Langshan Thread!!!

[rodriguezpoultry]

1) Where can I get Langshan chicks/ young birds good enough to start a breeding program?

2) Is there a Hatchery that sells good enough birds that it would be feasible to start with them and work to improve the strain?

3) Is there any point in using my Blue to start a breeding program, if I could find some pullets with good type? Or is it better to just forget about breeding him?​

1. Unfortunately, a breeder is the best possible resource to getting good quality birds. It's unfortunate because you're kind of secluded from the rest of the breeding community.

2. I honestly would not consider a hatchery. The birds, even though pretty, are usually undersized and lack in breast and true Langshan stature.

3. As for using your male, you may be able to find a large female with a high tail that can help. But, it would honestly be better to start out with good stock as you won't be playing "catch up." But, if it is truly a bird you want to keep in your lines, there are ways to work him in.

 

[GrammiChelle]

1. Unfortunately, a breeder is the best possible resource to getting good quality birds. It's unfortunate because you're kind of secluded from the rest of the breeding community.

2. I honestly would not consider a hatchery. The birds, even though pretty, are usually undersized and lack in breast and true Langshan stature.

3. As for using your male, you may be able to find a large female with a high tail that can help. But, it would honestly be better to start out with good stock as you won't be playing "catch up." But, if it is truly a bird you want to keep in your lines, there are ways to work him in.

Thanks for the honest answers! And I'd love nothing better than to be able to get birds from you! Canton, Texas is still about 7 hours from me. So I'm not sure it's something I could do, but if you are able to get there, and would be willing to sell me some birds, I would certainly try my best to meet you!

I would like to include my Razzle into my breeding program, for purely sentimental reasons, but if I got a cockerel from you, it wouldn't make sense to breed the pullets with Razzle. That would be taking them the wrong way. But if I were only able to get better pullets, then I would use him, until I could get a better rooster. Razzle has good stature. I don't think he was a hatchery bird. Although I got him from TSC, they said he was brought in by a local breeder, although I've been unable to find anyone around here who even knows what a Langshan is. People who see him always say, that rooster is Huge! He's 2 feet tall.

I almost lost Razzle to a bad case of Bumblefoot. It had already spread to his bone by the time I became aware of it. He was extremely sick and near death, but thankfully, my vet and I were able to save him. He isn't fully recovered yet, but he is moving again, and it's just a matter of time for him to get his strength back. He isn't even close to the breed standard, but he's a very sweet boy and he's my first rooster and I love him.

But please let me know if you're able to get to Texas, and if you have birds to sell, and how much you'd want for them, because I'd love to get birds from you! Thank you.

 

[PetRock]

Just wanted to share a pic of my 3 week old blue and black Langshan dinosaur chicks! I have been hatching Pita Pinta chicks all season and these Langshan chicks are so different than the PP chicks. They are huge with big legs!

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

Thanks for the honest answers! And I'd love nothing better than to be able to get birds from you! Canton, Texas is still about 7 hours from me. So I'm not sure it's something I could do, but if you are able to get there, and would be willing to sell me some birds, I would certainly try my best to meet you!

I would like to include my Razzle into my breeding program, for purely sentimental reasons, but if I got a cockerel from you, it wouldn't make sense to breed the pullets with Razzle. That would be taking them the wrong way. But if I were only able to get better pullets, then I would use him, until I could get a better rooster. Razzle has good stature. I don't think he was a hatchery bird. Although I got him from TSC, they said he was brought in by a local breeder, although I've been unable to find anyone around here who even knows what a Langshan is. People who see him always say, that rooster is Huge! He's 2 feet tall.

I almost lost Razzle to a bad case of Bumblefoot. It had already spread to his bone by the time I became aware of it. He was extremely sick and near death, but thankfully, my vet and I were able to save him. He isn't fully recovered yet, but he is moving again, and it's just a matter of time for him to get his strength back. He isn't even close to the breed standard, but he's a very sweet boy and he's my first rooster and I love him.

But please let me know if you're able to get to Texas, and if you have birds to sell, and how much you'd want for them, because I'd love to get birds from you! Thank you.

I asked off for Nov. 20 here so I should be able to go to Canton, TX for a rabbit show. I'll be sure to bring some birds with me if you can for sure meet me. I'd hate to have a bunch of birds in the car and stressing for nothing.

For right now, I'm certain to have a splash pullet a black pullet, possibly a blue pullet and several different cockerels. I'm making sure which cockerels will turn into something good. If they don't, they get culled. No point in spreading around poor genes when there are better birds to choose from.

I can understand about having feelings for a bird. I still miss my production RIR cock, "Courage." That bird was AWESOME. Horrible in terms of conformation but the coolest bird ever. Maybe Razzle would be good for a blue egger pen? Use him with some females that lay blue eggs and use him to produce some pretty Olive eggs?

 

[GrammiChelle]

I asked off for Nov. 20 here so I should be able to go to Canton, TX for a rabbit show. I'll be sure to bring some birds with me if you can for sure meet me. I'd hate to have a bunch of birds in the car and stressing for nothing.

For right now, I'm certain to have a splash pullet a black pullet, possibly a blue pullet and several different cockerels. I'm making sure which cockerels will turn into something good. If they don't, they get culled. No point in spreading around poor genes when there are better birds to choose from.

