Heritage Large Fowl - Phase II

[Apdeb]

Michael Darre --- i emailed him and he replied to me!!! Im finishing my coop as we speak
Going to put 7w led right in center on a timer

 

[Arielle]

Michael Darre --- i emailed him and he replied to me!!! Im finishing my coop as we speak
Going to put 7w led right in center on a timer

That is not a lot of light.

Is there a solar equivalent???

 

[bluebirdnanny]

Dear Bob,
This was a sad morning for both me and my wife when we learned of your passing.  I wish I could have known you better than the few PM's and your posts on BYC and your webpage.  I was looking forward to picking your brain and learning even more from you.  Even though we don't have any H birds yet, the list of questions was growing.  Others on here have knowledge they're willing to share and will hopefully follow your lead with your enthusiasm and continue the tradition of helping others get into H fowl.  I had a quick conversation with Marvin Stuckel last night and he said the White Rocks will be available in mid-November.  I think it's so cool that even though your not phisically with us, some of us are still getting good chickens because of your direct involvement.

Thank you so much for helping me find good White Rocks to get me started and thouroughly answering what few questions I had a chance to ask.  I would like to think that even without you, I would have had the sense to ditch the hatchery, but your enthusiasm for chickens and consistency on BYC got me there quicker lit a fire that I hope burns for a long-long time.

RIP,
Coley

Wow! My sentiments exactly except for the desired breed. I could have said the same but I'm not that eloquent of speech!!

All the more reason to keep moving in the direction of producing our own meats,  dairy etc. SOme day I hope to have a sustainable meat resource  that is also fed off our land, without much commercial feed. 

Agreed and no one would care if they didn't get "Food Stamps". Sad that the places they put people doesn't allow even gardening. I'm facing a cut in mine... but live in my own property and instead of buying food in stores I purchase food producing seeds. That is how to be responsible with what you have. I am doing SOMETHING to help myself... growing food and raising meat eggs etc for myself and extras go to the food pantry. Give a person a fish...they eat one meal... teach them how or give them seeds AND someplace to plant and they CAN eat longer and healthier.

Back to the heritage animal and plants. Forces one to get up and do something. Even those like me with multiple chronic illness and mobility difficulties stay fighting for mobility and don't give up on life. If I could not garden or raise animals I think I would wilt away. The chickens force me to get up, get dressed, get fresh air every single day. And while I am out I hang on to tree limbs, branches, sapling trunks, etc to take a walk in my woods. Even in winter I need it and so do my chickens but they don't go as far from the coop.

Uh sorry for the rant. Think I better go have some home made apple cider pressed on neighbors 100+ year old mill from my trees. This was a feast year for apples.

 

[bnjrob]

Yes.

I think it's more important to be "not dark" than light, per se. But if it's really really dark there in the daytime, a light on in the coop/brooder at all times might help.

I saw a difference in one generation.

Great to know! Another tip to add to the file and try to get these combs smaller.

 

[ronott1]

8 hours a day...this is just a guess. Artificial light will probably work, but I would try to have natural light if possible. I'm in Cali, so we get more natural sunlight than other places. I have only had problems with large combs when I have kept birds prone to brassiness in places where they did not get direct sunlight.

Walt

Will the comb become smaller with more light?

I am seeing the comb size difference. I think it makes the comb floppy too. I have some growing out in the Garage and have notice that the ones with more light have smaller combs.

 

[3riverschick]

Hi,
I am not up to date on this thread. However, I've read I the old books
that f you raise your rooster in confinement, they will grow a larger comb.
Best,
Karen

 

[3riverschick]

I didn't state the idea clearly-- the offspring are not as expected.

I think he was trying to explain that the genetics are just fine, the new environment is differnet from the original, so continue with the selection protocol and each generations will be better addapted to the new location.

No one remembers this????

I remember it. It was hundreds of pages back. We were discussing birds being
shipped north and south and how it affected them. This was one small bit of the conversation.
Best,
Karen

 

[Arielle]

Hi,
I am not up to date on this thread. However, I've read I the old books
that f you raise your rooster in confinement, they will grow a larger comb.
Best,
Karen

Thanks Karen. I'm beginning to see why the ENglish breeds, like the sussex are hatched in the spring. Do you know if the chicks were brooded by the hens historically, or artifically?? My SS have never gone broody. For egg production I really like that; for chick production not so much.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: We need an index!! lol

 

[bluebirdnanny]

I actually do that with both Bob Gilbert and Chris McCary for my Buckeyes. It has worked particularly well. And in some cases, shortened dealing with some issues. Bob focuses hard on one thing, I work on another, Chris on a third, and then we do a round robin every three years or so and we all benefit. Because we're all working with similar lines (with previous crosses from each other in it), the results are quite nice. 

I like that a lot. Plus, it means if something catastrophic happens to one of us (predators or storms or something) we could get replacements and not have to start over from scratch.

Ah I like this. Perhaps then this is the type of thing... assuming I am successful in this....that I could arrange with Fred. I will be getting my RIR Heritage from his this next June! I like collaboration like this. Fred??? Plausible scenario to you??