Heritage Large Fowl - Phase II

[gjensen]

Well Karen, I don't need any help deciding on a breed or locating birds. I will have had my Underwood Rhode Island Reds for 6 months next week. I was almost in a panic the other night when I couldn't get into the old thread. I need the information, the experience and all the words of wisdom from the great people on the old thread and hopefully this one too. This is a treasure trove of ideas for everyone, newbie and experienced alike.

There have been numerous debates and discussions that got a little heated. That is always going to happen when a group of people with different ideas come together into a forum like this. Everyone is different but I see everyone here with ONE thing in common. I think it is the core of this group. It is PASSION.

Passion for a certain breed or class, passion for doing things a particular way, passion for for sharing experiences and teaching others.

Passion for preserving HERITAGE POULTRY.

So if you are a lurker like i was / am trying to decide whether or not to go down the heritage road, read everything here, ask some questions.

You won't find a better group find the answers you need. just my humble opinion

Dan


PS thanks BOB and others for giving me the gentle nudge down the middle of the road but mostly thank you for PASSION. it is contagious.

Different Hobbies attract different types. Poultry people are as opinionated as they come. That said, they are also as generous as they come.

Vickie (TheDragonLady) is opinionated and strong willed. BUT, she took a drive today to pick a bird up for a project of mine. I was out of State getting a bunch of medical tests done. I did not ask her to, and found out after she had got back with the bird.

Opinionated, but generous.

 

[gjensen]

This link contains material that is is somewhat dated and to some degree, a bit tedious but it contains static principles that are tried and proven with respect to successful breeding of large fowl. I have read this enough that I practically know certain passages by heart.

Tedium aside....there's something here for everyone....Enjoy.

http://journeytoforever.org/farm_library/ppp/ppp6.html

I even printed that early on. I enjoyed it to. Thank you for bringing it up.

A lot of the old stuff has outdated information, but what makes them little nuggets of gold is the perspective.

I like the old stuff better than new stuff. The new can often be better, but never have the character. I think the early 1900s was the golden years of poultry keeping. Anywhere between 1900-1950 is the age I appreciate the most concerning poultry. We came a long way during that time, and went to far soon after. In my opinion.

 

[BGMatt]

Simply put please :     What is an  " Heritage Large Fowl "

http://www.albc-usa.org/heritagechicken/definition.html

This is the most accepted definition it seems.

 

[MagicChicken]

Quote:
I like that they include "Naturally Mating" in their requirements.

Sarah

 

[gjensen]

I like that they include "Naturally Mating" in their requirements.

Sarah

Yes, that is not anything I want to do for them. LOL.

 

[thedragonlady]

Different Hobbies attract different types. Poultry people are as opinionated as they come. That said, they are also as generous as they come.

Vickie (TheDragonLady) is opinionated and strong willed. BUT, she took a drive today to pick a bird up for a project of mine. I was out of State getting a bunch of medical tests done. I did not ask her to, and found out after she had got back with the bird.

Opinionated, but generous.

Thank you George.

After over 50 years in birds, I still have a passion for breeding good ones. Without my opinions and convictions, I wouldn't have gotten far in this fancy.It is also payback time for me to repay, all those people who helped me along the way.People like Wilbur Stauffer, who took the time to teach me so much, and helped me find good birds. Robert James from Knoxville, who always called me if he spotted a really good one while judging.One time he arrived at my local bus station, with a trio of birds for me, completely unannounced !

If I can use my eye to help someone who is serious about breeding good birds, I get a thrill out of watching what happens next, no matter what the breed is.You picked a hard one to work on George, and I'll be watching !

 

[RedRidge]

 
Question for you breeders because we get all kinds different information online.

How long to separate a Cock from the a hen before test breeding another Cock
?

We hear from 7 days to a month and half . Thats a big spread LOL

What do ya'll do ?

And thanks we are enjoying all the great information. Lurking and learning.

A hen will be fertile from a cock for at least 30 days after breeding due to the collection of sperm in her sperm pockets. If you introduce a new cock before that period is up you will get chicks from the new cock after 4 days, but you can also get chicks from the first cock.

The reason is simple. The second cocks sperm will 'cover' the first cocks. However, the reason you can still get chicks from the first cock has to do with the amount of sperm storied, the activity of the second cock and the strength of one cocks sperm over the other.

If you don't care really then it doesn't matter that much. If you do care then you need to leave her without a cock for 30 days before introducing the second cock.

Yep, I always wait at least 4 weeks. I'm to anal to wonder about it otherwise. ;-)

 

[gjensen]

Thank you George.

After over 50 years in birds, I still have a passion for breeding good ones. Without my opinions and convictions, I wouldn't have gotten far in this fancy.It is also payback time for me to repay, all those people who helped me along the way.People like Wilbur Stauffer, who took the time to teach me so much, and helped me find good birds. Robert James from Knoxville, who always called me if he spotted a really good one while judging.One time he arrived at my local bus station, with a trio of birds for me, completely unannounced !

If I can use my eye to help someone who is serious about breeding good birds, I get a thrill out of watching what happens next, no matter what the breed is.You picked a hard one to work on George, and I'll be watching !

That makes me think of another example of generosity. Last Spring Bridget and I had a conversation about the Catalanas. Then this fall, I get a message that some birds were coming. A couple days later, I had a trio at the Post office.
I sent her some money for the birds and the shipping, but she sent them not expecting anything and before I could get any money out to her. Another example of the generous tendencies that people into poultry have.
These were sent literally across the entire country, and to someone that she never met.

Vickie, I will call you in a bit. Depending on how I am doing, I might send a son and my wife. It is too early to tell right now. Weird stuff this stuff is. I will likely be paying for yesterday.

And I look forward to some thoughts and ideas on these birds. The challenge of it will be half of the fun, and all of the money. LOL.

 

[gjensen]

Yep, I always wait at least 4 weeks. I'm to anal to wonder about it otherwise. ;-)

Yes, looks like the best way to go.

Had a friend tell me in a message after that exchange, that she had eggs candling fertile up to 2 1/2 wks. The paper I read said up to 3wks, and Saladin contributed that if you want to be certain . . . 30 days.

So . . .I will give the girls a three week break and leave the new male in a week before I set any.

I am glad that you brought it back up. In case anyone was mislead by lesser advice.

 

[RedRidge]

Yep, I always wait at least 4 weeks. I'm to anal to wonder about it otherwise. ;-)

 Yes, looks like the best way to go. 

 Had a friend tell me in a message after that exchange, that she had eggs candling fertile up to 2 1/2 wks. The paper I read said up to 3wks, and Saladin contributed that if you want to be certain . . . 30 days. 

 So . . .I will give the girls a three week break and leave the new male in a week before I set any. 

 I am glad that you brought it back up. In case anyone was mislead by lesser advice. 

Well I'm so anal about my lines that I just build more breeding pens and use only one male in each pen for the season. The only time that would be a problem is if something happened to one of my main roos and I had to bring in a backup.