Heritage Large Fowl - Phase II

[gjensen]

I had stubs show up in my birds several years ago. What I did was pluck them all and mark the birds. I gave them a few weeks and checked again. The ones that had grown them back got a one way ticket to the freezer. The ones that did not grow back were used.

I haven't seen stubs since then. I haven't checked super close though so maybe its time to do an inspection.

I am no expert on the subject, but I know that genetically there is more than one type. There seams to be a simple recessive, dominant, and a compilation in some. I have found it in literature, but I have no practical experience with it. I have only dealt with it in one strain.

I did find a few on the shanks in the Catalanas last year. Not enough to get worked up over, and I culled the few I saw. They were also from a single pairing, which I chose not to use again. I also did not keep any of their offspring.

 

[Arielle]

FOr what it is worth . . . .

Since jumping into chickens a few years ago now, I have noticed that a number of people here on BYC have made the move from hatchery stock to good birds, too. Bob helped me to see the value of "good birds" and I hope we as a group and as individuals will continue to help others see the difference. I started to understand what Bob meant when I could see good chicks out growing the hatchery bred stock. ANd when I bought a couple extra roosters off someone, these boys out grew my older boys! As I looked at these birds, I remembered Bob's opinions and started putting 2 and 2 together . . . . . . changing to good quality stock is a process and having a few good birds for comparison is a great learning tool to understand the value of the good stock.

 

[hellbender]

FOr what it is worth . . . .

Since jumping into chickens a few years ago now, I have noticed that a number of people here on BYC have made the move from hatchery stock to good birds, too. Bob helped me to see the value of "good birds" and I hope we as a group and as individuals will continue to help others see the difference. I started to understand what Bob meant when I could see good chicks out growing the hatchery bred stock. ANd when I bought a couple extra roosters off someone, these boys out grew my older boys! As I looked at these birds, I remembered Bob's opinions and started putting 2 and 2 together . . . . . . changing to good quality stock is a process and having a few good birds for comparison is a great learning tool to understand the value of the good stock.

This is a very interesting observation, one I'm yet to witness. Our 'production' NNs are quite large, in fact considerably larger than is called for in the standard. Not quite sure how I will deal with that when we do get our SOP breeding program up and running. I have some 'components' of our program lined out and awaiting delivery or pick-up but even these birds are larger than SOP standard requirement. seems a bit disconcerting.

I had thought that Jason might be having some ideas of using the Austra-Whites in the SOP program but he assures me that he simply wants them to serve the same purpose as did the Australorps.

In any event, Our SOP Naked Necks, even in the formative stages are going to be quite large.


EDIT: I'm certain it would be far easier to simply chose another breed that we both enjoy seeing, like Buff Orps. We would likely have success showing birds that someone else slaved over but it couldn't be too gratifying.

 

[BGMatt]

Sharing some pictures of the oldest batch of chicks. Between 6-7 weeks of age. Buff Leghorns and of course the one Blue Langshan (btw in the last picture that bottle is 12" tall, for a sense of scale)

 

[pigsflyacres]

Its taken me many days to read thru this thread. I've found it to be very educational. I've learned a lot.

Years ago, I had a good trio of Red Dorkings. I just couldn't get my project off the ground. I didn't build the right infrastructure for what I needed to do and I didn't have a good grasp of what it would take. I have no history with chickens prior to that. I just decided I wanted chickens tried a few and then decided that Dorkings would fit my climate well. And I liked them. Once I got them I liked them even better!

So now, years later better educated with better infrastructure, I'm starting again.

I have Red Dorking chicks coming in May from Dick Horstman and hatching eggs from a small breeder that should arrive tomorrow. I'm going to have my work cut out for me to get where I want to be. I'm sure these birds will not match up to the trio that I had years ago. They were a very good trio from a very good breeder. I'm going to have to get a copy of the SOP. I had one, its just been shuffled and misplaced or given away. For all I know it went to half price books! Things have a way of disappearing here.

At some point when I start evaluating my chicks I'm going to need help. I would be nice to have a mentor close by, but I don't know if that is possible. I'm certainly not going to find some one well versed in the ins and outs of breeding Dorkings! They seem to be few and far between.

I want a useful bird for my situation. I have a climate that is a challenge and a Dorking should think its back in merry ol' england. My old ones did. My biggest challenge is predators. The only ones I don't have are snakes and other peoples dogs. The worst are the weasels and coy-dogs. I actually like when a cougar is passing thru, everything else clears out. Electric fencing is my friend. My dog is no help. He decided it was wiser to be wary of the elk and coy dogs and be friends with the coyotes. I've threatened to get a guard donkey a few times, but I just have too much water in my soil for any equine to thrive and the cougar would just see it as a tasty morsel.

Right now I have Legbars in my brooder. A friend gave me eggs to hatch and I like those blue eggs. They are a project purely for my amusement. I can do what I want with them. They seem to lack vigor. Something that I see often in imported birds in the early years. Too much emphasis on keeping every bird.
Jennifer

 

[gjensen]

Hopefully Yellow House Farm will see your post. He is the resident Dorking expert, and could help a lot.

 

[gjensen]

Matt, that little Langshan has some legs under him. I do not know a lot about the breed, but hopefully I will learn a little along the way.

Now, I really like to see those little Leghorns. How are they growing out? I am interested in seeing how some of those turn out.

 

[hellbender]

Sharing some pictures of the oldest batch of chicks. Between 6-7 weeks of age. Buff Leghorns and of course the one Blue Langshan (btw in the last picture that bottle is 12" tall, for a sense of scale)

Really nice birds, BGMatt! How is the laying potential of the Buff Leghorns?

 

[BGMatt]

Matt, that little Langshan has some legs under him. I do not know a lot about the breed, but hopefully I will learn a little along the way.

Now, I really like to see those little Leghorns. How are they growing out? I am interested in seeing how some of those turn out.

He's a big boy for sure. I'm super pleased with the size he's showing, and has been huge since he hatched. I don't have any others hatched due to waiting on eggs, lack of fertility etc to compare him too, but can already tell due to leg diameter and proportions he will be solidly built, already looks to have a nice sturdy head too. I always feel stupid saying it, but he has an attitude that will lend itself well to the show ring too, you can always pick out the birds that will show well in the brooder. I've heard similar things from breeders in other species too.

Really nice birds, BGMatt! How is the laying potential of the Buff Leghorns?

They are excellent layers in my opinion. These are from a local gentleman that I'm adding as a second bloodline, and so even though I do not have adults from this line I do have some knowledge about the productivity of the line. Out of ~30 adults he is averaged 26-28 eggs daily. Non-lighted, so that means most of them are averaging 6 eggs a week and some are laying 7 a week. During the winter the hens took time off, but the pullets still delivered a few dozen a week even not lighted which makes me think that they would respond even better to lighting. I will be keeping close tabs on point of lay and lay rate on them. If I had a complaint about what I have seen from this line is being non-commercial birds, and of course being Buff having had other breeds introduced in the past they tend to lay a slightly tinted egg rather than the pure chalk white that some Leghorns do. Of course since I could care less about egg color, that is a very minor complaint.

I can't judge my other line because their growth rate was severely retarded via a late hatch and a non-lighted, cold harsh outdoor winter. They're likely about 2 months behind where they should be and are only now approaching point of lay despite being a July hatch. Their handling qualities indicate they should be great producers once they do start.

 

[birdlady79]

. Is this the correct book for standards?