Heritage Large Fowl - Phase II

[Beekissed]

Maybe keep a pen of large Cochin hens as foster mamas for your hatching? I've often thought of incorporating a few breeds known for excessive broodiness so that I can utilize them for multiple hatchings in a year.

 

[RedRidge]

I keep several Belgian bearded Miller fleur d'Uccles specifically to use as live incubatos. Those silly things spend most of their lives broody plus they make good mommas.

 

[gjensen]

Are you trying to get me into trouble? LOL

In the act of Coitus, many mammals aren't worried about being invited for cocktails at the home of Amy Vanderbilt and will perform their acts with pronounced alacrity, casting good manners to the wind and performing these acts, say among spurred cocks, with sufficient fervor, a few feathers just might get ruffled.

The good news is, after a satisfactory job has been done by the cock, there's really no reason to keep him and the hen in close contact, ergo, they can be separated and kept in different areas, leaving the hen to lay her fertile eggs in peace and cock to cool his spurs elsewhere.

I was trying to get you in trouble.

Really, I was just commenting on the tendency to expect our birds to act as we would. I get a kick out of reading that stuff.

 

[BGMatt]

Are my Leghorns even close to type? I only have the two, but they are the only chickens I have that are not TSC.

My rooster has some frostbite on his comb due to the recent cold weather.

Nobody else has commented on these, so I will. They aren't really standard type. Backs are very long and have abrupt break at tail. The cock might be better when he grows his tail back in, but the hen's tail is too short. Both are lacking leg length. Hen is lacking the desired flopped comb. I'd imagine they are from hatchery stock somewhere down the line and as such should be good layers, but aren't really great examples of the breed from a Standard, "Heritage" point of view.

 

[tnspursfan09]

Nobody else has commented on these, so I will.  They aren't really standard type.  Backs are very long and have abrupt break at tail. The cock might be better when he grows his tail back in, but the hen's tail is too short.  Both are lacking leg length.  Hen is lacking the desired flopped comb.  I'd imagine they are from hatchery stock somewhere down the line and as such should be good layers, but aren't really great examples of the breed from a Standard, "Heritage" point of view.

Thank you so much for your answer. That's about what I was thinking, as well. Not that I'm ready to take on a project, yet...I'm not. This is only my second year with chickens and right now I'm still learning how to care for them and keep them healthy.

Again, thank you for answering.

 

[warbirds]

Some interesting old-time chicken trivia:
In an article in the January 2014 issue of UK's "Fancy Fowl" magazine, Andy Cawthray (reknowned breeder/exhibitor) is talking about the Fancy keepers being the ones keeping breeds around for needs later down the road; one section speaks to the Fancy helping rebuild poultry numbers after each world war, and then he adds this:
"This was no more better defined than in the late 1940's when a collaboration between farmers, breeders, and suppliers, backed by cash prizes from A&P Food Stores, launched "The Chicken Of Tomorrow Contest" across the United States. The concept behind the contest was to challenge the huge numbers of chicken breeding talent to "create" the ultimate breed of meat chicken; that is the one that provided the most meat in the shortest time and for the lowest feed cost. It was at this point poultry shifted once more in history and a steep change from "farm chicken" to "chicken farming" took place."

So we can blame A&P for the decline of our treasured heritage breeds!

For those interested, the December issue of this same magazine has a very good article on the Rhode Island Red, as well as an interview with Will Burdett, MBE - best known by most as the man who worked with and exhibited the Queen Mother's outstanding Buff Orpingtons, and who at one time also was the top exhibitor of Light Sussex. Great to read an interview with him, we won't have these knowledgeable folks around to teach us much longer! His book "The Orpington Fowl" is a great read, BTW.

Enjoy your weekend and stay warm, everybody!!
Doc

 

[BGMatt]

Thank you so much for your answer. That's about what I was thinking, as well. Not that I'm ready to take on a project, yet...I'm not. This is only my second year with chickens and right now I'm still learning how to care for them and keep them healthy.

Again, thank you for answering.

Leghorns are a wonderful breed. You can find some excellent stock out there when you're ready for a breeding project. I've said this a lot, but it's very very very true of Leghorns, a lot of the really good breeders are older and not super tech savvy, but if you attend shows in your area, you'll be able to find some nice ones, or someone who knows who to contact to get nice ones.

 

[Fentress]

Maybe keep a pen of large Cochin hens as foster mamas for your hatching? I've often thought of incorporating a few breeds known for excessive broodiness so that I can utilize them for multiple hatchings in a year.

Yes, one approach is to keep a very broody breed, in numbers, so that they will more than likely be ready for duty at breeding season. Unfortunately, I think they would have to be separate from the main flock. I do like the one flock concept. Since my flock has matured and is under good leadership, I have not had a successful hawk attack in over a year, except when I had a brood of chicks (by mail) on pasture by themselves. Also, I am hoping that a pattern of behavior may emerge. It will take time, but if you know your chickens hopefully I can isolate the breeders to correlate with the broody hens. Thanks, I am going to take a look at the Cochins.

I know this can be done. In the Robinson book, they had pictures of broody hens, that the farmers were using. The poor hen was tethered to the shelter. I don't plan on doing that.

 

[brahmabreeder]

On another note, I asked a seasoned exhibitor/breeder what they thought of my chances of working with my NNs and after a day, they responded with the picture below and said if I were to seek the Rosette for uggliest bird in show, why not go all out.

Not very comforting.

Ew. I guess it wouldn't require plucking

.

 

[gjensen]

Thank you so much for your answer. That's about what I was thinking, as well. Not that I'm ready to take on a project, yet...I'm not. This is only my second year with chickens and right now I'm still learning how to care for them and keep them healthy.

Again, thank you for answering.

You have a very level headed view of this. It takes some time to sort through it all, and even learn what you like or want to do. Chickens are enjoyable, regardless where they fit in.