Heritage Large Fowl - Phase II

[Yellow House Farm]

inheritance of the laying ability in fowl. He developed a cataloging system called the "winter test" whereby one could analyze the laying performance of

Hi,
We talk about which breed is right for our soil and microclimates. I am reading
again Oscar Smart's brilliant book and he addresses the subject so thought to share.

A book by the British poultryman Oscar Smart. He died young and was never a well man, but he was a brilliant poultryman. The leading poultry biologist of his time in England. He was respected there the same way we respected Morley Jull here in the States. Mr. Smart was very keen on the one's hens with a view to future mating for better egg laying results. It can be read in his 61 page book , "The Inheritance Of Fecundity in Fowl" , which is available online at:
http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924003164450;view=1up;seq=3 Read the Index first. It is very explanatory.
definition: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Fecundity
Page 44 : The Inheritance of Fecundity in Fowls
when we are considering the soil and climate in respect to the birds we intend for stock, the breed is of far greater importance than is the strain, but when once we have found the best breed for the environment, then it immediately becomes a question of strain. Fowls are divided into breeds, varieties, and strains.
BREEDS are differentiated by structural characters.
VARIETIES are differentiated by colour and in domestic varieties of fowls, I fear, very often by lineage.
STRAINS are differentiated by lineage.
The breed and variety should be selected to suit the conditions under which the birds are to be kept, and it is impossible to exercise too much care in this matter. The following list may be taken as a safe guide :-
Conditions—HEAVY SOIL, DAMP DISTRICT, AND EXPOSED SITUATIONS. Best Breeds to Keep—Rhode Island Reds, Black Leghorns, Plymouth Rocks, Croad Langshans, Buff Orpingtons, White Orpingtons, Faverolles, Partridge Wyandottes, and Black Wyandottes.
Conditions—LIGHT SOIL, AND MILD, DRY DISTRICTS. Best Breeds to Keep—White Leghorns, White Wyandottes, Light Sussex, Silver Campines, Buff Rocks, Anconas, White La Bresse, Black La Bresse, Redcaps, Blue Leghorns, and Blue Andalusians.
Conditions—INTENSIVE HOUSES AND SMALL BACK- YARD RUNS. Best Breeds to Keep—White Leghorns, Black Leghorns, Silver Campines, Anconas, Blue Leghorns, and Blue Andalusians.
In this list we have confined ourselves only to such breeds as are capable of producing highly fecund stock. Now, the importance of breed, so far as egg production is concerned, can best be studied when viewed in relation to its environment. There are some breeds which lay much better in one environment than they do in another. There is a reason for this which may best be explained by two illustrations :—
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My Light Sussex are currently on dirt in a shaded part of the yard. Looks like I should sand the run so it fits them better.

Best Regards,
Karen

This is very cool, and through the reading of it there might be some ideas, but this sort of thing, nowadays, we understand to be strain based making this sort of chart obsolete. Our individual breeding selection over time will dictate this sort of thing.

Now Joseph, I dearly love your posts . but when you make fun of good Buff Orps , the Dragon Lady will come out. I will put my flock up against any other breed,as dual purpose birds.Please do not lump the serious SOP buff breeders with the 'color of the month' Orp chick factories !

Oops...something crossed in the wires. I'm not addressing your run-way models, at all. I'm addressing the Buff "Orpingtons" of hatcheries (or most other "breeds" they offer) that are "buff" but not Orpington. My assertion was that, were people dialed on to type, hatcheries would have to focus on the "Orpington" (or Rock, Red, Anconas, etc....) as opposed to the Buff alone.

Clearer?

PS: Gorilla notwithstanding, how am I going to argue with those pullets?

 

[3riverschick]

This is very cool, and through the reading of it there might be some ideas, but this sort of thing, nowadays, we understand to be strain based making this sort of chart obsolete. Our individual breeding selection over time will dictate this sort of thing.
--
Are you referring to the book as a whole or to the excerpt I posted?
Thanks
Karen

 

[3riverschick]

This top view was taken a coupleof weeks ago and his comb points weren't quite healed yet.

