Old and Rare Breeds

[cgmccary]

Mille-fleur

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Mille-fleurs (French), also in English millefleur or mille-fleur literally means "thousand flowers" and refers to a background made of many small flowers and plants. It was an especially popular motif in tapestry and other applied arts and crafts during the Middle Ages in Europe.
Since I am English - I used the Englishe version

looks like we got us a whole bunch of "LANGUAGE" NAZIS HERE.
If you were talking about a thousand flowers, then yes, Mille-fleurs or mille fleurs, but since you are talking about a breed of chicken, then Mille Fleurs.

If I am talking about the arrow, then la fleche but a breed of chicken, La Fleche.

 

[Chickielady]

Hi Chris, good to "see" you again !
And I came on looking for anyone breeding Langshans ??????????????????????
Anyone ?
Please send me a PM~~~

 

[Lacy Blues]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/284419/langshan-thread-welcome-to-2012

Try this.

 

[buffalogal]

I'm not Pozees, but. There are several varieties of blue stem that do well in zone 6 and did well in our Oklahoma droughts over the past several years...old world blue stem and turkey foot blue stem. They both have a wide blade of grass and good seed heads that the birds liked. Also a form of Dallas grass (buffalo grass) is also a good variety. The chickens would jump up to get the seeds.

Shrubs like Vitex agnus castus (also known as chaste tree, chaste berry, monk's pepper, Indian spice) does well in zone 6 - 11. It is a multi trucked shrub that grows fairly slowly to 15 feet...similar to crepe myrtle. It can die back to the ground, but returns in the spring.

All good suggestions, if I may add a few:
"Seafoam" Rose. This is a spreading shrubby rose, that gets about 3 to 4 feet tall, spreads out 6 to 10 feet and the chickens love to lay under and behind it. Has waves of white flowers, very lightly scented, and tons of rose hips in the fall.

Sunflowers. Not just the "Mammoth Russian" variety, but whatever is native in your area. chickens don't care much for the leaves, so the plants can get tall enough to provide cover (and some shade)

Currant, wild plum and elderberry. Shade and protection for the birds, jelly and wine for you. Currant is a rounded bush, wild plum is a small tree that forms dense thickets that are excellent cover against flying predators, and elderberry is a shrub. For the most part, if it will attract a wild bird, your chickens will also like it.

 

[Pozees]

All good suggestions, if I may add a few:
"Seafoam" Rose. This is a spreading shrubby rose, that gets about 3 to 4 feet tall, spreads out 6 to 10 feet and the chickens love to lay under and behind it. Has waves of white flowers, very lightly scented, and tons of rose hips in the fall.

Sunflowers. Not just the "Mammoth Russian" variety, but whatever is native in your area. chickens don't care much for the leaves, so the plants can get tall enough to provide cover (and some shade)

Currant, wild plum and elderberry. Shade and protection for the birds, jelly and wine for you. Currant is a rounded bush, wild plum is a small tree that forms dense thickets that are excellent cover against flying predators, and elderberry is a shrub. For the most part, if it will attract a wild bird, your chickens will also like it.

Elderberry will need some water and will be bitten down by antelope if you have them, but they do their best to survive and if you can protect them until they get to about 6 feet tall they should be okay. Currant are very drought tolerant, forgot all about them, they are native here. Sunflower will volunteer in the oddest places if you disturb the soil, and live against all odds.

 

[saladin]

The excursion into trees (both native and naturalized) is very relative to poultry.

When choosing breeds to keep seldom do people understand the importance of weather. Granted, we can 'push' breeds especially with modern housing; however, it a lot more sense to choose a breed that is suited for your climate.


Here's an example:
I rec'd a letter recently from south Texas. The fellow was extremely excited about getting into chickens (that's great!). He then related to me that his two breeds of choice were Redcaps and Scots Dumpies (I'm guessing he has a thing for all things Scot). I hated to bust his bubble but those are the last breeds I'd choose for south Texas. I'm not saying they couldn't make it there, but those birds were bred for the damp cool Lowlands and Highlands.... not south Texas!

We can 'make' breeds work that were not originally intended for our climates, but it's much easier to choose more suited breeds.

 

[Pozees]

The excursion into trees (both native and naturalized) is very relative to poultry.

