay, there would have been no desire to make an improvement over the Rhode Island Red. That is what they were developed to do, and that is what made them popular in their window of time.
I do not care to have a strict utility line of NHs. I would not enjoy them as much. I do want to remain mindful of what they were meant to be.

 

[smarsh]

From a non-professional vantage point, that is likely the best looking rooster I have seen on any thread. love that tail, and don't take that out of context.

 

[catdaddyfro]

Matt, that is a very good looking cockerel. I always appreciate seeing the pictures of your birds. I do not think that I have never seen one that I did not like. You have done well with all of your birds.
My "pure" Germans appear to fill out quickly. Until you pick them up and handle them. They do end up big meaty birds. They are just beyond stag stage before they "are there". It is not the size they reach. It is how they reach it. That is what I want to see improved in mine. I think if someone was here to handle my different birds at different ages, they would get what I am trying to say.
I do not want mine too large. I think it takes away from what they are. NHs are medium large birds. They are not Plymouth Rocks, but they should reach fryer weights before a Rock.
I do not believe that early maturity affects lay rate. The genetics are not related. Early maturity is part of what makes a NH a NH. If not for early fryer weights, and point of lay, there would have been no desire to make an improvement over the Rhode Island Red. That is what they were developed to do, and that is what made them popular in their window of time.
I do not care to have a strict utility line of NHs. I would not enjoy them as much. I do want to remain mindful of what they were meant to be.

This I whole heartedly agree with, George. I'm gonna find my 12th grade term paper and type the description of a NH from it this is where I learned of the breed and how long I've had this info stuck in my brain as to what and why they are to be. Yes it is 27 years old 1985 version but the info came from way older books than that it came from the books that were new when NHs were developed. I wished I still had those old books I did my senior term paper from(or could get a hold of them) they have way more info in them than these late model modified to times books do. They wrote in verbatim back in those days(which means they meant what they said in plain English) LOL

Jeff

 

[fowlman01]

A New Hampshire Cockerel is suppose to weigh 7.5 pounds. That means that up to 1 year old they are with in the standard weighing 7.5 pounds. The Pure German line is definately with in that range. The Cockerel that I showed this past winter probably weighed 9.5-10 pounds at 10 months. He is not a huge looking bird to look at but when you pick him up he feels like a cinder block. My pure Germans fill out very quickly. I would say that even though they all go back to Joe Jeffersons Germans that at this point there are many lines out there that are quite a bit different. One other thing to remember is that the larger and quicker developing that you make these birds the less eggs they will lay.
Here is a picture of that Cockerel...

Very Nice!

Walt

 

[fowlman01]

I haven't weighed a finished male, but mine are were 9lbs at 6 months. They were still very rangy though and didn't look adult until about 11-12 months. I haven't had time to weigh the one adult male I have now.

Walt.

 

[Matt1616]

George, I understood what you were saying. My post was just meant to be a general statement. I'm sure you guys are aware of this but I will post it for those who may not. Originally there was 2 types of New Hampshires. There were strains that were production type for eggs and there were strains that were for meat. The meat strains matured very quickly and weighed more but did not lay near as well as the production strains. It actually says this in the description for New Hampshires in the APA Standard Of Perfection. My understanding is that the meat strains were much lighter in color and were for the most part not shown so for all intents and purposes the strains that survived were the production lines because the show people kept breeding them when the Cornish Cross came along and the meat strain fell out of favor as a market chicken. I think some of this history gets confused sometimes with the New Hampshire.
My reference to the egg laying is partly based on this and partly based on the statements that several long time breeders and show people have told me that the bigger and broader that you make any breed that the less eggs they will lay. It always made sense to me because if you look at the range of breeds the largest breeds (Brahmas, Cochins, etc.) are the poorest layers and some of the smallest breeds (Leghorns, etc.) are the best layers.

 

[lualshannon]

My New Hampshire chicks are now 4 wks old, and am amazed at how fast they are growing, and how beautiful they are. Three Jubilee Orpingtons were hatched in the same group; their parents are quite large English birds, and my NH babies are much larger with more feathering. They are the progeny of Walt's birds, and am grateful to be able to have them. Thank you very much, Walt !!!

Couple of days ago, there was a conversation about the size of NH eggs. The eggs Walt gave me were large in size, and when the babies were born, they were the same size as the Orpingtons, and the Orpingtons' parents lay extra large eggs.

They are very calm, easy to handle, unusually heavy babies with cadmium yellow big feet.

























It is difficult to see that they are standing right in front of a regular size 7up can. These babies are surprisingly large..

 

[cbnovick]

My New Hampshire chicks are now 4 wks old, and am amazed at how fast they are growing, and how beautiful they are. Three Jubilee Orpingtons were hatched in the same group; their parents are quite large English birds, and my NH babies are much larger with more feathering. They are the progeny of Walt's birds, and am grateful to be able to have them. Thank you very much, Walt !!!

Couple of days ago, there was a conversation about the size of NH eggs. The eggs Walt gave me were large in size, and when the babies were born, they were the same size as the Orpingtons, and the Orpingtons' parents lay extra large eggs.

They are very calm, easy to handle, unusually heavy babies with cadmium yellow big feet.














It is difficult to see that they are standing right in front of a regular size 7up can. These babies are surprisingly large..

Good line of NH birds- You will really enjoy them...keep us posted as they grow out.