Heritage Large Fowl - Phase II

[filumene]

Is anyone out there looking for a particular Heritage Large Fowl breed?
Need a reference for a quality strain? Need Help making a decision on
which HLF to get? Thinking about strain-crossing your HLF and need advice?
This thread is here to help. It is its purpose. Ask away!
Best,
Karen

This is what I have been stuck on for awhile now. Couple things it needs to be good at...egg laying and surviving Michigan winters. I have been really considering the New Hampshire's(German line), but am also interested in Andalusian's, Barred Rocks, or those dark RIR's. I have plenty of spacious coops just sitting and waiting. Any other suggestions? I would also rather them not be to flighty.

 

[ronniewayne]

I can hardly wait! I can't bring myself to do the actual killing, but I'm the bravest about the rest of it, so I forgive myself that weakness.

I'm going to try to post some photos of my trio soon. That way I'll have a good record of where I'm starting. I'm branding the silhouette of the SOP for the breed into my brain ... the whole SOP thing is a foreign language to me.

when i process i just hire a high school kid to do the catching and killing for me. i use cones and have them cut the juglar veins without cutting the windpipe to allow the heart to keep beating so it will pump all the blood out. sorry if this is off topic but i really think processing is part of heratige birds.

 

[BGMatt]

This is what I have been stuck on for awhile now. Couple things it needs to be good at...egg laying and surviving Michigan winters. I have been really considering the New Hampshire's(German line), but am also interested in Andalusian's, Barred Rocks, or those dark RIR's. I have plenty of spacious coops just sitting and waiting. Any other suggestions? I would also rather them not be to flighty.

Is meat a consideration? If just eggs is the goal Rose Comb Ancona, Hamburgs or RC Leghorns would work well. If a dual purpose fowl is sought, RC Rhode Island Reds, Dorkings, Buckeyes, Wyandottes, Chanteclers would all work well.

I'm usually the first to say climate doesn't really matter, but Rose, Pea, or Cushion Comb breeds produce wonderfully and in some of those breeds are really scarce so they could use some champions. And the combs are less prone to issues then Single Combs.

 

[3riverschick]

I can hardly wait! I can't bring myself to do the actual killing, but I'm the bravest about the rest of it, so I forgive myself that weakness.
I'm going to try to post some photos of my trio soon. That way I'll have a good record of where I'm starting. I'm branding the silhouette \of the SOP for the breed into my brain ... the whole SOP thing is a foreign language to me.

Here's what I did with the SOP with my Light Sussex, Leslie. I got a
copy of the APA SOP. Then looked up the Standard for Light Sussex
variety in particular and the Sussex breed in general. Then I made
a list of questions of each phrase in order, from beginning to end. After each
phrase I asked, "Why?". Then I went asking until I found the answer.
After I was all done, I reread the Standard. It made so much sense.
Now I not only knew the "What" of the variety and breed, I also
knew the "Why?". Here's where it was listed on the SOP Large Fowl
thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/732985/csu-chicken-state-university-large-fowl-sop/1090 , Post 1093 of 2090. Also note the wonderful annotated response to my questions by Dragonlady in Post 1097.
(Only typo in Post 1093: "Standard weight for hen: 6 lbs". Should read 7 lbs. The Broomhead info should read 6 lbs.)
Best Regards,
Karen
I think this is relevant to this thread because when the SOP
seems mysterious, it can deter folk from wanting HLF.

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

Here's what I did with the SOP with my Light Sussex, Leslie. I got a
copy of the APA SOP. Then looked up the Standard for Light Sussex
variety in particular and the Sussex breed in general.  Then I made
a list of questions of each phrase  in order, from beginning to end. After each
phrase I asked, "Why?". Then I went asking until I found the answer.
After  I was all done, I  reread the Standard. It made so much sense.
Now I not only knew the "What" of the variety and breed, I also
knew the "Why?".  Here's where it was listed on the SOP Large Fowl
thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/732985/csu-chicken-state-university-large-fowl-sop/1090 , Post 1093 of 2090. Also note the wonderful annotated response to my questions by Dragonlady in Post 1097.
 (Only typo in Post 1093: "Standard weight for hen: 6 lbs".  Should read 7 lbs. The Broomhead info should read 6 lbs.)
 Best Regards,
 Karen
 I think this is relevant to this thread because  when the SOP
seems mysterious, it can deter folk from wanting HLF.

Cool strategy! I am ordering myself a copy of the SOP and will try to slog through it as you suggest. It is nice to have a plan.

From what I understand, discussing the SOP is an integral part of this thread.

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

Is meat a consideration?  If just eggs is the goal Rose Comb Ancona, Hamburgs or RC Leghorns would work well.  If a dual purpose fowl is sought, RC Rhode Island Reds, Dorkings, Buckeyes, Wyandottes, Chanteclers would all work well.

I'm usually the first to say climate doesn't really matter, but Rose, Pea, or Cushion Comb breeds produce wonderfully and in some of those breeds are really scarce so they could use some champions.  And the combs are less prone to issues then Single Combs.

Buckeyes were a close second when I was researching different breeds. Big pretty birds, and the development of the breed was credited to a woman ... pretty neat.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Again, the first 40 pages? Absolutely worth the price. Yeah, sure the individual breed specific stuff is necessary, but without the first unit? It would be tedious, and limited to those who wish to know the minutia of their breed.

I take a HUGE risk in putting in type the following. And yes, I check the finer breed specific minutia to refresh my memory when talking trash with others, BUT...

The Rock SOP is in my BRAIN. It was put there when I was a kid doing chicken chores and refreshes each time I see a good Rock. It is a kind of inner compass, a matrix through which observation of birds is filtered. I already know what Rock looks like. That "perfect" Rock bird. Of course, there is no perfect bird. But in my inner Big Screen visual project screen? There's a Rock. I don't need to open my SOP and read minutia to judge the birds or make my matchup or do my culls.

OK, I'll descend to my bomb shelter now.

 

[Fred's Hens]

This is what I have been stuck on for awhile now. Couple things it needs to be good at...egg laying and surviving Michigan winters. I have been really considering the New Hampshire's(German line), but am also interested in Andalusian's, Barred Rocks, or those dark RIR's. I have plenty of spacious coops just sitting and waiting. Any other suggestions? I would also rather them not be to flighty.

Don't know where you are in the Mitten, but we're Up North. Have Rocks and Reds, and willing to help as we can.

 

[Lacy Blues]

Fred, all I can say is that you are a very brave man!

 

[Fred's Hens]

You ask anybody who addicted to a breed. Did Bob Blosl debate the minutia of the SOP for Rhode Island Red on his Red's thread? No way. Never heard him even refer to it. He knew what he knew and he really knew it. It was zen, not minutia. Gosh this is hard to describe.

I am a enormous supporter of the SOP, dues paying member of the APA and do not want my remarks misunderstood, but you know that silhouette thingy? It's gotta get in your brain, your inner eye. Top line, head, back, tail, front breast, legs, tail, the whole enchilada. This isn't to put down the SOP or neglect the SOP breed specific details, but to form them in a way that is inner and meaningful.

It took me two years of listening to Bob and silently following along to get that Red stuff into my mind. It was, and still is, hard work, but it's coming along. I'm hoping for a half way decent Red matrix to work with mentally.

And no. I know almost NOTHING about many, many of the other breeds. Don't know a Marans from a BSL. God's truth.