Old and Rare Breeds

[werepoodle]

Why do you feel people don't want to commit to this breed? I am wanting something that would work in the heat and dryness of my part of the country. The stark white face and black plummage is apealling (sp?) to me but are they unthrifty or otherwise not a good choice for a beginner?

 

[gallorojo]

I don't think the WFBS issue has to do with thriftiness or lack of hardiness. I think it has everything to do with the general decline in interest in the Mediterranean/light Continental type birds, ie, your white egg layers. White eggs are not popular, flighty birds are not popular, skinny birds, not that popular. If you look over this forum, you will quickly see that the dark eggers, blue or green eggers, dual purpose types, and crested, feather footed type chickens dominate, and wild patterns and novel colors. I think the whole thing is a crying shame.
Personally, I think a chalk white egg is thing of beauty, and the Spanish and Minorcas, and Hamburgs, are some the showiest, and thriftiest breeds around. This site seems heavily biased to "pet" chickens also, so it's not the best place to gauge the worthiness of a breed. A lot of great old productive breeds get forgotten in the face of a crested lavender laced olive egger.

 

[fowlman01]

Bridget Riddle and Ryan Carel both have good WFBS here in CA. There may be others, but I have seen the birds these two have.

Walt

 

[gjensen]

I don't think the WFBS issue has to do with thriftiness or lack of hardiness. I think it has everything to do with the general decline in interest in the Mediterranean/light Continental type birds, ie, your white egg layers. White eggs are not popular, flighty birds are not popular, skinny birds, not that popular. If you look over this forum, you will quickly see that the dark eggers, blue or green eggers, dual purpose types, and crested, feather footed type chickens dominate, and wild patterns and novel colors. I think the whole thing is a crying shame.
Personally, I think a chalk white egg is thing of beauty, and the Spanish and Minorcas, and Hamburgs, are some the showiest, and thriftiest breeds around. This site seems heavily biased to "pet" chickens also, so it's not the best place to gauge the worthiness of a breed. A lot of great old productive breeds get forgotten in the face of a crested lavender laced olive egger.

I think they are quite regal. Good examples are a sight to behold. I like them myself. If I could have everything that I liked, these would be at the top of the list. Sharp looking birds. A flock of these ranging would be an impressive sight.

I agree that it is a shame that such sharp looking, active, and actually productive breeds should be overlooked. This is no exageration. I have three Catalana pullets keeping up with a dozen NHs (exhibition strain) at home for winter laying. I have not had three pullets laying 15/16 eggs a week since I had production birds. No lights, and less feed. I like that and their white eggs.

 

[ramirezframing]

. A flock of these ranging would be an impressive sight.

Yes it is as I seen my friends flock. I would love to have some to go with my other flighty breeds, but I lack the space at the moment. But after I get two of my current projects done I just might have the space

 

[flyingmonkeypoop]

When I was digging through my grandmothers pictures last year, I found many pictures of her families old flocks of chickens. There was one flock of large black Jersey Giant looking chickens but all were rumpless. Then there was a picture of some HUGE WFBS looking chickens. She said they had the most delightful rust colored feathering. There is no doubt they were spanish though based on their type and sagging white faces. In the black & white pics, they do look non-black, she says light red. She told me how one of their roosters was as tall as their pet turkey.
Something like that is just awesome to me. The size alone would be great to see. As for the color, I have never heard of such a thing but she swears the whole flock was uniform red color. I do miss our flock of dinosaur Spanish (they moved around like raptors) but for me, they don't have a place on our farmstead. We have production breeds and some show birds.

I had a point to this post but I can't remember what it was now...

 

[hallerlake]

I don't think the WFBS issue has to do with thriftiness or lack of hardiness. I think it has everything to do with the general decline in interest in the Mediterranean/light Continental type birds, ie, your white egg layers. White eggs are not popular, flighty birds are not popular, skinny birds, not that popular. If you look over this forum, you will quickly see that the dark eggers, blue or green eggers, dual purpose types, and crested, feather footed type chickens dominate, and wild patterns and novel colors. I think the whole thing is a crying shame.
Personally, I think a chalk white egg is thing of beauty, and the Spanish and Minorcas, and Hamburgs, are some the showiest, and thriftiest breeds around. This site seems heavily biased to "pet" chickens also, so it's not the best place to gauge the worthiness of a breed. A lot of great old productive breeds get forgotten in the face of a crested lavender laced olive egger.

I'm not interested in Mediterranean birds because I don't live in a mediterranean climate. Floridians, Texans, and Californians can have them. Light continental birds like mine are another story.

You make it sound like crested breeds are new comers. Spangled Spitzhaubens date back to the 15th century. Spangled Brabanters are even older. The parent breed, the Pavlov chicken's, origins are lost in the mists of time. Hamburgs were developed in the 19th century. Johnny Come Latelys if you ask me. Heck, your WFBS only date to the 16th century.

http://breedsavers.blogspot.com/2011/05/appenzeller-spitzhauben.html

 

[Yellow House Farm]

A lot of great old productive breeds get forgotten in the face of a crested lavender laced olive egger.

 

[Yellow House Farm]

I'm not interested in Mediterranean birds because I don't live in a mediterranean climate. Floridians, Texans, and Californians can have them. Light continental birds like mine are another story.

The trick to Mediterranean fowl in colder climates is rose combed varieties. We have RC Anconas current laying through 6 degree weather with a sub-zero wind chill in uninsulated coops. They're tough as nails.

 

[gallorojo]

I fully recognize the antiquity of the crested breeds. The point I'm making is novelty and flashy sells. The crested breeds have a solid following on this site. The other thing is you are giving dates when breeds were standardized in the west, many are certainly older than the dates you provided. I'm not trying to pick on any breeds or deny their worth, just making the point that some are neglected not due to lack of productivity or hardiness. Just lack of trendiness. All the crested breeds are just as worth preserving as the Mediterranean ones, my point is just that currently the Mediterraneans are not that appealing to newcomers.