I can understand about having feelings for a bird. I still miss my production RIR cock, "Courage." That bird was AWESOME. Horrible in terms of conformation but the coolest bird ever. Maybe Razzle would be good for a blue egger pen? Use him with some females that lay blue eggs and use him to produce some pretty Olive eggs?

Here's a picture of baby Razzle. You can probably already tell he's not a quality bird, but I didn't know that so I fell in love with his feathery feet, his inquisitive and friendly personality.
Thanks for understanding!
And That's a great idea for Razzle! I do have 3 Easter Egger pullets who should start laying in a month or so. Razzle tends to my Production Reds, but I don't see any reason to hatch their eggs. Those are for eating. I haven't yet hatched any eggs, but the idea of having olive eggers would be worth it! So maybe by January I can get myself an incubator and hatch some Olive eggers.
Since my primary goal is to have eggs to eat and sell, then that's a great idea. I might even wind up with a pretty cockerel, with Razzle's size and a beard. Wouldn't that be a hoot!

I will talk to my husband about making the trip to Canton. I understand your not wanting to haul around birds unnecessarily. So let me discuss it with him. And can you please PM me about price. Or email me? [email protected]
Our anniversary is in December, so maybe this could be our anniversary trip, and my present. Lol. We haven't traveled that far north since moving to Texas. So maybe we could make a trip of it. Last year for our anniversary, we went to Galveston.

I guess normally, you try to get a trio for breeding? 2 pullets and a cockerel? So if you could give me an estimate on what you charge for 3 birds, or per bird. If I can afford an extra pullet, and you have one, I might get 3 pullets and a cockerel. Especially since I'm going to such lengths to get these birds. Frankly, even if it's a cockerel you wouldn't normally keep, but the best you have available, he would be better than anything I can get around here, better than Razzle.
It would get me started better than my only other option, the hatchery.
Really, these birds will be pets, as I don't see myself as being someone who will show birds, but I do want to help increase the numbers of good quality Langshans to help preserve the breed. And although I might move lesser birds out of the breeder pen, and send a few extra cockerels to Freezer Camp, most of the pullets will be kept or sold as laying birds.

Being so close to Mexico, we live right on the Border, my home being about 10 miles as the crow flies, from the Border, most of the chickens around here are raised for cockfighting, not for eggs or meat. So they are mostly white egg laying Modern Game birds. Not very large birds. People who come to my property are amazed by my chickens which are Easter Eggers, Production reds, Cochins and one Dominique cockerel, ( he was my Mystery chick from the hatchery this year and he's quite stunning), and Razzle. I had some Brahmas, but I sold them. I will be selling most of the Cochins also, or, if I can't sell them, they'll go to Freezer Camp, since all but one seems to be a cockerel.
And, more people are starting to have backyard flocks, especially around San Antonio, and the Heritage breeds appeal to them, but they have no way of getting them, so maybe I can spread the love of Langshans around Southwest Texas. The fellow I sold my Brahmas to was so thrilled to get them, since he really liked the breed, but had no way of getting them. Truly, there just aren't a lot of the Heritage breeds around here.
So, please let me know about price and that will help me figure out the full price of the trip. And then I'll let you know ASAP if we can make the trip for sure.
I really hope we can work this out and I'm starting to get excited about the possibility!

 

[SusanD]

Hi,

I had a question about Langshans and when to worry if they haven't started laying. My chicken is 7 months now (which I understand is the usual age they start) and is not yet laying. I'm willing to be patient (especially since my other two are laying). However, if there is something that I am doing wrong, or if she has an undiagnosed health issue I would want to find that out. Based on your experience with the breed and considering the season (fall), how long would you give her to lay before becoming concerned?

 

[JensChickies]

Hi,

I had a question about Langshans and when to worry if they haven't started laying.  My chicken is 7 months now (which I understand is the usual age they start) and is not yet laying.  I'm willing to be patient (especially since my other two are laying).  However, if there is something that I am doing wrong, or if she has an undiagnosed health issue I would want to find that out.  Based on your experience with the breed and considering the season (fall), how long would you give her to lay before becoming concerned?

Hey I had one start laying at 6 months then my other one started laying at 8-9 months. The one that laid late was from a hatchery the other was from a breeder. I have no idea if that has anything to do with it or if it just coincidence. But just a thought.

 

[SusanD]

Hi,

Thanks for the reply. This one is likely a from a hatchery (I got her from a feedstore). Given the variablity, it sounds to me like I should give it a least another month before worrying. I'm hoping she turns out well, as she's my favorite

 

[PetRock]

Hi,

I had a question about Langshans and when to worry if they haven't started laying. My chicken is 7 months now (which I understand is the usual age they start) and is not yet laying. I'm willing to be patient (especially since my other two are laying). However, if there is something that I am doing wrong, or if she has an undiagnosed health issue I would want to find that out. Based on your experience with the breed and considering the season (fall), how long would you give her to lay before becoming concerned?

Mine take a long time to mature. My pullets don't usually lay until 7 months or later. Give her time!

 

[JensChickies]

Hi,

Thanks for the reply.  This one is likely a from a hatchery (I got her from a feedstore).  Given the variablity, it sounds to me like I should give it a least another month before worrying.  I'm hoping she turns out well, as she's my favorite

Yeah just give her time. Once they start to lay they are seriously egg machines.