Java Thread

[Marty1876]

I'm still working on my Javas too. I bought a flock lately to add to my grandmas flock (she's kept since she married my grandpa in the 1930's) They are mottled Javas.

Everytime I post her, you guys ignore me. Am I now welcome to chat with you???

 

[saladin]

Post away.

 

[Robert Blosl]

Marty we where talking about you today on the phone a freind and I. He asked me did Dr. Albert McGraw have a so so flock of Mottled Javas? Does anyone else have his old line or not? Does it really mean anything if they do are they really worth trying to keep his old line going for the Java breeders?

I will be getting a male and two females this Jan as I am keeping them for a fellow who is working over seas and his dad is getting up in years and can not take care of them. So I felt I would do my best to get some chicks out and try to keep this old line going.

Would like your opinion on this issue. Look forward to your reply. bob in alabama

 

[Marty1876]

If you have a McGraw strain, I'd keep it.

I don't know where gram got hers, but they aren't too bad really. The new ones aren't as good overall, but the roos have good size, and everyone has yellow speckle feet, which is ideal. We've got good eyes, and most of the hens have the right 1 of 3 white speckle pattern. Mostly good combs, but only one roo of the new bunch has a really good one with the 5 clear points. The other two are going to be set aside. I'm probobly going to hatch a group from each male out of differnt hens, to see what genetics they are throwing out. You never know whats hidden from new ones, and you do have to keep them for 6-9 monthes to get a feel for size they are producing, and such. Remember, go by the points when your picking what to keep. some things are worth a greater percentage, so aim for those, and other things are only worth 5 pts, so its less important at the offset. If you have a good layer, keep her! As a breed, that aspect really needs improving.

Got pics? We should all post and debate togather. I've got the APA here, and then the Java site has the short list of real important things to breed for, plus they'll connect you with the lady who's trying to find out whos got chicks from where, and she'd want some McGraw eggs if you've got them. I'm sending her eggs from grams closed flock this spring.

Thanks for letting me take part. I was bumming when I felt like I wasn't really invited.

 

[Robert Blosl]

We all know you are Mr. Java and have done so much for this breed over the years. I will post the picture that was sent to me. I am after the lost genes the Dr. McGraw had in his flock. His son had them and just let them breed naturally and not to maintain or improve them. I have done this be for with other breeds. Nice to hear someone talk about points. When I talk like this the younger folks thing I'm on dope. I was telling a friend tonight on the phone a fellow had a real good large fowl that had his wing primary injured in a show going in and out of a cage. He pulled it out and the judge noticed it and must of cut him a point as he lost Champion of the large fowl show to a better bird. Some felt he should have won but they did not handle the bird.

I try to mentally score my birds when keeping them for breeders. I also like to let my young bird grow old and molt be for I use them as breeders. I find I get a more truer breeder this way then always breeding from ckls and pullets.

In these birds its just get the numbers out and try to find partners so I can one day turn this project over to the younger folks. I am doing this for Dr. McGraws hard work and I hate to see any old time breeder see his birds go up in dust when he is in chicken heaven. Thanks for your post and please post when you want to. I am the guy that started the Heritage Large Fowl and Rhode Island Red threads about two years ago. Its good for the new folks and beginners to read and learn from our comments. They will some day be the masters teaching and passing on the secrets to the next generation.

 

[Marty1876]

I'm a woman. LOL

I don't know that I've done much other than just try to improve the birds I inherited. With 4H kids, and a keen interst in quality, there is every reason to selectively breed, and no good reason not to. Are yours good layers? Mine aren't rocking, but I'm working on it.

 

[saladin]

Talk about being ignored? LOL.

As I stated before, Craig Russell used Dr McGraw's birds with 3 other strains to produce the birds that he sent out to others including birds that went to Garfield Farms and Sandhill Preservation (Glenn Drowns).

 

[Marty1876]

Wow, thats very interesting info, saladin. I'm not up on all the background, but I've read some about it here and there. I didn't know what the chickens in the barn even were until about 6 monthes ago.

 

[saladin]

Marty,
I would suggest that you need to contact and visit Monte Bowen in Plevna. He can help you on putting your breed pens together and with excellent stock.

 

[Robert Blosl]

Sorry I thought you where some one else. Then you are Mrs. Java. There was a great lady from your region once here name was Goldie who had Black Jersey Giants.

Thanks for the information on the Mottled Javas. It could be that many who have these birds today are from his old line. Therefor if you crossed them onto these three birds I would not have much of a mess. However, with this color pattern I dont know if would make much difference. This is a tough color pattern to get on a bird. Thanks for the help maybe someone has some pretty good ones and can tell me who to contact down the road.

These bird have a old gene pool lock up in them. I know they have white in thier tails but in time that can be breed out. At least they dont look small.

What can you do. Its a gift of a old strain that goes back at least 40 years. Maybe the future Java breeders will be happy to find such a old blood line. I got to at least try to spread them around.