Heritage Large Fowl - Phase II

[bnjrob]

I read they aren't great layers?

Javas are dual purpose birds, so they aren't going to be egg laying machines that lay every day, all year long, no matter what. But like any breed, if production is kept in mind when breeding instead of only trying to make a pretty colored chicken, they can lay quite well.

 

[bnjrob]

Thank you all! The Barred Plymouths are gorgeous, I've done some reading on Buckeyes and like them, not familiar with Javas, but I'll do research!

Javas were used as foundation birds to make some other breeds - like Plymouth Rocks and Jersey Giants. They have a lot of history, whose origins have been a source of contention since the 1800s. Ours are hardy in all weather, even in open air pens. Foraging fools. Ours go broody a LOT, more than I want actually. Some lay better than others but I'd say that every other day is probably the average of all of them together. Just butchered some 5 month old cockerels recently that dressed out between 3 and 4 lbs and they were the smaller ones in their hatch. Javas are the only breed we have and we couldn't be happier with them.

 

[YardBirdMom]

Javas were used as foundation birds to make some other breeds - like Plymouth Rocks and Jersey Giants. They have a lot of history, whose origins have been a source of contention since the 1800s. Ours are hardy in all weather, even in open air pens. Foraging fools. Ours go broody a LOT, more than I want actually. Some lay better than others but I'd say that every other day is probably the average of all of them together. Just butchered some 5 month old cockerels recently that dressed out between 3 and 4 lbs and they were the smaller ones in their hatch. Javas are the only breed we have and we couldn't be happier with them.

In the event I decided to choose this breed, what part of Northern Texas are you near? How do they get along with people?

 

[subhanalah]

In the event I decided to choose this breed, what part of Northern Texas are you near?  How do they get along with people?

this is so exciting!

 

[bnjrob]

In the event I decided to choose this breed, what part of Northern Texas are you near? How do they get along with people?

We are outside of Dallas on the east side, so we get a lot of your same extremes in weather - hot & humid 9-10 months out of the year and can go from 16 degrees during the night up to 85 degrees the following afternoon during winter.

Fine with people. Have had a couple snarky roosters - they tasted good. But the majority of males we've had are either very respectful of people, or they don't really care about people as long as they don't feel like they or their hens are being threatened. We can handle ours, and we do periodically handle each one to check for problems as well as when they are growing to help decide who we'll be keeping for breeding. Some are like the cats and dogs - in the way and crowding around when we get near them - others are more standoffish. We train ours with scratch so that we can get them to do what we want - they don't just get scratch routinely. Really depends on how much time is spent with them. As long as we are in an enclosed space like a coop or run, we can catch and handle any of them. Other people report that their Javas are "very friendly" - those are usually the people that take a lot more time with their chickens and treat them more as pets than what we do. Here and there I hear of someone having a snarky rooster but not like it's a disease of horribly aggressive roosters running throughout the breed as a whole.

 

[bnjrob]

this is so exciting!

LOL

 

[MagicChicken]

Quote:

Quote:
Some of my black java pullets lay 5-6 eggs/week. Most of the hens are laying every other day. I have had a few individual birds who did not lay well, which was aggravating because those particular birds had physical traits I really wanted to keep in the line. On the average I get an egg every other day from each bird.

The javas have done well in the heat - it routinely gets to 107-112 degrees F at my place in the summer and the birds are fine as long as they have shade, water, and a patch of damp dirt to hunker down in. It has only gotten down to the low 20's here since I have had these birds, so I have no experience with extended cold spells, but my original birds came from Duane Urch in Minnesota so I expect they handle cold just fine.

My javas are neither friendly nor flighty. They are comfortable around people as long as the people are calm and doing "normal" things. They come running for food when I call them, unless they are preoccupied and not interested. I can pick most of them up with minimal fuss. But the birds will squawk and scatter if something doesn't seem right. Which is a good thing. They are very predator-aware. All of my older birds survived a recent dog attack by scattering into the neighbor's yard while the dogs killed seven of the youngest birds who hadn't learned to pay attention to their elders.