Pic 4-24-14 Well you can't quite see it in this pic however
both sides of Tuxs' hackle actually meet in the center. This
is very much desired in Light Sussex and not often enough seen.

Pic 4-24-14
This is Tux, my best Light Sussex cock. He is going back
to the breeder as promised to continue the strain back there.
Tux has been covering May ( my avatar). May is laying
so I will be able to hatch at least 14 chicks out of her when Tux leaves.
Tux is by Junior ex May. The pedigree reads :
Tux by Junior (he by Senior ex Pullet A) ex May (She by Senior ex pullet B)
So the get from a Tux ex May breeding will be 3x Senior; 1x Pullet A ; 2x Pullet B
Senior was the breeder's premier stud cock and a 3x APA Grand Champion. Deceased last winter.
Tux was hatched mid April 2013. He is pure Walt Boese strain.


Pic 4-24-14

 

[3riverschick]

This is Knight And Day. He is also by Junior ex May. Hatched circa mid April 2013.
He lost he points on his comb to frostbite last winter. He will be staying here to be a stud.
All pics 4-24-14

 

[Yellow House Farm]

The excerpt posted, I haven't looked at the book yet. The qualities in the quote are going to represent strain adaptations.

 

[Yellow House Farm]

So Tux is going but N & D is staying? Tux seems to have the better breast. Do you have females to flesh out N&D's breast?

 

[3riverschick]

So Tux is going but N & D is staying? Tux seems to have the better breast. Do you have females to flesh out N&D's breast?

Yes, I know Tux is the better bird. But I promised Walt I would send him any birds he wanted. And maybe next year I can get some chicks from him from Walt. I do have an outcross hen here from another pure English strain. She is a show placer 1st, 2nd and 3rd.. A bit more petite than I like but nicely balanced and a solid little girl. I think she will help with the breast. She carries some nice flesh on hers. I have pics of her but she us laying now so take that into consideration, please.
Best,
Karen

 

[gjensen]

I've never culled for so-called "behavior". Never have, never will. I've had some aggressive males over the years & often they were some of my most productive breeders. I can recall one Rhode Island Red Bantam who was so aggressive that when I was away all he got to eat was cracked corn thrown through the cage wire. My wife wouldn't open his door. Most every cockerel out of him was the same way. He made at least 10 trips to Champion Row & many of his offspring did as well; for me & people I sold them to.
When I Judge I ask to do the AOSB class because I like handling the big Games. Almost always end up bleeding. I'm suspicious about a Game male that's timid & I know other Judges that feel the same way.
Seriously, how bad can a 5 pound chicken hurt you? I'm a 200 pound with a black belt. I'd feel silly being run off by a chicken.

For me there is no concern with anything hurting me. I am not intimidated by much in the flesh.

For me that bird could have made it to champion road 100 times, and If he was gifted to me, I would still have culled it. It is the point you made in the 6th sentence that would lead me to that decision. I just see no sense in making more of them. I am not speaking of a vigorous cock bird, I am speaking of a man fighter.

 

[3riverschick]

Sweetie the outcross hen: pics taken 4-24-14

---------------------------
Video of Knight And Day taken 4-24-14
http://s1278.photobucket.com/user/E...[user]=133009587&filters[recent]=1&sort=1&o=0

--------------------------
Video of Tux , taken 4-24-14
http://s1278.photobucket.com/user/ELSussex/media/Tux/GEDC0572_zpsc0edf801.mp4.html?sort=3&o=0
---------------------------
Video of Sweetie taken 4-24-14
http://s1278.photobucket.com/user/ELSussex/media/Sweetie/GEDC0591_zpsc6a891ae.mp4.html?sort=3&o=0

 

[Vamvakas]

There's a good saying I like so say.. "If you can't beat them join them".