Langshan Thread!!!

[thorleif]

The Blue Langshan Club ceased to exist sometimes in the 1930's. The last (and only) secretary was mister Jukes. Blue LF is well represented at the German shows, and at the Europa-Show in Leipzig this year there's 8 blue entered, I think it is 10 blacks and about 10 whites. Yes, eggs across the Atlantic is possible. Paperwork can be had from DEFRA in Chelmsford. Some of the guys at RPS does it, they have had a heap of JG"s, Sumatras, Dominiques and many others. The problem is to make sure they dont get scanned, though. That kills the fertility. I do not know how the Americans have to do for import, but I know it can be done, legally.

 

[buffy the eggslayer]

Hi Thorleif

Do you know why their is such resistance to the blues within the club? Or why croad club members feel they contain "alien" blood? Did the people who bred the blues back in the 30s introduce a different breed?

 

[thorleif]

The biggest resistance comes from people who really dont know much about breeding, I think. Correct me if I am wrong, but I think the only chicken-breed where blue actually is an original color, is the Andalucian. All other breeds, blues comes from the juggling of black and white, and varieties hereof. A prominent member suggested import of blue Australorps was the way to go, but where does the blue Australorps come from? When you CREATE a blue strain, you are better off starting with a white cock from black parents, I have been told, and believe me, if I had been a few years younger, I would have created a strain. AND enjoyed it too. But, Mr Jukes writes a quite long piece about it in Wrights book of Poultry, he bred Modern Langshans, not the Croad variety, but that makes no difference, the same principles applies to them, and they must be easier to breed from than say, JG's, Australorps, Marans and all other "man-made" breeds, as you never get any kick-backs from other breeds. The Langshan in US seems to be virtually identical with the British Croad-variety. The Bantie, I dont know, that died out in UK, and was re-created sometimes in the 1970's. I think the Bantie has existed in the US since 1940something, but hopefully RodriquesPoultry can clarify this?

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

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.

Well, don't feel afraid to ask on here! It really depends on the type of blue you are going for. Here, we like an andalusian blue. It is where the inside of the feather is a paler gray and a dark blue forms a distinct lace around the slate blue. Hard to describe, so I will put a picture:
From Feathersite:

See how each feather on the bird is laced in a darker blue/black? Very hard to do, but as you can see, breathtaking. The "washed out" blue isn't really seen as a good thing over here. But, like I said, it depends on the blue you are after.

For an andalusian blue, I have found that a blue x black and a black x splash offer the best lacing. A white bird to a blue bird tends to give the washed out look, it can also do that to your black birds, create an almost "brown" edge to each feather instead of a nice black color throughout.

I used a blue male x white hen and got blue and black chicks. All the chicks carried the recessive white gene. When bred together, these chicks then gave me white, black and blue.

As for sending eggs to the UK, I don't believe it is exactly legal to ship eggs TO the UK, but I believe shipping from the UK is still legal.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

thorlief,

I couldn't even begin to tell you with certainty about when the bantams were accepted into the Standard. I just got started with them about a year ago. I will try to do some major research into it though!

 

[mrheinz77]

thorlief,

I couldn't even begin to tell you with certainty about when the bantams were accepted into the Standard. I just got started with them about a year ago. I will try to do some major research into it though!

 

Black and white bantams were accepted in 1960. Blue was accepted in 1987.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

There ya go!

Jim, can you tell us where you found it? I don't have my SOP on me right now.

 

[mrheinz77]

I got it out of my SOP

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

Awesome! When I get it out of my car (too lazy to clean it) I'll take a gander into it!


At what point is it sad that I refuse to get up out of my chair, walk 40 feet and look through my car to find it...

 

[mrheinz77]

Awesome! When I get it out of my car (too lazy to clean it) I'll take a gander into it!


At what point is it sad that I refuse to get up out of my chair, walk 40 feet and look through my car to find it...

 

What did you want to know from it? If I take a break from chores I may be able to look. Its kind of late for our friends across the pond.

The LF Standard can be seen here. LF Standatd