Heritage Large Fowl - Phase II

[thedragonlady]

Looks like they were right TDL! I just saw a headline on Yahoo News that shows another polar vortex coming on down and they said it would be the coldest of the season!

That's pretty cool about your Punxatawney Orpingtons you've got there.

Lol ! Sorry they are right ! I had a crew here today cutting out 200 feet of dead bamboo out of my huge stand. Lots of dead in that windbreak. The birds were not fazed by the chain saws, as soon as they saw me. The crew asked why all my girls were wearing "coats". Not wearing "coats", but hen aprons. I was asked if it was going to get cold. YUP. How do I know? The birds told me so.Then I explained about hen aprons.

Then the crows lit in the big hackberry tree in the front yard, and talked to me, again unfazed by the saws going. Blew the country boys minds, when the crows came down to feed.The guys love coming here to see all their favorite witch's critters.

The bonus is that there ain't nobody creeping around here at night !

 

[hellbender]

Lol ! Sorry they are right ! I had a crew here today cutting out 200 feet of dead bamboo out of my huge stand. Lots of dead in that windbreak. The birds were not fazed by the chain saws, as soon as they saw me. The crew asked why all my girls were wearing "coats". Not wearing "coats", but hen aprons. I was asked if it was going to get cold. YUP. How do I know? The birds told me so.Then I explained about hen aprons.

Then the crows lit in the big hackberry tree in the front yard, and talked to me, again unfazed by the saws going. Blew the country boys minds, when the crows came down to feed.The guys love coming here to see all their favorite witch's critters.

The bonus is that there ain't nobody creeping around here at night !

You need a 'specialist' to make sure the perimeters are secure...

 

[thedragonlady]

You need a 'specialist' to make sure the perimeters are secure...

Great minds ........

 

[NYREDS]

Great minds ........

I'm sniper rated-how well do you pay?

 

[NYREDS]

Okay, all done, How's she look?

The sorriest looking thing I ever saw was my friend Weasel the morning after his 21st birthday. This is the second sorriest.

 

[thedragonlady]

I'm sniper rated-how well do you pay?

So am I, and I have retired command SGM husband, who is lethal. A good dog will give you warning though, and stop all but the really serious, hopefully in time to wake you up ! Gotta get my beauty sleep.

 

[gjensen]

I used to come on here to see good looking birds, and now I have seen that ugly one a half dozen times. LOL.. Gotta love that quote feature.

Ron, I promise that you are not short on personality. First the demented rabbit avatar, your favorite breed of chicken is the naked neck, and now you have a Caucasian Ovcharka for kicks and giggles.

Have a question. I am new to slate legs. Can they fade some over time? Has anyone bred a breed with slate legs that were not already good? I have a wide range in my flock, with only a couple with really good slate legs. I was going over some today, and I swear some have faded some.

One of my hang ups, is the birds that I produce with good slate legs, also have too much black. And the other way around. I have a single pullet that has good slate legs and decent body color.

 

[Zanna]

One of my hang ups, is the birds that I produce with good slate legs, also have too much black. And the other way around. I have a single pullet that has good slate legs and decent body color.

I have not seen the slate legs on my BCM fade. Keeping in mind that in over 5 years of breeding and massive culling with this breed my oldest hen is 4 this year and my oldest Cock whom I lost recently was also 4 this year. The others are 2 years old or younger. Two years ago I closed my flock so almost all are of my breeding. In a few more years I should be able to give a more definitive answer

 

[hellbender]

I used to come on here to see good looking birds, and now I have seen that ugly one a half dozen times. LOL.. Gotta love that quote feature.

Ron, I promise that you are not short on personality. First the demented rabbit avatar, your favorite breed of chicken is the naked neck, and now you have a Caucasian Ovcharka for kicks and giggles.

Have a question. I am new to slate legs. Can they fade some over time? Has anyone bred a breed with slate legs that were not already good? I have a wide range in my flock, with only a couple with really good slate legs. I was going over some today, and I swear some have faded some.

One of my hang ups, is the birds that I produce with good slate legs, also have too much black. And the other way around. I have a single pullet that has good slate legs and decent body color.

I suppose you are addressing the slate colored leg question to me and to be absolutely honest...I have always bred for production and really never paid enough attention to the color of legs to give you an intelligent answer. I did watch the color of the australorp's feet for years but never noticed any serious changes in leg color.

As for the dog...'kicks and giggles' may have been just a bit of frivolity. I'm getting her for serious man-stopping protection of my property. I intend to breed her at some point and keep as many as 4 or 5 of her offspring.

West Virginia, being almost Heaven is a likely destination for those who might not have properly prepared for a socio-economic collapse. We are forward-looking people.

EDIT: Do I detect a note or hint of disdain for my wonderful Naked Necks?

SECOND EDIT: How 'bout this for an avatar?

 

[gjensen]

I have not seen the slate legs on my BCM fade. Keeping in mind that in over 5 years of breeding and massive culling with this breed my oldest hen is 4 this year and my oldest Cock whom I lost recently was also 4 this year. The others are 2 years old or younger. Two years ago I closed my flock so almost all are of my breeding. In a few more years I should be able to give a more definitive answer

Not to any degree at all? The ones I am referring to were not especially dark to begin with, but I thought that they were better than they are now. Maybe, I was fooling myself. Impressions are not always accurate. I am saying that I am going to take pictures of this years birds as I move along.

Zanna, it is going to be another twist to figuring these guys out. Logically, I understand it. It is just going to be one of my challenges. Slate legs and BTB is going to be tough for me. It wouldn't be if they were already well marked. I am trying to get them more buff, and have females with well marked tails. Then not have too much black.

I am just rambling, but the point is the darker slate legs is linked to my birds that have too much smut, too much black, and too dark. I am going to be depending an awful lot on a single pullet and male to help me get the color right.