When choosing breeds to keep seldom do people understand the importance of weather. Granted, we can 'push' breeds especially with modern housing; however, it a lot more sense to choose a breed that is suited for your climate.


Here's an example:
I rec'd a letter recently from south Texas. The fellow was extremely excited about getting into chickens (that's great!). He then related to me that his two breeds of choice were Redcaps and Scots Dumpies (I'm guessing he has a thing for all things Scot). I hated to bust his bubble but those are the last breeds I'd choose for south Texas. I'm not saying they couldn't make it there, but those birds were bred for the damp cool Lowlands and Highlands.... not south Texas!

We can 'make' breeds work that were not originally intended for our climates, but it's much easier to choose more suited breeds.

Very good point. One reason I wanted to try Egyptian Fayoumis was they are a desert breed, and my climate is referred to as Alpine Desert (same as Lacy Blues possibly, although I don't know her elevation). They did great all summer, now I'm watching to see how they fare through winter. So far so good.

 

[saladin]

Chickens raised in hot climates can take the cold better than chickens raised in cold climates can take the heat. At least that is what I have found.

 

[Lacy Blues]

Very good point. One reason I wanted to try Egyptian Fayoumis was they are a desert breed, and my climate is referred to as Alpine Desert (same as Lacy Blues possibly, although I don't know her elevation). They did great all summer, now I'm watching to see how they fare through winter. So far so good.

I wouldn't exactly call my area alpine in the least. High desert. My elevation is 3700 feet. Our biggest "tree" is maybe 8' tall and I think its some kind of grease wood or something along those lines. However, we also have an abundance of introduced trees. Cottonwoods among many others that can thrive here if properly cared for until established. Our water tables are surprisingly shallow and it doesn't take too long for the trees roots to get down to them. If they can take the severe weather for a couple years they probably only need supplemental watering from time to time to stay good and strong.

My birds are Andalusians. From Spain. I have no idea what their weather is like and I doubt my birds have ever been to Spain. That said, I know the original line was picked up and taken to England where they were "perfected" and then spread around the world from there. I got them when I lived in California which has pretty mild weather. Then I moved here and brought my birds with me. They take the heat pretty well... I just have to be careful they don't run out of water. I have one cockerel who I am really impressed with. He was in his own pen so I could monitor his water consumption easily. He hardly drank anything last summer and I never saw him pant. Nor did I ever see him droop his wings or hold them out away from his body, not once.

 

[Pozees]

I wouldn't exactly call my area alpine in the least. High desert. My elevation is 3700 feet. Our biggest "tree" is maybe 8' tall and I think its some kind of grease wood or something along those lines. However, we also have an abundance of introduced trees. Cottonwoods among many others that can thrive here if properly cared for until established. Our water tables are surprisingly shallow and it doesn't take too long for the trees roots to get down to them. If they can take the severe weather for a couple years they probably only need supplemental watering from time to time to stay good and strong.

My birds are Andalusians. From Spain. I have no idea what their weather is like and I doubt my birds have ever been to Spain. That said, I know the original line was picked up and taken to England where they were "perfected" and then spread around the world from there. I got them when I lived in California which has pretty mild weather. Then I moved here and brought my birds with me. They take the heat pretty well... I just have to be careful they don't run out of water. I have one cockerel who I am really impressed with. He was in his own pen so I could monitor his water consumption easily. He hardly drank anything last summer and I never saw him pant. Nor did I ever see him droop his wings or hold them out away from his body, not once.

Wow, that is impressive! I heard your birds took a quick weekend trip to Spain last time you left for a few days, but it's just a rumor, of course ...

Elevation here is 5400+, water table is deep. Cottonwoods have done okay once established but we have to make sure they get water once a month if it doesn't rain during warm months. Anywhere the soil is soft enough for them to put down roots fast they will volunteer, though.

Do you find it more difficult to keep birds in Nevada than in California? I know it's about as dry there as it is here, and I sometimes wish to move to a slightly wetter climate, but then I think about how I really don't worry at all about moisture in the coops here, and maybe it's okay to just stay where it's dry.

I admire your birds. I love white egg layers. I wish the blacks and splash were in the SOP. Is anyone trying to get them admitted?