Heritage Large Fowl - Phase II

[galanie]

I have a thought: Don't be emotional.


Anyone else notice that there is a full moon tonight?

 

[Lacy Blues]

I suppose I could try that as much as I don't want to. Anything to at least kind of save this years breeding season will be worth a try.

I think somebody else may have said it but is only mid January. Do you actually have shows in June? I thought you lived north of the equator, but I may be mistaken.

You're right, I absolutely agree. As plenty of long time poultrymen have said though, you start where you are with what you have. If that's all you have to work with, it's all you have to work with. Breeding is about compromise sometimes. I think in this particular situation, I'd do whatever it takes, and then keep more males longer than I would otherwise next year and see which ones are the most virile and fertile, and use them going forward.

Separate paragraph to emphasize what Ron said here, it absolutely will pass itself down. I know of a strain of Self Blue Old English that no matter what he does the breeder can't get fertile eggs til about June...so he waits til then to hatch, not my cup of tea, but it just shows that it does pass down.

Again, with the size of the bird and the cold of winter/early spring, isn't that the problem here? Tight feathering on a bird... something in the back of my head... linked to warmer weather...?

Not directed at hellbender, but to everyone:
Since I started feeding layer rations (16% protein), my chickens' poo piles are getting larger and some are getting looser (others seem to be nicely formed like when they were getting fermented food). My question is whether their poo is larger b/c of more waste or what?

They refuse to eat the layer feed fermented (any tips on getting them to eat that would be nice too).

Also their laying is through the roof the last week and their eggs are getting bigger, but I've been feeding the pellets for a month.

It will depend on how wet the feed is. They won't generally like it soupy or sticky. Use less water and make sure they're good and hungry. Trying new things is not something a chicken likes to do. But if you can get one to try it, the others will take note and then dive in.

 

[BGMatt]

Again, with the size of the bird and the cold of winter/early spring, isn't that the problem here? Tight feathering on a bird... something in the back of my head... linked to warmer weather...?

Other varieties of OEGB, including from the same breeder, don't have that issue. It's just something in that line. Someone mentioned that study about light and it's effect on fertility. If it's the same one I saw temperature has no effect on fertility, but light does.

 

[hcammack]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. Plan to hatch plenty and cull most this spring. I have collected some birds from good breeders and lines. Mostly Dick Boulanger line Faverolles. The females don't actually have any black on the neck... but it appears that way because of another issue I have been dealing with. The issue I have is that I need more even salmon coloring from head to tail. The females wings are darker salmon or brown and they lighten through towards the tail. I cull for combs and toes at an early age. I agree that the cushions are a problem on some of the birds it is an issue with the angle and length of the back. Very much a work in progress but I gotta start somewhere. This will be the first season doing any sort of selection with the LF... so not at all a very experienced breeder. I had other colors in bantam and bantam salmons but gave them up to go to school. Just got started back up again and the faverolles community have all been really supportive and generous with advice. My long term goal is to increase the size and growth rate. Faverolles many years ago were the table bird of choice for the Paris markets. American birds are much smaller then there European counterparts and I would like to increase size and also egg size/ rate of lay. I know this will take a long long time but plan to stick with it for the foreseeable future.

Thanks Henry

 

[Extra Java]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. Plan to hatch plenty and cull most this spring. I have collected some birds from good breeders and lines. Mostly Dick Boulanger line Faverolles. The females don't actually have any black on the neck... but it appears that way because of another issue I have been dealing with. The issue I have is that I need more even salmon coloring from head to tail. The females wings are darker salmon or brown and they lighten through towards the tail. I cull for combs and toes at an early age. I agree that the cushions are a problem on some of the birds it is an issue with the angle and length of the back. Very much a work in progress but I gotta start somewhere. This will be the first season doing any sort of selection with the LF... so not at all a very experienced breeder. I had other colors in bantam and bantam salmons but gave them up to go to school. Just got started back up again and the faverolles community have all been really supportive and generous with advice. My long term goal is to increase the size and growth rate. Faverolles many years ago were the table bird of choice for the Paris markets. American birds are much smaller then there European counterparts and I would like to increase size and also egg size/ rate of lay. I know this will take a long long time but plan to stick with it for the foreseeable future.

Thanks Henry

Please keep us posted on your progress. It's always interesting to learn about specific challenges within any breed. I find wheaten type coloration to be a challenge in itself (especially the hens).

The first time I went to a poultry show and saw Faverolles in person....I thought "WOW", those are some large fowl! Pictures do not do them justice.

 

[armorfirelady]

Personally, I would like to see deeper keel.

Could someone post a picture of what you mean by a deeper keel?

Maybe a good keel and a poor one for comparison?

I think I know what you mean but am not certain.
Thank you Jenn

 

[thedragonlady]

With poultry.....the judges don't know who the birds belong to. That is quite different than most animal judging. You don't always know who is judging your birds either, so you may waste some shmoozing. I gave a brief opinion of a couple birds that people will pay a lot of money for and this thread is about Heritage/Standard bred chickens. I didn't judge anyone's birds that frequent this thread unless asked. Most people here do not look at birds like I do and are overly impressed when they see the word "imported". We need to keep in mind that different countries have different Standards and if someone imports a bird, how do they know it is a good example in either country? I could have written a paragraph of negatives opinions on that pair. The farm that is raising these has said in a newsletter that they don't care about Standards....of any country. This was in their newsletter a year or so ago and I read it myself.s

It is pretty safe to say I have butted heads with each and every one of you that post here.........;lo0;

Walt

Butting heads makes you think, or should. Thanks Walt !

 

[NotAFarm]

Quote: Lacy, There is an APA sanctioned show in May in Peoria, IL each year. The APA website has a list of sanctioned shows and they can be found year-around.

Walt, Dragonlady, Neil or ?, What would be the "perfect" time to hatch for a May show?

 

[thedragonlady]

Lacy, There is an APA sanctioned show in May in Peoria, IL each year. The APA website has a list of sanctioned shows and they can be found year-around.

Walt, Dragonlady, Neil or ?, What would be the "perfect" time to hatch for a May show?

For my female buff Orps , back up 6 mos. For males 8-10.There is nothing prettier than a pullet as she is coming into lay BLOOM.My girls lay at 5 months, sometimes before their tails have finished.That's why I opt for 6 months old.Different breeds mature differently.

 

[Extra Java]

Quote: A detailed assessment for the Buckeye with comparison photos:
For us visual learners...
http://www.albc-usa.org/documents/ALBCchicken_assessment-1.pdf

I hope these photos can help you understand "depth of keel".