Langshan Thread!!!

[thorleif]

Hmm, dont know what happened there. I just wrote an entry, and then the net crashed out, I'll try again in a bit Welcome, Buffy, to the friendliest group on the net!

 

[mrheinz77]

Welcome Buffy. Beautiful birds you have there. I really like the lacing on Rufus.

 

[buffy the eggslayer]

Thank you.

its great to see so many Langshan enthusiasts out there and to see so many lovely examples of the breed. I often think that they are overlooked as some people find the idea of plain black or white colours a bit uninspiring. Perhaps if there was a buff or silverlaced version more people would be attracted to them ( now thats an idea for you colour genetics experts out there!)

I love them in all colours as I have fallen for the breeds nature and big brown eyes but I do think the lacing and the contrast of the dark feather and the red comb on the blue males is very striking. I also love the beetle green sheen on the blacks and ...oh what am I saying here?... I just LOVE them! Whatever the colour.

I'm just smitten

 

[thorleif]

They tried to make buff ones in US over 100 years ago, But when you cross other breeds with Langshan, they will never become true, or breed true again as Langshans, look at the Australian strains that got ruined 50-60 years ago, and never bred true again. But blue you can breed without interferance of other breeds, but they will always be the most difficult one to breed, but get it right and they are also the prettiest. Me thinks, anyway.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

Welcome!!!!!!! Nice to see you here!!! Which area are you from? Are splashes allowed to be shown? Any particular reason why the blues are not allowed?

The difference between the American standard and the UK standard for bantams looks quite a bit different than the largefowl. I'm not sure if I would be able to make a good critique of them since I have no idea of the standard on them?

Hi Langshan lovers,

my friend Thorlief introduced me to this thread. I keep black and white Croad Langshan bantams but focus on breeding blues. The breed is so rare in this country and the blues are not tollerated by the breed society to its great to have somewhere to discuss the birds and share photos and experiences.

I aim to breed show quality birds although I do not show as the society rules prevent me from showing my blues. I breed birds for the beginer and back yard keeper as I love the breeds looks and and its placid, friendly and intelegent nature. I sell my birds to people who want a hen thay is pretty, lays well, handles easily and becomes part of the family.

I raise most of my birds in the incubator but also let my broodys raise a couple when their hormones get the better of them. I have recently written a poultry book which is available in paperback and e-book format and I use my photos to illustrate my writing.

My birds free range all year round and their feathers can get a little yellowed, browned or lightened by the sun but I love to see them out and about, leading a natural life.

I have really enjoyed reading your posts and looking at your pictures, so do please feel free to give me feed back on my birds either complementary or constructive.

This is a splash pullet called Amy who I hatched in may 2012

This is a Ivor a young male from of the same age who was hatched by his mother Daisy


These blues and blacks are all part of the same incubator hatch in May.

This is Rufus their father who I bred last year - he is still growing his tail feathers after the moult

This is Ivors sister Lilly who was also raised by Daisy.

This is Daisy as a young hen. Lilley will hopefully look like this next spring


. I hope to sell the blacks on next year as I plan to start with some large fowl Croad Langshans.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

They tried to make buff ones in US over 100 years ago, But when you cross other breeds with Langshan, they will never become true, or breed true again as Langshans, look at the Australian strains that got ruined 50-60 years ago, and never bred true again. But blue you can breed without interferance of other breeds, but they will always be the most difficult one to breed, but get it right and they are also the prettiest. Me thinks, anyway.

I have to agree with this! And the friendliest comment as well!

A good blue is just tops to me. Then again, I'm in LOVE with the splash color as well. We can show splash birds, but they are not accepted into the standard. If shown, the best they can do is Best of Variety. Which is a shame...SUCH a pretty color!

Somehow, I think that having more colors would detract from the overall appearance of the bird. To me, a Langshan is somewhat of a minimalist bird. All of the colors occurred naturally (give or take a few). I think a silver-laced or something like that would draw more attention to the color of the bird than to the fine lines, curves and angle of the overall bird.

Just my thoughts!

 

[buffy the eggslayer]

Hi Rodriguez,

I live in East Yorkshire, England.

No, the splashes are not acknowledged either. Anything other than black or white are considered to have alien blood and can not be entered as a Croad Langshan. Though as the birds genetic history or parentage is not taken into account when judging I could show the blacks (which were born of blue parents ) or the whites ( which have a blue father) as Croad Langshans.

Fortunately for me I am not interested in showing any of my birds so its not a big deal for me. The more unfortunate thing is that the development of the colour can not be discussed and the birds can not be offered for sale through the breed club so opportunities for finding replacement stock or discussing breeding strategies are really limited.

I think that you are right about the lacing detracting from the birds but I would love a buff one

Occasionally I hatch a non croad egg by mistake and get a buff plymouth rock x croad. Unfortunately so far they have been cocks and not evenly marked or with leg feather so they don't stay around for long.

Here's one plymouth x croad but even as a chick he is not as cute as his sister the blue croad below

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

You must be joking...no discussion of the blue color at all? Not on how to improve it or anything? Even if it is not accepted as a color on that breed, it should at least be discussed in order to further another person's breeding! Grr!

Sorry...find that a little belittling that it can't be discussed as an education to others! What is this "society" you said that birds must be sold through? I'm sorry, very confusing! Is this the only Langshan society in England? Can you "create" your own? Especially with blues and splashes, but not exclude the other color or other combinations that others are working on?

I had a buff chick hatch out, but it was buff AND black. Had good foot feathering, but I decided to not continue with it. Too much work and too little space. I even got rid of my white largefowl as they were nowhere near I needed them to be. Wound up I shot myself in the foot as now I have whites hatching from my blacks! Not that I'm not excited. They will be 10x the birds that I started out with.

 

[PetRock]

Hi, Everyone! Sorry that I checked out on the conversation after posting pics of my birds! We went out of town for the weekend. We just got back and I'm ready to talk! Thank you to everyone for looking at my pics! And welcome to Buffy! You have beautiful birds! I love seeing pics of my black boys' parents, Jim! And I would love to participate in a evaluation discussion of your adult birds. I'm trying to learn everything I can and sharpen my skills before I'm forced to decide on my birds.

 

[buffy the eggslayer]

Hi,

yes it would be possible to set up an alternative group who just wanted to enjoy the breed and play with variations but as yet I havent found any like minded people. Thats why this discussion thread is so refreshing.

Also, I suspect that the serious breeders like to keep their breeding secrets to themselves so they probably wouldnt want to give any advice which might eventually lead to them being beaten in the show ring by a newbie.

I am interested to know what people have experienced from a white cockerel on a black or blue hen as I have been advised to breed black on white for good blues. My blue cock has produced blues, black, white and splash this year but the splash and some of the black pullets lack leg feather and a couple have a little too much.

If anyone has any thoughts on possible pairings that I might want to experiment with this year do offer your suggestions and photos of your results.

Also, do any of you have experience of sending fertilised eggs to the uk? Buying international stock might be the best way for me to introduce some new blood.

Rodriguez,

I have just had a look on your site and yes your bantams are different from ours particularly the tail

Here is Daisy demonstrating the croad shaped tail from the front and below is Poppy showing the view fom the left side and Bluebell from the right