Langshan Thread!!!

[rodriguezpoultry]

Were those any more successful with the cooler breeding weather than the last batch or were they worse? After I sent those to you my males apparently decided to shoot blanks from this point on into the fall. Nothing developing now that it's reached 100s again and I still have broody hens. "Might" have to get some random eggs to put under them...

 

[BGMatt]

These were first batch. Second batch there are about 6 fertile, will be hatching next week. But yeah, just gettin late in the year for high fertility. No big deal.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

Still sucks. At least that many made it through transit. Ah well...got about 10 LF with broodies so far this year. Won't need to hatch any eggs this fall. Notice the word "need." Does it mean I will still do it? Yep.


As for breeding to other breeds, I do it constantly. I only keep Langshan males for my flocks. They are large, have great personalities and personally, I LOVE the German Langshan look. One day I WILL have some. When I win the lottery.

I have a standard Modern Game hen here that I hope will breed with my Langshan cockerels but thing is, she's too small. Very tall, but there's no body. She looks like a bantam next to my Langshan pullets. And she's scared to death of other birds. No idea why? They've done nothing to do anything to her. Heck, the cockerel I have her with is too young to even THINK about topping her.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

Decided taking photos in 100* weather seemed like a good idea...

at some point this bird will be a rooster!

I swear this bird has a good topline. She just doesn't know it yet.

 

[ChickieWickies]

We just about lost one of our black hens yesterday due to the heat (107) and having to take them at 4 pm to be checked for the fair. UGH!! Today Shadow is drinking on her own, but she doesn't move real fast. She was always the first to the pen door. We moved her back outside this morning because my hubby was afraid she was stressed being in the house. We'll bring her back in when the temps get hotter this afternoon. Is this "normal" post heat stress activity? Should we do more for her? She just seems to keep falling asleep standing in place.

 

[199787]

Decided taking photos in 100* weather seemed like a good idea...

at some point this bird will be a rooster!

I swear this bird has a good topline. She just doesn't know it yet.

When you are choosing a rooster for breeding I know we are supposed to look at type first. So how much emphasis do you put on the comb and head gear in general? When I look at at this black rooster I see a beautiful tail, nice top-line, big chest, and it looks like he holds his wings quite nicely, especially considering the heat. But the very first thing I see is a really fleshy comb and big wattles. Not trying to be critical of course, just learning. My biggest young rooster looks good bodily (so far) but has a four pointed comb with an uneven (short) point. He also has a wide body and big chest and very nice looking face...would you rule him out right away because of the 4 pointed comb? Or just wait and see what the rest of him looks like? I have about 8 young Roos and I alway notice this one first. He has a certain presence... It seems to me the hens really have a lot of influence over the type of the chicks. I can look at mine and with many I can clearly see who their mom was.

I think your black hen is lovely. She looks very feminine and what a nice tail!

Lisa

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

To me, the body is primary and comb secondary. The comb should be medium in size. It's part of the reason I usually hatch in winter instead of summer. Birds raised in the summer heat usually develop larger combs and wattles. This male is 3 years old so age is a contributing factor.

 

[199787]

So, at what age do you usually pick out your breeders?

Interesting observation about the heat growing larger comb and wattles. I thought that would be purely genetic, but I guess they probably are cooling systems for the bird.

So roosters are like old men whose ears and nose keep growing

Lisa

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

Does she have access to shade? One thing you can do is put a box fan blowing outside. It's supposed to be 110 today and yesterday was 105. I didn't see any stress other than panting. Maybe put a shallow pan of water with some ice cubes? Usually they will stand in the water to cool off.

 

[informative]

...
As for breeding to other breeds, I do it constantly. I only keep Langshan males for my flocks. They are large, have great personalities and personally, I LOVE the German Langshan look. One day I WILL have some. When I win the lottery.

I have a standard Modern Game hen here that I hope will breed with my Langshan cockerels but thing is, she's too small. Very tall, but there's no body. She looks like a bantam next to my Langshan pullets. And she's scared to death of other birds. No idea why?
...

Well in town here we are limited to 12 chickens but on our farm we will have as many as we please assuming I can find lumber enough to build chicken barn extension space and sufficient fencing to keep them safe from the hogs and beavers and birds of prey and snakes and armadillos (do dillos mess with chickens?) and other random whatnots dogs or coyotes maybe - haven't seen any coyotes personally yet but have seen feral wandering homeless dogs.

Where would be a good place to see images of the German Langshan look? The dynamic between chickens is pretty interesting they communicate with vocal chirps but also seem to communicate with their eyes and looks and gestures. The original three (two weeks old now) have rotated alpha status first the red star was boss "look out coming through!" would just step on the others to get to the food or water. The Australorp with no tail feathers got tired of that and after a week started doing the wing flap combined with talons and beak and was clearly the alpha after a day or two of that bully tactic. Then the three new Langshan babies arrives The quiet Australorp has taken on the role of mothering the babies and now if either of the others give any of the babies a funny "look" that I cannot detect she will go straight from sitting pretty and broody looking to full on here's johnny whopping coming right at ya for the other two. The babies have taken to cuddling up to her now. Mothering instinct is a funny thing. Need to find my camera. Does this site support videos?