Great info, thanks! I'll have to look for a Splash flower hen in pictures.
Funny thing, I've been working with the Aloha project (whose original goal was to recreate the Swedish Flower Hen in the U.S.) using a "local" mutt strain to start with. It's crazy how much tougher this local strain is from purebred Hatchery birds. The Aloha stock originally came from Mexican game stock, I think? (The foundation hen was from Hispanic neighbors who left to go back to Mexico shortly therafter.) Early in the program, a terrible illness went through my flock and almost destoyed the entire project altogether. It immediately killed off my hatchery birds. Only two "purebred" birds survived. Out of about 12? That's why I've had issues early on, trying to outcross to larger birds. I tried that early on but when that horrible thing happened, the purebreds didn't make it!
The locally bred, mutt Alohas, had a lot more survive, percentage-wise. I rebuilt the flock from the handful of Alohas who pulled through. I gave some Alohas to a friend, and when her other chickens were ill at one point, the Alohas didn't even get sick at all!
Most of my Hispanic neighbors would never consider vaccinating a chicken, most don't vaccinate their dogs or horses, even. Or worm them. Their livestock is extremely tough. Mine will always be pampered by comparison, and I'd never have purposely done something so harsh to improve a breed, but it is interesting that my poor Alohas are mirroring this "survival of the fittest" landrace theory, ha ha.
Funny thing, I've been working with the Aloha project (whose original goal was to recreate the Swedish Flower Hen in the U.S.) using a "local" mutt strain to start with. It's crazy how much tougher this local strain is from purebred Hatchery birds. The Aloha stock originally came from Mexican game stock, I think? (The foundation hen was from Hispanic neighbors who left to go back to Mexico shortly therafter.) Early in the program, a terrible illness went through my flock and almost destoyed the entire project altogether. It immediately killed off my hatchery birds. Only two "purebred" birds survived. Out of about 12? That's why I've had issues early on, trying to outcross to larger birds. I tried that early on but when that horrible thing happened, the purebreds didn't make it!
The locally bred, mutt Alohas, had a lot more survive, percentage-wise. I rebuilt the flock from the handful of Alohas who pulled through. I gave some Alohas to a friend, and when her other chickens were ill at one point, the Alohas didn't even get sick at all!
Most of my Hispanic neighbors would never consider vaccinating a chicken, most don't vaccinate their dogs or horses, even. Or worm them. Their livestock is extremely tough. Mine will always be pampered by comparison, and I'd never have purposely done something so harsh to improve a breed, but it is interesting that my poor Alohas are mirroring this "survival of the fittest" landrace theory, ha ha.
