Heritage Large Fowl - Phase II

[MagicChicken]

Quote:
Nice! What is their lineage?

 

[ronott1]

Quote:

The best heritage breed, and ultimate homesteading fowl.

I am thinking so too!

Nice! What is their lineage?

This should help!

Originally Posted by PetRock

Meet my new 10 month old LF black Langshan trio that I purchased from Sherry Parker! I'm so excited to add them to my breeding program! They have wonderful tail spreads and a gorgeous beetle green sheen to their feathers! Sherry got her stock from Joe Oakley and from James Smith who is the AZ breeder that I wanted birds from!

 

[gjensen]

I share your admiration for the color. I think the key to it's lack of popularity is I have had many old timers tell me it's the hardest color to breed. I am too new to my project to assess this, but if it is truly a difficult color to breed for then that would explain a lot. It does sun bleach very easily and if you range your birds at all, or just give them a good dosage of natural light they will fade quickly and not be quite as attractive, I found this even in what I thought was a shady pen, the winter sun coming through the south wire faded my youngsters.

It could also fall in a no man's land gap. The show folks don't breed it as much because it's difficult and even the experts seem to slightly disagree on what shade is given preference and the interpretation of the buff color. So they tend to gravitate towards black or white birds, which tend to win more. The commercial industry has no need for color so why would they breed buff?

Just thinking out loud

I think the reputation for difficult, but it does not seam to stop them with the Orpingtons. Dragon Ladies Orpingtons are nice to look at in a picture but even nicer in person.

Do you think that Buff would be more difficult than the light or dark brown in Leghorns?

I think part of it is the no mans land to. Buff was not the original color for the other breeds we mentioned. Come to think of it, the Buff Minorcas were never as big or the Buffs with the Rocks. Guess they did not compete well with the original colors.

I do not know. Just speculating. I am going to try and learn the color. Try my hand at it. These Catalanas of mine are going to be a challenge. There is no glory in this project.

I would like to see a picture of your Buffs.

 

[gjensen]

The best heritage breed, and ultimate homesteading fowl.

Of course. LOL.

 

[gjensen]

@PetRock Picked up some special ones at the Stockton Show

Langshans!

They are good looking birds.

 

[BGMatt]

I think the reputation for difficult, but it does not seam to stop them with the Orpingtons. Dragon Ladies Orpingtons are nice to look at in a picture but even nicer in person.

Do you think that Buff would be more difficult than the light or dark brown in Leghorns?

I think part of it is the no mans land to. Buff was not the original color for the other breeds we mentioned. Come to think of it, the Buff Minorcas were never as big or the Buffs with the Rocks. Guess they did not compete well with the original colors.

I do not know. Just speculating. I am going to try and learn the color. Try my hand at it. These Catalanas of mine are going to be a challenge. There is no glory in this project.

I would like to see a picture of your Buffs.

I think Light Brown and Dark Brown are so refined they'd be easier, the most difficult aspects being keeping shafting out of the females and type. Buff seems to me, since it's a dilution of a color and has so many factors that go into it, that it might be more difficult to constantly reproduce year after year, and have a lot of variance potential. Almost like Blue in that way.

I don't have any current photos, but will try and take some this weekend maybe, my oldest aren't even at point of lay, and I'm hatching off a bunch of eggs from another breeder to add to my line right now. Which is why I don't know how difficult or not difficult Buff will be, just parroting what I've heard others say. Even with Orpingtons though at least here in the northwest Blue and Black are far more common than Buff (other than hatchery stock, which I don't count because, well, they aren't real birds! LOL)

 

[gjensen]

I think Light Brown and Dark Brown are so refined they'd be easier, the most difficult aspects being keeping shafting out of the females and type. Buff seems to me, since it's a dilution of a color and has so many factors that go into it, that it might be more difficult to constantly reproduce year after year, and have a lot of variance potential. Almost like Blue in that way.

I don't have any current photos, but will try and take some this weekend maybe, my oldest aren't even at point of lay, and I'm hatching off a bunch of eggs from another breeder to add to my line right now. Which is why I don't know how difficult or not difficult Buff will be, just parroting what I've heard others say. Even with Orpingtons though at least here in the northwest Blue and Black are far more common than Buff (other than hatchery stock, which I don't count because, well, they aren't real birds! LOL)

I have picked up enough on the color to know it is not an easy color, but I think it is a color that can be learned.

Add the black tail, slate legs, and birds that are not fully buff to start with . . . We will see, I guess.

 

[BGMatt]

I have picked up enough on the color to know it is not an easy color, but I think it is a color that can be learned.

Add the black tail, slate legs, and birds that are not fully buff to start with . . . We will see, I guess.

Catalana's are technically a buff columbian pattern aren't they? My standard isn't handy. I think the main thing with buff is paying attention to the undercolor, and not pairing together drastically different shades, from what I've been able to piece together.

 

[Lacy Blues]

Ok, so I'm hoping that my rooster that was acting weird just has worms because I'm starting to get nervous I'll be one rooster short this year

. He now has green-blue poop that is in the runny form or at least I think it is since it's all on his butt feathers. He's now dropping in weight. Not too bad yet but still he should be adding weight at this point. He's losing color in his face, not horribly, but it's starting to go. He's still walking but not a whole ton. I put water in and he came over to drink. Right now he is in my other coop by himself with his own feed and water. He has just been dewormed.

Get some yogurt in him quick! If he shakes his head at it, mix it into his food. If he still won't eat it, put it in his water and stir well. That green-blue poop is a sign that he is not eating but his digestion is working. It is the gall from the gall bladder. The yogurt needs to be plain and unsweetened. Give him anything he will eat... hard boiled egg yolks and grated cheese are good examples. If you don't get and keep him eating, you will lose him.

 

[gjensen]

Catalana's are technically a buff columbian pattern aren't they? My standard isn't handy. I think the main thing with buff is paying attention to the undercolor, and not pairing together drastically different shades, from what I've been able to piece together.

No. They are black tailed buff. Check out the standard for them. Might ask for an extra opinion or two. Especially as you get dug into the color.

Yes. Under color and shade considerations with the pairing.

Have you considered Dan's CD? There is a lot of buff articles, among other things. It is worth it. Especially if you like leghorns or the color buff.