Langshan Thread!!!

[Yessur Ebob]

Quote:
Your birds are very good looking. I can't wait until my birds get that pretty.

I can't post any more pics because of our connection speed. It took me about two hours to post that last picture and the last time I tried, it wouldn't post.

 

[D'Angelo N Va.]

ok, I have been wanting some Langshans now....I think I am going to take the plunge next spring. I went to a poultry show today..and WHOA...I saw some really big birds...and they were..ding ding ding you guessed it Langshans...how dark are their eggs? and how often do they lay...I have read they are not prolific layers, but the eggs are dark brown...is this true?

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

Some lines still have fairly dark eggs, but others have medium colored. None will be as dark as Welsummer or Marans. Some people are looking for the purplish bloom that's usually seen on the eggs. I refuse to sell eggs with those colors as I cannot guarantee that the future chicks will lay that egg with that purplish cuticle color.

Because of the size of the birds, they are more an ornamental fowl (take MUCH longer to grow out to get any amount of meat on them, and the larger size causes a decrease in egg production, however I am sure hatchery strains lay a bit better but will be smaller than birds bred towards the standard).

I had a hen that never laid an egg. She was a continuous broody. Others laid better in the summer than any of my other birds (over 100*F in the summer). To get them to lay in the winter, a light must be kept on them to increase the photoperiod to induce laying. Other than needing to increase the photoperiod, they are very good layers in the winter as well. The medium-sized comb helps to decrease frostbite and the leg-feathering doesn't seem to be an issue, even in icy weather. It's probably because it is not as heavy as Cochin feathering.

 

[D'Angelo N Va.]

Thanks so much....I appreciate that info...

 

[Yessur Ebob]

Does anyone here breed white langshans to sell?

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

Yessur, I just acquired some whites from a show. I'm going to be breeding heavily and culling even more heavily. I'm not certain if I'll be selling the culls or not. I may throw them in several different pens to see if I can improve the type and size of them. But, as for anyone selling whites, I have not seen or heard of anyone in my area. I believe someone in North Carolina purchased all of Forrest Beauford's birds, including his whites.

 

[Hankow Fowl]

Quote:
Can we see some pictures of your new White Langshans.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

Why certainly! Please take into consideration that I had just gotten these birds off the sales floor. The filth is nearly completely gone and the parasites sure as heck are!

I'm gonna go from least favorite to favorite:
Males:
The more I look at this cockerel, the less I like him. He may eventually grow into something, but not promising at this point:

Grown Cock:

Females:
Pullet, nice tail-spread, tail angle is a bit off and back is a tinsy bit flat for my taste, but her tail will come in handy to increase the spread for future. Her breast is also a bit more filled out:

Hen 4, built more like a Plymouth Rock than a Langshan, we'll call her a back-up (just in case):

Hen 3, flatter back but great height to her legs:

Hen 2, notice the tail spread? Looks more like a German Langshan tip, but a nice U-shape to her:

My personal favorite. Hen 1: Fairly good tail spread, excellent U-shape, her breast needs work but the male should help with that area:

They've changed so much since I've gotten them. Their breasts are really starting to fill out. I've already gotten eggs from them. A good worming and feed change helps.

 

[Hankow Fowl]

Thank you for posting the pictures of your birds. They are very nice looking. I hope to have some White Langshans some day myself.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

I have to admit I was leery of them. After all, they're whites...whites are a bit more difficult to keep clean and seem to never place as well as dark birds. But there are so few of them around these parts, I couldn't let them slip by!

Hankow Fowl, what lines are you looking at? Do you have any of the other varieties right now?