Minorca thread!

[WyandotteTX]

Quote:
Pretty girl but her size would most likely classify her as production quality and not show quality I am afraid. She will probably lay alot of eggs and be a great hen, I have raised some just like her in the past.
There are some pics of show quality Minorca females on this thread and you can compare the size of both if you like.
John

 

[danhonour]

A Black Minorca hen is a long and very big bird,about 7.5 lbs,she rivals the dual purpose birds.They are tall and strong with frame and muscle. So seldom does one see the real article that most people do not know what they are suppose to look like.The tiny and short birds the Hatcheries sell are nothing like what is called for in Minorcas.Males that are good respresentatives are even bigger and stronger puttting me in mind ofa small turkey and hard to handle.

 

[cochinman2005]

Agree with Dan. If you don't have to wrestle the Minorca males, they aren't large enough. Minorcas are the largest of the Mediterranean breeds, should have a very long back, plenty of thigh and leg, and a good long neck, the males even more so. Fairly stately bird when done right. Currently the Blacks are the only ones that you see exhibition quality birds that meet the standard description. I am working on Buffs and have been for five years. I am getting closer and will post some pics soon.

 

[Justuschicks]

Here is my big boy.

 

[flyingmonkeypoop]

Ive only owned a black minorca from hatchery stock, awesome little hen but more like a leghorn. We bred the white faced black spanish for awhile and they are somewhat similar to the minorcas which got me thinking after reading all this- Sandhill sells white faced white spanish so couldnt you use those in a breeding project to resurect white minorcas? I know the hens look very similar, just have to select away from the white in the face and a larger body overall.
Beau McCleans birds are amazing, I have showed with him and seen his flocks before when he still lived with his folks in Montana and it was a sight to behold seeing all of them in their glory. I wish everyone luck in getting this breed more popularity.

 

[WyandotteTX]

Quote:
I think Sandhill sells White Minorcas (SC) already if you want some. But I do not know of the quality of those birds. I have heard of Beua McLean's Whites, havent seen any of them since I had some about 10 years ago.

 

[Justuschicks]

My minorca hen is such a smart girl. The latch on my wyandotte pen somehow came open and all the birds in that pen got out and were all killed by my husbands dog last week. It was like a bomb had gone off. After accounting for all the birds in that pen I realized my minorca was missing in action. I called out her name and she appeared in an area that I had just been. She had hid somewhere safe.

 

[flowerchild59]

I just read thru this thread and it was so interesting and I enjoyed the pics of everyone's birds. Those combs are large enough to scare me off with my winters here in southern Illinois.

 

[Justuschicks]

A little Vaseline helps and also makes them look SUPER sharp. Their combs are magnificent!

 

[ca]

Two of my four buff roosters (19 weeks) newly have a lot of light colour showing (see pic, roo on the left). Two have more even buff colour (see pic, example on the right). This showed up just recently. Does that disappear again? Food? Sun bleached (reaching for straws here...) Or are these definite culls? These are Sandhill.

Input from the experts would be appreciated.