I've had a couple of aggressive roosters. They make great stew.

Very pleased with my javas, overall.

 

[YardBirdMom]

this is so exciting!

You are so funny!

We are outside of Dallas on the east side, so we get a lot of your same extremes in weather - hot & humid 9-10 months out of the year and can go from 16 degrees during the night up to 85 degrees the following afternoon during winter.

Fine with people. Have had a couple snarky roosters - they tasted good. But the majority of males we've had are either very respectful of people, or they don't really care about people as long as they don't feel like they or their hens are being threatened. We can handle ours, and we do periodically handle each one to check for problems as well as when they are growing to help decide who we'll be keeping for breeding. Some are like the cats and dogs - in the way and crowding around when we get near them - others are more standoffish. We train ours with scratch so that we can get them to do what we want - they don't just get scratch routinely. Really depends on how much time is spent with them. As long as we are in an enclosed space like a coop or run, we can catch and handle any of them. Other people report that their Javas are "very friendly" - those are usually the people that take a lot more time with their chickens and treat them more as pets than what we do. Here and there I hear of someone having a snarky rooster but not like it's a disease of horribly aggressive roosters running throughout the breed as a whole.

Thank you for the information! This is my first 'rodeo' with chickens, but feel that when the ones I currently have (the sex-links) have came and gone, because they will, then I would like to consider a breed that I could keep as the staple bird. I like the idea of heritage birds because I am a pedigree snob when it comes to registered American Quarter Horses and could see I would enjoy the correctness of a heritage species.

BUT, I am in love with my hatchery Light Brahmas and Buff Rocks and refuse to think they are not valuable to me regardless if they can live up to a breed standard or not.

Anyway, thanks for the information, I appreciate it and in the event I did like Java's. You are within driving distance!

 

[3riverschick]

Well, if you want to show your birds, then pick a popular APA heritage breed. Ask around of
the judges which of these heritage large fowl breeds they saw of good quality in OK. Its easiest
if you buy from a winning strain. What are the 3 biggest poultry shows in OK?
http://www.poultryshowcentral.com/Oklahoma.html Check the online
show results for the last three years and look for breeders who have won in Champions Row.
Look for a simple color to breed. A breed without extremes. One which you can buy in your own
planting zone so you don't have to wait while the birds acclimatize.
http://www.poultryshowcentral.com/Breeder_Directory.html
Best,
Karen

 

[Lacy Blues]

You are so funny!


Thank you for the information! This is my first 'rodeo' with chickens, but feel that when the ones I currently have (the sex-links) have came and gone, because they will, then I would like to consider a breed that I could keep as the staple bird. I like the idea of heritage birds because I am a pedigree snob when it comes to registered American Quarter Horses and could see I would enjoy the correctness of a heritage species.

BUT, I am in love with my hatchery Light Brahmas and Buff Rocks and refuse to think they are not valuable to me regardless if they can live up to a breed standard or not.

Anyway, thanks for the information, I appreciate it and in the event I did like Java's. You are within driving distance!

Nothing at all wrong with having several breeds for eye candy and delightful personalities to boot. Just remember, when it comes to breeding, whatever you decide on, keep it pure or your heritage flock will be just another motley crew of birds in your back yard.

If if you really like buff rocks, there's a guy in the hot west that has some beauties! I can't think what state he's in right now but perhaps I can find his info for you.

Oops... right guy, wrong breed. He has buff leghorns! Stunning birds! But... I believe there is someone in Texas (?) that got some buff rocks from Tom Roebuck this past year and boy are they nice! Hopefully that person still gets on here and will see this and help you out if that's the way you want to go.

Oops... wrong again. It is cbnovick and they live in Scottsdale, AZ so quite hot there and the birds are the ones I mentioned. If you look up that user name, you can find them... again... if it's what you decide to do. Just trying to help.